Musical confessions

[cloughie]

I don't think there's anything shameful about liking Wendy Carlos! I wish she'd done a lot more Scarlatti, those were my favourites. And Isao Tomita's Snowflakes are Dancing was my first taste of Debussy's piano music and still my most listened-to recordings of it.

Absolutely agree with you about Tomita.

[Flay]

In 1973 or 74 when I was in my first year at university, Simon Rattle phoned asking if I would play Cor Anglais in an orchestra he was geting together for a performance of The Rite. I confess that I turned him down, saying that I was too busy studying (and didn't feel competent enough ).

I've always regretted not having made the effort

[MickyD]

.

... I too loved W Carlos. Some seven years ago I got this, for £25. Much recommended. Tho' I fear it's not as cheap now...

http://amzn.eu/7GCBhGe

.

I got that box, too, Vints and so glad that I did. I'd never heard the other Brandenburg arrangements until I acquired it.

Also very happy to hear that Mr Barrett thinks there's no shame in liking Carlos...one thing he/she did was scrupulously respect the scores, however much the sounds changed. And I find it fascinating to hear parts of the score in the Brandenburgs that I'd never noticed before.

[Richard Barrett]

Strange to go from electronic instruments to period ones.

Actually though I don't think it is. Both involve what might be called a greater concentration on the timbral qualities of music, and in particular a kind of timbral heterogeneity as opposed to the ideal of smoothness and continuity of timbre that grew up through the later 19th and early 20th centuries. At least that's how I would explain my own attachment to baroque music as well as electronics.

[aeolium]

... Beecham may have done many good things for this Land ohne Musik - but he does not endear himself to very many of us because of his "witticisms" - which sadly bespeak a small-minded and rather unpleasant human being...

But do you have that attitude with other musicians, indeed other artists in general who may have been particularly unpleasant in what they believed and how they behaved but are still valued for what they did, what they made?

Here are some sayings of another C20 musician. I think some of them fatuous and unpleasant but I don't in the least think they invalidate what he achieved in music:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2015/mar/26/boulez-in-his-own-words

Plenty of composers and performers have said daft things, just like the rest of us. It doesn't lessen their achievement.

[MrGongGong]

... Beecham may have done many good things for this Land ohne Musik - but he does not endear himself to very many of us because of his "witticisms" - which sadly bespeak a small-minded and rather unpleasant human being...

I remember watching a BBC4 documentary about Delius and thinking how much better it would have been if someone other than the odious Beecham had championed his music.

[Richard Barrett]

Plenty of composers and performers have said daft things, just like the rest of us. It doesn't lessen their achievement.

This is true of course. But there are also those of us who regard much of Beecham's musical "achievement" as questionable to say the least.

[cloughie]

I remember watching a BBC4 documentary about Delius and thinking how much better it would have been if someone other than the odious Beecham had championed his music.

Why? His legacy of Delius recordings is by any measure pretty damned good!

[cloughie]

This is true of course. But there are also those of us who regard much of Beecham's musical "achievement" as questionable to say the least.

In what way?...and why this sudden spate of Beecham bashing - seems you want to purge him with his own pills!

[MrGongGong]

Why? His legacy of Delius recordings is by any measure pretty damned good!

He was an odious, pompous character with questionable musical ability (not that i'm an expert on him at all)
IMV Delius would have done better with someone with a bit more respect for him and his music

[cloughie]

He was an odious, pompous character with questionable musical ability (not that i'm an expert on him at all)
IMV Delius would have done better with someone with a bit more respect for him and his music

Any suggestions who might have done it. Beecham championed Delius' work for at least 25 years whilst he was alive and another 25 after his death. Not a bad record methinks, particularly as for many years Delius got very little recognition in the UK.

[MrGongGong]

Any suggestions who might have done it. Beecham championed Delius' work for at least 25 years whilst he was alive and another 25 after his death. Not a bad record methinks, particularly as for many years Delius got very little recognition in the UK.

No idea matey

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

In 1973 or 74 when I was in my first year at university, Simon Rattle phoned asking if I would play Cor Anglais in an orchestra he was geting together for a performance of The Rite. I confess that I turned him down, saying that I was too busy studying (and didn't feel competent enough ).

I've always regretted not having made the effort

I think that "confession" tops the lot.

[MickyD]

Actually though I don't think it is. Both involve what might be called a greater concentration on the timbral qualities of music, and in particular a kind of timbral heterogeneity as opposed to the ideal of smoothness and continuity of timbre that grew up through the later 19th and early 20th centuries. At least that's how I would explain my own attachment to baroque music as well as electronics.

Very interesting, Richard ...I'd never thought that way - I can see your reasoning.

[Flay]

I think that "confession" tops the lot.

Indeed, I could have dined out on it in my amateur circles.