Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/10/08

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] Never judge a book by its cover: Brahms, Mahler
From: jayanand at gmail.com (Jayanand Govindaraj)
Date: Mon Oct 8 06:06:42 2007
References: <200710072154.l97LsRhX019912@smtp41.singnet.com.sg> <47095A40.9060300@gmx.de>

Just a question, not meant to be anything other than a query - how come you
guys find western classical music so interesting? I find it beautiful but
sterile at heart, compared to jazz or Indian classical music - the latter is
about 95% improvised and single pieces can last up to 2-3 hours. So the
performer needs quite an active interpretive musical brain (and physical
stamina) to hold his audience's attention, at least during live concerts,
which can last all night. Jazz is similar.

I have yet to understand what interpretation means in something that is
always played as written. Can someone educate me, perhaps with a few
recordings to purchase to illustrate the point?

Cheers
Jayanand

On 10/8/07, Douglas Sharp <douglas.sharp@gmx.de> wrote:
>
> I believe I have it on vinyl - I'll have to get my old records sorted,
> they're still in boxes after we had the living room re-floored and
> redecorated.  I know I have quite a few records of the Vienna
> Philharmonic and Kletzki, but I'm no longer sure exactly what.
>
> I'm currently listening to poems by Blake set to jazz and choral music
> by Mike Westbrook (well, I suppose it's jazz, but with Mike and Kate
> Westbrook I'm never too sure, they drift around in all  sorts of
> directions from free improvisation to bebop, quoting Ellington, Parker
> and Mingus on the way, take a short trip into blues and come out at the
> other side in vaudeville, a classical vein, William Tell, Abbey Road or
> Charles Ives and Messiaen. Weird stuff to get your head around, but
> ultimately very satisfying.
> Best from Hannover
> Douglas
>
> Joseph wrote:
> > Douglas
> >
> > Have you heard the version by Istvan Kertesz with the VPO?
> >
> > Joseph Low / Singapore
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: lug-bounces+joelct=singnet.com.sg@leica-users.org
> > [mailto:lug-bounces+joelct=singnet.com.sg@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
> > Douglas Sharp
> > Sent: Sunday, October 07, 2007 8:29 PM
> > To: Leica Users Group
> > Subject: Re: [Leica] Never judge a book by its cover: Brahms, Mahler
> >
> > Seems to be something to do with Hamburg :-)
> > Brahms earned his money as a brothel pianist and everyone hated Mahler -
> > including Mahler ;-)
> >
> > Love 'em both - JB's "Variations on a theme from Haydn" was always one
> > of my all time favourites since my childhood, and still is.
> > Brahms "German Requiem" is nearly on a par with Faure's for me. Mahler
> > is something superb for dreary autumnal sunday afternoons.
> >
> > Although  now I'm much more more partial to Bruckner, Britten, Copland,
> > Ives, Hindemith, Janacek, Milhaud,Villa-Lobos, some Bermstein and just
> > about anybody's Requiem, Mass or Stabat Mater for serious listening and
> > Delius, Dvorak, Poulenc, Lefebure-Wely and Louis Moreau Gottschalk for
> > lighter moments (nearly forgot William Bolcom's piano rags - absolutely
> > brilliant!!).
> >
> > Douglas
> >
> > BTW, I love choral music - a tradition in Yorkshire - being part of
> > "Sounding Brass and Voices" performing Parry's Jerusalem is a
> > breathtaking experience - but I could never get much further than
> > glorious Gilbert & Sullivan - my mother was an accompanist for the Leeds
> > Gilbert and Sullivan Society, so it was permanent background music at
> > home -  (and PDQ Bach :-) ) when it comes to opera/operetta.
> >
> > Philippe Orlent wrote:
> >
> >> Brahms digs too deep in the mind for me...
> >> He's an instable romantic, I guess ;-)
> >> Philippe
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Op 7-okt-07, om 01:33 heeft Luis Ripoll het volgende geschreven:
> >>
> >>
> >>>> From Sacred Cantata No.2?
> >>>>
> >>> Now I'm listening Christa Ludwig on Brahms Lieder, at the piano the
> >>> great
> >>> Gerald Moore...
> >>> Luis
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> -----Mensaje original-----
> >>> De: lug-bounces+luisripoll=telefonica.net@leica-users.org
