Losing it

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  • Eine Alpensinfonie
    Host
    • Nov 2010
    • 20572

    Losing it

    I'm in a Facebook group of "old scholars" form my schooldays. In discussing a film on YouTube of showing what the school was like in the 1950s, I was trying to identify the chamber work (which sounded familiar) used for the soundtrack. So I posted that I was trying to identify the piano trio being played. A reply followed from someone who had studied it as an O-level set work. It was the first movement of Schubert's Trout Quintet. She had remembered it as a pupil; I had forgotten it even though I'd taught it. And I'd even got the genre wrong

    I thought I'd better own up
  • french frank
    Administrator/Moderator
    • Feb 2007
    • 30456

    #2
    Originally posted by Eine Alpensinfonie View Post
    I'm in a Facebook group of "old scholars" form my schooldays. In discussing a film on YouTube of showing what the school was like in the 1950s, I was trying to identify the chamber work (which sounded familiar) used for the soundtrack. So I posted that I was trying to identify the piano trio being played. A reply followed from someone who had studied it as an O-level set work. It was the first movement of Schubert's Trout Quintet. She had remembered it as a pupil; I had forgotten it even though I'd taught it. And I'd even got the genre wrong

    I thought I'd better own up
    Yes, I think you're right. I've been put down a few times for my academic efforts
    It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

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    • Eine Alpensinfonie
      Host
      • Nov 2010
      • 20572

      #3
      The only thing I can say in my defence is that I gave the Trout Quintet CD to my daughter 15 years ago.

      It's the best excuse I can muster.

      Comment

      • Tony Halstead
        Full Member
        • Nov 2010
        • 1717

        #4
        Originally posted by french frank View Post
        Yes, I think you're right. I've been put down a few times for my academic efforts
        a few years ago, at a local university, I took/ 'led' a class analysis of various recordings of the Mozart Horn concertos in a 'blind tasting' format.
        The one that I (and my students) ended up 'slagging off' the most turned out to be my own ( my first attempt, recorded in 1987)

        Comment

        • Nick Armstrong
          Host
          • Nov 2010
          • 26572

          #5
          Originally posted by Tony View Post
          a few years ago, at a local university, I took/ 'led' a class analysis of various recordings of the Mozart Horn concertos in a 'blind tasting' format.
          The one that I (and my students) ended up 'slagging off' the most turned out to be my own ( my first attempt, recorded in 1987)


          Brave confessions from Tony and Alpie !!
          "...the isle is full of noises,
          Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
          Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
          Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."

          Comment

          • ardcarp
            Late member
            • Nov 2010
            • 11102

            #6
            Indeed. The Trout (the song Die Forelle) was one of six (random) Schubert songs set as my O-level set works. Whilst I loved the others (which we adolescent boys sang around the piano as the music master played) I just couldn't abide The Trout. I still can't. Whilst the quintet is a much-loved work for some, those variations on the trite trout tune just make me want to scream.

            Running for cover now. Bye.

            Oh, before I go, did you ever record Auf dem Strom (tenor, horn and piano) Tony? Lovely piece.
            Last edited by ardcarp; 17-09-14, 22:48.

            Comment

            • Eine Alpensinfonie
              Host
              • Nov 2010
              • 20572

              #7
              I think what diverted me was the key of the music on the soundtrack. I went to my Dictionary of Musical Themes to look it up, but to do so you have to transpose what you hear into C major. I did that, looked it up and found nothing remotely like it. So I then looked up all suitable chamber works in C major by late classical composers, and it just wasn't there. You can see my brain wash't in gear. :sad face:

              The reason I could find it was the fact that the theme quoted for the Trout Quintet excluded the opening chord and arpeggio. which is what I was searching for.

              Tony, had it been me doing that comparison, I'd definitely have excluded my own recording.

              Comment

              • Tony Halstead
                Full Member
                • Nov 2010
                • 1717

                #8
                Tony, had it been me doing that comparison, I'd definitely have excluded my own recording.
                Hmm... I had no choice, EA, my students turned up with about a dozen CDs in blank cases!

                Comment

                • Don Petter

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Eine Alpensinfonie View Post
                  I'm in a Facebook group of "old scholars" form my schooldays. In discussing a film on YouTube of showing what the school was like in the 1950s, I was trying to identify the chamber work (which sounded familiar) used for the soundtrack. So I posted that I was trying to identify the piano trio being played. A reply followed from someone who had studied it as an O-level set work. It was the first movement of Schubert's Trout Quintet. She had remembered it as a pupil; I had forgotten it even though I'd taught it. And I'd even got the genre wrong

                  I thought I'd better own up
                  Don't worry. We're all getting like it.

                  It just means you're a couple of items short of a full set.

                  Comment

                  • pastoralguy
                    Full Member
                    • Nov 2010
                    • 7799

                    #10
                    I used to produce gasps of astonishment at my ability to recognise works after only a few seconds. Alas, it takes me much longer now I'm older as my little grey cells curl up and die.

                    Still, take heart from this story.

                    A young violinist was invited to play Ysaye's first solo violin sonata at a gathering to honour the great man. He arrived at the venue to discover he had forgotten his music although he had intended to play from memory. He got nervous and, of course, couldn't remember how the piece started despite having worked religiously at it. As the fateful hour came closer he decided to come clean and admit this problem to Ysaye who also couldn't remember how it started. The honouring had to be delayed as the young violinist and Ysaye wandered round the garden attempting to remember the first few notes.

                    Eventually, Ysaye made a charming speech to the distinguished gathering where he said 'of course, the theme for my first solo violin sonata means a lot to me and I'm sure you all remember it'.

                    Of course, no one could!

                    Comment

                    • pastoralguy
                      Full Member
                      • Nov 2010
                      • 7799

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Tony View Post
                      a few years ago, at a local university, I took/ 'led' a class analysis of various recordings of the Mozart Horn concertos in a 'blind tasting' format.
                      The one that I (and my students) ended up 'slagging off' the most turned out to be my own ( my first attempt, recorded in 1987)
                      Didn't that happen to Mischa Maisky? He failed to recognise his recording of the Bach suites that were playing in a record shop. He decided there and then that he had to re-record them!

                      Comment

                      • Barbirollians
                        Full Member
                        • Nov 2010
                        • 11752

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Tony View Post
                        Hmm... I had no choice, EA, my students turned up with about a dozen CDs in blank cases!
                        Which one did they like best ? Your second recording I hope !

                        Comment

                        • Eine Alpensinfonie
                          Host
                          • Nov 2010
                          • 20572

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Barbirollians View Post
                          Which one did they like best ? Your second recording I hope !
                          I think the point about this was that Tony was slagging it off too, not just the students.

                          Comment

                          • Barbirollians
                            Full Member
                            • Nov 2010
                            • 11752

                            #14
                            Menuhin was apparently on the boat from the US and the Beethoven Violin Concerto was being played over the speakers - he did not recognise his own recording with Furtwangler having had the embarrassment of saying to his wife that he would like to play it like that !

                            Comment

                            • MrGongGong
                              Full Member
                              • Nov 2010
                              • 18357

                              #15
                              Originally posted by pastoralguy View Post
                              Didn't that happen to Mischa Maisky?
                              Or was he mistaken for Zappa ?

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