What Composers Are You Currently Exploring?

[Florestan]

OK, Florestan, let's put you on the spot then.

How about you play, too, and give us a wee bit definition of "the Romanian spirit?"

Believe it or not, I´ve been ruminating this topic for the whole afternoon, so I will willingly play.

Answer No. 1: the Romanian spirit is țuica

Answer No. 2: if by "the Romanian spirit" you mean an ensemble of specific psychological traits and behavioral patterns which are (1) markedly different, and notably distinguishable, from those of other nations, and (2) clearly discernible throughout the centuries, then I must confess that I don´t know what "the Romanian spirit" is, nor do I believe anyone can define it.

For instance, the Romanians of today and the Romanians of the 15th century are separated by such an insurmountable gap, first and foremost linguistical, that any attempt at defining a "Romanian spirit" which allegedly unite them is absolutely futile.

Answer No. 3: I could certainly list some psychological traits and behavioral patterns which, based on (1) my personal experience and anecdotic evidence and (2) my corroborating foreign travellers´ recorded observations during the last two centuries, could give you, or anyone else, a very general and relative idea regarding how Romanians would behave or react in specific circumstances --- with two caveats: (a) you should not expect all Romanians, not even most of them, to behave or react as such and (b) you should not expect all non-Romanians, not even most of them, not to behave and react as such.

Answer No. 4: Had I been a musicologist, I could have certainly told you what the characteristics of the Romanian folklore music are, but unfortunately I am not.

In any case, any of you could come up with any definition of any national spirit and anyone else could go out into the the streets of said nation and find a dozen native exceptions to that definition in, oh, about twelve seconds.

Within that same time span, the anyone else would also have found at least a half a dozen non-natives who exemplify neither the spirit of the nation in question nor the spirit of the country where they were born.

Yes! Precisely one of my points above!

That´s why I (friendly and amiably) defy both Spineur and Ritter to come up with a definition of the "French" or "Spanish" spirit applicable to all Frenchmen / Spaniards, all the time. 

[ritter]

That´s why I (friendly and amiably) defy both Spineur and Ritter to come up with a definition of the "French" or "Spanish" spirit applicable to all Frenchmen / Spaniards, all the time. 

And I (as well as notre cher Spineur, I venture to say)  have (firendly and amiably  ) said we cannot define our respective national "spirits". But I maintain that, whatever this undefinable Spanish spirit may be, it certainly ain't  Carmen .

[Florestan]

And I (as well as notre cher Spineur, I venture to say)  have (firendly and amiably  ) said we cannot define our respective national "spirits". But I maintain that, whatever this undefinable Spanish spirit may be, it certainly ain't  Carmen .

Well, what can I say anything else than "Fair enough?"

And yet... Unamuno maintained that Don Quijote was far from being mad; Ortega y Gasset claimed that, on the contrary, Don Quijote was the paradigmatic madman. Now, Unamuno and Ortega y Gasset are both Spaniards. If one is right, then the other one is wrong. Now, who embodies the Spanish spirit? Undefinable as it is, it still cannot be A and non-A at the same time... 

[ritter]

Well, what can I say anything else than "Fair enough?"

And yet... Unamuno maintained that Don Quijote was far from being mad; Ortega y Gasset claimed that, on the contrary, Don Quijote was the paradigmatic madman. Now, Unamuno and Ortega y Gasset are both Spaniards. If one is right, then the other one is wrong. Now, who embodies the Spanish spirit? Undefinable as it is, it still cannot be A and non-A at the same time... 

You underestimate us Spaniards, dear Florestan. If we wish to be A and non-A at the same time, we can do so with no trouble  .... Now, you're juxtaposing Ortega and Unamuno comes rather close to somehint akin to what could be seen as the "Spanish spirit": a country of people always arguing. No wonder we often speak of "las dos Españas"...

[some guy]

Florestan,

Well OK, then.

We are agreed.

--some guy

[Florestan]

the "Spanish spirit": a country of people always arguing.

No wonder we often speak of "las dos Españas"...

Only two? 

[Pat B]

I mght not know what the "Spanish spirit" is, but I do recognise what it is not. Carmen's postccard folklorism is almost universally derided here in Spain (which does not mean, mind you, that many people here admire the opera as such).

So can we say that Carmen embodies the spirit of postcards of Spain?

[amw]

Of course, many of us here in Spain don't really think that opera embodies anything remotely close to the "Spanish spirirt" 

It embodies the spirit of colonialism and misogyny, which are universal! At least among men, anyway.

[Florestan]

[Carmen] embodies the spirit of colonialism and misogyny

Bullshit, or mierda de toro if you prefer.

[hpowders]

To answer the thread topic, I am currently exclusively listening to J.S. Bach, at this time-the solo keyboard music for harpsichord (partitas) and complete organ music.

Mostly comparative listening.

I have listened to solo keyboard Bach exclusively now for around 3 months. No other composers.

[Karl Henning]

To answer the thread topic, I am currently exclusively listening to J.S. Bach, at this time-the solo keyboard music for harpsichord (partitas) and complete organ music.

Mostly comparative listening.

I have listened to solo keyboard Bach exclusively now for around 3 months. No other composers.

That's an easy rabbit hole to fall into!

[hpowders]

That's an easy rabbit hole to fall into!

J.S. Bach has seemed to spoil me for listening to any other composer at the moment.

When I was a kid, I couldn't stand Bach!

Older but wiser? 

[Crudblud]

Currently making once again my semi-regular pilgrimage through the Mahler symphonies. This time it's a full cycle with Michael Gielen and the SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg.