The biggest regrets concerning your record collection

[71 dB]

Scarpia, if it's any comfort, I've only heard the "Hallelujah" bit and none of the rest.

Really? Handel is very undervalued in my opinion. Btw, the work is 100 times better than "Hallelujah" indicates. Ironic that such a crappy part of the masterpiece is so popular...

[AndyD.]

A lot of people here do think you are a lunatic but it has nothing to do with the Messiah 

Not a problem...purchase this one; it's in German:




Sarge

Hmmm. I haven't heard that one. This is the only Messiah I listen to, I never liked the English version:

[Gurn Blanston]

You guessed it! I'm big on Bruckner. I've just been busy prioritizing Bach and Beethoven lately. There's too many recordings I don't have by those masters.

A lot of people feel that way, Gurn. I keep trying to go back and like Mozart, but I can only deal with little bits of him these days. I still love Don Giovanni, Cosi Fan Tutte, parts of the Requiem, the String Duos and a couple of the Divertimenti.

It's just personal taste, Mozart sounds too safe (and at times hackneyed) to me these days. Too many neatly resolving parts with that same nauseatingly pretty (for me) turnaround.

Again, this is entirely my opinion, nothing more, and I understand it's very unpopular around here. However, it's how I honestly feel, and I stand by it.

I've dealt with impassioned people bashing me for having outgrown Mozart dozens of times already. Most of them couldn't understand that if someone doesn't like something, they don't like it, and there's nothing you can do to "make" that person like it. It's the way the world is, vive le difference.

Hey, no worries mate. I was just commenting because that's what I do.    I am always in favor of people listening to what they like and not to what people tell them they should like. Not like that would change MY mind. I tried all that stuff and came back to the Classical Era, since that was right for me.   



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Now playing:
Kelemen (Violin) \ Kadduri (Cello) - Romberg A Duo #2 for Violin & Cello - Andante con variazioni

[AndyD.]

Hey, no worries mate. I was just commenting because that's what I do.    I am always in favor of people listening to what they like and not to what people tell them they should like. Not like that would change MY mind. I tried all that stuff and came back to the Classical Era, since that was right for me.   



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Now playing:
Kelemen (Violin) \ Kadduri (Cello) - Romberg A Duo #2 for Violin & Cello - Andante con variazioni

I think it was Sarge who suggested that as I get older I might change my mind about Mozart again. Maybe I got a little burned out. On the main shopping drag here in Burlington, Vermont (Church Street), they play almost entirely Mozart throughout the Christmas season. That in itself tends to blur the line between "Mozart" and "Muzak" for me.

Okay, you hate me.

[Gurn Blanston]

I think it was Sarge who suggested that as I get older I might change my mind about Mozart again. Maybe I got a little burned out. On the main shopping drag here in Burlington, Vermont (Church Street), they play almost entirely Mozart throughout the Christmas season. That in itself tends to blur the line between "Mozart" and "Muzak" for me.

Okay, you hate me.

Well, that Mozart/Muzak thing was a pretty low blow...     I lived in Burlington for 26 years and never once heard Mozart in public. Or any other classical music for that matter. So you are ahead of the game as nearly as I can judge, even if you don't like it.




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Now playing:
Quintette pour violoncelle n° 3 en mi majeur - Reicha Quintet #3 in E for Cello & String Quartet 1st mvmt - Allegro

[AndyD.]

Well, that Mozart/Muzak thing was a pretty low blow...     I lived in Burlington for 26 years and never once heard Mozart in public. Or any other classical music for that matter. So you are ahead of the game as nearly as I can judge, even if you don't like it.




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Now playing:
Quintette pour violoncelle n° 3 en mi majeur - Reicha Quintet #3 in E for Cello & String Quartet 1st mvmt - Allegro

Gurn, they have been playing classical music in public on Church Street for the 10 years I've lived here. Every holiday season.

[Gurn Blanston]

Gurn, they have been playing classical music in public on Church Street for the 10 years I've lived here. Every holiday season.

They were just waiting for me to leave. Bastards        Nah, well I left in 1978, they weren't doing a whole lot cultural back then.



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Now playing:
L'Archibudelli - Reicha Quintet #3 in E for Cello & String Quartet 2nd mvmt - Andante poco adagio

[AndyD.]

They were just waiting for me to leave. Bastards        Nah, well I left in 1978, they weren't doing a whole lot cultural back then.



