Extremely annoying pieces of classical music

[Pianorak]

Kindly lay off Tchaikovsky and Ravel, folks. Thanks awfully.

Seconded. Anyone not liking the Ravel La Valse please listen to the solo piano version played by Martha Argerich - and then come back and say you didn't like it!

[Nick Armstrong]

Kindly lay off Tchaikovsky and Ravel, folks. Thanks awfully.

And Elgar symphones too, I imagine?

[subcontrabass]

Me too scb: we studied the Debussy Preludes Book 1, Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony, Bach's Orchestral Suite no 1 and LvB's An die Ferne Geliebte. The latter is the only one I haven't had much to do with since, love the others.

O level: Bach Wachet Auf, Mozart Clarinet Trio, Wagner Siegfried Idyll.

A level: Brahms Piano Concerto No 2, Dvorak Symphony No 8, Elgar Dream of Gerontius, Debussy Prelude a l'Apres-Midi d'un Faune, Schoenberg Three Piano Pieces Op 11, Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings.

The only one I have not heard again is the Schoenberg.

[Don Petter]

Me too scb: we studied the Debussy Preludes Book 1, Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony, Bach's Orchestral Suite no 1 and LvB's An die Ferne Geliebte. The latter is the only one I haven't had much to do with since, love the others.

I didn’t study music as a subject, but with regard to being fed up with the works I sang in the school choir, I find this isn’t so for me (though the fact that none of them are likely to be heard very frequently, particularly on R3, may be a factor).

I greet the following like old friends, and sing along, if no-one else is within earshot:

Haydn: Spring, from The Seasons
Stanford: The Revenge
Parry: Blest Pair of Sirens
Mendelssohn: Hymn of Praise

[Cellini]

Quote Originally Posted by Eine Alpensinfonie View Post
But do you hate him because of the quality of his music, or because you have to do more practice?

Now that's a low punch. . .

I don't think cellists do any at all, do they? (Never sounds like they do ...)

FLOSSIE: You would be my tonic with any glass of gin!

[Nick Armstrong]

FLOSSIE: You would be my tonic with any glass of gin!

Easy, you two! The private message facility exists for a reason .....a.k.a. "Get a room!"

[Alison]

And Elgar symphones too, I imagine?

Absolutely so, Caliban. I can't really find anything 'annoying' in Elgar.
Well, maybe that main theme in Cello Concerto (i) ....

[Uncle Monty]

Absolutely so, Caliban. I can't really find anything 'annoying' in Elgar.
Well, maybe that main theme in Cello Concerto (i) ....

Well, I expect I'm just more easily annoyed than you

Played in the Violin Concerto not long ago. Seldom been so bored. Someone should have said "You don't need to make it twice as long as everyone else's concertos".

Has anyone mentioned Danse Macabre? There is nothing attractive about that at all. Nasty atmosphere.

As for the 1812 Overture. . .


(I will pass over in silence the jibe about cellists not practising, treating it with the contempt it deserves. That's violists )

[MrGongGong]

I studied Debussy Quartet at A level (still a great piece) but Malcolm Williamsons' "a Childs Garden" which I studied for 'O' level really isn't worth the effort
nostalgia is an odd thing , Rejoice in the Lamb (which was another 'O' level piece) will always be "with mint sauce"
but I still find Gerontius superficial , self-congratulatory and crass, but maybe that's as a result of singing in a choir in a very high anglo-catholic church as a teenager ?

[Mr Pee]

As for the 1812 Overture. . .

We are in agreement on the 1812, Uncle Monty, although once again I must disagree most vociferously with your views on the Elgar Violin Concerto.

[Petrushka]

I can't think of any music I find annoying apart from Spring from Vivaldi's 4 Seasons and possibly Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik but that is more because I hear them with mind-numbing regularity as telephone call waiting jingles in my job

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It's quite fascinating. I can work out the exact ages of people by the names of the set works they quote. But the fact that I taught these set works show's I'm even older. :(

[subcontrabass]

It's quite fascinating. I can work out the exact ages of people by the names of the set works they quote. But the fact that I taught these set works show's I'm even older. :(

So what was the alternative to the Schoenberg on my list?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

So what was the alternative to the Schoenberg on my list?

Oh, now don't be mean. I was exaggerating a little. I couldn't recognise them all, but I do remember teaching MrGongGong's "From a Child's Garden", which my O-level pupils really didn't like and "Wachet Auf" which they grew to like. It's seeing the NUJMB set works bunched together that brings back the memories so vividly.

[pastoralguy]

Gluck. 'Dance of the blessed spirits'. Just horrible...