Pieces You Love, But Don't Like

[Karl Henning]

Goats and cows living together!

[jlaurson]

Your description (OP) makes me think the music clicks with you rationally/intellectually (brain), but not emotionally (heart). If that's not it, I really don't quite get it, but that's ok.

Have we gotten any further in establishing what was meant? There was a line that gave hints: "that you recognize as a masterwork..."

"...but leaves you feeling horrible."

I had you at "that you recognize as a masterwork but..." if you had continued with "don't love". Easy. Brahms Requiem. Bruckner Te Deum. Beethoven Missa Solemnis. Anything by Liszt*. Berlioz Symphonique Fantastique.

But: "...leaves you feeling horrible" seems to take the premise into yet another direction. 

*Exaggerated for effect.

[starrynight]

I think pieces you really love tap into what your preference is at a particular time.  Those are the things you repeat listen to.  There's no point forcing love I think, though there is a point in working out understanding and appreciation of music (liking rather than love).

[San Antone]

Keep in mind, I don't mean flat out disliking a piece of music or being indifferent to it. We all know what that's like, and it's nothing special. This is being drawn to a piece, loving every part, but just not enjoying it. 

Does anyone else know what I mean?

Not really. 

There are pieces to which I am drawn, the Durufle Requiem, for example - I love every part of it, the melodic content, the harmonies, the colors and textures, consequently, I enjoy it quite a lot.  I don't have a clue what you mean by "being drawn to a piece, loving every part, but just not enjoying it." 

The closest I can get to what you are talking about is knowing about a work or composer, say Wagner's Ring, and being very much drawn to the  idea of the undertaking, but hating the sound of the music in actuality. 

[AdamFromWashington]

Have we gotten any further in establishing what was meant? There was a line that gave hints: "that you recognize as a masterwork..."

Haha, I love how horribly I've confused everyone.

Sorry...

I think the final conclusion was just that I'm weird. I can love something and not really like it, even if no one else can.

It's all good. 

Everyone can stop trying to figure it out now. I didn't want the topic to be figuring out what the topic was!

[amw]

What is the difference between ranz de chévres and ranz de vaches? Which actual paraphrase do you have in mind?

Ooh do you not know this?

Have a listen! It will improve your life.*

[audio]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32084883/02-12%20-%20Franz%20Liszt%20-%20ALBUM%20D%27UN%20VOYAGEUR%2C%20S156%20%5B1834-1838%5D%EF%BC%9A%20Book%20III%20Paraphrases%EF%BC%9A%20%2012.%20Ranz%20de%20chevres%20%5Bde%20F.%20Huber%5D%20-%20Allegro%20finale.mp3[/audio]

* not really

[Jo498]

I have only ever encountered it with cows. Isn't there even an opera/operetta (Der Kuhreihen) about the fact that the ranz de vaches was forbidden to be played in the (French or German) Army because the Swiss soldiers would get homesick and desert.
(Mahler's Song "Zu Strassburg auf der Schanz" is about the same phenomenon)

Music of this kind appears in Guillaume Tell and Berlioz' Harold. But I only remember references as "ranz de vaches" never with goats.

[Karl Henning]

I have only ever encountered it with cows. Isn't there even an opera/operetta (Der Kuhreihen) about the fact that the ranz de vaches was forbidden to be played in the (French or German) Army because the Swiss soldiers would get homesick and desert.
(Mahler's Song "Zu Strassburg auf der Schanz" is about the same phenomenon)

Music of this kind appears in Guillaume Tell and Berlioz' Harold. But I only remember references as "ranz de vaches" never with goats.

I think you may mean the Symphonie fantastique.

[Jo498]

Maybe, but I thought one of the middle movements of Harold had a similar kind of tune in the oboe or cor anglais, despite this not being the Alps but the Abruzzi (or whatever).

[jlaurson]

I think the final conclusion was just that I'm weird. I can love something and not really like it, even if no one else can.

Sounds like an ingrown toenail... where you don't like the pain, but you LOVE pressing on it, to feel that pain. (Or so I've been told.)

[North Star]

I think you may mean the Symphonie fantastique.

There's also a reference in Hal

[Karl Henning]

Maybe, but I thought one of the middle movements of Harold had a similar kind of tune in the oboe or cor anglais, despite this not being the Alps but the Abruzzi (or whatever).

There's also a reference in Hal

Thanks, gents!