Some people don't know what they're missing

[CD]

Well on a personal note, there really is no classical music that I desire to hear live (save for something like Bruckner's Ninth), but I do wish I could find more performances of world music.

Really? I used to think so until I moved to the city and started going to concerts. Now I feel that there are particular works and certain composers whose music I feel would open up to me in a live setting where it did not by listening to recordings.

Incidentally, Bruckner is one of them.

[Philoctetes]

Really? I used to think so until I moved to the city and started going to concerts. Now I feel that there are particular works and certain composers whose music I feel would open up to me in a live setting where it did not by listening to recordings.

Incidentally, Bruckner is one of them.

Well I didn't want it to sound so final, but that's pretty much the gist of it. I just have a limited about of time, and if I'm going to listen to something live, I'd much rather it be world music.

Although, there are certain performers I'd enjoy seeing live (Harnoncourt, Argerich, etc.)

[Chaszz]

If a museum mounts a large Rembrandt show, with a lot of his paintings not seen in its city for many years or ever, it will draw crowds. But if three or four museums in that city periodically mounted smaller Rembrandt shows, 12 paintings here, 6 paintings there, 20 over there, public interest and attendance would lessen. Likewise, if we could only hear Beethoven played live once every two years, the concert would be packed. Most cities and even smaller towns have a steady diet of classical concerts at multiple venues, in the case of the small towns mostly chamber music but sometimes a local orchestra. This is by and large not the music of today. That it is presented in such plenitude is a testament to its greatness but also pleasantly surprising. Relax.

[Joe Barron]

One can tire, however, of paying top dollar to hear Beethoven : )

Since this was a fundraiser, tickets were $30. Does that strike you as too much? Renee is thinking of lowering the price next year, but then it's a question of whether you'd attract enough more people to make up the difference.

Of course, I got in on a press pass.

[Joe Barron]

If a museum mounts a large Rembrandt show, with a lot of his paintings not seen in its city for many years or ever, it will draw crowds. But if three or four museums in that city periodically mounted smaller Rembrandt shows, 12 paintings here, 6 paintings there, 20 over there, public interest and attendance would lessen. Likewise, if we could only hear Beethoven played live once every two years, the concert would be packed. Most cities and even smaller towns have a steady diet of classical concerts at multiple venues, in the case of the small towns mostly chamber music but sometimes a local orchestra. This is by and large not the music of today. That it is presented in such plenitude is a testament to its greatness but also pleasantly surprising. Relax.

Hmmm. The fact is, the Emperor is being done yet again this Saturday not too far from here. Paired with the Tchaikovsky Fifth. talk about a big bang.

[Joe Barron]

That might not be quite the experience you imagine.  The only time I ever fell asleep in a concert hall, it was Harnoncourt conducting Bruckner.  11 o'clock in the morning.  Was it ever dull.

That was the thing about Sunday night's concert. I expected to like it, but I never expected to like it so much.

Expectations are best exceeded.

[DavidW]

Yes indeed.  A local church is putting on Bruckner's E minor Mass this coming Saturday evening.  I've absolutely no expectation at all for that, but full marks for trying - and if it's any way decent then that's a bonus.

Wow that is insulting!  It doesn't require world class ensembles to perform classical music.  Local orchestras and choirs often give wonderful performances.

[Mirror Image]

Some may recall the pompous former member who used to sneer at folks for listening to anyone but the half-dozen 18th & 19th Century German & Austrian composers he admired.  We've also enjoyed other buffoons who claim that anyone more traditional or tuneful than Stockhausen appeals only to mental midgets too unsophisticated to appreciate "modern" music.

Fortunately, none of those would-be Stalins has attained hegemony over our musical tastes, so there's room for most of us to enjoy everything from medieval chants to sonatas for laptop PC and chainsaw...including Beethoven.  (And let's be truthful: anyone who doesn't appreciate Beethoven should probably be dancing in a meat dress while lip-synching advertising jingles equating no-interest home loans with orgasmic ecstasy.)

It's not that I don't appreciate Beethoven, it's just my liking for classical music is mostly from the late-Romantic to early Modern periods. I have listened to much of Beethoven's music, but it doesn't do much for me emotionally or intellectually. I don't want to get into hot water with anybody here who likes his music, I'm certainly an outsider when it comes to classical music and I know I'm in the minority with not liking Beethoven much.

[Sid]

I think that it's a good idea to support the smaller groups, be they professional, semi-professional or amateur. Here in Sydney, there is a multitude of live classical stuff outside of the big venues. Some ensembles are beginning to use suburban venues, to bring the music closer to where people live. I've been at a number of such venues, and I like it especially because of the more intimate spaces - especially churches.

I agree with one of the posters above - I especially enjoy it when there is a variety of things in a concert, from across the ages. I recently went to a concert by the Australia Ensemble resident at the University of New South Wales, and they played music of two Australian composers (one, Nigel Butterley, very much alive and present in the audience), as well as by Mozart and Schumann. A number of ensembles are now beginning to program creatively and I think that it's great. By the same token, I also love the "classics" done live - love going to see Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Brahms, Bruckner, and yes, Beethoven especially! This year I have also been lucky to see the music of Chopin and Schumann (200th anniversary of their births) and Barber (100th anniversary).

I think it would be a great thing indeed if all the classical lovers of the world would really support some of the excellent smaller & emerging groups in their area. Think globally, act locally! A number of these things (like the one mentioned by the OP?) are put on for charity, so attending them is a very worthwhile thing, imo...