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Now playing:
L'Archibudelli - Reicha Quintet #3 in E for Cello & String Quartet 2nd mvmt - Andante poco adagio

That's amazing! I live on Converse Court, a little dead end off of South Union and Hickock. It really rocks when the college kids arrive.

As for the music, it's cool sometimes. Yesterday they were playing one of the early Haydn Piano Trios. Talk about rare.

[Gurn Blanston]

That's amazing! I live on Converse Court, a little dead end off of South Union and Hickock. It really rocks when the college kids arrive.

As for the music, it's cool sometimes. Yesterday they were playing one of the early Haydn Piano Trios. Talk about rare.

Now, that would be nice.

My little brother lives about 5 blocks away from you down North Willard. Small world, amigo.



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Now playing:
L'Archibudelli - Reicha Quintet #2 in F for Cello & String Quartet 2nd mvmt - Adagio

[MN Dave]

Not really a regret, but I feel like I've heard all I want and there's nothing new that will excite me like my current group of favorite composers. When I try to think of something to buy classical-wise, I'm left scratching my head. Multiple recordings of the same work don't interest me that much anymore.

[Josquin des Prez]

Really? Handel is very undervalued in my opinion. Btw, the work is 100 times better than "Hallelujah" indicates. Ironic that such a crappy part of the masterpiece is so popular...

Its not that crappy considering when it was written, but yeah. It would be like judging Beethoven's fifth after listening to the popular motif only.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Really? Handel is very undervalued in my opinion. Btw, the work is 100 times better than "Hallelujah" indicates. Ironic that such a crappy part of the masterpiece is so popular...

Nothing crappy about that part of Messiah at all. It's a fine chorus and deservedly popular. The problem with Handel in my opinion is that he's so extremely uneven. One can yawn one's way through a half dozen dull choruses and arias, and then come upon something as fabulous as "The People Shall Hear" from "Israel in Egypt," or "He Saw the Lovely Youth" from "Theodora."

[(poco) Sforzando]

Ditto!

And on occasions opera as well, so I wouldn't be distracted by the silly storyline. 

Examples, please? I know few operas that I consider successful as operas where the story line is "silly."

[MN Dave]

Nothing crappy about that part of Messiah at all. It's a fine chorus and deservedly popular. The problem with Handel in my opinion is that he's so extremely uneven. One can yawn one's way through a half dozen dull choruses and arias, and then come upon something as fabulous as "The People Shall Hear" from "Israel in Egypt," or "He Saw the Lovely Youth" from "Theodora."

A highlights disc sort of composer.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Hmmm. I haven't heard that one. This is the only Messiah I listen to, I never liked the English version:

The English version is the original. What you're saying is similar to "I only listen to Wagner in Italian, I never liked the German." All of Handel's oratorios were written to English libretti, and most of them are not religious, being based either on Old Testament stories (Saul) or Greek mythology (Hercules). And since the words to Messiah are from the King James Bible, they're as good as English gets. But German speakers cringe when hearing Wagner's crudely crafted, stultifying, stilted Stabreim - which only sounds acceptable to English-only speakers because they don't understand what a mess Wagner often makes of die heilige deutsche Sprache.

[Josquin des Prez]

The problem with Handel in my opinion is that he's so extremely uneven.

That, unfortunately, he is. Paul Henry Lang (Handel's finest biographer IMHO) even recommends cuts should be made in the performance of some of his works to ensure their overall integrity. There are of course works which are consistent from start to finish, the Messiah being one of them (Giulio Cesare being another).

[MN Dave]

I saw a YouTube video about the man with the largest record collection in the world. It's worth 50 million but he can't sell it for 3.

Sad.

[Scarpia]

Examples, please? I know few operas that I consider successful as operas where the story line is "silly."

I won't speak for Springrite, but I think the Magic flute has the most unfavorable ratio of story to music.  The first act works nicely but it breaks down after that (for me).   

[Sergeant Rock]

Hmmm. I haven't heard that one.

I haven't either. I do have Richter's other recording, on DG with the London Phil. I'm taking my own advice: I just ordered it after listening to a clip of Janowitz singing "Ich weiß, daß mein Erlöser lebet" ("I know that my redeemer liveth")...just breathtaking. Love her voice (and I know Scarpia loves her too     )

Sarge

[AndyD.]

I haven't either. I do have Richter's other recording, on DG with the London Phil. I'm taking my own advise: I just ordered it after listening to a clip of Janowitz singing "I know that my redeemer liveth"...just breathtaking. Love her voice (and I know Scarpia loves her too     )

Sarge

Oh, I'm into Janowitz. There's a regret: I don't have much by her!