The laughably naïve idea that classical music can be killed :)

[Andante]

I agree with the post by Roasted Swan, in my own experience I would have given any thing to play in a good pro orchestra and had to be satisfied with being a keen amateur, but I had friends that were pro and they never complained about what they were doing they never mentioned snobbery or a denial of self expression, they were part of a whole and proud to be a team member.
One way you can express self expression or play music completely ad lib is 'as far as I know and apart from by your self in your bed room' is free jazz, I have never played this genre and from the little I have heard of it I am happy with that situation, you have to have rules in any thing you do otherwise it is unfathomable to others, if you feel that CM is stifling you talents then try something else do not complain and run it down.
As an ex jazz musician the best thing that I got out of playing music was to be part of a team, orch, st qt, pub trio, jazz ens etc etc. but that is me other people do not have the same values, we are all different but for me to be part of an ens is the best.

[Cato]

Many thanks to all for the responses!

Amazon have MP3 downloads and will even make you a CD-R of Rikki And The Last Days Of Earth - I rest my case .

[asin] B008B080WQ[/asin]

Missed that one!  Is Rikki a 21st--century Pia Zadora ?

https://www.youtube.com/v/59KIyST-iSc

I agree with the post by Roasted Swan, in my own experience I would have given any thing to play in a good pro orchestra and had to be satisfied with being a keen amateur, but I had friends that were pro and they never complained about what they were doing they never mentioned snobbery or a denial of self expression, they were part of a whole and proud to be a team member.
One way you can express self expression or play music completely ad lib is 'as far as I know and apart from by your self in your bed room' is free jazz, I have never played this genre and from the little I have heard of it I am happy with that situation, you have to have rules in any thing you do otherwise it is unfathomable to others, if you feel that CM is stifling you talents then try something else do not complain and run it down.
As an ex jazz musician the best thing that I got out of playing music was to be part of a team, orch, st qt, pub trio, jazz ens etc etc. but that is me other people do not have the same values, we are all different but for me to be part of an ens is the best.

Many thanks!

[steve ridgway]

Missed that one!  Is Rikki a 21st--century Pia Zadora ?

I don't know any equivalent classical recordings so was looking to see which not very good and little remembered albums from the late 1970s punk / new wave era might somehow have been preserved for all time. Some groups seem to have achieved this immortality without even having released an album back then .

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[aukhawk]

Its very simple.... the frustration for many professional orchestral musicians is that they spend many years working on a skill and then have to follow the direction of a conductor they do not respect.  To perform to an audience is an egotistical occupation.  It has to be - if you don't believe you have anything to "say" when you perform all you are left with is the fear of performing alone!  So in an orchestra you will have 80 very good musicians all of whom have a fairly clear idea about how the piece they are playing should go.  If there is an inspirational 'leader' in front of them that's all well and good and the results will be spectacular.  If instead its an "emperor's new clothes" conductor the result is frustration and discontent.

Most of us work under direction for most of our lives.  For those who have a creative streak, it can get very difficult (from my own experience) - but the world must be occupied by drones, and really we just have to suck it up.