Lessons of GMG

[marvinbrown]

15?. You can never have enough CDs.

  I'm right with you on that one! 

  Might I propose a follow up lesson to the one quoted above:

  16? It's a sin to cull!

  marvin

[Wanderer]

An alternative view:

Valuable lessons on life from the GMG Classical Music Forum:

1. Classical music is not for everyone.
2. Expect bigots.
3. Or maybe especially them.
6. Each person is entitled to my opinion.
7. Especially when I'm wrong.
8. No matter their age, everyone has something verbose to prove.
9. Classical music listeners are elitists, especially when claiming they aren't.
10. Non-specialist musical discussions are largely useless.
11. Classical music listeners also think they excel in philosophy, theology, sociology and psychology by default.
13. Non-specialist discussions on the above are still far preferable to the lies specialist discussions give birth to.

16. Consistency is optional.

17. As are manners.

18. But mannerisms are not.

19. Nor is etiquette.

This is spot on. 

[PSmith08]

14. Richard Wagner's music is boring and shallow, due to its dependence on long-winded text.
15. Richard Wagner's music is exciting and profound, especially due to its dependence on long-winded text.

You could summarize these points with one word: Rienzi.

There's just no debate, at least among rational people (even by Wagnerian standards), that five acts of that one is a bridge too far.

[Renfield]

  Oh would you stop teasing me now ......

  marvin

Marvin, I can honestly say you are one of the sanest, most consistent, and most honest people in this forum; if I tease you, it is because of that fact, not in spite of it. You stand firmly with what you enjoy: a rare thing, even Wagner would likely acknowledge.


Otherwise, I am happy to see this thread apparently grants others a measure of enjoyment, as well. I'm certainly still thoroughly enjoying it!

[marvinbrown]

Marvin, I can honestly say you are one of the sanest, most consistent, and most honest people in this forum; if I tease you, it is because of that fact, not in spite of it. You stand firmly with what you enjoy: a rare thing, even Wagner would likely acknowledge.


Otherwise, I am happy to see this thread apparently grants others a measure of enjoyment, as well. I'm certainly still thoroughly enjoying it!

  Thank You  .

  marvin

[Hector]

I find your statement that "Classical music is for those that understand it" elitist as can be ably demonstrated by a number of contributors to this forum in both the past and present

[karlhenning]

Classical music is for those what experience it.

[greg]

Classical music is boring.

[Philoctetes]

Classical music is boring.

Unless played by Russians.
Unless played by Jews.
Unless played by Russian Jews!

[Renfield]

I wonder how many people got the symmetry-based "meta" joke, in the list.

(Or any of the "meta" jokes, for that matter.)

[greg]

12. "In classical music, we always skip 12."

Unless played by Russians.
Unless played by Jews.
Unless played by Russian Jews!

That is soooooooo racist. I see a gang of Chinese, German, Italian, and French Canadians who you just called "not good at playing classical music" sneaking up on you right now.

[Renfield]

12. "In classical music, we always skip 12."

*laughs*

That was not deliberate. But the response was worth it.

[Kullervo]

20. Collect recordings of the complete piano music of Gaetano Donizetti's mistress's aunt

21. ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

22. PROFIT

[Renfield]

20. Collect recordings of the complete piano music of Gaetano Donizetti's mistress's aunt

21. ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

22. PROFIT

Evil.

[eyeresist]

"the lies specialist discussions give birth to"

[mikkeljs]

Many times I thought it would be so nice, if someone had some masterclass videos to post on GMG! 

In only 2 days, I´m going to Israel for a three-weeks long masterclass! I take my camera with me, so perhabs I could be lucky to get some nice clips to post here.

Then at least, we will get some Jews into the topic. 

[Renfield]

"the lies specialist discussions give birth to"

Irony.

And also, compare to the other three points on specialist discussions, two on specialist musical discussions and one other on philosophical/sociological/etc. specialist discussions: it's a self-referential ("meta") joke, as intended.

[eyeresist]

Irony.

It's like goldy and bronzy, only it's made of iron.

[zamyrabyrd]

12. Performers of music, in particular ageing conductor-pianists, are experts in politics and make peace through music by getting kids of warring factions to play in globe-trotting orchestras.

12 a. Care and feeding of orchestras is an expensive undertaking.
12 b. The peace racket is a big sinkhole to pour money into.
12 c. Musicians might not know anything about the real dynamics of peace and war, but heck, neither do
world leaders.
12 d. For GMGers, this may be a lesson in where the REAL bucks are in music.

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=109593
After playing its first concert at Bilkent on July 24, a youth orchestra, which is composed of 52 Turkish and 50 Greek musicians will greet audiences in both Turkey and Greece until July 30...conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy.

http://origin.www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2006/08/11/barenboim-orchestra-madrid.html
Acclaimed conductor Daniel Barenboim and his multifaith youth orchestra called for peace in the Middle East during a massive concert in Madrid Thursday night.

[zamyrabyrd]

I find your statement that "Classical music is for those that understand it" elitist as can be ably demonstrated by a number of contributors to this forum in both the past and present

What's wrong with elitist?