Recent Posts

91

General Classical Music Discussion / Re: What are you listening to now?

« Last post by San Antone on March 25, 2019, 07:01:21 PM »

debussy : thiollier
Etude No. 9, "Pour les notes repetees" (For repeated notes)

92

General Classical Music Discussion / Re: What are you listening to now?

« Last post by Mirror Image on March 25, 2019, 06:56:12 PM »

Maiden-listen Mondays -

Enescu
Pastorale Fantaisie
Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra
Gabriel Bebeşelea, conductor



Really gorgeous. Of course, this is an early work, but it’s no less attractive because of this fact. I’ll save Strigoii for another night.

93

The Diner / Re: First trip to France (Paris, Brittany)-any advice appreciated. . .

« Last post by XB-70 Valkyrie on March 25, 2019, 06:44:00 PM »

Hi,

Have been meaning to get back here for a while. We bought our plane tickets--three weeks in June-July. (saved about $500 on Norwegian vs Air France, even after adding luggage, priority boarding, seat assignments, meals) I am told the weather will be pretty nice then, and the really hot weather often happens in August. I would imagine it would be cooler on average in Brittany. As much as I love rain, I am hoping for not too much on this trip. We also just booked a great AirBNB in Paris very close to the Louvre.

We did find out that Chartes is an easy day train trip to/from Paris and there is Malcom Miller, who has been giving tours of the cathedral for 60+ years. We will definitely try to go on one of his tours, or maybe even book a private on in advance. We are also taking the train to Giverny and Reims on different days.

I am still really confused about the need for a car in St. Malo area and Carnac. I certainly understand the need for a car if exploring the countryside, but St. Malo area is quite touristy, and I'm told that cabs and busses (e.g., bus from ST. Malo to Mont St. Michel or to Dinan) are readily available. Still, some have said that a car is a "must" in St. Malo--but another very experienced travler in this area told us it is not! What am I missing here? I would not mind renting a car on our last day or two in St. Malo area, driving out west a bit to explore some beaches and towns. Then we will drive to Carnac or Vannes for our stay there. Any more thoughts on the rental car?

Also, we are now looking at lodging in Brittany, and some of the advice here--St. Lunaire, etc--sounds really great. We are trying to figure out how to divide our time in Brittany, and I think five nights in St. Malo area and three in Carnac would likely do the trick:

 We were thinking

Day 1: Dinan, St. Malo sightseeing

Day 2: MSM, followed by more wandering around, Cancale oysters

Day 3: Day trip to Guernsey (??)

Day 4: Drive out to the west and explore beaches, coastline

Then, drive to Carnac and have two days to explore the Menhirs, coastline, and maybe some time in Vannes.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

94

General Classical Music Discussion / Re: What are you listening to now?

« Last post by Mirror Image on March 25, 2019, 06:27:34 PM »

Enescu
Quintet in A minor, Op. 29
Gidon Kremer (violin), Ula Ulijona (viola), Marta Sudraba (cello), Andrius Zlabys (piano), Dzeraldas Bidva (violin)



This is such an unbelievably gorgeous work and it has a certain harmonic vocabulary that I find highly alluring, which I could say for much of Enescu in general. He’s rapidly becoming a composer that I’d easily include into my ‘Top 10’ favorite composers list. I’m not sure exactly how it happened, but I have to thank many of the members here who have expressed interest in his music via the composer’s thread. A big thank you to Rafael (ritter) as well as his posts on Enescu have been most enlightening and the same goes for Andrei (Florestan). Is Romania a country I'd want to visit? Absolutely!

95

Composer Discussion / Re: Havergal Brian.

« Last post by PerfectWagnerite on March 25, 2019, 06:26:15 PM »

All indications are: senility, dementia and early onset alzheimer's are all helpful!

True, how else can you stand it.

Anyway around 20 yrs ago Marco Polo boldly declared the plan for a Brian Cycle:



I wonder how many more installments they need to complete.

96

Composer Discussion / Re: Havergal Brian.

« Last post by Mirror Image on March 25, 2019, 06:01:10 PM »

It took me a couple of decades and now I love it!

All indications are: senility, dementia and early onset alzheimer's are all helpful!

 

97

General Classical Music Discussion / Re: What are you listening to now?

« Last post by Mirror Image on March 25, 2019, 05:58:05 PM »

Turned the Mahler 9 off...just wasn’t in the mood (as if I’m really ever in the mood for Mahler)...now playing:

Schulhoff
Symphony No. 5
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
James Conlon, conductor

98

Composer Discussion / Re: Havergal Brian.

« Last post by springrite on March 25, 2019, 05:54:42 PM »

Haha! Good luck with that. I’ve tried, goodness, have I tried to get into Brian, but I just can’t.

It took me a couple of decades and now I love it!

All indications are: senility, dementia and early onset alzheimer's are all helpful!

99

Composer Discussion / Re: Havergal Brian.

« Last post by Mirror Image on March 25, 2019, 05:49:47 PM »

I will make it a mission to eventually turn you into one of them piranhas 

Haha! Good luck with that. I’ve tried, goodness, have I tried to get into Brian, but I just can’t.

100

Composer Discussion / Re: Havergal Brian.

« Last post by springrite on March 25, 2019, 05:48:30 PM »

I suppose it’s time to wake a sleeping dragon...



Mind you, I don’t have a dog in the fight. I’m not a fan of Brian’s music, but it is fascinating to see the Brian fan club come back to life once there’s the smell of a new recording around the corner. Almost like how a drop of blood in a piranha infested river triggers the demise of a wounded agouti.

I will make it a mission to eventually turn you into one of them piranhas