Greetings from Coventry

[TarandeepKang]

An interesting point about Essential Classics, and this is exactly the way in which I've been using it. If I hear a piece I particularly like, I will note down the details, and look up a few different recordings and some critical opinion, and from there, just go with the flow. I can see why, for those of you who know the landscape much better I, this might not be what you're after. As I mentioned in one of my other responses to somebody else, even I can see signs of this dumbing down, as in the recent case of music choices for "in tune." But I have gone on to discover different kinds of classical music, and develop tasteful particular composers and performers. Increasingly, I feel comfortable just to find pieces that are new to me, and listen to them. And I started attending concerts, which is also becoming a semiregular habit.

I absolutely intend to make regular listening a habit, indeed it's already become one, and aside from classical, I'm starting to enjoy bits of jazz in the company of Mr Shipton.

I'm starting to see things from the perspective of many of you, and I think that much of the dumbing down is not actually working in the way the bosses of the BBC think it will. The younger generation is not stupid, we really can cope with whole pieces of music! I really do feel that being exposed to more of them will help those people who feel that classical isn't for them, to see that it can be quite the opposite! So our opinions don't differ so much!

Criticism aside, I really do think there is much to be enjoyed, and I'm looking forward to my discoveries,

[gradus]

In my experience there is no end to the discoveries that classical music offers. You have much to look forward to.

[Serial_Apologist]

In my experience there is no end to the discoveries that classical music offers. You have much to look forward to.

Watching the long interview with Peter Brötzmann linked to over on the jazz thread, in which in front of a clearly empathetic young audience he evinced totally unreconstructed radical 60s views about inspiration, the music industry, academia and so on, I found immensely heartening - suggesting new generations coming up are not totally swayed by media priorities and theme focusses.

[oddoneout]

An interesting point about Essential Classics, and this is exactly the way in which I've been using it. If I hear a piece I particularly like, I will note down the details, and look up a few different recordings and some critical opinion, and from there, just go with the flow. I can see why, for those of you who know the landscape much better I, this might not be what you're after. As I mentioned in one of my other responses to somebody else, even I can see signs of this dumbing down, as in the recent case of music choices for "in tune." But I have gone on to discover different kinds of classical music, and develop tasteful particular composers and performers. Increasingly, I feel comfortable just to find pieces that are new to me, and listen to them. And I started attending concerts, which is also becoming a semiregular habit.

I absolutely intend to make regular listening a habit, indeed it's already become one, and aside from classical, I'm starting to enjoy bits of jazz in the company of Mr Shipton.

I'm starting to see things from the perspective of many of you, and I think that much of the dumbing down is not actually working in the way the bosses of the BBC think it will. The younger generation is not stupid, we really can cope with whole pieces of music! I really do feel that being exposed to more of them will help those people who feel that classical isn't for them, to see that it can be quite the opposite! So our opinions don't differ so much!

Criticism aside, I really do think there is much to be enjoyed, and I'm looking forward to my discoveries,

As a matter of interest did you listen to the "Classical Life" concert last night, which is part of the BBCs attracting younger listeners initiative and/or have you heard Jess Gillam's regular Saturday slot of the same name?

[Ein Heldenleben]

As a matter of interest did you listen to the "Classical Life" concert last night, which is part of the BBCs attracting younger listeners initiative and/or have you heard Jess Gillam's regular Saturday slot of the same name?

I listened to 5 minutes and headed straight for Tuesdays Through The Night…

[french frank]

Criticism aside, I really do think there is much to be enjoyed, and I'm looking forward to my discoveries,

TK - it's certainly very refreshing to have a new member - and new listener to R3 - willing to post thoughtfully from a particular perspective. (Not to mention the fact that it gives us an opportunity to show that we aren't all the 'elitist snobs' wanting to keep classical music to ourselves as some like to portray us!).

[TarandeepKang]

I did listen to yesterday's live version, and will be looking into more recordings from the Norwegian (I think?) violinist. I loved the Richter, it always gets to me, even if it has been quite widely used in film et cetera. The fusion between electric guitar and orchestra with a new one on me, but it was certainly the kind of new discovery I like! I didn't know about this regular Sunday slot, so I will look into it, and I'm looking forward to Sir Mark Elder, tonight.

