Anyone know about Naresh Sohal?

[VodkaDilc]

It was not until after I had booked tickets that I noticed that this Prom has two intervals and is scheduled to end at 10.45. This is a real nuisance for those of us needing to catch trains. It seems a weird way to design a programme; I feel I might have to miss out on the Tchaikovsky. I suppose the main attraction for me is the Rachmaninov, played by a pianist I have often heard on CD but never in the flesh.

[teamsaint]

Well, what a depressing, predictable thread. Talk about worst fears confirmed...

Switch on at 19:30 (go on, force yourself). Listen to The Cosmic Dance by Naresh Sohal. Then you can at least make a comment based on minimal, rather than next to no, experience. Stretch your willpower and try to avoid instant dismissal. The GREAT problem with whizzing around the web for a quick listen is that you've prejudiced your OWN opinion.

If you REALLY hate it, that's a very good reason to.... go back and hear it again. The iPlayer (should have been) a godsend for new music. But does it change attitudes? Does it ****.

David Matthews' Vision of the Sea, Ades' Totentanz, Lachenmann's Tanzlied... "Listen again?" Once with prejudice, twice times never...

There is something of the tyranny of choice though. (how many brands of olive oil do we really need to choose from)?
If you have internet, you can pretty much hear what you want, when you want to. Fantastic, but sometimes distracting.

Jayne , don't be too upset. iplayer (and other sources) has introduced me and many others to huge swathes of music new to me (and them).
I quite like the bits of Sohal's music i have youtubed (there isn't much though).

[teamsaint]

It was not until after I had booked tickets that I noticed that this Prom has two intervals and is scheduled to end at 10.45. This is a real nuisance for those of us needing to catch trains. It seems a weird way to design a programme; I feel I might have to miss out on the Tchaikovsky. I suppose the main attraction for me is the Rachmaninov, played by a pianist I have often heard on CD but never in the flesh.

Concert promoters seem to live in a bubble, where start and finish times are dictated by the demandss of the performers, rather than the needs of customers.

Transport operators seem to be the same. Last train to Manchester from London. 10 pm.

[KipperKid]

There is something of the tyranny of choice though. (how many brands of olive oil do we really need to choose from)?
If you have internet, you can pretty much hear what you want, when you want to. Fantastic, but sometimes distracting

Know what you mean. Having spent a fair bit of time in Eastern Europe in the communist days, I remember how refreshing it was not to have to worry about which type of toothpaste to go for, or what kind of bread to buy in the morning.

[teamsaint]

Know what you mean. Having spent a fair bit of time in Eastern Europe in the communist days, I remember how refreshing it was not to have to worry about which type of toothpaste to go for, or what kind of bread to buy in the morning.

or indeed buying anything of any use at all in central Bruges !!
Apparently KK, there are people who don't have enough to eat, while we devote massive resources to essentially useless goods in a massive range of choice.
There has to be a balance somewhere?
perhaps you can help us all figure that out !!

[KipperKid]

or indeed buying anything of any use at all in central Bruges !!
Apparently KK, there are people who don't have enough to eat, while we devote massive resources to essentially useless goods in a massive range of choice.
There has to be a balance somewhere?
perhaps you can help us all figure that out !!

You must've known that Bruges is in Belgium when you booked your holiday, so no sympathy!

[teamsaint]

You must've known that Bruges is in Belgium when you booked your holiday, so no sympathy!

we found other towns where you can buy things like olive oil, bread, CDs, Heineken and other essentials.
Just not in central Bruges.
I thought it was in Italy, actually, what with all those lovely buildings. I did think that the train had got there surprisingly quickly.
Anyway, the Sohal stuff looks good, so lets stay on topic.

[KipperKid]

we found other towns where you can buy things like olive oil, bread, CDs, Heineken and other essentials.
Just not in central Bruges.
I thought it was in Italy, actually, what with all those lovely buildings.
Anyway, the Sohal stuff looks good, so lets stay on topic.

I listened to his 'Reflection For Harmonica, Strings & Piano' on that link you posted and I thought it was bloomin' good!

But if one was going along for a bit of Rach'n'chaik, 45 minutes of his orchestral music might be a bit of a challenge.

[teamsaint]

I listened to his 'Reflection For Harmonica, Strings & Piano' on that link you posted and I thought it was bloomin' good!

But if one was going along for a bit of Rach'n'chaik, 45 minutes of his orchestral music might be a bit of a challenge.

Yes, perhaps, but what value for money !!
ok, ok.......I know.........

*( I enjoyed that Harmonica piece too. Hope ER sees it, he likes harmonica stuff.....)

[RobertLeDiable]

I see my views have been ever so slightly mocked by one or two posters here. All I can say is that a poster asked if anyone knew Sohal's music. I replied, saying that I had heard some of his music (actually three or four pieces, including a couple of large scale orchestral ones) quite a long time ago, and I wasn't impressed. I would say that I formed the impression that the music was derivative and uninteresting. Some may find it pleasant, I don't know. All I can say is that I wouldn't go out of my way to hear another piece of his. I don't see what's wrong with that.

I would add that a three part programme like this one, starting with a 45' new piece, looks pretty indigestible and certainly wouldn't be the sort of thing I'd take children to.

[Mary Chambers]

I would add that a three part programme like this one, starting with a 45' new piece, looks pretty indigestible and certainly wouldn't be the sort of thing I'd take children to.

I don't know if this is a general comment, or a reference to the fact that I mentioned my son has two small children. They aren't taking them to the concert. It's just that getting them organised and having to have babysitters etc. limits their ability to get out of the house early.

I found your comments about the music interesting, so thank you. The problem is that my son's experience of and enthusiasm for music is greater than his wife's, and it would help if she isn't too bored! 45 minutes is a longish piece. It needs to be good to sustain interest

[RobertLeDiable]

Apologies - I should have read your post more carefully. I'm glad they're not taking the kids! It does look as if the three part programme may be a device to try to entice an audience, having been saddled with 45' of new music by someone they won't have heard of. I wonder if the commission was for a shorter piece and it turned out to be twice as long as expected?!

If it's any comfort, my memory is that this composer doesn't go in for stuff that might frighten the horses, certainly not rebarbative modernism. More like Bollywood

[MrGongGong]

Some may find it pleasant, .

Save us from "pleasant" music, please

(seriously)

[Simon]

Save us from "pleasant" music, please

(seriously)

But if it's a choice between pleasant music or unpleasant music, can we nonetheless still have the pleasant, please?

(even more seriously)

[KipperKid]

But if it's a choice between pleasant music or unpleasant music, can we nonetheless still have the pleasant, please?

(even more seriously)

Is that a request? Stimmung is quite pleasant.