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Ben Folds Piano Concerto

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Toby Esterhase
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« on: September 07, 2016, 11:20:11 pm »

I like this romantic "Concertone"

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cjvinthechair
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« Reply #1 on: September 08, 2016, 08:49:51 am »

Ah, thank you, Mr. Toby - yes, enjoyable as a bit of a change !

The recording (in separate movements) is on YT as well, which people might think is a better version to 'acquire'.

     
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« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2016, 03:05:35 pm »

Speaking personally-which is all I can do naturally ;D-I found the work pretty dreadful, a rather feeble attempt to update Gershwin for the 21st century and, above all, grotesquely over-orchestrated with wholly excessive brass and percussion.

However....I am breaking my own self-imposed rule of trying to avoid commenting negatively about music I do not like. I respect the views of other people who cannot understand my aversion to Mozart's Piano Concertos, to most of Rachmaninov's music or to most Delius.

So........I shall shut up and beg you to ignore my views ;D ;D
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ahinton
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« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2016, 03:18:13 pm »

Speaking personally-which is all I can do naturally ;D-I found the work pretty dreadful, a rather feeble attempt to update Gershwin for the 21st century and, above all, grotesquely over-orchestrated with wholly excessive brass and percussion.
That pretty much sums it up for me, too.

I respect the views of other people who cannot understand my aversion to Mozart's Piano Concertos
I can live without most of them myself (although I'd very much miss K491).

to most of Rachmaninov's music or to most Delius
Can't share either of those, I'm afraid!
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Dundonnell
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« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2016, 03:43:59 pm »

I don't really understand why I fell out with Rachmaninov ::) I love the Symphony No.1 and "The Isle of the Dead". There was a time I was very fond of the Symphonic Dances. But somewhere along the line my tastes "hardened" and I began to find works like the Symphony No.2 oppressive in their particular "romantic nostalgia".

However....that is just me ;D I must have fallen under the subsconscious influence of Robert Simpson ;D-who didn't like Rachmaninov either ;D

As for Delius.......well, we can recognise the merits of particular composers and their music without it necessarily making a personal aesthetic connection. Delius doesn't for me. The crucial point however is that his music does appeal, a very great deal in many cases, to lots and lots of other people. And that is, ultimately, infinitely more important that how I respond to it.

So.....I shall stick to extolling what I perceive as the merits of those composers whose music I can connect with and recommending those to others and leave my aversions to myself :)
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cilgwyn
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« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2016, 08:05:01 pm »

I feel the same way about Rachmaninov. I used to love his music. Last time I tried playing his music;off it went! I do stll have a soft spot for his Second Piano Concerto,though;despite the fact that it shares most of the characteristics that turn off his music these days. I think it's partly because my late mother liked it,and because it actually just is full of really good tunes. And yes,I also find something opressive about all that yearning romanticism. Not that I don't like late romantic music,of course! I put on a cd of Reger's Böcklin  and Romantic Suites a few nights ago. To my surprise I found a refinement and subtlety entirely missing from the more hallowed Master's muse! And I was actually sorting through a pile of cds with the intention of taking some of them to a charity shop. I will look for some more Reger now! Incidentally,the cd I played was conducted by Botstein on Telarc. Scriabin (his orchestral music not his piano music) and Gliere are all a bit too overblown and oppressive for me these days. Although,I still enjoy the Farberman recording of Gliere's now and again. Schreker is another one (phew!);but curiously,I have started to enjoy Richard Strauss operas. Although,it's Capriccio,Ariadne auf Naxos,Der Rosenkavalier (which I've always liked) Arabella and Daphne for me;NOT Elektra,Salome or Die Frau ohne Schatten! In that respect I do find it strange that I have started enjoying Khatchaturian again. His piano Concerto felt like a glass of cool,clear spring water after Rachmaninov. Again,I actually find more subtlety in it (although,I'm not so sure about refinement) than most of Rachmaninov's music put together. The same goes for his Violin Concerto. Of course,allot of people find a huge amount of pleasure in listening to Rachmaninov's music,and who am I to judge? As to Mozart and Delius. I love Mozart,but have to admit that some of his Piano Concertos do all sound,disturbingly,the same!!!!  Delius,I love. I really can't explain or justify why his music appeals to me,although I can try,if you like?!! ;D (And anyway,I have done elsewhere!)  I'm not too keen on his Concertos,though. I think he was allot better when he was less constricted by form. Incidentally,I recently invested in the,as it turned out,superb Cpo set of Kabalevsky's Piano Concertos,and shock horror,I actually find his music more subtle than Rachmaninov's. In fact I was quite impressed!
As to the Ben Folds Piano Concerto! I may listen to a bit of it later. I'm listening to the Grace Williams Lyrita cd of the Second Symphony (etc). Nice,low fat music!! A pity the BBCNOW orchestra can't spend more of it's time playing music like this (and Daniel Jones) than Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky........although,I hasten to add,I DO like Tchaikovsky (his symphonies,anyway)!! ;D

