Seán wrote:Vaughan Williams; (sorry Jared, sorry Darren)
Elgar; (sorry lads, sorry, sorry)
Most opera (singers bore me to tears);
Most of Bach's and Baroque sacred music in general (feck sake, I've just slaughtered a sacred cow here, I'll be lynched. I will have to work on this, I know, I am missing out here.)
Dvorak's Symphonic Dances
Ravel's Bolero
Holst's The Planets
I really enjoy a bit of Vaughan Williams Sean, but Elgar I find to be a real effort. It may come as no surprise when I say my favourite English composer is actually Walton (and I am loving Bax at the moment too!)
Opera - well, it's a tough nut to crack I admit. The thing I object to is the sheer amount of
time (and consequently concentration) it often takes. That said, when I listen to opera, and it all clicks, then it's a wonderful experience.
Bach - you're just going to have the take the hit on that one I'm afraid Sean....;-)
Dvorak - not sure I agree, but fair enough. Rachamaninoff's
Symphonic Dances though; wow ! ;-)
The Planets - I have picked up a few recording lately
very cheaply so am conducting a comparitive listeing survey of sorts. I like it, it's not the greatest thing on earth (or the solar system!), and I like Holst (who has so much more to offer than
The Planets - try Hickox's surveys on Chandos)
Bolero - we simply cannot agree on this one at all lol. I love it, I love listening to it, I love collecting recordings. Jared suggest it's overrated, but from my perspective, being brought up on Torvill and Dean (!), it's the opposite. I thought it was the very apex of naff and didn't want to know at all. Then I listened to it and learnt that it's not just a 3 minute long soundtrack for skating for starters! I am an avowed fan of Ravel anyway, and one of the key attractions is his orchestrations and
Bolero displays those skills expertly. On a visceral level (having heard it in concert twice; believe me, this helps) I find a superior recording of it to be thrilling and hypnotic; it does something to me that no other piece does. And that's why
I like it ;-)