Unpopular Opinions

[CaughtintheGaze]

Given that the first time I heard the music of Philip Glass would have been 15-20 years ago, it is not as if I uttered his name in this thread in undue haste!

Perfectly understandable, and even I will assent that some of his music can be tiring and trying to listen too, but I do think he has some really good moments. This is the piece of his I listen to the most:

http://www.youtube.com/v/3FniHgiyaTY

But I also love that sort of structure in a keyboard work.

[CaughtintheGaze]

A fair trial?  This isn't a court of law.  Orfeo has done his listening of Glass and isn't impressed.  Maybe in a few years he will give the Glass Man another try, maybe not.  Who the hell cares?

This is a classical music forum. It's all serious business.

[CaughtintheGaze]

The same could be said of Richard Wagner.  Another composer I don't listen to.

I definitely would have agreed with this assessment a month or so ago.

[Sammy]

This is a classical music forum. It's all serious business.

Only when I say it is.

[Gurn Blanston]

I definitely would have agreed with this assessment a month or so ago.

Hell, I agree with it now!  I mean; after "The Ride of the Valkyries" whaddya got?   

[CaughtintheGaze]

Hell, I agree with it now!  I mean; after "The Ride of the Valkyries" whaddya got?   

Effing dwarves!

[Gurn Blanston]

Effing dwarves!

There you are.

[CaughtintheGaze]

There you are.

It's also why The Hobbit will be better than the first LotR films put together.

[Rinaldo]

Re Metal, I would say prog is not the solution, it's the problem. There's another unpopular opinion for ya.

And one that I would defend 'til my dying breath.

[AndyD.]

Re Metal, I would say prog is not the solution, it's the problem. There's another unpopular opinion for ya.

I think that labelling something as "Progressive" in Rock (and all its subgenres) tends to be a bit pretentious in itself. As if Rock in general is so (in a snotty voice) "un-Progressive". Plus it's a bit of an oxymoron, the more Progressive something gets, the less it Rocks, at least to my ears. And I have heard a whole lot of it.

[Corey]

Glass isn't part of my world.

I find Glass (and Reich) really helpful when I'm working. It seems to block out all other distractions so I can concentrate on the work — which is not meant to be a backhanded compliment. Music has its uses.

[AndyD.]

I find Glass (and Reich) really helpful when I'm working. It seems to block out all other distractions so I can concentrate on the work — which is not meant to be a backhanded compliment. Music has its uses.

I agree, Corey. I'm also a Glass enthusiast, though to a limited degree. Some of his music doesn't do too much for me. I also liked and learned something from the reality tv-esque documentary I saw on him on Netflix awhile back.

[TheGSMoeller]

I find Philip Glass to be a great film score composer, the repetitiveness of the arpeggios and themes effectively connect scenes and characters together, rather than having completely separate motifs for each scene or location. Take for example The Hours, the plot spans decades apart following three to four chracters, but Glass' music assists in acting, along with a brilliant script and direction, as a bond that effortlessly segues these elements.
Also look for this trait in Kundan and in the re-scoring of old classics such as Dracula.

[DavidRoss]

I find Philip Glass to be a great film score composer, the repetitiveness of the arpeggios and themes effectively connect scenes and characters together, rather than having completely separate motifs for each scene or location. Take for example The Hours, the plot spans decades apart following three to four chracters, but Glass' music assists in acting, along with a brilliant script and direction, as a bond that effortlessly segues these elements.
Also look for this trait in Kundan and in the re-scoring of old classics such as Dracula.

I didn't see The Hours but otherwise agree. The score for The Illusionist was terrific.

[TheGSMoeller]

I didn't see The Hours but otherwise agree. The score for The Illusionist was terrific.

Ah, another good example, thanks, David.

[Rinaldo]

I like Glass (two of his operas - Satyagraha and Akhnaten - are among my favourite pieces of music) but I never understood the rage about The Hours. It's nice to listen to (as Glass usually is, if you're not allergic to his method) but I find it pretty dull. When it comes to his movie scores, I prefer the -qatsi stuff. Kundun is great as well.

[Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich]

[drop_nade]Mozart is outdated music for old people.
Mozart sucks.
Shostakovich is for the younger.
Shostakovich rocks.[/drop]

Honestly I experienced, old grand daddies love Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, Vienna, blah... whereas Shostakovich, Braga Santos, Pettersson [insert other hypes here] is for the younger.

What, I'm generalizing? Good!

[Karl Henning]

What's the divide for those of us who admire and enjoy Shostakovich and Braga Santos, but who think Pettersson was a bathetic putz? ; )

[Mirror Image]

What's the divide for those of us who admire and enjoy Shostakovich and Braga Santos, but who think Pettersson was a bathetic putz? ; )

[Florestan]

[drop_nade]Mozart is outdated music for old people.
Mozart sucks.
Shostakovich is for the younger.
Shostakovich rocks.[/drop]

Honestly I experienced, old grand daddies love Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, Vienna, blah... whereas Shostakovich, Braga Santos, Pettersson [insert other hypes here] is for the younger.

No wonder. Maturity comes with age is valid also for good taste...