Farewell from Belgium

[Scherzian]

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[Mirror Image]

Welcome aboard, Scherzian! You don't need to be a seasoned pro or even have any kind of musical training to enjoy this music. Hope to see you around!

[Karl Henning]

Welcome, Christian!  Do you play or sing at all?

[bhodges]

Welcome, Christian! Quite a broad list of composers you have (a good thing). And not to worry: your English is excellent. 

Enjoy yourself, and hope you enjoy roaming the site - some very interesting discussions here, as you have probably discovered.

--Bruce

[EigenUser]

Dear all,

I've been reading your forum as a `guest' for quite some time now, sometimes in order to follow ongoing discussions (for instance, the proceedings of your numerous blind listening sessions—as a guest, it's some kind of `double-blind' reading, if you wish), sometimes while searching for information.  Yesterday, I thought about plunging head first, although English is not my mother tongue (something that should probably be all too obvious already).

My first name is Christian, and I'm writing from Belgium.  I'm no professional musician; just had the chance to follow four- to six-year beginner's training in solfege, piano, and then harmony.  I'm especially feeling drawn to chamber music and (solo) piano repertoire:  Albéniz, J.S. Bach, Bartók, Beethoven, Bellini, Berg, Brahms, Bruckner, (leaving the B's) Carter, Chopin, Debussy, Falla, Fauré, Franck, Granados, Grieg, J. Haydn, Janáček, Kurtag, Liadov, Liszt, Lutoslawski, Mendelssohn, Mompou, Mossolov, Moussorgsky, W.A. Mozart, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Reger, Roslavets, D. Scarlatti, Schubert, Schumann, Schütz, Scriabin, Sibelius, (leaving the S's) P.I. Tchaikovsky, Turina, Wagner, Webern... nothing fanciful or esoteric here.  I'm also trying to listen to `radically' different approaches to the music and works that seem to me masterpieces, trying especially not to compare them (wishful thinking, I know...).

I'll probably remain an infrequent poster; speaking of and about music seems to me an extremely difficult task, even in one's mother language.

I look forward to reading the forum `from the inside', probably posting a message or two here and there along the way.

Best to all!

Welcome!

Bartok and Ravel are my two favorite composers for piano ever! If you like Bartok's piano works I highly recommend the Ligeti etudes. In fact, Fanfares (the fourth etude) is very similar to Mikrocosmos No. 153. Messiaen's large piano cycles are also very Bartokian in some ways (say, Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus (solo piano) and Visions de l'Amen (two pianos)). The earlier Preludes resemble Debussy a lot, too.

[Mirror Image]

Welcome!

Bartok and Ravel are my two favorite composers for piano ever! If you like Bartok's piano works I highly recommend the Ligeti etudes. In fact, Fanfares (the fourth etude) is very similar to Mikrocosmos No. 153. Messiaen's large piano cycles are also very Bartokian in some ways (say, Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus (solo piano) and Visions de l'Amen (two pianos)). The earlier Preludes resemble Debussy a lot, too.

Nate, you're turning into James!

[Cosi bel do]

Hi Scherzian... Scherzian ? Do you go by the same on other boards ?

Welcome anyway

[Cosi bel do]

Hi, Discobolus!  Yes, my nickname is also `Scherzian' on one other classical music board; it's supposed to be a (not so great) pun with the scherzo form (which I really like) and my first name.  How are you?  I hope everything's fine! 

Yes great, good to see you here, it means the fight for good piano and for wax records is on

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Scherzos are good!  And so is your username.  What are your favorites?  (btw : Soyez le bienvenu)

[EigenUser]

Nate, you're turning into James!

pfffft

[mc ukrneal]

Welcome! We're on the last leg of the Schubert blind listening if you'd like to join in. The more the merrier.

[Brian]

I don't know where in Belgium you are, but the MIM in Brussels is wonderful. I was there on holiday this July. I also loved the music shop down the street...and the chocolate...and the frites...

[Wanderer]

Welcome, Christian!

[Hollywood]

Welcome and greetings from Beethoven's Heiligenstadt. 

[Lisztianwagner]

Welcome to the forum and have a nice time here!
Great choices, many of the composers you mentioned are among my favourites too. What about Gustav Mahler?

[ritter]

Welcome, Scherzian...good to see other Europeans here on GMG...I myself joined from Spain earlier this year, and enjoy it here a lot, as you can learn so much from our fellow forum members! I share your admiration for many of the composers you mention, btw...

I'm off to Brussles Thursday on business (I go there about twice a month, and a stop at La Boite à Musique is always on my to-do list  )...do tell me about the second-hand CD shops, please!

[André]

Bonjour Scherzian. J'espère que tu nous régaleras de tes réflexions sur la musique, especially those about the piano which you have proven to be so brilliant at !

I have strong connections with Belgium, even tough I'm not a native (my wife is). Welcome aboard !

[Cosi bel do]

Good piano, yes, but I really absolutely have no idea whatsoever what `wax records' refer to...  0:) 

I really anticipate with impatience future discussions about Sofronitzky. He has his own thread but it could well use a little brightening up   

Now I just hope Mariefran, alexandre/incontrario motu and a few others from the Confrérie des vrais pianistes would join us here to lead the cause on an international level 

[ritter]

Thanks for the detailed infromation on the second-hand CD shops in Brussels, Scherzian!  Unfortunately, I was stuck in meetings all the time in this recent trip, but I'll certainly look them up te next time (particularly Hors série)...

Bien cordialement,

[Neoclassical]

welcome!