GMG Classical Music Forum

Announcements => Introductions => Topic started by: Madiel on March 24, 2012, 02:27:55 AM

Title: Hello there
Post by: Madiel on March 24, 2012, 02:27:55 AM
Gosh, how original, right?

I stumbled across this forum while doing what I so often do: trying to read about classical music at the same time as I'm listening to it!

Tonight it was Vagn Holmboe, and you don't necessarily get all that many places where you can find people talking about Vagn Holmboe. So it was inevitable that when I found a 5-page thread on him I had a read.

And then I thought, well, I do like talking about classical music a lot. And here's a place where I can talk about classical music... here I am!

Let's see. Australian. In my 30s. I have marked completist tendencies so I buy a lot of box sets. I listen to both popular and classical music, the proportion tends to swing between the two.  On the classical side I seem to have a major fondness for, among others, Haydn, Faure and Holmboe.  At least, those are some of the ones I particularly notice because I go through sudden bouts of obsession.

In fact, if you want to know about my listening diet it's pretty easy to find out about, because I keep track of what I listen to and then once a month I put it all down in a blog at http://orfeomusicaldiary.blogspot.com.au/  (http://orfeomusicaldiary.blogspot.com.au/) .  But a blog isn't really a conversation. This forum is, hopefully, a chance for a conversation.
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: TheGSMoeller on March 24, 2012, 10:09:58 AM
Greetings, and welcome!  :)
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: sheffmark on March 24, 2012, 10:34:26 AM

Hi and welcome from me too! :D
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: TheGSMoeller on March 24, 2012, 10:54:07 AM
Nice blog. Tori Amos fan I see.

And some Tears for Fears, can't go wrong there.  ;)
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: Karl Henning on March 24, 2012, 02:57:55 PM
Welcome! Have you been listening to the Holmboe string quartets?
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: madaboutmahler on March 24, 2012, 03:05:59 PM
Welcome! I hope you enjoy the forum! Interesting favourite composers, I do hope you like Mahler too! ;)

Daniel
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: Madiel on March 24, 2012, 03:58:11 PM
Quote from: karlhenning on March 24, 2012, 02:57:55 PM
Welcome! Have you been listening to the Holmboe string quartets?

I only own the symphonies so far.  The quartets are at the top of the shopping list, though. I'm very keen to get them. I've been sampling them through iTunes, so I can say I've been listening to the quartets up to 90 seconds at a time...
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: Madiel on March 24, 2012, 04:02:51 PM
Quote from: madaboutmahler on March 24, 2012, 03:05:59 PM
Welcome! I hope you enjoy the forum! Interesting favourite composers, I do hope you like Mahler too! ;)

Daniel

I do! Although not in the totally fanatical way of a true Mahlerian.

Also... Symphony No. 8 really doesn't do much for me yet and seems overblown and empty.  I was quite pleased when I found out from Wikipedia that some Mahler admirers don't like that one either, but I fear the true believers might despise me.
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: Madiel on March 24, 2012, 05:45:59 PM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on March 24, 2012, 10:54:07 AM
Nice blog. Tori Amos fan I see.

And some Tears for Fears, can't go wrong there.  ;)

Can we talk pop music here? Shhh...

Yes, I am an enormous Tori Amos fan. Enormous.  And she even managed to do classical crossover in an interesting way.  Thank goodness, there was a risk I'd have to disown her.  But I sadly missed her tour last year with a string quartet, because it didn't come to Australia and I couldn't travel to Europe or America at the time.  Fans were saying it was the best thing she'd done in a decade.

And Tears for Fears were probably the first band that ever made me sit up and take notice, as a child, at their compositional skills.
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: classicalgeek on March 24, 2012, 07:57:02 PM
A warm welcome to you, Orfeo!  As a fellow forum newbie, I can honestly say I think you'll like it here. :)

Quote from: orfeo on March 24, 2012, 02:27:55 AM
I stumbled across this forum while doing what I so often do: trying to read about classical music at the same time as I'm listening to it!

Tonight it was Vagn Holmboe, and you don't necessarily get all that many places where you can find people talking about Vagn Holmboe. So it was inevitable that when I found a 5-page thread on him I had a read.

Excellent choice - I really enjoy Holmboe's Symphonies and Chamber Concertos!

Quote from: orfeo on March 24, 2012, 02:27:55 AM
I have marked completist tendencies so I buy a lot of box sets.

You're in good company here!  I'm mostly a downloader, out of necessity more than choice, but I too have completist tendencies.  Fifty-nine Beethoven symphony cycles, and it's nowhere near enough :D

Quote from: orfeo on March 24, 2012, 02:27:55 AM
In fact, if you want to know about my listening diet it's pretty easy to find out about, because I keep track of what I listen to and then once a month I put it all down in a blog at http://orfeomusicaldiary.blogspot.com.au/  (http://orfeomusicaldiary.blogspot.com.au/) .  But a blog isn't really a conversation. This forum is, hopefully, a chance for a conversation.

