What are you currently listening to?

[cilgwyn]

A nice sit down now after a bowl of soup and some bread and cheese! As if anyone's going to faint from hunger these days! Silly! ::) ;D

 :D

What happened to the string vest?

I was going to say,you've got me there! ;D But then my pc started playing up. In the end I had to re-install windows & choosing the nuclear option,to wipe the drives clean of all files & programs,I had to re-install programs ,look for passwords,replace bookmarks & all the other things you do. I had been contemplating doing that for a while & it's a bit quicker than it was before & I've got rid of some c*** I couldn't shift,before! So,it's worked out quite well,so far! ::) ;D

[Albion]

I was going to say,you've got me there! ;D But then my pc started playing up. In the end I had to re-install windows & choosing the nuclear option,to wipe the drives clean of all files & programs,I had to re-install programs ,look for passwords,replace bookmarks & all the other things you do. I had been contemplating doing that for a while & it's a bit quicker than it was before & I've got rid of some c*** I couldn't shift,before! So,it's worked out quite well,so far! ::) ;D

 :o :o :o

[cilgwyn]

I was going to say,you've got me there! ;D But then my pc started playing up. In the end I had to re-install windows & choosing the nuclear option,to wipe the drives clean of all files & programs,I had to re-install programs ,look for passwords,replace bookmarks & all the other things you do. I had been contemplating doing that for a while & it's a bit quicker than it was before & I've got rid of some c*** I couldn't shift,before! So,it's worked out quite well,so far! ::) ;D

 :o :o :o

;D Not that kind of crap,thankfully! And it would need more than a Windows re-install!! ::) :o ;D

[Albion]

Did you manage to save your most important Harrison Birtwistle files?

 ???

[cilgwyn]

No,I haven't got any,thank goodness!! ;D Earth dances was about as far as I got. I remember quite liking it,for a brief period,when I was younger!! I had the cd single! I remember someone said it was like an updated Rite of Spring! Maybe?!! :-\ I did try a bit more! A cd of the Triumph of Time and Gawain's Journey,I think? I like to feel I've tried to listen to these things! But that sort of 'music' doesn't appeal to me! I remember my late mother used to say that allot of the contemporary composers Radio 3 played just sounded like the orchestras were just making it up as they went along! Birtwistle! Lot's of grinding noises,like heavy machinery! There were some noises like horses hooves in part of Gawain's Journey,which I quite liked,but then it just seemed to go on and on ::)! But the whole opera?! Please no!!! :o :(

All my important files were on an external drive,anyway! Including that Malcolm Williamson opera,which I am going to upload! ::)

[cilgwyn]

I'm sure Lionel could be more succinct on his own views on the achievement's of Harrison Birtwistle! ;D Still,whatever his merits (or lack of them?! ;D) at least his name can be broached here (You're banned! ed. ;D) unlike a certain "other" forum,where I recall reading that George Lloyd didn't fit their remit! (And surely,the sort of 20th century composer that might appeal to the kind of music lover who enjoys Raff or Spohr at their best! But,oh dear! Apparently,his Violin concertos aren't so tuneful,so he's out! :o

And thankfully,we don't get posts like this!

"Can I ask for clarification: is the site policy to judge the man or the work? To be a "romantic composer" do you have write 100% in a romatic idiom, > 50%, or is 10% enough?"  ;D

And now let's return to the topic please! AH. Harrison B-b-b!!!!!! :o >:( (Turning blue and clutching chest! ;D)

[cilgwyn]

Playing Now! Not Harrison Birtwistle :o ;D



Martinů: Symphonies 5 and 6 Czech Philharmonic Orchestra / Václav Neumann Supraphon  (Cd 2 from the 3 cd set)

[cilgwyn]

I know one should be careful about bandying around such words! But Bantock's Sappho always seems like a masterpiece to me!

[cilgwyn]

Dvořák: The Noonday Witch,Symphonic Variations,Wind Serenade,Hussite Overture    London Symphony Orchestra / István Kertész     Decca Ovation



Classic performances of these tuneful,colourful masterworks! :) I love the use of Bruegel paintings on these Decca recordings. They always seemed just right,somehow! A pity some of them were unused when the Lp's were put on cd. Of course,they had to miss some out,because you can fit more music on a cd!

