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Norman, are you listening?


mint
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Norman, I've just GOT to tell you....

My new computer has bluetooth, which means that I can buy those speakers sans fil for it!!!

But, I don't know if I'd need speakers as the volume is very LOUD and very clear and I am operating it at only 50%.

So, you can now bring on all the stuff you find on line that you post for me and everyone else to listen to and I won't be struggling with sounds that break up or, even worse, that don't even come out other than as NOISES!

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What I really love is his violin concerto.  Heard it live on at least 2 continents, maybe 3!I heard it played by Gil Shaham in New York when he was still a very young man making his mark.

I did hear Kyung Wha Chung playing it in Cardiff not long before we came to live in France but she was past her best by then [:(]

Can't look around for it now as I have to get ready to go out.  Perhaps Norman will post a link?

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This is the movement that reminds us that he wrote incidental music to "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emoyA7iGFKg

I saw Kyung Wha Chung playing the Brahms in Exeter with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra...

The first half was the Rite of Spring so it was a marvellous programme

Here is  the Mendelssohn concero...I have linked to this version partly because I love the fire of Vengerov, but also because the Gewandhaus orchestra seems so appropriate...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJTiOPJ6g28

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Norman,

Watch it! A lot of my old records are by the Cleveland Orchestra because I come from Cleveland. Admittedy, not all conducted by Americans. Doesn't anybody here listen to organ music? E Power Biggs, Virgil Fox, Anthony Newman, Carlo Curley (Saw him three or four times in St Albans before he died. Great showman.), etc.

David

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  • 3 weeks later...

Last night BBC TV4, a programme on requiems with some wonderful singing.  Unfortunately, I missed several minutes of the beginning as a friend from the UK rang and we had a lot of catching up to do.

Perhaps, Norman, you could give a computer link so that Patf could watch the programme as well?

I have a feeling she'd really enjoy it.

OH is going to have Duruflé but I shall go for the Fauré....phew, another of life's little problems solved!

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Yes, what on earth was all that about?[8-)]

David, if you watched the programme or will be watching it, why don't you give us your thoughts on it?

I'm always ready to talk music and always interested to hear an informed opinion.

There's always something to learn and always something to discuss.

Come back, all is forgiven?[:P]

Norman, did you you like the programme, BTW?

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[quote user="NormanH"]http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03hhqck/Requiem/

To watch that in France

Use Google Crome as your browser and install the Hola.org add on

If you don't know how pm me [:D]

[/quote]

Thanks for thinking of me! I haven't tried the link yet, but I do know a few Requiems from my choral singing days.

I know it's not classical, but we're enjoying the new Gareth Malone choir series, even if it's a bit schmaltzy.

Reminded me of the last thing I sang in, Dream of Gerontius. It was very emotional and when it came to "Praise....." etc I couldn't sing for crying - not much help to the altos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FcpAOWN6d8

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Pat, I do hope that you manage to watch the programme because I just KNOW that you'd enjoy it![:D]

As for the Dream of Gerontius, I got to know the Newman poem first (as a spotty and very serious teenager...urgh) and didn't know about Elgar's compostion.  It was many years later when OH first introduced me to that.

I have to disagree about Gareth Malone, he gives me the creeps![+o(]

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I liked a lot about the programme apart from the usual crass editing that has people talking over the music you want to listen to. Why on earth don't they put commentary in sub titles so it doesn't interfere aurally?

Secondly it fall into the usual contemporary trap of confusing exuding emotion with profundity of feeling.

Every thing now has to be 'dramatic' [:(]

Thirdly it is a pity that the definition couldn't have been widened a bit to 'funeral music' to allow the splendid Purcell music to be included, or Bach (which  I find intensely moving in its understated simplicity and confidence) ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnGOQt3tn-Q&html5=1

My Favourite is Victoria as you might perhaps have imagined

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZoUi4OIYCE&html5=1

If we move to the big 'orchestral' works the one that stands out is the Brahms, but that hardly counts as a Requiem, more a 'Consolation'

Here is a nice version without the usual fat sound and wobbly vibrato

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVBMhP0UcdU&html5=1

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I know exactly what you mean about people talking over the music.  I could scream with frustration ....and sometimes DO!

Thanks for the links.  Will listen on the new ordi.  It's about the only thing where it's a GREAT improvement on the old one......[:(]

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[quote user="NormanH"]

Secondly it fall into the usual contemporary trap of confusing exuding emotion with profundity of feeling.

Every thing now has to be 'dramatic' [:(]

[/quote]

I've noticed this too Norman, and that's why the choir series is nowhere near as good now as it was at the start.

Did this date from Diana's funeral?

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And I was thinking of the fallacy that came in with Punk I think (the whole movement, not just the 'music') that you don't need technique or work to express feeling, just raw emotion will do.

In fact those who have spent years acquiring skills, such as classically-trained   musicians or dancers are the object of derision for being uptight and incapable of expressing themselves.

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17,

Oh God! Gareth Malone. Now he is sprouting a beard. One of his 'choirs' sang in St Albans Cathedral. I didn't attend. 

I watched the Requiem program and 'computer said no' with about ten minutes to go. I guess I didn't miss much. More about it later after I check my record collection to see how many bits of requiems (?requiea) I have. I think Carl Jenkins' The Armed Man: A Mass For Peace almost qualifies as a requiem. I have a CD of it.

David

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Ah, St Albans Cathedral...spent many happy days down there in my youth.  The Norman part is very majestic.

Back to the subject, I think they might have shown this one on the programme:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icBAjzpLdAM

Though, as Norman has pointed out, they did not expand their brief to music for masses; more's the pity.

BTW, watch out for the Britten season, folk!  Sure to be interesting....

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re Britten - when I was in UK in June/July darling daughter took me to an information -giving show of his Gloriana, with the producer singers etc.

The small theatre was packed with (probably) opera officianados, it was very interesting, London has so much going on.

But I'm very ignorant about opera, (another area in which I'm a music philistine) and the only Britten music I like are his settings of Blake poems. Though I can't say I've heard much else. Maybe themes from the War Requiem.

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