> >>> [mailto:lug-bounces+luisripoll=telefonica.net@leica-users.org] En
> >>> nombre de
> >>> Philippe Orlent
> >>> Enviado el: domingo, 07 de octubre de 2007 1:24
> >>> Para: Leica Users Group
> >>> Asunto: Re: [Leica] Never judge a book by its cover
> >>>
> >>> Bach's 'Tilge, H?chster, Meine S?nden' isn't bad either ;-) Philippe
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Op 7-okt-07, om 01:19 heeft Luis Ripoll het volgende geschreven:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>> Philippe,
> >>>>
> >>>> This is a coincidence, this evening I've listened three times
> >>>> Pergolesi's Stabat Mater (Mirella Freni & Teresa Berganza)...
> >>>>
> >>>> Saludos cordiales
> >>>> Luis
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> -----Mensaje original-----
> >>>> De: lug-bounces+luisripoll=telefonica.net@leica-users.org
> >>>> [mailto:lug-bounces+luisripoll=telefonica.net@leica-users.org] En
> >>>> nombre de Philippe Orlent Enviado el: domingo, 07 de octubre de 2007
> >>>> 1:12
> >>>> Para: Leica Users Group
> >>>> Asunto: Re: [Leica] Never judge a book by its cover
> >>>>
> >>>> I agree with the tune, Steve. One of the better classic popsongs it
> >>>> is.
> >>>> But about Nessun Dorma: I prefer to hear it sung by f.i. Andreas
> >>>> Sch?nberg, who sings it more soberly and with modesty.
> >>>> Which fits Nessun Dorma perfectly. It 's the difficulty with Italian
> >>>> music of this period: most of the time it's so overly melodramatic
> and
> >>>> bombastic (the big feelings) that it becomes almost painful, unless
> >>>> sung with some
> >>>> reservation* :-) Then I prefer Pergolesi's Stabat Mater f.i.
> >>>> Or all those German and Austrian composers that excelled in bringing
> >>>> sheer emotion without getting preposterous.
> >>>>
> >>>> So at least they were good at something :-P (big smiley here)
> >>>>
> >>>> Philippe
> >>>>
> >>>> * That's why I never really liked Pavarotti: to much cheap pathos.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Op 7-okt-07, om 00:39 heeft Steve Unsworth het volgende geschreven:
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>> I have to say I was expecting the worst - especially knowing that
> >>>>> these programs regularly include terrible singers to help the
> >>>>> ratings.
> >>>>> Yes he was
> >>>>> raw, no he will never make it as an opera singer, but he had passion
> >>>>> and commitment, and let's be honest it's one hell of a tune.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Steve
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> On 6/10/07 23:10, "Tina Manley" <images@comporium.net> wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> I'm glad you weren't one of the judges!  What were you expecting
> >>>>>> from a cell phone salesman who has never had formal voice training?
> >>>>>> Of course you have heard better Nessun Dormas from professional
> >>>>>> opera singers with voice training.  I think his performance was awe
> >>>>>> inspiring and gives great encouragement to everybody with a dream.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>>> Leica Users Group.
> >>>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>> Leica Users Group.
> >>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>> Leica Users Group.
> >>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> Leica Users Group.
> >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> Leica Users Group.
> >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Leica Users Group.
> >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Leica Users Group.
> > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Leica Users Group.
> > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> >
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>

Replies: Reply from joelct at singnet.com.sg (Joseph) ([Leica] Never judge a book by its cover: Brahms, Mahler)
Reply from phamard at numericable.fr (Philippe Amard) ([Leica] Never judge a book by its cover: Jayanand)
Reply from ricc at mindspring.com (Ric Carter) ([Leica] Never judge a book by its cover: Brahms, Mahler)
In reply to: Message from joelct at singnet.com.sg (Joseph) ([Leica] Never judge a book by its cover: Brahms, Mahler)
Message from douglas.sharp at gmx.de (Douglas Sharp) ([Leica] Never judge a book by its cover: Brahms, Mahler)