How many here were participants in Classicalinsites?

MusicalDream · May 01, 2025, 11:07:08 AM

Quote from: Florestan on May 01, 2025, 01:32:48 AMIn the Socialist Republic of Romania concerts (I mean concert halls or opera houses) were never free. Cheap, yes, but even today they are relatively cheap, except for opera where they are quite expensive. The audience, though, was thoroughly "bourgeois", or better said "middle-class": the vast majority of non-musician/non-artist concert-goers then as now were doctors, lawyers, teachers, professors, engineers and other highly educated professionals. The "working class" then as now preferred more popular genres of music. The theater audience, on the other hand, were indeed more mixed, probably because tickets for plays were sold not only at the box office but also through trade unions (state-controlled, obviously)

And btw, the notion that communist regimes were truly classless societies is false. There was both aristocracy (Party nomenklatura) and bourgeoisie (managers and top white collars of the state-owned factories, banks and commercial firms). And in stark contrast with the "capitalist" regimes, education or entrepreneurial spirit were not vehicles for upward social mobility: loyalty to the Party or membership in the Securitate (Secret Political Police) were. You could be a barely literate former shoemaker apprentice --- if you were fanatically loyal to the Party you could little by little ascend to the highest office in both the Party and the state: Ceaușescu. Conversely, you could be highly educated and extremely competent in your field --- if you were not both a Party member and its supporter (be it sincerely or oportunistically) or a covert agent of Securitate you had no chance to advance your career.

I did not know that about Romania and the classical music concerts, I know very little about Romania.

Definitely agree with the second part about communist societies, I've got family from various former communist countries (which honestly was several countries throughout the world that at least gave it a try). Every single one of those countries (whether it was in Europe, Asia, or Africa) had party-loyalty or obedience to the leader of the country as a requirement for a lot of the jobs, even if the person in question was totally incompetent. But apparently they all tried to copy the Soviet style of doing things because of their attempt at worldwide influence. In addition, I also did not think it was truly a classless society based off of my family's experiences and reading history books.

Febct · June 29, 2025, 02:57:38 PM

Quote from: (poco) Sforzando on June 01, 2024, 05:33:05 AMFrank Berglas and I were quite friendly, and we often had dinner at a little Chinese place near Lincoln Center before an opera at the Met.
All these memories . . . .

Greetings - yours truly here. Would you mind identifying yourself for me? I vaguely recall, but cannot definitively put a name to the scene. Is it possible somehow to exchange personal info, either on board here or elsewhere? Thanks - hope to hear...

Mister Sharpe · June 30, 2025, 08:32:39 AM

Just having a large collection of CDs and/or LPs qualifies one at the very least as eccentric and in the eyes of some can even put a collector in the 'hoarder' category (a favorite epithet among many in these days of "decluttering," now all the rage from influential authorities such as Marie Kondo to Dana White.) That might be the worst that a collector can be labeled, as it strips away aspirations of discernment and connoiseurship, not to mention aesthetic delight... There's another aspect to this: home music listening was once a group or family activity but is only rarely so nowadays. The very solitariness of it accentuates notions of isolation and hence alienation and peculiarity. Paradoxically, belonging to a music forum, brings the ring of eccentricity to an even higher pitch. Fora themselves - of all stripes - are commonly seen among non-participants as hotbeds of controversy and quarrels that sensible, sane people avoid. Speaking personally, however, I'm happy to be among other 'nutters,' as the Brits say.

owlice · July 04, 2025, 02:15:44 AM

I'm so sorry about Antecki; he was such a very nice young man, and the reason I have Rodrigo CDs (which I love). What sad news.

Reading through this thread has brought back a lot of memories!

I met Kelsey the trumpeter from Oklahoma a couple of times when she was in DC one summer; she'd won an opportunity to join other young musicians for a workshop at the Kennedy Center. She was still in high school at the time and eventually went off to college. I lost track of her after that.

Surprised that no one has mentioned ALaPorta. He was (maybe still is) an ardent atonal music fan, sometimes strident in his views and sometimes... well, vicious. When he was not being disagreeable, he wrote well about music.

Yes, Auntie Lynn and Lynn Sislo were definitely different people! Sislo was relatively new to classical music, open about her lack of knowledge, listened and learned well, and was very enthusiastic, and nice, too. She lived near Tulsa.

(poco) Sforzando, what is the name of the Wagner fan who we had lunch with in 2001? (omg, so long ago!) I think he was from Iran? Somewhere in the Middle East; he has arrived in the US just a couple of months earlier. He and I went to the World Trade Center before meeting you for lunch on the East Side. After lunch, the three of us walked to ... MOMA, I believe, and while walking, he suddenly wasn't with us, as he'd run into his college roommate (who was in the US for just a week or so), a lovely little "small world" happenstance.

ETA:
Carlipops! He is on Twitter, and when I remember his handle, I'll post it.

T. D. · July 25, 2025, 06:00:44 PM

I remember Carl Rosman the clarinetist was Carlipops.

Don't use Twitter (or whatever it's now called), but #CarlRosman might be his handle.

owlice · September 04, 2025, 10:59:37 PM

Carlipops is now on BlueSky: ‪@carlrosman.bsky.social‬

flyingdutchman · March 19, 2026, 01:34:38 AM

Well, I was there under my real name and am not as rigid as some would say and am definitely not an audiophile. I am very political, however, and wrote my dissertation on the confluence of Donald Trump and his form of nationalism upon my own field of higher education. While I'm an expat in Japan, I only just returned here after about 20 years working in higher education in the US.

