Past Purchases (CLOSED)

[Harry]

Yee-haw! Just landed:

No, no, not for me I am afraid. And 10 of them also!
I wish you strenght my friend!

[71 dB]

Not classical but world music:

Best of Narada World [2CD] 4.99 euros

[71 dB]

Not classical either (Swedish pop):



Standfast - Beneath And Beyond - 18.90 € delivered

Standfast lists composers Elgar, Puccini, Verdi, Mozart and Pärt among their influences. No wonder their music is as good and sophisticated as Swedish pop music can be. They release this second album on their own label for artistical freedom.

[Sergeant Rock]

I bought just one CD in Berlin over the long Easter weekend: this one after the concert at the Philharmonie:



I was going to get it autographed by Barenboim but the line was long, it was late (besides the Seventh, Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen was also on the program, making for a very long evening), and we wanted to get to a restaurant to eat a late supper before they closed.

Sarge

[Harry]

I bought just one CD in Berlin over the long Easter weekend: this one after the concert at the Philharmonie:


Sarge

Welcome Sarge! And a good day to you!

[Florestan]

Good day all!

Just arrived:

Glinka
Ruslan & Lyudmila
Anna Netrebko / Vladimir Ognovienko
Kirov Chorus & Orchestra
Valery Gergiev

[Sergeant Rock]

Welcome Sarge! And a good day to you!

Hey, Harry. It is a good day. The sun is shining brilliantly here in the Rhine Valley.

Sarge

[Harry]

Good day all!

Just arrived:

Glinka
Ruslan & Lyudmila
Anna Netrebko / Vladimir Ognovienko
Kirov Chorus & Orchestra
Valery Gergiev

Good morning my friend.
If it wasn't for the singing, I would say a perfect line up.
Christos Anesti!

[Harry]

Hey, Harry. It is a good day. The sun is shining brilliantly here in the Rhine Valley.

Sarge

Well I am waiting for that sun, it should be here too, but instead there are too many clouds.

[Florestan]

Christos Anesti!

Since I can't reply in Greek, I'll do it in Romanian.

Adevarat a inviat!

Are you really that anti-operatic?

[Harry]

Since I can't reply in Greek, I'll do it in Romanian.

Adevarat a inviat!

O, dear I am sorry my friend for that!
But I meant well.

[Harry]

Are you really that anti-operatic?

Yes I rather am! And that is not for the music my friend, but rather the problem I have with sopranos and the High C's, and coloratura singing. All male singing is no problem with me, a good mezzo soprano is also acceptable, but sopranos that scream give me nightmares.

[Florestan]

O, dear I am sorry my friend for that!
But I meant well.

I know, my friend, no need to be sorry. Actually I should have known the Greek answer and I regret not knowing it.



My problem with operas are the librettos, not the sopranos.

[71 dB]

My problem with operas are the librettos, not the sopranos.

My problem with many operas is the fact that opera is fundamentally a populistic form of music.
The music is often compromised. Easy music = more cash.

Operetta is the worst form of all classical music. I have never heard an operetta I like.

[Harry]

I know, my friend, no need to be sorry. Actually I should have known the Greek answer and I regret not knowing it.

Alithos Anesti

[Sergeant Rock]

My problem with many operas is the fact that opera is fundamentally a populistic form of music.
The music is often compromised.

The music of Monteverdi, Handel, Rameau, Gluck, Mozart, Beethoven, Berlioz, Weber, Wagner, Verdi, Puccini, Mussorgsky, Strauss, Janacek, Berg, Korngold, Prokoviev, Shostakovich, Britten compromised because they composed opera? I don't think so. 

Sarge

[Florestan]

Alithos Anesti

Thanks, I'll remember it! BTW, I miss our friend Wanderer.

[Harry]

Thanks, I'll remember it! BTW, I miss our friend Wanderer.

I send him a email asking why he is not on board!
If he can he will email, I am sure.
But he had trouble with his Computer set-up, so.......

[71 dB]

The music of Monteverdi, Handel, Rameau, Gluck, Mozart, Beethoven, Berlioz, Weber, Wagner, Verdi, Puccini, Mussorgsky, Strauss, Janacek, Berg, Korngold, Prokoviev, Shostakovich, Britten compromised because they composed opera? I don't think so. 

Sarge

Baroque operas are not compromised. I love baroque operas. After that operas became more populistic and composers started to make compromises. Beethoven's Fidelio is horrible. Many of Mozart's early operas are very good (increadible good considering his age while writing them) but late operas show nasty populism. As I have said earlier, for example Magic Flute is not my cup of tea. Mozart needed money. Verdi is very populistic composer too, I don't like his music at all. It's all melodies. Puccini on the other hand is one of the greatest opera composers ever. I have hard time finding populism in his awesome music. Wagner was a visionary genius free from compromises. Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov is among the best operas I have heard. Operas by Berlioz, Weber, Strauss, Janacek, Berg, Korngold, Prokoviev, Shostakovich and Britten I haven't heard or at least I don't remember hearing.

So, many operas I do enjoy but some operas have this flavor of populism I dislike.

[Florestan]

So, many operas I do enjoy but some operas have this flavor of populism I dislike.

After all, why should good music always be elitist? What's wrong with composing music that can be enjoyed by the masses?