Greetings from Indonesia

[Monsieur Croche]

... or Singapore, rather.

Hi all,

I'm an 18-year-old Indonesian currently residing in Singapore. I have just finished my secondary education and am now taking a gap year to work and travel before entering university next year. I'm currently holding a temporary teaching job in my previous secondary school as well as giving private tuitions.

I have been listening to classical music for around 5 years. It all started when I received a box set of Beethoven's complete symphonies from a friend of my father – another classical music enthusiast – for Christmas. What I heard just blew me away and started me on my journey into the wonderful world of classical music. (Unfortunately I lost the set when we were moving out shortly after). Initially I started collecting recordings based on a completely random and haphazard basis (Well, maybe not that random. I always went for the cheap ones). Then one day I saved up enough money to get The Rough Guide to Classical Music, which is when I started to buy recordings systematically.

During my first phase I was immediately hooked on the late-Romantic sound of composers such as Mahler, Richard Strauss, etc. Shostakovich also became one of my favourites. However, after a few years inexplicably my tastes changed in an entirely opposite direction – moving away from emotional excess and towards simplicity, clarity, restraint, and elegance. My listening diet used to consist of mostly large-scale orchestral works but I find myself favouring chamber and solo piano music these days. This of course does not mean that I no longer enjoy the composers that I previously love; only that I don't find myself in the correct mood to listen to them as often these days. My favourite composer currently is Debussy (glances at my avatar), but generally I like most French music composed from the Romantic period onwards. My blind spot so far is with serialism. I can accept some freely atonal works but most serial works I have ever heard just went over my head. Even the works of that supposedly most Romantic member of the Second Viennese School, Alban Berg, failed to strike any chord with me. (I'm still trying, of course. Just wondering if any of you may have some advice regarding this).

Given my experience, I don't have much deep musical knowledge and this looks like a nice little active forum where I can expand my horizons on this topic. I try to be objective and whatever I say is nothing more than my personal response to the music I heard, so don't take it too seriously when I say anything questionable and let's be nice to each other here.

Looking forward to a fruitful discussion with you all,

Adrian

[MN Dave]

You came to the right place, Adrian. Welcome.

[Harry]

Welcome Adrian, and what a well written resume, well done.
I am sure you will feel fine with GMG, and I for one am looking forward to your contributions.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Exemplary introduction, Adrian. Welcome!

[(poco) Sforzando]

My blind spot so far is with serialism. I can accept some freely atonal works but most serial works I have ever heard just went over my head. Even the works of that supposedly most Romantic member of the Second Viennese School, Alban Berg, failed to strike any chord with me. (I'm still trying, of course. Just wondering if any of you may have some advice regarding this).

We have had only about 10-20 discussions on this subject so far. I would suggest searching the archives and responding to any thread as you see fit; no thread is really "dead" so long as it remains open and people keep contributing to it. Thanks for your informative and literate self-introduction.

[bhodges]

My blind spot so far is with serialism. I can accept some freely atonal works but most serial works I have ever heard just went over my head. Even the works of that supposedly most Romantic member of the Second Viennese School, Alban Berg, failed to strike any chord with me. (I'm still trying, of course. Just wondering if any of you may have some advice regarding this).

Hi Adrian, and welcome to GMG.  Another Debussy fan here, one of my favorite composers. 

Regarding Berg or any composer who leaves you cold, I'd say don't worry about it.  Keep trying unfamiliar music now and then, but if it isn't resonating, just go on to another composer (since there are thousands).  I don't think any single composer is a "must" to be a classical music fan, and it sounds like you have a fairly diverse roster already of people whose work you admire.

Anyway, wishing you a good time here, and success in your explorations!

--Bruce

[MN Dave]

I don't think any single composer is a "must" to be a classical music fan...

Only Bach, Mozart and Beethoven are mandatory.  0:)

[bhodges]

Only Bach, Mozart and Beethoven are mandatory.  0:)

...and Xenakis. 

--Bruce

[MN Dave]

...and Xenakis. 

--Bruce

What the...!

[karlhenning]

What the...!

That'll teach you to leave the meetings early!

[MN Dave]

That'll teach you to leave the meetings early!

Ha!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Only Bach, Mozart and Beethoven are mandatory.  0:)

...and Xenakis. 

What the...!

That'll teach you to leave the meetings early!

Ha!

Very enjoyable, gentlemen! Onwards and upwards!

[Monsieur Croche]

Thank you, everyone, for your warm welcome.

Regarding Berg or any composer who leaves you cold, I'd say don't worry about it.  Keep trying unfamiliar music now and then, but if it isn't resonating, just go on to another composer (since there are thousands).  I don't think any single composer is a "must" to be a classical music fan, and it sounds like you have a fairly diverse roster already of people whose work you admire.

