The Five Pieces You Never Want To Hear Again!

[bhodges]

I don't see how Chatham is considered classical anyway. It just sounds like Sonic Youth, but not as interesting.

Point! 

GASP!  

Medical help is on the way.......

  Sorry, I know...no reflection on Dvořák or that particular piece.  I'm just weary of it.  I much prefer symphonies 6, 7 and 8.

Have to agree with the Vivaldi Four Seasons, too, especially since there is so much other work by the composer available that you never hear (those bassoon concertos, for example).

--Bruce

[jwinter]

...Have to agree with the Vivaldi Four Seasons, too, especially since there is so much other work by the composer available that you never hear (those bassoon concertos, for example).

--Bruce

Yes, let's be careful not to throw out Vivaldi completely, just because one piece is overplayed in jewelry store commercials.  I'd offer the concertos for cello, bassoon, flute, even the recorder concertos are quite charming.  Some late string concertos have recently been unearthed and recorded by Guiliano Carmignola & Andrea Marcon, and are quite rewarding (personally I prefer many of them to La Stravaganza and the other early ones you commonly hear).  And then the choral works, like the magnificent Gloria....

[getting off his Vivaldi soapbox]

[Brian]

(those bassoon concertos, for example).

--Bruce

...those bassoon concertos are divine.  0:)

[bhodges]

Yes, let's be careful not to throw out Vivaldi completely, just because one piece is overplayed in jewelry store commercials. 

...those bassoon concertos are divine.  0:)

Are you guys familiar with this recording, by Klaus Thunemann and I Musici?  It was one of the first CD's I ever bought.

--Bruce

[some guy]

I'm always amazed at how eager people are to talk and think about what they don't want. Seems much more pleasing to think and talk about what one does want, hein?

But, "Oh, well."

Here's an anecdote as antidote to the dismissive remark about Lucier's "I am sitting in a room." When my youngest son was nineteen, I bought that CD to replace my old scratchy LP. I had it in the player in the car one day when my son took the car into LA. He came back, eyes huge, to report that he couldn't take that piece off--he probably played it four times that trip. A couple of days later, he had a new report. He'd mentioned this piece, and his extreme enjoyment of it, to his music teacher, who said simply "Oh, yeah, that was the defining piece for an entire generation of listeners."

I also highly recommend Robert Ashley's In Sara, Mencken, Christ and Beethoven There were Men and Women. (Oh, "recommend." That is soooo off topic. Sorry!!)

Otherwise, there are two versions of Ives Universe Symphony, one done by Larry Austin that's mostly of Prelude #1, one by Johnny Reinhard. Austin's is only about thirty-seven minutes. Reinhard's is a realization of the entire mss. and clocks in at around sixty-five minutes.

[Kullervo]

Here's an anecdote as antidote to the dismissive remark about Lucier's "I am sitting in a room." When my youngest son was nineteen, I bought that CD to replace my old scratchy LP. I had it in the player in the car one day when my son took the car into LA. He came back, eyes huge, to report that he couldn't take that piece off--he probably played it four times that trip. A couple of days later, he had a new report. He'd mentioned this piece, and his extreme enjoyment of it, to his music teacher, who said simply "Oh, yeah, that was the defining piece for an entire generation of listeners."

I remain unconvinced, but then my tastes are fairly conventional compared to yours (and your son's, apparently).

[snyprrr]

1920s:

makes me think of airplane props and air raid sirens.

but, of course, some of my favs are from the 20s: late Janacek, Bartok, etc... I was thinking of certain other Americans in Paris! Copland Piano Cto, and all that sissy "bad boy" stuff...eck!

and NO...that ISN't almost everything.  I forgot to add classical country/rap!!! There...that's IT!!

I didn't even mention Florence Foster Jenkins!!!

[springrite]

I can more or less agree with most of the pieces mentioned in this thead since most of them are works I have not listened to for a long time for the same reason. However, seeing those titles here makes me want to revisit many of them. First of all, I have not heard them for a long time. Maybe that tired feeling has gone. Secondly, since returning to China 7 years ago, where commercials, shopping malls and elevators do not have these works constantly playing, instead you get Richard Clayderman, etc., I almost wish that Four Seasons and Romanza from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik can be heard at those places instead!

[Sorin Eushayson]

There isn't much music that grates on my nerves but I'm sure everyone has a list of tunes you could go the rest of your life without ever hearing again.  They are the tunes that make you turn off the Classical station and look for your Beethoven CDs.

Coming in late on this thread, completely ignorant of the six pages of preceding posts. 

No particular order:

-Britten's War Requiem
-Stravinsky's Rite of Spring
-Helfman's Di Naye Hagode
-Penderecki's Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima
-Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf

I could go on, but if you'll excuse me I have a desk to hide under whilst the fans of the noted pieces above try to do off with my head! 

[prémont]

The only piece I do not want to "hear" again is 4´33.
And of course pieces sung by Maria Carey.

[greg]

how about 4'33" sung by Maria Carey?

[hornteacher]

The only piece I do not want to "hear" again is 4´33.

Its on iTunes now.  I kid you not.  First movement is free, other movements are $0.99

[Sorin Eushayson]

Its on iTunes now.  I kid you not.  First movement is free, other movements are $0.99

Okay, that's hilarious.  Who would download that???  I can perform the whole thing myself anytime I want! 

[The new erato]

Okay, that's hilarious.  Who would download that???  I can perform the whole thing myself anytime I want! 

Yeah, but would we want to look at a cover with you on it when we could look at Mariah (rhymes with Pariah BTW) Carey? 

[Mirror Image]

Also I never want to hear anything by Bright Sheng again. How he manages to get the attention he gets boggles the mind. The guy has no talent whatsoever.

Yet he continues to get commissions from major symphony orchestras and his works are still being performed worldwide? This is no small feat for somebody who in your estimation "has no talent."

[jlaurson]

Yet he continues to get commissions from major symphony orchestras and his works are still being performed worldwide? This is no small feat for somebody who in your estimation "has no talent."

'tis true, of course, that the best indicator for talent is popularity.

the question: "talent for what?" might be allowed. john rutter and eric whitacre are also getting work, don't they? john tesh and zamfir are also always busy...

[jlaurson]

how about 4'33" sung by Maria Carey?

Actually, 4'33" might be the best use for both, the piece and Mariah Carey.

[Philoctetes]

Actually, 4'33" might be the best use for both, the piece and Mariah Carey.

I'm definitely for more of her:

[Mirror Image]

'tis true, of course, that the best indicator for talent is popularity.

the question: "talent for what?" might be allowed. john rutter and eric whitacre are also getting work, don't they? john tesh and zamfir are also always busy...

I think anybody with a level head knows that I'm talking about composers who have real talent and not ones like Rutter or Whitacre whom probably couldn't compose a decent piece for string orchestra to save their lives. I'm talking about a Chinese-American composer who ISN'T Tai Dun. This in itself is impressive.

[Octo_Russ]

Handel's Messiah! yuk, i'm not particularly fond of choral music anyway, but this just drones on and on.

The aria Una Voce Poco Fa from Rossini's Barber of Seville, just when you think it's finishing, it starts up all over again, i think Rossini should have stuck to Overtures, which are absolutely fantastic.

I don't like syrupy religious choral works, so Stainer's Crucifixion should be banned.

Heidenroslein by Schubert, it's his worst song, it really grates on my brain, makes Ave Maria sound like a masterpiece.

Gorecki's Symphony 3, why was that ever so popular?, especially when there's so much better music you can spend your money on.