Glaring Omission

[Madiel]

There's more choral/singing activity than one might imagine.

But primarily as an amateur pursuit that doesn't make into the recorded music catalogue.

My original comment was in the context of what we listen to, and what has status. We seem to live in a world where professional orchestras are more noticeable than amateur ones, and amateur choirs are more noticeable than professional ones.

[Jo498]

The heaps of choral music written by Schubert, Mendelssohn or Brahms were for similar choral societies that were huge in a time with far less options for pastimes, so it's not surprising that this or similar repertoire is today also mostly performed by amateurs. (Whereas 19th century orchestral and even a lot of instrumental chamber music was already for professionals)

I also don't see any professional neglect of large choral + orchestral works (like Bach or Mendelssohn oratorios) in performances or recordings and there are also a decent number of professional choirs and vocal ensembles that perform/record a cappella or smaller scale choral/vocal music.

I agree that to listen to stuff like Marenzio Madrigals or Liebesliederwalzer on recordings is more niche than to listen to Mahler's symphonies but that's also not surprising because such vocal music was mostly for Hausmusik or small private entertainments, i.e. as much or more for the pleasure of the performers than the audience's.

[Florestan]

I agree that to listen to stuff like Marenzio Madrigals or Liebesliederwalzer on recordings is more niche than to listen to Mahler's symphonies but that's also not surprising because such vocal music was mostly for Hausmusik or small private entertainments, i.e. as much or more for the pleasure of the performers than the audience's.

Actually, in the case of such music separation between performers and audience was basically non-existent. Anyone in the (usually small) audience could have actually been a performer and vice-versa; changing the roles during the event was not uncommon.

[AnotherSpin]

Completely understand.

I think that is one of the reasons I've gone back to physical media. I can't control everything, but I was happier, and appreciated more, when the object was in my hand. It felt like the completion of a project. Nothing with the digital domain gives me that feeling.

For those interested in reflections on the comparison between CDs or other physical media and streaming, I recommend Francisco Lopez's short essay Music Dematerialized?.

The opening passage -

The disappearance of the object seems to be a fait accompli in recorded commercial music. Leaving aside the rare nostalgic, the format fetishist/fundamentalist, the minor industry of retro replicas, and also the no-industry of so-called underground experimental music, nobody cares anymore about the traditional physical carriers of audio when it comes to actually listening to music (whatever that might mean today).

Full text here: https://www.franciscolopez.net/pdf/MD.pdf

[Madiel]

And yet, sales of LPs have increased several-fold over the past decade. The essay is quite out of date, and indeed probably didn't engage with the data even at the time it was written.

https://luminatedata.com/blog/the-growth-of-vinyl-and-the-impact-of-independent-record-stores-on-vinyl-sales/

[foxandpeng]

Same here, having stumbled upon 20th century classical but not really enjoying earlier music. And like @Papy Oli wanting to enjoy my collection more rather than chase diminishing returns.

Works for me!

[Karl Henning]

This makes so much sense. The "dilemma" of access vs. curation arises, at least for me.

Just because I can doesn't mean I should.

The literature is vast and rich. Great problem to have

[DavidW]

In the UK, based on my local experience, I would estimate that every town of medium-size and above has a choral society,

I live in the US and my small town has a choral society. It does not have an orchestra.

[Elgarian Redux]

I suddenly realised that I had a weird Glaring Omission: 'The entire works of Rimsky-Korsakov except Scheherazade'.

I have maybe 20 different recordings of Scheherazade, it being one of the works that drew me into classical music 60 years ago, and I've loved it ever since, without diminishment. But try as I might, I cannot find any comparable attraction to any other works by R-K. It's a huge blank. The operas: oh no, no, no. Can't cope with them at all. The orchestral suites derived from them are a bit more attractive, but not much. So here I am, with Scheherazade still, 60 years on, scoring 5 stars, and nothing else getting onto the scale. Oh hang on, I'll give a couple of stars to the Easter Festival overture. But the rest is silence. Literally. I never listen to them now.

[71 dB]

I suddenly realised that I had a weird Glaring Omission: 'The entire works of Rimsky-Korsakov except Scheherazade'.

I have many 20 different recordings of Scheherazade, it being one of the works that drew me into classical music 60 years ago, and I've loved it ever since, without diminishment. But try as I might, I cannot find any comparable attraction to any other works by R-K. It's a huge blank. The operas: oh no, no, no. Can't cope with them at all. The orchestral suites derived from them are a bit more attractive, but not much. So here I am, with Scheherazade still, 60 years on, scoring 5 stars, and nothing else getting onto the scale. Oh hang on, I'll give a couple of stars to the Easter Festival overture. But the rest is silence. Literally. I never listen to them now.

