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Norman, are you listening?


mint

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How perfectly dreadful!  As it happens, we've had a visitor this evening and I haven't been able to listen.

Barenboim, he is not only a genius but so humane and so intelligent.  Can't expect these bigots to understand him, that's for sure.

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I have been really enjoying a recent purchase of the whole of Beethovens's works in the Brilliant Classics series.

This particular boxed set has 100 Cds, including 15 'doubles' of famous historic performances ( The Cortot/Thibaud/Casals trio for example, and a Furwangler Fidelio) so I have the Violin concerto played both by Stern and Oistrakh

Even many of the 'standard ' discs have fine performances (the Quartets are the complete set by the Guarini Quartet)

I 'overdosed' a bit years ago, and am now having great pleasure in re-discovering the chamber music that I used to know so well.

The cost of this treasure?

49 € [:D]

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I have just managed to catch up on all the links you have so kindly provided in the last few days, Norman.

In particular, I enjoyed the Barenboim interview, but then I always do like to hear him (don't care whether speaking, playing or conducting!)

But it makes me smile every time he says he is not a political person when practically everything he says is profoundly political![:D]

BTW, I hadn't realised that Gil Shaham was playing the Bruckner last night.  I remember him as a young talent bursting onto the musical scene and the first time I saw him was in Cardiff and the last time wasn't too long before our move to France.  He was playing in the Barbican and I remember exchanging smiles with him in the bar before the concert.

Happy Days!!!

 

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Norman, up to a few minutes ago, I thought of you whilst watching this programme:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00mqly3

It was very well presented and the choir was extremely well trained.  I especially thought you'd be interested in the Byrd mass for 3 voices.

For me, there was no competition:  it had to be the Bach B Minor Mass.

Unfortunately, we had visitors and I only caught part of the programme.

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That is indeed very beautiful.

But, I don't agree about the "dumb blonde" as I thought she was quite a good communicator with a pleasant and engaging delivery.  I don't think she was "talking over the music" as it wasn't that sort of programme.

I mean, it was a programme about how choirs worked and the principal objective wasn't showing all the music but using passages to illustrate the points that the "talking heads" were highlighting.

Yes, it was very frustrating as you just wish they'd let you hear the music without interruption!

It's a bit like sports commentators, I often get very vexed that they WOULD keep talking instead of letting you get on watching the action!

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Still not able to tune in to Arte yet, Pacha, but we will get someone to do it for us, I think.

I was very glad that I'd been too busy to put on the Last Night of the Proms Party for a bit of silliness and fun that I'd been planning on doing.

I was very disappointed in the Last Night as I would have loved more tried-and-tested favourites.  Yes, I know the Bartok piece is well-known but it's not my type of music.  Much too modern.....alas!

What worries me a bit too is how quickly it's all over.  Where has all the time gone?  It seems like it was only yesterday that I posted this for Norman to cheer him up when he was poorly and now another Proms season has come and gone and it's autumn, well, as good as, and I have lived in my new house for three-quarters of a year!

At this rate, I shall be as ancient as my OH sooner than I can blink![+o(]

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I know it's not Christmas yet, but I couldn't help wanting to share this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F96v0UGq5tU

:Tarara, I'm Anthony,

black by birth,

and I sing loud and clear.

I am Anthony the Moor

and the newborn child,

son of working folk,

has all my esteem.

And so with my rattle,

my bells and my tambourine,

I'll go to Bethlehem

to dance the Puerto Rico and the Cameroun.

Just look at all those shepherds

searching for the God-child,

they run to the stable

to offer their adoration.

The youthful cherubs,

splendidly dressed,

sing their villancicos

with good rhythm and fine sounds
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The Tarara, I'm Anthony clip is quite delightful.

Talking about Christmas, we have a professional violinist friend who was in the Albert Hall the night after the Last Night who was doing some Christmas concert, no doubt for broadcast at the appropriate time.....complete with all the Christmassy decorations!

As for me, I have dug out some of the music for Carols.  I always need to go through them weeks in advance as I play them only once a year......[:(] 

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Lovely singing indeed of Lully.  I thought he'd be a favourite of yours as he's suitably early!

I am very fond of Fischer Dieskau and like him a lot in Arabella but then I like him whatever he sings.

edit:  not sure if there is an r at the end of Fischer but I have added it.

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Back shortly to listen, Norman.

Just been listening to Mahler's first with Rattle and the Berlin Phil playing in....Singapore!  The wonders of modern technology indeed, to bring us a concert half way round the world. 

These people have Mahler in their blood I reckon.....a virtuoso performance.

However, got to shower, etc, having had a steamy session at the gym...

 

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