What are you listening 2 now?

[Mirror Image]

Ravel's second violin sonata is a tough nut to crack. 

Not for me!

Additional comment: You know, I never thought Ravel would be a 'tough' composer for anyone, but I suppose there are some works that could give some listeners a problem or simply make them scratch their heads. Works like Chansons madécasses and L'enfant et les sortilèges aren't exactly easy works by any means to get a hold of, but I suppose, for me, who at time of discovery of Ravel's music was already listening to Debussy, Bartók, Janáček, etc., it was easy transition into appreciating, and eventually loving, these particular works.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

How is the music? I had never heard of this composer before.

Lively, exotic, and colorful. A+. 

[Mandryka]

More Finnissy: Snowdrift (1972), by pianist Mari Kawamura. Recorded June 20, 2019 at Jordan Hall in Boston.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnaDm4iWUDY

--Bruce

I didn't know it was a Finnissy anniversary. The last Finnissy I really listened carefully to was Satie, which put me on to the Satie Nocturnes.

https://eveegoyan.bandcamp.com/track/erik-satie-like-anyone-else

He is a really prolific composer.

[bhodges]

I didn't know it was a Finnissy anniversary. The last Finnissy I really listened carefully to was Satie, which put me on to the Satie Nocturnes.

https://eveegoyan.bandcamp.com/track/erik-satie-like-anyone-else

He is a really prolific composer.

Yes, so true. I actually looked up his list of works, and found it a bit boggling; he's written much more than I imagined. (My main exposure has been his solo piano pieces, which are enthralling.) On YouTube, there's even a complete performance (by a pianist I don't know) of The History of Photography in Sound -- over 5 hours!

--Bruce

[Mandryka]

On YouTube, there's even a complete performance (by a pianist I don't know) of The History of Photography in Sound -- over 5 hours!

--Bruce

Good find ! The sound quality seems better than Ian Pace's commercial recording!

[SonicMan46]

Mozart, WA - Keyboard Concertos w/ Viviana Sofronitzki on fortepiano and harpsichord - finishing up this box today and trying to 'refresh' my memory on Wolfie's contribution to this genre; by Köchel numbers he is assigned 27 'Piano Concertos', but Nos. 1-4 are not his own compositions but transcriptions; in the Wiki quote below Nos. 1-4 have the low K. numbers shown and were written in Salzburg in 1766/67; the next 3 (K. 107, No.1-3) are not numbered, also JC Bach transcriptions written in the early 1770s.  Thus, Mozart composed 23 'genuine PCs', No. 5 in D major, K. 175 (1773) to No. 27 in B♭ major, K. 595 (1791).

Concertos Nos. 1–4 (K. 37, 39, 40 and 41) are orchestral and keyboard arrangements of sonata movements by other composers. The next three concertos (K. 107/1, 2 and 3), which are not numbered, are arrangements of piano sonatas by J.C. Bach (Op 5. Nos. 2, 3, and 4, all composed by 1766). Based on handwriting analysis of the autographs they are believed to date from 1771–72. Concerto No. 5, K. 175 from 1773 was his first real effort in the genre, and one that proved popular at the time. (Source; edited)

 

[Florestan]

Who decides the gender of a totally new product and new concept?

I don't quite understand your question. Could you please be more specific?

Rules of thumb:

- if it ends on a vowel, it's usually feminine (exception: many masculine nouns ending in -e or -u)
- if it ends on a consonant, it's either masculine or neutral (there's no exception to this, otomh I can't think of any feminine noun ending on a consonant).

[Karl Henning]

Again:
Schoenberg
String Quartet № 3, Op. 30
String Quartet № 4, Op. 37
New Vienna String Quartet

[DavidW]

PCs #22, 24

[SonicMan46]

Mozart, WA - Fortepiano Concertos w/ Malcolm Bilson and John Eliot Gardiner/English Baroque Soloists - the last few days I've been listening to Viviana Sofronitzki in the same works on fortepiano - now, pulled out discs 3-5 w/ Bilson (PCs 11-21; not 17) and on headphones which has eliminated a previous complaint I had w/ this set, i.e. Bilson's instrument sounded too much in the background but not now; these are the only 'period instruments' boxes that I own of Wolfie's PCs - reviews are attached for those interested (one outlying rant from Jed Distler!).

