The Chat Thread

[Elgarian]

I was going to start up another thread just to separate actual discussion of music from listmania.

Good thinking again. How reassuring to know that I am not alone. That I am not a mere unheeded voice wailing plaintively into the night. That I am understood. That there are people out there who hear, and respond. That this is, indeed, a global village where the concern of one is the concern of all ... or where, as Mr Spock learned, the needs of the many do not always outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.

(Stop me if you think I'm going over the top, by the way ...)

[karlhenning]

That I am not a mere unheeded voice wailing plaintively into the night.

Gustav! Depart from that man's body!

(Third exorcism this week . . . .)

[karlhenning]

Bach needs gel!

[Scarpia]

Of course, as soon as I wrote that, I noticed the Henry Miller quote in my signature... 

--Bruce

Where else would you go to find a precedent for a series of three or more body parts with a single conjunction?

[karlhenning]

Surgically (erm) done.

[bhodges]

Where else would you go to find a precedent for a series of three or more body parts with a single conjunction?

  , and 

--Bruce

[Elgarian]

Question:
"Trio for violin, viola, and cello"
Is the final comma required for this and sentences like it to be grammatically correct? I don't know why, but this style feels clumsy to me...

I well remember one particular day when I consciously rejected the style guide in favour of what I intuitively felt was right. There was a feeling of liberation in that, but also a feeling of necessary rightness (a bit like Wittgenstein kicking away the ladder, but on an infinitesimally smaller scale). Like realising that it's so much more effective, and more musical, to write, 'I don't know what you're thinking of' and doing so, than to write 'I don't know of what you're thinking', despite the rule about not ending sentences with prepositions.

One consequence of that realisation is that these days, whether or not a comma goes in front of 'and' is determined by the music, rhythm, and meaning of the particular sentence - not by general rule. So if I want the reader to pause after 'viola', I'll put a comma; if I don't, I'll leave it out. And on that principle I'll stand my ground against any editor who's smaller than I am.

[Elgarian]

Gustav! Depart from that man's body!

(Third exorcism this week . . . .)

Thanks Karl. I feel better now.

[Elgarian]

The excellent DavidW (praised be he) has started up a kind of spillover thread from the growing-faster-than-light listening thread, which is just the place for posting our thoughts about the thoughts we have when we think about what we're listening to. I've transferred my soon-to-be-engulfed post from the listening thread over to there, and you know? - I feel better for it. 

[DavidW]

Yeah that was a cool post you made Elgarian.  And it reminded me that I had just read in an old rmcr thread some discussion of contemporary composers that take radically different approaches to their music on subsequent performances... but I don't remember who now!

[Elgarian]

And it reminded me that I had just read in an old rmcr thread some discussion of contemporary composers that take radically different approaches to their music on subsequent performances... but I don't remember who now!

You realise that all those who pass this way will be unable to sleep now, until you've resolved this? WE NEED TO KNOW!

[knight66]

I have been away a day or so. Where has my other fave Dave gone to then? I hope he is back soon.

Speaking of fave Daves, David, thanks for starting the new thread. I agree with you and Elgarian about the listening thread.  Long ago I gave up on trying to engended any two way discussion there. I don't even read it. I don't see the point in just basically listing works; or what has been bought.

Mike

[DavidW]

Ah another one will enjoy the classical chat thread.  Cool beans Mike!

[knight66]

Cool beans Mike!

Mike

[Elgarian]

Where has my other fave Dave gone to then? I hope he is back soon.

He didn't say. We need him.

[DavidW]

Maybe a nice summer vacation is what he's up to.

----------------
Now playing: Koopman: Schmücke Dich, o liebe Seele BWV 654 - J.S. Bach

[Dr. Dread]

Nah. Just haven't been listening to classical.

[Elgarian]

Nah. Just haven't been listening to classical.

Neither have we. We've been too busy examining the pros and cons of the great 'Sibelius's-transvestite-wife-wrote-his-symphonies-while-he-was-faking-Mozart-operas-but-making-it-look-as-if-Wagner-had-done-it' conspiracy.

[karlhenning]

Check the olive oil!

[Dr. Dread]

I'm becoming Diner-boy.