Norman, are you listening?

[dwmcn]

Pat,

Hmmmmm...

http://services.completefrance.com/forums/completefrance/cs/forums/47/2581024/ShowPost.aspx#2581024

David

 

[NormanH]

A nice biofilm of Julia Fischer whom I adore..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Or91pSz0a10&html5=1

[NormanH]

This is for Patf...but not only[:D]

I came across this on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeNxrfMrbI8&html5=1

I particularly enjoyed at 19'30 seconds

[Quillan]

Eva Cassidy (along with Etta James) are two of my favorite artists. You might also like....

"Simply Eva" http://www.amazon.co.uk/Simply-Eva-Cassidy/dp/B004FUZLXW 

"Live at Pearls" You will have to look around for this one as it is difficult to find.

"Live at Blues Alley" http://www.amazon.co.uk/Live-Blues-Alley-Eva-Cassidy/dp/B000H9HZZM/ref=sr_1_5?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1387292368&sr=1-5&keywords=eva+cassidy

Enjoy

[Patf]

Thanks for the link to Eva Cassidy, Norman [:D] And Q.

I'll save it for listening to later, When Eddie isn't online too.

We have this problem, if we're both online and I go on Youtube the whole system seizes up.

[mint]

May I be allowed one final rant for 2013?[+o(]

I was so looking forward to some enjoyable music programmes on BBC TV but, alas, I looked in vain.  There was some execrable singing, including singing of carols.  OH persisted but I resolutely stayed in another room; even so, what I overheard was enough to make me pull faces. 

Even when the singing is of a good standard, like the nine lessons and carols from King's, I hadn't liked many of the arrangements and certainly I loathed the readings.  No more the language of the King James bible (and Shakespeare, of course [:)]).  All, modernised, sanitised, made banal, made "accessible".....how I hate that word "accessible" or "relevant" used in that particular sense [+o(]

Norman, it's come to pass, all that you have spoken and warned about....perhaps they should have a programme called "Dumb and Dumber"[:-))]

And, just leaving music aside for the moment, I wonder what on earth has happened to the past continuous tense?  I heard presenters, politicians, the PM himself using the construction "I was sat there......."  So, nobody was any longer sitting or standing but was sat or stood?

As for "amazing"........you'd think it's the only word left in the whole planet to describe any experience that might be remarkable, astonishing, enjoyable, spendid, wonderful, heart-warming etc etc etc.

 

 

[Patf]

SW17 - I agree with you - but the young folk say, you have to move on.

I wonder if the older classical style of music is better, ie real music, or is it because our ears aren't tuned to modernism?

Even with my love of jazz/ blues etc, they say it's oldfashioned rubbish.

[NormanH]

Obviously I agree; but I go a step further in that I rarely hear a reading of an older text (on the few occasions that they occur) where the readier shows any understanding of the meaning and especially the structure of the longer paragraphs. As an example the young woman who read the Ben Johnson

'I sing the birth was born tonight,

The Author both of life and light:

The angels so did sound it;

And like the ravished shepherds said,

Who saw the light and were afraid,

Yet searched, and true they found it.'

as if each line were end stopped, and so broke up the sense, rather then reading

"And like the ravished shepherds said Who saw the light and were afraid Yet searched"

 in one breath as is perfectly possible.

The TV Carols from Kings bore the marks of being one too many things for them to do.

The simple arrangement that used to be given by Woodward of 'Ding Dong Merrily on High' or of 'The Seven Joys of Mary' by Stainer are now replaced by over-worked over-elaborate arrangements with the organ

[Rabbie]

The reader may have  been misled by the commas and other punctuation at the end of each line. At school we were told to continue straight to the next line where there was no punctuation other wise pause for a count of 1 for a comma, 2 for a semi colon, 3 for a colon and 4 for a fullstop.

 

I agree in this case it is better to continue as you said

[mint]

OH, being more tolerant, or more desperate (I don't know which) saw Songs of Praise with Michael Ball and that girl with the name beginning with W (Westernra or some such) and another programme with Aled Jones presenting where the singers were either out of tune, breathing in the wrong place or generally murdering some very well loved tunes that have stood the test of time.

They now have microphones held right up to their lips and NEVER seem to sing hitting the middle of the note; oh no, they glide up or down to the note and have never had the benefit of being taught breath control.  In any case, most of them mime and are incapable of singing live.

I also think that classically trained singers should not be seduced by money or their agents to do this "cross-over" stuff because it never seems to work.  As an early Christmas present to himself, OH bought Renee Fleming,s "Haunted Heart" and it was excruciating listening, to the point that neither of us could bear the torture after a couple of tracks; we soon turned it off. 

[NormanH]

There is a particular mannerism that comes from the singers of popular music and which consists of starting just under pitch and then sliding up onto the note to give an impression of an increase of tension such as one might get from a crescendo, but which is very waring once one has spotted it.

Never mind...

There are some magic moments still to be found:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQlt1UxjvWU&html5=1

I can't help believing that when she sung this she had already had the diagnosis of cancer...

So from virtuous toils well borne

raise the hopes of endless light....

[Russethouse]

Dare I mention Gareth Malone ?

I really enjoy the programs but since If I hit a note its a fluke and I suspect I am tone deaf it may not be much of a recommendation

[dwmcn]

17,

 I assume that was the top ten Christmas 'carols' from the Albert Hall that you were watching. I saw it too and was a bit surprised to hear that O Holy Night came in number one. I say a bit because somebody leaked the information on Classic FM the day before. It is not a song easily sung by a congregation. The first time I remember hearing it was in the ?1950s on a Christmas LP by the Billy Vaughn orchestra, which I still have. 

