Live Music

[Greg.]

I've just got home from a concert by the Bornmouth Symphony Orchestra, 'A Viennese evening'. Lots of waltzes, polkas and marches and three pieces with a quality soprano. It really is great to get out and hear the live music and particularly with no microphones or other electronic assistance. Also, it's great to refresh the benchmark from which I judge my sound at home. My New Year resolution is to get out more and sample more of that live stuff.

Best wishes,

Greg

[acorn]

Hi Greg

Ha yes very commendable but when comparing live music with reproduced music dont you become a little disenchanted.

Regards Acorn

[Greg.]

Hi Acorn,

No mate, I don't. Listening environment is very different but then, system is also very good

Best wishes,

Greg

[Ray P]

Greg, a good NY resolution; I assume you visited the Colston Hall?

I came across this article which was an interesting read.

http://industryclick.com/magazineart...220&mode=print

Ray

[Greg.]

Hi Ray,

Interesting article. A good read which rather touches on some of the things I was thinking about after the concert which, yes, was at the Colston Hall. Another thought I had related to the age of the audience. Hardly anyone was below the age of 60. I wonder what will be the demand for live acoustic music once this generation passes on. The future does look a bit bleak.

Best wishes,

Greg

[John T]

Originally Posted by Greg.

....A Viennese evening'. Lots of waltzes, polkas and marches and three pieces with a quality soprano ..... I wonder what will be the demand for live acoustic music once this generation passes on. The future does look a bit bleak.

Shouldn't think so Greg. It's not until one is more of a "mature" age that this type of music you referred to appeals! However, having said that, personally I can't stand it either - it reminds me of an ancient Aunt who I'm sure had an orgasm whenever she heard the "White Horse Inn" by bl**dy Frans Lehar!!

Regards,

John.

[Greg.]

Hi John,

I take your points and certainly the waltzes, polkas etc need to be listened to in small doses. I don't agree about the age thing though. In my youth I learned to play flute and for a while was first flute in a school woodwind orchestra. Pieces I learnt then (amongst others) were Suppe's 'Light Cavalry Overture' (which was played at the concert.....It's really great to listen to a piece you know intimately well) and Lehar's 'Gold and Silver Waltz'. Having learnt these to play I've always enjoyed listening to them since, although they've never driven me to orgasm

This period in my youth has influenced my taste in music ever since and consequently, I've always had a taste for classical as well as the popular stuff of the day. Whilst I agree that with age and the quality of your system you can enjoy a wider choice of music style, I fear so few young people today are exposed to traditional acoustic sound that people learning to enjoy it will be fewer and less forthcoming. That's a great shame.

Best wishes,

Greg

[Black Stuart]

John T,
I can't agree with that at all. I was never exposed to classical music as a child and it is for that reason alone that it was'nt until I was in my 40's that I really took the time to listen to any classical music.

Everyone I have met that was exposed to classical music as a child has never deserted it - why would you.

I remember my father telling me that when he was working in central London before WW11, out of idle curiosity he went to the Albert Hall for a free lunch time concert (the Proms). To quote him " I walked in, could'nt understand what it was all about, so walked out". Towards the end of his life I was able to turn him on to classical music by leading him in with some simple pieces. He probably happened in on some typically 'intellectual piece' which I too, to this day do not like and would not listen to. And that's the point - had he walked in on something by Vivaldi, Debussy, Ravel, Sibelius, he might well have stayed.

Classical music or indeed Ethnic music does'nt come in convenient 3 minute bights and this is one of the main problems - people have to sit still and concentrate - though having said that I know many men who work with their hands and have a classical radio station on all day, this is true of German/Spanish and British friends of mine.

The fact is that the first seven years in anyone's life are the most important. The tragedy these days is that the initial 'imprinting' is so often negative - consumerism and lots of it and sod all else. Having Islamic friends, their contempt for western values I can only concur with.

All the civilisations destroyed by white Europeans had music as an essential core of their societies - we did'nt - does'nt that just speak volumes.

Black Stuart

[John T]

Hi Stuart,

Sorry but I don't follow your "disagreement" at all!

All I was saying was, in my opinion, most people don't take the time to go to concerts such as the one described by Greg until they're of a "mature" age. I listen to quite a bit of live music - both classical and jazz - and I reckon, without exception, people in the audiences under the age of say the late thirties are in the absolute minority. No doubt todays youngsters prefer to jiggle around in a semi-darkened room risking having their hearing being destroyed by too many dB's - my kids all went through that stage and, thank goodness, they've all grown out of it!!

I was just trying to reassure Greg that the outlook is not as bleak as he thinks!

Regards,

John.

[Black Stuart]

JohnT,
most people don't take the time to go to concerts of classical music, simply because they have never been exposed to it. Greg is a classic (excuse the pun) example of my argument.

Music, other than pop, is seen by most teachers in the UK as unimportant and why because they also were never exposed to it as children.

What I find very sad is that the Germanic crowd Bach/Beethoven/Wagner are destroying indigenous music around the world. I really don't like it when another Korean/Chinese/Japanese prodigy appears on the world stage playing the Germanic music.

Like I said in my first post - you have to concentrate on classical music and life today is little bits of this and little bits of that - to sit down, switch the frontal cortex onto input only and listen for the whole side of an LP - John today that is an impossibility for the overwhelming majority of people - they have been systematically programmed not to do that -sad but true.

Black Stuart