[jochanaan]

There are composers I'd pay top dollar to hear.  Beethoven is not one.  I love Beethoven's music--but I've heard it many times and even played quite a bit of it.  I'd rather pay top dollar to hear something I've never heard before.

[Mirror Image]

I think that it's a good idea to support the smaller groups, be they professional, semi-professional or amateur. Here in Sydney, there is a multitude of live classical stuff outside of the big venues. Some ensembles are beginning to use suburban venues, to bring the music closer to where people live. I've been at a number of such venues, and I like it especially because of the more intimate spaces - especially churches.

I agree with one of the posters above - I especially enjoy it when there is a variety of things in a concert, from across the ages. I recently went to a concert by the Australia Ensemble resident at the University of New South Wales, and they played music of two Australian composers (one, Nigel Butterley, very much alive and present in the audience), as well as by Mozart and Schumann. A number of ensembles are now beginning to program creatively and I think that it's great. By the same token, I also love the "classics" done live - love going to see Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Brahms, Bruckner, and yes, Beethoven especially! This year I have also been lucky to see the music of Chopin and Schumann (200th anniversary of their births) and Barber (100th anniversary).

I think it would be a great thing indeed if all the classical lovers of the world would really support some of the excellent smaller & emerging groups in their area. Think globally, act locally! A number of these things (like the one mentioned by the OP?) are put on for charity, so attending them is a very worthwhile thing, imo...

If I'm going to go see a classical concert, it's going to be with world-rekown orchestra performing. No offense to local musicians or people who enjoy going to see local shows. Also, I think it's easy to assume that it is somehow easy for people to see classical music anytime they want or that it is performed by local musicians on a weekly basis. You have to remember that not all of us live in Sydney or London or Vienna or Prague. Some of us live in small towns were the people blast country, rock, or rap music through their vehicles when driving around town. All of this said, I live in the Southern United States, so I'm in the miniority here.

[karlhenning]

There are composers I'd pay top dollar to hear.  Beethoven is not one.  I love Beethoven's music--but I've heard it many times and even played quite a bit of it.  I'd rather pay top dollar to hear something I've never heard before.

This.

[Sid]

If I'm going to go see a classical concert, it's going to be with world-rekown orchestra performing. No offense to local musicians or people who enjoy going to see local shows...

I'm not that hung up on the issue of the musicians I see being "world renowned" but have been pleasantly surprised on many occasions. The staff at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, who often put on concerts, have all travelled the world and played with the finest orchestras. Many of our pianists, such as Kathryn Selby and Stephanie McCallum have studied with the likes of Rudolf Firkusny and Roland Smith respectively. Musicians are a very gregarious bunch of people, and they have their "network." The concept of the six degrees of separation applies to many musicians, with regards to whom they have worked and studied with...

...Also, I think it's easy to assume that it is somehow easy for people to see classical music anytime they want or that it is performed by local musicians on a weekly basis. You have to remember that not all of us live in Sydney or London or Vienna or Prague. Some of us live in small towns were the people blast country, rock, or rap music through their vehicles when driving around town. All of this said, I live in the Southern United States, so I'm in the miniority here.

Well this is true, I suppose it's easy for us in the major international cities to take it for granted that there's so much going on in terms of classical performances in these places. Things vary internationally and nationally. In Australia, Sydney & Melbourne are cultural magnets, but things are slowly beginning to change even in the so-called "backwaters." Darwin, our northernmost city (capital of the Northern Territory) is in the process of setting up it's own symphony orchestra. & you also get a lot of the groups based in the cities doing regional tours nowadays. This is great, it's not only a way of perhaps raising revenue, but getting their names "out there" in terms of further marketing and promotion. The more bums on seats, the better, imo...

[jochanaan]

This.

Is that simple agreement--or did you have a point?

[DavidW]

Is that simple agreement--or did you have a point?

I think he was +1-ing you.  I don't remember if this forum uses "+1" or "qft" but yeah...

My take on this issue is that some concerts have a warhorse + something out there/something new + something slightly off the beaten path but easy on the ear.  That's a nice way to go.  You can have a Beethoven in there, but why not a seldom heard Hummel piece as well + why not a Karl Henning piece.  I mean there has to be synergy you don't want to play some 21st century requiem if the rest are sunny pieces but yeah.  I find those kind of concerts to be satisfying.

[jochanaan]

...My take on this issue is that some concerts have a warhorse + something out there/something new + something slightly off the beaten path but easy on the ear.  That's a nice way to go.  You can have a Beethoven in there, but why not a seldom heard Hummel piece as well + why not a Karl Henning piece.  I mean there has to be synergy you don't want to play some 21st century requiem if the rest are sunny pieces but yeah.  I find those kind of concerts to be satisfying.

I understand the necessity--you've got to build an audience for the good new composers, and including some warhorses is one way to get people to at least HEAR new music--but I regret it.  When someone comes expecting a standard, they may already be in the mindset of "I have to sit through this terrible new non-music to get to the Mozart" and thus their ears will be in some sense closed.  So in a sense, the concert promoters are guilty of false advertising.  They might do better to try to raise curiosity about the new stuff.

(When I did a solo recital three years ago, it was all 20th- and 21st-century music, including a piece by Karl.  I made no apologies for it, since I do love that repertoire.  The tag line for my flyers was "Expand Your Definition of Music!" )

[karlhenning]

Is that simple agreement--or did you have a point?

Yes, it was QFT : )