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ahinton
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« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2016, 09:24:24 pm »

I'm listening to the Grace Williams Lyrita cd of the Second Symphony (etc). Nice,low fat music!!
What a curious description! It remainds me that someone once "accused"(?) me of having written high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high fat content music determined to cause hardening of the aural arteries and it was only my second thought about this bizarre statement that prompted me to wonder if this comment was intended to be negative - which fact probably goes to show what I've done wrong...
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cilgwyn
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« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2016, 10:03:57 pm »

I'm listening to the Grace Williams Lyrita cd of the Second Symphony (etc). Nice,low fat music!!
What a curious description! It remainds me that someone once "accused"(?) me of having written high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high fat content music determined to cause hardening of the aural arteries and it was only my second thought about this bizarre statement that prompted me to wonder if this comment was intended to be negative - which fact probably goes to show what I've done wrong...
My apologies,it was just supposed a light hearted allusion to some of the criticism that is often made of Rachmaninov's music by certain 'critics'. I really didn't expect anyone to take it seriously;and I'm certainly not in favour of a food style traffic light labelling system for classical music cds! ;D I was merely alluding to the clarity of textures. Everything feels so lean and pared down after listening to Rachmaninov. Two very different composers,of course! Grace Williams is more my cup of tea,personally. In fact,I enjoyed the Lyrita cd so much,I'm now listening to the deleted Chandos cd.
Funnily enough,after typing this post,I'm in the mood for Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto now. The Naxos transfers of the composer playing No's 2 & 3,maybe?! :)

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Dundonnell
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« Reply #8 on: September 08, 2016, 10:47:57 pm »

I do apologise to the originator of this thread for causing it to go so wildly offline ;D
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cilgwyn
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« Reply #9 on: September 08, 2016, 11:41:54 pm »

Indeed,ahem,Ben Folds! Sorry Toby! :-[ It got me listening to Rachmaninov,though! (On,now! ??? ::) ;D)
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Toby Esterhase
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« Reply #10 on: September 09, 2016, 01:17:44 am »

I do apologise to the originator of this thread for causing it to go so wildly offline ;D

Dear Dundonnell
Thank .But IMHO there is no reason,valuation differences are usual on music.IMHO G.Williams Second seems a parody of DSCH,but perhaps is the bad quality of Lyrita cd.
Best
 :)
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cilgwyn
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« Reply #11 on: September 09, 2016, 09:36:58 am »

I'm listening to the Ben Folds Piano Concerto now! Re: Grace Williams. I like some of her shorter works best and the vocal/choral music on the Chandos cd. I didn't like some of her music that much at first. It has slowly grown on me. Now back to Ben Folds (but since you asked). I have to say the sound quality doesn't help. Is this the same Ben Folds whose cds I am seeing listed on Amazon?
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cilgwyn
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« Reply #12 on: September 09, 2016, 11:36:23 am »

Ah, thank you, Mr. Toby - yes, enjoyable as a bit of a change !

The recording (in separate movements) is on YT as well, which people might think is a better version to 'acquire'.

     
That's much better! :)
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Alex Bozman
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« Reply #13 on: September 09, 2016, 08:51:36 pm »

I'm listening to the Ben Folds Piano Concerto now! Re: Grace Williams. I like some of her shorter works best and the vocal/choral music on the Chandos cd. I didn't like some of her music that much at first. It has slowly grown on me. Now back to Ben Folds (but since you asked). I have to say the sound quality doesn't help. Is this the same Ben Folds whose cds I am seeing listed on Amazon?

It would be good to hear Castell Caernarfon again; doesn't seem to have found it's way to youtube yet.
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Dundonnell
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« Reply #14 on: September 09, 2016, 11:26:40 pm »

I'm listening to the Ben Folds Piano Concerto now! Re: Grace Williams. I like some of her shorter works best and the vocal/choral music on the Chandos cd. I didn't like some of her music that much at first. It has slowly grown on me. Now back to Ben Folds (but since you asked). I have to say the sound quality doesn't help. Is this the same Ben Folds whose cds I am seeing listed on Amazon?

It would be good to hear Castell Caernarfon again; doesn't seem to have found it's way to youtube yet.

It would be good to hear it for the first time too :)
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