Hayley, a former street singer from ?Australia/New Zealand. I don't understand why singers have to shove the mikes up their noses either.

David

[Russethouse]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayley_Westenra

Hardly a street singer...her talent was recognised pretty early...

[Rabbie]

[quote user="Russethouse"]Dare I mention Gareth Malone ? I really enjoy the programs but since If I hit a note its a fluke and I suspect I am tone deaf it may not be much of a recommendation[/quote]I suspect you are not tone deaf. People who are genuinely tone deaf don't seem to get any pleasure from listening to music.

[mint]

[quote user="NormanH"]There is a particular mannerism that comes from the singers of popular music and which consists of starting just under pitch and then sliding up onto the note to give an impression of an increase of tension such as one might get from a crescendo, but which is very waring once one has spotted it.



Never mind...
There are some magic moments still to be found:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQlt1UxjvWU&html5=1

I can't help believing that when she sung this she had already had the diagnosis of cancer...
So from virtuous toils well borne
raise the hopes of endless light....
[/quote]

Wow, many thanks for that!

As I have said here before, I came to opera late in life (30) and I don't really know a great deal about early operas, so this was a special treat. 

[NormanH]

You might also appreciate her singing another rôle from the same Opera:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5wgVnzlnUQ

[mint]

Hi, MacQuarter, are you there?

I tried to find you Stille Nacht arranged by Donald Cashmore, Joseph Mohr performed by the Bach Choir with Sir David Willcocks but I didn't find it on YouTube and I am short of time.

Perhaps you could find it for yourself or, if you asked Norman nicely, he might find it for you.

Norman, thanks d'avance for the clip, I am on the old ordi and also in the midst of baking yet more goodies but will listen later.

BTW, the Handel Messiah Halleluja Chorus never fails to lift me up. 

[dwmcn]

17,

Yep, I is here. I've heard a lot of the Bach choir with Willcocks, so I've probably heard the Stille Nacht.

I think I have the Hallelujah on synthesiser. I'll youtube to see.

David

[mint]

Sorry, folk, this first bit is more directed to Norman than others.  This is because I know he manages to get iplayer in his barrel.

Nrman, if you are going to be watching the New Year concert from Vienna, please do also watch the programme before the start of the concert.  It's interesting with behind-the-scenes footage:  Vienna itself and its architecture (some a bit OTT but still ravishing to the eye), the designing of the dancers' costumes, the orchestral rehearsals and Barenboim's meticulous preparations, the flowers being cut and arranged, the choreographer and the dancers being put through their paces.....

Also, a reminder to everybody to watch out for programmes on Radio 3 for Richard Strauss's music as it's the 150 anniversary of his birth.  OH for one will be really pleased as he loves RS's music.  I love it too but I am only familiar with a couple of the operas so this will be a very good opportunity for me to find out more.

Happy New Year and Happy Listening.....

[dwmcn]

17,

What is the world coming to?! I counted at least six  females in the Vienna Philharmonic and there might be enough by 2015 to be in double figures. I saw the concert today. The ballet sequence with Scottish costumes designed by Vivienne Westwood was quite funny. Especially the female dancer trying to look under the kilt of the male dancer. It was also funny to watch Barenboim shaking hands with members of the orchestra during the last number. Who needs a conducter?

David

[mint]

Yes, but did you notice how beautiful the co-leader of the orchestra was?  Beautiful and can play the violin as well, so they just HAD to sign her![:D]

It's strange how you notice different things when you watch a programme.  There were many items that were new to me, so it was doubly pleasurable.  However, when they played the "Helena Quadrille", I immediately noted that Offenbach's "La Belle Hélène" was based partly on it.  This is no surprise to me because I always detect a Germanic flavour to Offenbach though I am not sure where he is from apart from Paris.

Then, I noted with amusement the girl going round marking the bowing (up bow or down bow) on the violinists' music when they were setting up the stands.

Barenboim, of course, was his usual maestro-ly self, no scores needed for him to conduct![:D]

Then, I always look at the double-bass players and I saw that all six were using the German bow (hand facing outwards instead of inwards to the instrument) and they looked to be very good too

I thought there were some very beautiful-looking instruments and some looked very old.  I note these things as we know many musicians and have examined closely some old insturments, such as an Amarti double-bass dating from the 1600s.

As for OH, on account of his work before retirement, he pointed out a large, structural crack on the underside of one of the balconies![:-))]

Truly something for everyone, don't you think, MacBuck?

I hear that they even broadcast the concert in Palestine....because Barenboim was the conductor, I dare say.

[NormanH]

Barenboim, of course, was his usual maestro-ly self, no scores needed for him to conduct!

That reminds me of the story of Beecham who when asked why he used a score when some other conductors didn't replied

'But you see I can read music '

[:D]

[dwmcn]

17,

Er, um, yes I noticed the co-leader. Barenboim gave roses to several female members. And he is quite an international diplomat when it comes to music.

One of the first things I noticed about instruments in the Vienna was years ago when I noticed the difference between their French horns and ones I was used to. One player looked like his was held together by black tape. Or maybe that was to grip it better. He did hit one sour note though.

David

 

[mint]

A bit different to hear les nuits d'été with just piano accompaniment: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03pd8x6/Radio_3_Lunchtime_Concert_Wigmore_Hall_Sarah_Connolly_and_Julius_Drake/

Very enjoyable though; but then you can't go much wrong with Sarah Connolly and Julius Drake accompanying, can you?