And I too despised Corylss. Terrible woman.

(poco) Sforzando · March 19, 2026, 04:10:24 PM

Quote from: flyingdutchman on March 19, 2026, 01:34:38 AMWell, I was there under my real name and am not as rigid as some would say and am definitely not an audiophile. I am very political, however, and wrote my dissertation on the confluence of Donald Trump and his form of nationalism upon my own field of higher education. While I'm an expat in Japan, I only just returned here after about 20 years working in higher education in the US.

And I too despised Corylss. Terrible woman.

I don't know if I knew you there, but anyone who despised Corlyss is my friend for life.

Belle · March 20, 2026, 01:34:12 PM

Quote from: Spotted Horses on May 31, 2024, 11:17:36 PMI emailed the administrator asking to have my registration activated, no response. The site is effectively dead, they don't want anyone new. I had the same result when I tried to get my registration activated years ago.

Sadly now it is populated by political zealots who have one conversation topic only, plus a particular troll who has done the rounds of ALL the boards. Always tries to be pleasant and wants to be seen as funny - at first - but is a very nasty piece of work. And a complete misogynist. (I see he registered here a few years ago. Avoid!!)

Florestan · March 20, 2026, 01:42:11 PM

Quote from: Belle on March 20, 2026, 01:34:12 PMSadly now it is populated by political zealots who have one conversation topic only, plus a particular troll who has done the rounds of ALL the boards. Always tries to be pleasant and wants to be seen as funny - at first - but is a very nasty piece of work. And a complete misogynist. (I see he registered here a few years ago. Avoid!!)

How could we avoid him if we don't know his username?

Belle · March 20, 2026, 02:45:00 PM

I'll let you know when he arrives, as he surely will.

(poco) Sforzando · March 20, 2026, 07:15:15 PM

Quote from: Florestan on March 20, 2026, 01:42:11 PMHow could we avoid him if we don't know his username?

This is a very good point.

Brian · March 21, 2026, 05:29:19 AM

Belle provided his username to the mods. He hasn't logged in for four years but we will track him if he ever does.

Kalevala · March 21, 2026, 10:59:19 AM

Quote from: Belle on March 20, 2026, 02:45:00 PMI'll let you know when he arrives, as he surely will.

Think positively!

K

Belle · March 21, 2026, 12:04:46 PM

Quote from: Kalevala on March 21, 2026, 10:59:19 AMThink positively!

K

OK, it never helped in the past!

Kalevala · March 21, 2026, 12:21:50 PM

Quote from: Belle on March 21, 2026, 12:04:46 PMOK, it never helped in the past!

Well, the older that I get, I keep trying to remind myself: 1) Let it go and 2) Leave it be (getting into debates/arguments online with certain types of people is a waste of time and raises ones blood pressure and you can never "win". It's a lose/lose situation).

K

Belle · March 22, 2026, 01:21:29 PM

Quote from: Kalevala on March 21, 2026, 12:21:50 PMWell, the older that I get, I keep trying to remind myself: 1) Let it go and 2) Leave it be (getting into debates/arguments online with certain types of people is a waste of time and raises ones blood pressure and you can never "win". It's a lose/lose situation).

K

Doesn't make any difference; a troll will always invite himself into your space irrespective of how much you ignore. This one is a stalker and if ignoring a stalker was a real option the police wouldn't become engaged when it happens, and laws wouldn't be made to prevent it.

Kalevala · March 22, 2026, 02:46:25 PM

Quote from: Belle on March 22, 2026, 01:21:29 PMDoesn't make any difference; a troll will always invite himself into your space irrespective of how much you ignore. This one is a stalker and if ignoring a stalker was a real option the police wouldn't become engaged when it happens, and laws wouldn't be made to prevent it.

Has this person sent you PM's and followed you (in person) or sent you threatening mail/emails, etc. to your home residence? I hope to he** not!

I'm being serious. I'm also not certain how the laws work where you are. Have you had to fight to get a restraining order?

Do you know the real name and address of the person?

In any event, if you're feeling threatened, call the police!

K

Belle · March 22, 2026, 04:28:25 PM

You want to make a federal case out of internet stalking on a classical music board/s. 15 years of harassment, we're speaking about and yes, he has privately messaged me. Vile, to say the least of it.

Kalevala · March 22, 2026, 04:49:31 PM

Quote from: Belle on March 22, 2026, 04:28:25 PMYou want to make a federal case out of internet stalking on a classical music board/s. 15 years of harassment, we're speaking about and yes, he has privately messaged me. Vile, to say the least of it.

Well, you were the one who brought up stalking and laws, so I have/had no idea how far it has gone! I'm not a mind reader.

I trust that at least you have changed your user name over the years? And perhaps, quit talking about old web forums that you participated in (in terms of privacy). And, yes, there was one person who loved to get into stupid debates with me; I realized that I was the one being stupid and just stopped trying to get into intelligent debates with him.

And I hope that you reported him to the mods on the forum(s) that you belonged to.

And I was just trying to be kind.

K