Activity rich, time poor?

[LMcD]

While I always read with interest reviews and recommendations from other Forum members, I don't really have much time to follow up many of them. One of the joys of being retired is that one has time to engage in all those activities that were previously ruled out. What with gardening (indoor and out), charity work, reading, my continuing programme of local lockdown walks, the delayed/interrupted Golden Wedding celebrations, a bit of birdwatching, active support of live classical concerts, cooking, crosswords and the UK Travel Bucket List, my exploration of new areas of musical interest is perforce limited. I'm also one of those people who, however irrationally, feels a degree of guilt if I don't listen to at least some of the few hundred CDs and tapes that I've accumulated over the years.
Perhaps I'll find more time to further expand my musical horizons once I've got through my eighth and ninth decades. Until then, I'm afraid Mr Skalkottas and others will have to wait!

[french frank]

I don't think that's time poor. Time is just what you fill with activity. If you can choose how to fill it, you're time rich. Time poor is clocking on for work at 8am, working until 7pm, having supper and then flopping down in front of the TV because you're too tired (or it's too late) to start doing something else.

[Mario]

I like LMcD’s OP!

I also agree with much of his sentiment, in particular his last sentence. Much as I pick up on every word JLW utters, I’m afraid until I’ve heard every single note that Herr Beethoven has written, Mr Skalkottas will have to wait for me as well.

Sorry.

Mario

[richardfinegold]

It is impossible to explore all the music that is available. Perhaps in generations past one could be reasonably conversant with Composers represented on recordings, such as when Mahler and Bruckner were rarely represented. In late sixties labels such as Nonesuch and Erato began to explore the highways and byways, and then Naxos and others in the CD era. Now with streaming a more vast range still is easily available .
To embrace a Composer or a performer with enthusiasm can be a wonderful thing. It is natural to want to share that enthusiasm with others. If others are not necessarily in agreement, then repeated advocacy can begin to take on a domineering tone, even if unintended

[gurnemanz]

As well as some of the other activities mentioned (still four years to wait for golden wedding) following up on the recommendations and enthusiasms of others on here has been one of my greatest and constant pleasures, eg Stanfordian's recommendation the other day of the songs of Henri Marteau - entirely new to me, most appealing and duly downloaded. I shall certainly check out the Skalkottas via Spotify and look forward to many new discoveries and insights.

[Mario]

Oh dear!

My enthusiasm got the better of me.

Sorry.

Mario

[Richard Barrett]

I don't think that's time poor. Time is just what you fill with activity. If you can choose how to fill it, you're time rich. Time poor is clocking on for work at 8am, working until 7pm, having supper and then flopping down in front of the TV because you're too tired (or it's too late) to start doing something else.

Exactly.

While it isn't possible (unfortunately!) to follow up on all the interesting-looking leads provided by contributors to this forum, the fact that one might elevate Beethoven above all other composers shouldn't mean that one needs to listen to every note he wrote before looking at something else, especially given that Beethoven had his off days (in fact I can't think of another composer whose work varies in quality to the extent that his does!). It's always worth trying something else and then if desired immersing oneself in it. Beethoven will still be there, and one might even see his work in a new and enriching light. Since Skalkottas has been mentioned, some time ago I did give his work a try because it seemed promising in various ways, but I didn't really get anywhere with it. At the moment I'm spending a lot of my listening time with mediaeval music (and a bit of CPE Bach). I follow my nose when it comes to listening. Life is too short not to!

[vinteuil]

I follow my nose when it comes to listening. Life is too short not to!

... I tend to use my ears rather than my nose, but otherwise - yes!

.

[Richard Barrett]

... I tend to use my ears rather than my nose

Damn, that's where I've been going wrong all these years.

[vinteuil]

Damn, that's where I've been going wrong all these years.

... and in further alarming news -

https://metro.co.uk/2021/05/14/scientists-found-out-some-mammals-can-breathe-through-their-anus-14584120/

.

[gradus]

Researchers believe that some humans can not only breathe but also speak that way.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Exactly.

While it isn't possible (unfortunately!) to follow up on all the interesting-looking leads provided by contributors to this forum, the fact that one might elevate Beethoven above all other composers shouldn't mean that one needs to listen to every note he wrote before looking at something else, especially given that Beethoven had his off days (in fact I can't think of another composer whose work varies in quality to the extent that his does!). It's always worth trying something else and then if desired immersing oneself in it. Beethoven will still be there, and one might even see his work in a new and enriching light. Since Skalkottas has been mentioned, some time ago I did give his work a try because it seemed promising in various ways, but I didn't really get anywhere with it. At the moment I'm spending a lot of my listening time with mediaeval music (and a bit of CPE Bach). I follow my nose when it comes to listening. Life is too short not to!

Funnily enough I think Beethoven is of a consistently high level among composers’ varying outputs - an opinion I think I share with Robert Simpson or Hans Keller ( can’t remember which) . If you’d said Mozart I would have concurred . The secret of finding time is the blinding realisation that most modern novels aren’t worth reading despite the hype. Indeed I reckon about 500 - 750 books would cover most English , American and European literature worth a second read . Though that argument is open to the objection that unless you’ve read everything how can you tell? Luckily music (listening) is considerably less time consuming.

[vinteuil]

Funnily enough I think Beethoven is of a consistently high level among composers’ varying outputs...

... op 91 Wellingtons Sieg oder die Schlacht bei Vittoria? 121a Ich bin der Schneider Kakadu? Mandolin Sonatina in C minor, WoO 43, No. 1??

.

[Richard Barrett]

... op 91 Wellingtons Sieg oder die Schlacht bei Vittoria?

That was the kind of thing I was talking about - not just uninspired but actually quite objectionable! I don't much care what Messrs Simpson and Keller may have thought but surely Beethoven himself knew when he was producing hack work for cash and when redefining what music was capable of doing.

[vinteuil]

Indeed I reckon about 500 - 750 books would cover most English , American and European literature worth a second read . .

... I think I wd be happy with a far lower figure



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