Very interesting!  I find it fascinating looking over other people's listening lists.  The 'What are you listening to' thread here is great!

Again, welcome - looking forward to hearing more from you! :)

-James
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: Madiel on March 24, 2012, 08:09:52 PM
Quote from: classicalgeek on March 24, 2012, 07:57:02 PM
You're in good company here!  I'm mostly a downloader, out of necessity more than choice, but I too have completist tendencies.  Fifty-nine Beethoven symphony cycles, and it's nowhere near enough :D

That thud was the sound of me fainting. Fifty-nine?!

I'm not a completist in THAT sense! It's enough work getting one copy of all the interesting music, I don't generally tend to aim to have more than one, I just try to make it a good one.  I do have multiple copies of some pieces though.

The attraction of box sets is that I then have all the pieces, both popular and hidden treasures, in one hit.  Chopin is a good example. I've got Ashkenazy's box set of all the solo piano works, and so for me that meant I didn't have to go around buying Chopin CDs, hunting down the rarer pieces while inadvertently collecting 35 copies of the 'raindrop' prelude.
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: Hollywood on March 24, 2012, 10:56:13 PM
G'day orfeo. Greetings from Haydn's Vienna. Welcome to the forum.  8)
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: Papy Oli on March 24, 2012, 11:11:38 PM
hello and welcome !  :D
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: mc ukrneal on March 24, 2012, 11:26:55 PM
Quote from: orfeo on March 24, 2012, 08:09:52 PM
The attraction of box sets is that I then have all the pieces, both popular and hidden treasures, in one hit.  Chopin is a good example. I've got Ashkenazy's box set of all the solo piano works, and so for me that meant I didn't have to go around buying Chopin CDs, hunting down the rarer pieces while inadvertently collecting 35 copies of the 'raindrop' prelude.
Welcome and enjoy! People here tend to refer to completist when they need every interpretation. What you refer to is what I usually practice myself. Why buy two of something, when there is so much wonderful muisc out there that I've never heard? That said, as my collection fills out, I find I am more flexible on this point.
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: Madiel on March 24, 2012, 11:44:26 PM
Quote from: mc ukrneal on March 24, 2012, 11:26:55 PM
Welcome and enjoy! People here tend to refer to completist when they need every interpretation. What you refer to is what I usually practice myself. Why buy two of something, when there is so much wonderful muisc out there that I've never heard? That said, as my collection fills out, I find I am more flexible on this point.

Thanks. And noted! My first lesson in forum terminology.  So I'm not a completist.  ;)
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: Lisztianwagner on March 25, 2012, 01:47:41 AM
Welcome on the forum, I hope you will enjoy it :)

Ilaria
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: david johnson on March 25, 2012, 02:00:01 AM
hi!  :)
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: North Star on March 25, 2012, 02:09:34 AM
Welcome, orfeo!
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: Opus106 on March 25, 2012, 05:54:17 AM
Quote from: orfeo on March 24, 2012, 08:09:52 PM
The attraction of box sets is that I then have all the pieces, both popular and hidden treasures, in one hit.  Chopin is a good example. I've got Ashkenazy's box set of all the solo piano works, and so for me that meant I didn't have to go around buying Chopin CDs, hunting down the rarer pieces while inadvertently collecting 35 copies of the 'raindrop' prelude.

We are a rare breed. ;) Welcome aboard. :)
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: Ataraxia on March 25, 2012, 05:56:29 AM
(http://images.cheezburger.com/completestore/2009/9/18/128978007944516137.jpg)
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: Gurn Blanston on March 25, 2012, 09:04:56 AM
Quote from: orfeo on March 24, 2012, 11:44:26 PM
Thanks. And noted! My first lesson in forum terminology.  So I'm not a completist.  ;)

Nah, just a moderate maniac (like most of the rest of us). :D

8)
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: bhodges on March 27, 2012, 06:46:13 AM
Welcome, orfeo!

--Bruce
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: Mirror Image on March 28, 2012, 03:15:34 PM
Salutations and welcome aboard fellow Internet dweller! Glad you could join this insane asylum. :) Just a word of caution: do not poke the animals in their cages. Thank you. :D
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: TheGSMoeller on March 28, 2012, 03:34:39 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on March 28, 2012, 03:15:34 PM
Salutations and welcome aboard fellow Internet dweller! Glad you could join this insane asylum. :) Just a word of caution: do not poke the animals in their cages. Thank you. :D

But you can feed us.  ;D
Title: Re: Hello there
Post by: Conor71 on April 05, 2012, 01:49:12 PM
Welcome to the forum orfeo! :) - I see you are a fellow Australian, good for you!  :D Sorry for the belated welcome - I have been reading your postings already and I hope you enjoy yourself here.