[TarandeepKang]

I think classical music is absolutely for everyone, and the thing that separates "snobs" from other far lovelier people such as yourselves, is that they seem to expect everyone to know everything that they do, and forget that others of us are just starting out on our journeys! I've had all the people attacked me for not buying CDs, but instead using streaming services. I point out that my generation just didn't grow up on CDs, and there are actually specialised streaming services et cetera. I think you would all be heartened to know just how many younger people attend concerts and opera streams on my campus. It's great to watch the ones who are really new just get drawn in!

[Bryn]

I think classical music is absolutely for everyone, and the thing that separates "snobs" from other far lovelier people such as yourselves, is that they seem to expect everyone to know everything that they do, and forget that others of us are just starting out on our journeys! I've had all the people attacked me for not buying CDs, but instead using streaming services. I point out that my generation just didn't grow up on CDs, and there are actually specialised streaming services et cetera. I think you would all be heartened to know just how many younger people attend concerts and opera streams on my campus. It's great to watch the ones who are really new just get drawn in!

A belated welcome from me. When it comes to streaming/downloads, I find it somewhat amusing that the 'physical media lobby' are all too often happy to make do with CDs when there may be a streaming/download option available at higher audio quality. That said, streaming is often thought of as representing mp3 or aac (as in YouTube), which do degrade the audio quality to a variable extent. As an example of a lossless (though only CD audio quality) streaming/download, may I highly recommend the Shostakovich Symphonies promotion here: http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...167#post921167. I got the CD set at the time of its release and it comprises very fine performances indeed, in decent recordings.

[oddoneout]

I did listen to yesterday's live version, and will be looking into more recordings from the Norwegian (I think?) violinist. I loved the Richter, it always gets to me, even if it has been quite widely used in film et cetera. The fusion between electric guitar and orchestra with a new one on me, but it was certainly the kind of new discovery I like! I didn't know about this regular Sunday slot, so I will look into it, and I'm looking forward to Sir Mark Elder, tonight.

I've just looked up the schedule for the details of that concert and was entertained to see, very briefly, a box offering "all the recipes from The Apostles". Sadly it almost immediately disappeared to be replaced with the correct box, so I shall never know what culinary delights I missed.

[vinteuil]

I've just looked up the schedule for the details of that concert and was entertained to see, very briefly, a box offering "all the recipes from The Apostles". Sadly it almost immediately disappeared to be replaced with the correct box, so I shall never know what culinary delights I missed.

... you may regret having asked -

https://apostlehotsauce.co.nz/blogs/recipes

.

[Serial_Apologist]

... you may regret having asked -

https://apostlehotsauce.co.nz/blogs/recipes

.

Blessings in de skies!

[Nick Armstrong]

Thank you! I'm grateful to everyone for the warm welcome here, and I look forward to getting stuck in.

Hello. Got any favourite pieces / composers yet?

[cloughie]

The arguments about times past compared to present day have been gone over many times, and doubtless will continue. Are they either helpful or relevant to the OP, which was from someone who has been introduced to the world of "classical" music by the current day R3, and who listens to that current output.
It reminds me of the classic garden joke where any compliment on the display is met with "Oh you should have been here last week, it's all gone over now"

Very aptly describes the state of R3, odd!

BUT the chunks bleed on!

[TarandeepKang]

Hi,

Surprisingly enough, yes, there are certain types of music, composers and pieces that I just have instantly fallen in love with! It started for me with solo piano, I love the sonatas of Chopin, Beethoven Bach, Liszt. I also really really love the Brandenburg concertos and Bach’s sonatas for violin (Isabelle Faust!). In a completely different vein, Spiegel im Spiegel, and Spem in Alium (even as an avowed atheist the latter of these is just heartbreakingly beautiful! :-) Good friend just introduced me to Stabat Mater, too!

Symphonically, I love the works of Mahler (number seven especially) and Beethoven (hard to choose a favourite!) Last of all, a particular modern piece by Max Richter, but I can’t remember the name just now (don’t laugh!) “Daylight…?” I know it’s been overused in film, but it makes me cry every time I hear it, in a way Clair de lune, also does!

Haven’t seen much opera yet, but I really love der Rosenkavalier, and the evening R3 performance this weekend is also apparently a brilliant one!?