Unpopular Opinions

[LKB]

This is true of much music, not the least many operas.

The retired operatic baritone searched for an appropriate " facepalm " emote , but eventually was forced to settle for " shock ".

,

LKB

[Madiel]

I prefer the old, " anachronistic " versions of both Pictures at an Exhibition and Night on Bare Mountain over the supposedly authentic versions currently in vogue.

I prefer my Pictures on piano. Anything else is inherently inauthentic anyway. It's just whether it's traditionally inauthentic or newly inauthentic.

[Mountain Goat]

I prefer Bruch's 2nd violin concerto to the first, yet most people seem to be under the impression that he only wrote one. There's even a 3rd too, though I haven't heard it. Ditto Tchaikovsky's 2nd piano concerto.

[Symphonic Addict]

Yes, Bruch even composed one for two pianos and it's quite a fascinating creation.

I love his 1st VC because of the enchanting and tender slow movement.

[Mountain Goat]

Yes, Bruch even composed one for two pianos and it's quite a fascinating creation.

I am aware of it, it's the only work I know of to be in A flat minor! Sadly I have yet to hear it in full, I heard it on the radio many years ago but minus its final movement - I assume they didn't realise it was in 4 movements and didn't bother to check 

[Brian]

Yes, Bruch even composed one for two pianos and it's quite a fascinating creation.

I love his 1st VC because of the enchanting and tender slow movement.

And the clarinet and viola concerto!

[MusicTurner]

And the clarinet and viola concerto!

+1

[Florestan]

Not sure if it applied to this forum but I think that a widespread dislike (or initial dislike) to classical singing comes from the fact that since the mid-20th century most of us grew up with popular crooning into a microphone. And of course live singing in school or so but this usually be laypeople without trained voices. So classical singing sounds strange, mannered and artificial in many cases to many listeners.

I think you do have a point. Singing and piano playing were once prerequisites for a thorough education of middle-class boys and girls, but those days are long since gone. Still, I'm shocked to see such prejudice against "classical" singing on GMG, which in every other way is a niche / elitiist internet board.

[prémont]

I think you do have a point. Singing and piano playing were once prerequisites for a thorough education of middle-class boys and girls, but those days are long since gone. Still, I'm shocked to see such prejudice against "classical" singing on GMG, which in every other way is a niche / elitiist internet board.

I 'm not adverse to song as such, but the vocal music I listen to is mostly early music. What I can hardly take is the way opera has been sung for a long time with a screaming voice and wide vibrato. When Jesus in SMP and Sarastro in The Magic Flute sound like they were the flying Dutchman who has gone wrong, I've had enough. By the way, I'm not very interested in opera, and that's probably permissible for an electicist.

[Florestan]

When Jesus in SMP and Sarastro in The Magic Flute sound like they were the flying Dutchman who has gone wrong, I've had enough.

Examples, please.

I'm not very interested in opera

Not even Baroque opera?

[prémont]

Examples, please.

A typical example, Otto Wiener here in the role of Christ:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Johann-Sebastian-Bach-1685-1750-Matth%E4us-Passion-BWV-244/hnum/2566937

In my youth my father often took me to concerts and also to the opera to widen my horizon, so as to Sarastro and The Flying Dutchman I heard at The Royal Opera, Copenhagen many years ago a notable Danish singer, Franz Anderson sing both roles in the same way, which means that he sang Sarastro like a Wagner role, with the for Wagner usually used, and for me intolerable, voice quality. I have not seriously explored The Magic Flute on disc.

Not even Baroque opera?

No, not really. There is so much other music which does much more for me than opera.

[Florestan]

A typical example, Otto Wiener here in the role of Christ:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Johann-Sebastian-Bach-1685-1750-Matth%E4us-Passion-BWV-244/hnum/2566937

Arrrghhh!!!! Youtube or a streaming site, please.

In my youth my father often took me to concerts and also to the opera to widen my horizon, so as to Sarastro and The Flying Dutchman I heard at The Royal Opera, Copenhagen many years ago a notable Danish singer, Franz Anderson sing both roles in the same way, which means that he sang Sarastro like a Wagner role, with the for Wagner usually used, and for me intolerable, voice quality.

OMG! That sounds like child abuse to me. 

There is so much other music which does much more for me than opera.

Nothing wrong with that, of course.

[prémont]

Arrrghhh!!!! Youtube or a streaming site, please.

It doesn't seem to be on you tube, and streaming isn't my thing.

OMG! That sounds like child abuse to me. 

He had the best intentions and did succeed in stimulating my interest in CM but not in opera.

[Florestan]

He had the best intentions and did succeed in stimulating my interest in CM but not in opera.

Please rest assured I was not referring to your father --- I would not joke on anyone's family. I was referring to that guy Franz Anderson.

[prémont]

Please rest assured I was not referring to your father --- I would not joke on anyone's family. I was referring to that guy Franz Anderson.

Don't know about him. Btw I spelled his name wrongly, it was Frans Andersson.

[Florestan]

I spelled his name wrongly, it was Frans Andersson.

Hah! I thought that much. 

[The new erato]

I think a recent post about N Jærvis inconsistency (how could it be otherwise with the large volume of varied music he recorded at high frequency) might belong here.

That doesn't mean I'm not thankful for the job he did with lots of neglected music.

[Madiel]

I think a recent post about N Jærvis inconsistency (how could it be otherwise with the large volume of varied music he recorded at high frequency) might belong here.

Hmm. The thread is traditionally for opinions that are regarded as generally unpopular and not widely held, as opposed to opinions unpopular with a specific person...

[vers la flamme]

If Neeme Järvi being inconsistent is a widely held opinion, then my unpopular opinion is that he's damn good in nearly everything I've heard of his 

[Symphonic Addict]

Rob Simpson is a better symphonist than Havi Brian.