Looks like Rimsky-Korsakov is a true one hit wonder to you then! 

I have only one CD of Rimsky-Korsakov's music: Scheherazade + The Tale of Tsar Saltan (NAXOS 8.550726). I don't even remember why I own the disc, but I assume I have paid next to nothing for it. Scheherazade is nice, but I could live without. At least I have something by R.-K.

[Elgarian Redux]

Looks like Rimsky-Korsakov is a true one hit wonder to you then! 

Exactly so. But the one hit has been huge.

[LKB]

I suddenly realised that I had a weird Glaring Omission: 'The entire works of Rimsky-Korsakov except Scheherazade'.

I have maybe 20 different recordings of Scheherazade, it being one of the works that drew me into classical music 60 years ago, and I've loved it ever since, without diminishment. But try as I might, I cannot find any comparable attraction to any other works by R-K. It's a huge blank. The operas: oh no, no, no. Can't cope with them at all. The orchestral suites derived from them are a bit more attractive, but not much. So here I am, with Scheherazade still, 60 years on, scoring 5 stars, and nothing else getting onto the scale. Oh hang on, I'll give a couple of stars to the Easter Festival overture. But the rest is silence. Literally. I never listen to them now.

If you haven't already, try his Russian Easter Overture.

There's an old recording of the RCO with Igor Markevitch conducting on Philips, and it is fire ( as the youngsters say ).

[Jo498]

I admit that I find Sheherazade a bit lengthy and repetitive...  
I prefer both "Antar", the Russian Easter ouverture and some of the suites from operas, especially "Christmas Eve".

[Karl Henning]

I suddenly realised that I had a weird Glaring Omission: 'The entire works of Rimsky-Korsakov except Scheherazade'.

I have maybe 20 different recordings of Scheherazade, it being one of the works that drew me into classical music 60 years ago, and I've loved it ever since, without diminishment. But try as I might, I cannot find any comparable attraction to any other works by R-K. It's a huge blank. The operas: oh no, no, no. Can't cope with them at all. The orchestral suites derived from them are a bit more attractive, but not much. So here I am, with Scheherazade still, 60 years on, scoring 5 stars, and nothing else getting onto the scale. Oh hang on, I'll give a couple of stars to the Easter Festival overture. But the rest is silence. Literally. I never listen to them now.

No Capriccio espagnole? Great clarinet licks. Yes, the Russian Easter Overture is a winner.

[hopefullytrusting]

No Capriccio espagnole? Great clarinet licks. Yes, the Russian Easter Overture is a winner.

And not that it needs to be (re)stated, but there is also nothing wrong (whatsoever) at leaving your omission glaring, if you should so choose.

I own zero Rimsky music, and that shall, I feel, always remain the case (just as an example, and not my most glaring given the overall tenor of this board, lol).

[Jo498]

The Capriccio espagnole is a riot! but should be taken in moderation...

[Karl Henning]

The Capriccio espagnole is a riot! but should be taken in moderation...

Oh, I don't propose playing it to destruction. I leave that to WCRB.

[JBS]

And not that it needs to be (re)stated, but there is also nothing wrong (whatsoever) at leaving your omission glaring, if you should so choose.

I own zero Rimsky music, and that shall, I feel, always remain the case (just as an example, and not my most glaring given the overall tenor of this board, lol).

Rimsky-Korsakov wrote a number of pieces that were so overplayed on classical radio I feel no need to hear them ever again. Although I do have recordings of them if ever I do want to hear them.
Possibly his biggest achievement was simply keeping Boris Godunov alive in the opera house.

[hopefullytrusting]

Possibly his biggest achievement was simply keeping Boris Godunov alive in the opera house.

Agreed, that was (and is) monumental.

[Elgarian Redux]

I admit that I find Sheherazade a bit lengthy and repetitive...  
I prefer both "Antar", the Russian Easter ouverture and some of the suites from operas, especially "Christmas Eve".

I can understand why the repetitive problem could arise, but ... well, if I'm eating chocolates (and Scheherazade is very like chocolates for me), I want a lot more than one chocolate, you see.

I remember listening to Scheherazade outdoors on the lawn in the summer of 1965, day after day. The sun shone, and there was nowhere else I wanted to be, and no musical adventure I could have preferred just then (I only had four classical LPs at the time). With a glorious memory like that, the music just seems part of who I am. I owe it a vast debt.

I did mention the Russian Festival Overture, but gave it the wrong name. I don't think about it much.