Unpopular Opinions

[Karl Henning]

The main thing I've noticed about choirs these days is no tenors.

Generally true.  My church choir, though . . . I have three tenors, and no bass.  Unless I sing bass while I am directing.  Which I do, rather frequently.

[Karl Henning]

No problem there, as the answer is soooo easy: YES!

I almost replied, The answer is easy: no  0:)

[ritter]

I almost replied, The answer is easy: no  0:)

But your music-making, Karl, is very different (vastly superior, that is) from mine...

[Madiel]

Playing music can be better than sex.

[Ken B]

It's unseemly, all this agreement on what is supposed to be an unpopular opinion. Talk about derailing a thread!

[ritter]

It's unseemly, all this agreement on what is supposed to be an unpopular opinion. Talk about derailing a thread!

Lock 'em all up!

[Ken B]

Playing music can be better than sex.

Well I'm with Andrei here. Sex is better when it's done by amateurs on their own, rather than by professionals in a large concert hall.

[Karl Henning]

Playing music can be better than sex.

It is certainly perfectly acceptable socially to play music with many, many more people.

[Florestan]

I'm pretty sure that Florestan made that exact point: the nature of the music has changed as the nature of the available musicians has changed.

Yes, I already made that point.

The question is whether sitting in a seat for Tristan und Isolde is a better experience than making music with your friends and family. Suggesting that it would be the same music rather misses the point.

Precisely. That Tristan und Isolde is far beyond the reach of educated amateurs is besides the point. More to the point is mature Wagner's not writing anything suitable for them. Even more to the point is Wagner's essential contribution to turning music into some sort of religion, opera houses into some sort of temples and composers into some sort of high priests, if not directly gods.

No problem there, as the answer is soooo easy: YES!

The answer for me is very easy, too. I'd take attending, and participating in, an amateur performance of some Lieder, some choral works and some chamber music over sitting through Tristan und Isolde any day and night, without the slightest second thought.

[Mahlerian]

One area where there is still an abundance of amateur music-making is wind band music.  There's plenty of it written for that level, and plenty of bands around the country to play it.  Not Berg, but Schoenberg did write a piece intended for school bands (although it was considered too difficult in the 40s, there are plenty of groups who have played it now).

[Karl Henning]

You mean a piece other than a band scoring of the Op.31 Variations?  I am drawing a blank.

[Ken B]

One area where there is still an abundance of amateur music-making is wind band music.  There's plenty of it written for that level, and plenty of bands around the country to play it. 

Yes that's true. And brass bands. My in laws are very much part of that. Here's their band in action https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PhcF5uDfYs

[Mahlerian]

You mean a piece other than a band scoring of the Op.31 Variations?  I am drawing a blank.

The Theme and Variations Op. 43a was written for wind band (Op. 43b is an arrangement for conventional orchestra).  The Variations for Orchestra Op. 31 is a different piece entirely.  Only one of the two uses a key signature...

https://www.youtube.com/v/pl1oL-ybIPU

Granted, it's in the bottom tier of Schoenberg's works, but it was a sincere attempt on his part.

[Karl Henning]

The Theme and Variations Op. 43a was written for wind band (Op. 43b is an arrangement for conventional orchestra).  The Variations for Orchestra Op. 31 is a different piece entirely.  Only one of the two uses a key signature...

https://www.youtube.com/v/pl1oL-ybIPU

Granted, it's in the bottom tier of Schoenberg's works, but it was a sincere attempt on his part.

Thanks!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[Madiel]

Well I'm with Andrei here. Sex is better when it's done by amateurs on their own, rather than by professionals in a large concert hall.

A concert hall is clearly not an appropriate venue. You need somewhere focused on visual appeal for the DVD release.

[Madiel]

Ugh. I don't mix sex and music. The sex is far too distracting.

[Florestan]

The Vienna New Year Concert's setting is ridiculous. To listen to music which was specifically composed for dancing, entertainment and merriment in the manner and with the etiquette one listens to a Bruckner symphony is hilariously incongruous. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if, had the Strausses come back to life, they'd rather attend an André Rieu show than the Vienna New Year Concert.

[Madiel]

Which explains a great deal about why I never listen to the Strausses.

[Florestan]

Which explains a great deal about why I never listen to the Strausses.

Then you miss some of the catchiest tunes ever written, clothed in one of the brilliantest orchestration ever imagined.   

[PerfectWagnerite]

The Vienna New Year Concert's setting is ridiculous. To listen to music which was specifically composed for dancing, entertainment and merriment in the manner and with the etiquette one listens to a Bruckner symphony is hilariously incongruous. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if, had the Strausses come back to life, they'd rather attend an André Rieu show than the Vienna New Year Concert.

Speaking of New Yrs Concert, how about this monstrosity here:

23 cds...

[asin]B00UOFCIKQ[/asin]