Thank you for your advice, Bruce. As a matter of fact, I'm occupied with exploring the by-ways of the repertoire right now (even though I don't have all the concert warhorses yet!)

We have had only about 10-20 discussions on this subject so far. I would suggest searching the archives and responding to any thread as you see fit; no thread is really "dead" so long as it remains open and people keep contributing to it. Thanks for your informative and literate self-introduction.

Thanks. I will eventually get there in due time, but right now I still have a few unopened CDs and the idea of returning to Schoenberg/Webern/Berg just doesn't look very tempting at the moment... 

...and Xenakis. 

--Bruce

And who might this Xenakis be, I wonder? Is this some sort of an inside joke? 

Very enjoyable, gentlemen! Onwards and upwards!

This is what I like about this forum: You guys have a great sense of humour! Over here people who listen to classical music are often labelled as boring, stuffy, and uptight... but the posters here have got to be some of the wittiest persons I have seen anywhere! I think I will enjoy my stay here...

[Hollywood]

Greetings from Beethoven and Mozart's Vienna, Adrian. Welcome to the forum. 

[Sergeant Rock]

This is what I like about this forum: You guys have a great sense of humour! Over here people who listen to classical music are often labelled as boring, stuffy, and uptight... but the posters here have got to be some of the wittiest persons I have seen anywhere!

We are witty and, moreover, we all, to a man (and woman), love fart jokes. There is no better place to discuss classical music and digestive issues.

Sarge

[knight66]

Welcome indeed; I hope you enjoy posting here.

Xenakis....not an in-joke; A Greek composer, (Though not born in Greece.) He died in 2001. I find his music demanding. It is not music I reach onto the shelves for; but he certainly has his supporters, many of them distinguished.

Cheers,

Mike

[Kullervo]

Welcome, M. Croche! You will find there are plenty of dilettantes on this forum to hate at your leisure.

[Sergeant Rock]

Welcome, M. Croche! You will find there are plenty of dilettantes on this forum to hate at your leisure.

Indeed (which is a word we dilettantes use excessively here...and by which you can easily recognize us).

Sarge

[Teresa]

Only Bach, Mozart and Beethoven are mandatory.  0:)

Glad to meet you Adrian and Dave NO composer is mandatory.  I abhor Mozart and only like a few works by Bach and Beethoven, yet I love hundreds of classical composers mostly from the Romantic period onward with the exception of grossly atonal serial music.

So it depends on what one likes, for me mandatory composers would include Stravinsky, Bartok, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Liszt and Rachmaninoff for starters.  I would never suggest they are mandatory for anyone else, what one loves is a personal issue and not to be dictated to from on high.

[Monsieur Croche]

We are witty and, moreover, we all, to a man (and woman), love fart jokes. There is no better place to discuss classical music and digestive issues.

Sarge

Fine combination, Sarge! Indeed some of my most intense listening experiences have occurred when I was having digestive problems - and did I tell you about the time that I contracted cholera? Yes, cholera, the disease that ravaged Tchaikovsky and most Europe during the Romantic era. It was during those sessions of HIL (Historically Informed Listening) that many inner secrets of the works written during the period have been revealed to me; indeed the experience has left me with a greater insight into the Romantic artists' concept of suffering. Even now, just as a precaution, I have a CD player specially installed in my bathroom - one never know when it may come in handy... 

Welcome, M. Croche! You will find there are plenty of dilettantes on this forum to hate at your leisure.

A very comforting thought, Corey. Can you imagine a world with all love and no hate? Why, our days would even be more boring than they already are!

Glad to meet you Adrian and Dave NO composer is mandatory.  I abhor Mozart and only like a few works by Bach and Beethoven, yet I love hundreds of classical composers mostly from the Romantic period onward with the exception of grossly atonal serial music.

So it depends on what one likes, for me mandatory composers would include Stravinsky, Bartok, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Liszt and Rachmaninoff for starters.  I would never suggest they are mandatory for anyone else, what one loves is a personal issue and not to be dictated to from on high.

Teresa, I have no problem with Dave's post; I take it that the post was meant as a half-joke, and anyway I already love Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. I think those three wrote some of the greatest classical music available out there, and entirely deserve the praises accorded to them. I didn't like Mozart initially, perhaps because he gave me the impression of being too happy-go-lucky and shallow, but recently I have been rediscovering him, so to speak, and he is now one of the composers I listen to most! They are in any case very different composers, such that it is normal to dislike one or two, but very, very unusual for a serious classical music fan to dismiss all three. All I can say is that you are missing a good deal of great music...