[cilgwyn]

Case in point!



This is just so great! How could you not want to reissue this recording with this painting on the front?! I think I'd have been sitting there with it propped up in front of me,as a teenager! (The recording is available as part of a set,but not as single cd with this painting!) Of course,I know! It's the music that's important!! But,wow! It's like the bloke was there with the Tower of Babel in front of him?!! Far out,man! :o

[cilgwyn]

Dvořák: The Golden Spinning Wheel,Scherzo capriccioso,The Water Goblin,Othello Overture    London Symphony Orchestra /István Kertész     Decca Ovation cd (with nice Bruegel on front)

/?

More classic recordings of Dvorak by Kertész. My copy doesn't sport a "440" sticker,however (and I'd have taken it off! :o) If It wouldn't come off I would bring out my bottle of isopropyl (& cotton buds aka Q tips). The best thing ever for removing sticky labels & residue from cd & dvd cases. Evaporates rapidly & leaves no odour! NB: You don't really need that much!! Just a small bottle! I've been using mine for over 10 years! (Apparently,the same firm who sell the container in the photo,will supply you with 25 litres!! What are you going to do? Have a bath in it?!! :o)

[guest822]

Dvořák: The Golden Spinning Wheel,Scherzo capriccioso,The Water Goblin,Othello Overture    London Symphony Orchestra /István Kertész     Decca Ovation cd (with nice Bruegel on front)

/?

More classic recordings of Dvorak by Kertész. My copy doesn't sport a "440" sticker,however (and I'd have taken it off! :o) If It wouldn't come off I would bring out my bottle of isopropyl (& cotton buds aka Q tips). The best thing ever for removing sticky labels & residue from cd & dvd cases. Evaporates rapidly & leaves no odour! NB: You don't really need that much!! Just a small bottle! I've been using mine for over 10 years! (Apparently,the same firm who sell the container in the photo,will supply you with 25 litres!! What are you going to do? Have a bath in it?!! :o)

Maybe not but if I run out of gin...

[cilgwyn]

 ;D You'll need to close your eyes and hold your nose first! It's pretty strong stuff!! :o

[guest822]

;D You'll need to close your eyes and hold your nose first! It's pretty strong stuff!! :o

Oh, don't worry, I have plenty of experience. Bacardí and Parazone, anyone? Metal polish strained through a sock?? Or, as Rambling Syd Rumpo would have it "a rude meal of hedgehog paté washed down with a simple, unpretentious bottle of paraffin rosé..."  :D

[cilgwyn]

Playing Now! Malcolm Williamson: Our Man in Havana   Lyric Opera,Melbourne (as uploaded to the AMF Forum & thank you to Albion!0

This one is a really nice surprise! :) Not being a musician,a brief article/review I found at tuneaday (see link,below) describes Malcolm Williamson's achievement better than I could.

 "Williamson incorporated seemingly incompatible musical styles in the same piece – Cuban habanera and European dances with serial influences from Berg and neo-classicism from Stravinsky. Inevitably, it occasionally also brings Bernstein to mind.

Don't let the mention of Berg put you off,though! Right from the orchestral Prelude (or Overture) some of this comes over as more like like listening to a rather sophisticated broadway musical than a conventional opera. Williamson uses cuban dance forms & rhythms. Some of it is very tuneful,indeed & MW's orchestration is candy for the ear!  I can understand the comparison with Bernstein (I think he was better at musicals). It is all very enjoyable (with the emphasis on enjoyable!) indeed and,unlike some 20th c operas I've listened to (and some 19th c! ::)) I don't feel an urge to look at the cd display to see how much is left!! In fact,the mind boggles that such an enjoyable opera is so neglected! This strikes me as just as good,if not better,than some of Britten's lesser offerings. The performance is in pretty good sound (to my ears) well performed & a very quiet audience!  The occasional intrusion of an Australian announcer between acts adds a nice sense of occasion. This fascinating,clever and very enjoyable opera deserves to be heard and really does deserve a commercial cd release with all the trimmings! If you think mid-late 20th century opera is all tuneless warbling,you should have a go at this! I'm impressed! A real find,imo :o :)

https://atuneadayblogdotcom.wordpress.com/2013/09/08/malcolm-williamson-serenade-from-our-man-in-havana-1963/[/u