Feb. is "What the hell, I'll give it a try" month!

[Opus106]

Plus, this excerpt from a "poem" by Mozart makes me feel very uncomfortable . . . Weber is my last name!   

". . . The concerto for Paris I'll keep, tis' more fitting.
I'll scribble it there someday when I'm shitting.
Indeed I swear 'twould be far more fun
With the Webers around the world to run
Then go with those bores, you know whom I mean.
When I think of their faces, I get the spleen.
But I suppose it must be and off we shall toddle,
Though Weber's arse I prefer to Ramm's noodle.
A slice of Weber's arse is a thing . . ."

So, at least I have an "excuse" for not liking him, now. 

But he liked the Webers! (And their arses. 18th century Austrians had a weird way of expressing themselves, I'll give you that.) Heck, he fell in love with one and ended up marrying her sister!

[AdamFromWashington]

But he liked the Webers! (And their arses. 18th century Austrians had a weird way of expressing themselves, I'll give you that.) Heck, he fell in love with one and ended up marrying her sister!

I know that, but it doesn't exactly help. . .     

[Elgarian]

Okay, I've tried, but I'm getting nowhere. Piano sonatas, concertos, symphonies: nothing by Mozart clicks for me. I think I even like him less than when I started! Is there something wrong with me? I like Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms, (and Bartok and Berg ) isn't that enough? I can't appreciate Mozart, yet. His music seems too detached, with a certain sameness to it all. When emotion is expressed it seems cloying, and anger very petty.

I know it's no consolation, but I've been there and done that, myself. For years and years I found the same brick wall to bang my head against that you're finding now. I think the breakthrough came via the operas - have you tried listening to highlights from Don Giovanni, for instance? Or Cosi Fan Tutte? This, for example, is sometimes claimed as the most beautiful three minutes in the whole of opera, and, while I'm listening, I believe it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wi7UsXW1As

I think above all for me, though, it was a matter of waiting for the time to be right.

[Florestan]

The man that loathe Mozart in himself,
Nor is not moved with concord of his sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils.
The motions of his spirit are dull as night,
And his affections dark as Erebus.
Let no such man be trusted.

Sorry, John (MI), couldn't resist. 

[Karl Henning]

. . . Then I bought the DG Martha Argerich solo box, which has quite a bit of Chopin in it:

(* pounds the table *)

[Brian]

Alan, so happy to hear about your Chopin discovery! You're right, specific pianists are something you'll hone in on later, but for now you have so many glorious new things to fall for. There's nothing else like Chopin, for better or worse.

What performance? Hearing it on harpsichord was a torture for me, but Edwin Fischer changed all that in the blink of an eye. Now it is one of my favorite keyboard music. 

Some dude named Sviatoslav Richter

[Florestan]

Some dude named Sviatoslav Richter

A-ha! 

[North Star]

I find Chopin Madness entirely understandable, dear chap!

To not have (or at least have had) Chopin Madness would be unfathomable!

Not quite into the Mazurkas yet (except occasional examples), but it's just a matter of time. I have a lifetime of catch-up to do.

Absolutely!

Alan, so happy to hear about your Chopin discovery! You're right, specific pianists are something you'll hone in on later, but for now you have so many glorious new things to fall for. There's nothing else like Chopin, for better or worse.

+1

[Elgarian]

Thanks to all for sharing my new-found pleasure. Given my present Chopin collection listed above (i.e. here at this link) ...

(http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,21440.msg700674.html#msg700674)

... which was put together largely as a result of consulting reviews, pure whim, taking a gamble on half-price sales, chatting to the staff at Bath Compact discs, and limited by the stock they happened to have in the shop, are there any really urgent and blindingly obvious 'must-haves' that I should add to those sooner rather than later?

[springrite]

Now we are starting countdown to the end of WTHIWGIAT Month. THis is your last chance to make that life-changing step to expand your horizon!

Last chance (especially in certain time zones)
Quantities are limited
Your mileage may vary
Some restrictions may apply

So what are you waiting for!



Now I am going for Lajtha!

[Mirror Image]

The man that loathe Mozart in himself,
Nor is not moved with concord of his sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils.
The motions of his spirit are dull as night,
And his affections dark as Erebus.
Let no such man be trusted.

Sorry, John (MI), couldn't resist. 

[Karl Henning]

... which was put together largely as a result of consulting reviews, pure whim, taking a gamble on half-price sales, chatting to the staff at Bath Compact discs, and limited by the stock they happened to have in the shop, are there any really urgent and blindingly obvious 'must-haves' that I should add to those sooner rather than later?

That's quite a rich lode you've mined there, Alan . . . that lot plus the Argerich box covers a lot of territory, and covers it very well. No obvious gaps that I can see. (Gosh, that was not helpful, wasn't it? . . .)

[dyn]

a helpful website provided me with Chopin's Preludes arranged for orchestra by Jean Françaix. Some of them work better than others, but it's intriguing listening either way—i have somewhat of an inordinate fascination with this sort of thing

[Elgarian]

That's quite a rich lode you've mined there, Alan . . . that lot plus the Argerich box covers a lot of territory, and covers it very well. No obvious gaps that I can see. (Gosh, that was not helpful, wasn't it? . . .)

It certainly was, my dear chap. It means I can give my credit card a well-earned rest, and with a clear conscience!

[Karl Henning]

It certainly was, my dear chap. It means I can give my credit card a well-earned rest, and with a clear conscience!

Yes, my own credit card has recently stopped glowing, and soon it will be positively cool.

[springrite]

Yes, my own credit card has recently stopped glowing, and soon it will be positively cool.

It is decidedly un-American to let your credit card freeze, though.

[Karl Henning]

It certainly was, my dear chap. It means I can give my credit card a well-earned rest, and with a clear conscience!

Incidentally, apart from her Chopin (which is exquisite) . . . when you get around to it, one of the (apparently counterintuitive) treasures in that Argerich solo box to this musician's ears, is the Bach disc.  I don't know that I would want everyone to play Bach as she does, but I could listen to her play Bach all day . . . .

[Karl Henning]

It is decidedly un-American to let your credit card freeze, though.

Considering physical placement, my credit card couldn't freeze, unless I were exceptionally careless where I sit . . . .

[Lisztianwagner]

I started with the Pires set of Nocturnes, and they made the breakthrough, really. Then I bought the DG Martha Argerich solo box, which has quite a bit of Chopin in it:

Then a few weeks later I was in Bath for a couple of days, and spent ages in Bath Compact Discs before emerging with the following:

Perez                                                                    Ashkenatzy

Kissin                                                                    Fliter

Igoshina                                                                Barenboim


That's a lot to absorb, and I can't honestly say that I've found any reason to prefer one pianist to another, so far. They all seem pretty marvellous, but then, coming from where I'm coming from, I'd expect not to be sensitive to the various nuances of performance - simply because I don't know the work very well.

Certainly, you'll make you ear more refined and more sensitive later after improving your Chopin knowledge.
The Ashkenazy set is beautifully performed, it was my first introduction to Chopin's music and it contains my favourite recording of the Grand Valse Brillante. Pires' Nocturnes are also great, so passionate and atmospheric. I haven't listened to the Argerich and the Barenboim, but they are two wonderful pianists and I think their performances must be very fine.

[North Star]

Considering physical placement, my credit card couldn't freeze, unless I were exceptionally careless where I sit . . . .

Unless it's in a slim card holder (and perhaps even then), it's not healthy to sit with having the wallet pressing your nerves and obstructing blood flow, though!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2664615.stm