Now there have been some other fortepiano recordings of these works shown below w/ Ronald Brautigam having a complete set that is rather pricey at about $100 USD (on Amazon USA & PrestoMusic); not sure if the Levin & van Immerseel are 'complete'?  Would appreciate any comments - see that Brautigam is on Spotify, so may take a listen, but in all honesty, Sofronitzki & Bilson are just fine w/ me.  Dave

 

   

[Karl Henning]

Hat tip to our Cato

https://www.youtube.com/v/1nk5kUVtpmY

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I don't quite understand your question. Could you please be more specific?

Rules of thumb:

- if it ends on a vowel, it's usually feminine (exception: many masculine nouns ending in -e or -u)
- if it ends on a consonant, it's either masculine or neutral (there's no exception to this, otomh I can't think of any feminine noun ending on a consonant).

Let's assume that somebody invented a spray that would remove odor inside of your shoes, and another person created a innovative dish/meal. Who will determine  their names should be feminine or masculine?
When the name for computer was introduced, who decided the gender of the name?
When new names are created, how their genders are determined?
Thanks.

[Karl Henning]

Let's assume that somebody invented a spray that would remove odor inside of your shoes, and another person created a innovative dish/meal. Who will determine  their names should be feminine or masculine?
When the name for computer was introduced, who decided the gender of the name?
When new names are created, how their genders are determined?
Thanks.

Tangentially, it tickles me that in Spanish, "computer" is feminine: una computadora, in French, masculine: un ordinateur

[Mirror Image]

NP: Berlioz Herminie (Baker/Davis)

[pjme]

Can't find this disc. Where did you get it, Peter ? This is right down my alley.  vandermolen and myself are great admirers of James Ensor ! 

https://www.discogs.com/Het-Vlaams-Radio-Orkest-Bonjour-Monsieur-Ensor/release/12244917

For ca 5-6 euro (ex postage).

Peter

[vandermolen]

'Mythology Symphony' by Stacy Garrop - first listen:

[Florestan]

Let's assume that somebody invented a spray that would remove odor inside of your shoes, and another person created a innovative dish/meal. Who will determine  their names should be feminine or masculine?
When the name for computer was introduced, who decided the gender of the name?
When new names are created, how their genders are determined?
Thanks.

I see now, thanks for clarifying.

Computer was instantly decided / agreed upon as neutral. Why? Easy: un computer (a computer, singular, masculine) sounded very okay and natural to Romanian ears; două computere |(two computers, plural, feminine) sounded very okay and natural to Romanian ears--- on the ccontrary, doi computeri (two computers, plural, masculine) sounded wrong and unnatural to Romanian ears. It's really a question of how it soundsand how it aligns with established precedents.

There's nothing entirely rational and clear-cut about it, there's no a priori rule. When new nouns are introduced into Romanian, their gender is determined by linguistic precedent and Romanian euphony.

[Karl Henning]

I see now, thanks for clarifying.

Computer was instantly decided / agreed upon as neutral. Why? Easy: un computer (a computer, singular, masculine) sounded very okay and natural to Romanian ears; două computere |(two computers, plural, feminine) sounded very okay and natural to Romanian ears--- on the ccontrary, doi computeri (two computers, plural, masculine) sounded wrong and unnatural to Romanian ears. It's really a question of how it soundsand how it aligns with established precedents.

There's nothing entirely rational and clear-cut about it, there's no a priori rule. When new nouns are introduced into Romanian, their gender is determined by linguistic precedent and Romanian euphony.

With (verbal) imports, does the practice arise from popular use, or is there a "Language Czar"?

[Florestan]

With (verbal) imports, does the practice arise from popular use, or is there a "Language Czar"?

When it comes to imports, there's no Language Czar at all, popular use is the norm and it's usually right. Problems arise when wrong but widespread popular use contradicting established norm and logic* is accepted as norm, or at least not actively opposed. That bothers me no end but I can't do anything about it.

* I could give some examples but it would be far off topic. If interested, please PM me.

[Florestan]

In English I think you say neuter. I mean you did in Latin when I was at school.

I only had a Latin class in my last year of high school --- I can't remember anything of it, honestly.

Neuter be it --- in Romanian it's neutru.