Tír Na HiFi

an early morning session with Martha...

Brahms: Violin Concerto played by Tasmin Little....

^^ how do you find that disk, Fergus?

TL is particularly good with English repertoire... her Delius Violin Sonatas are of a very high standard..

Jared wrote:^^ how do you find that disk, Fergus?

TL is particularly good with English repertoire... her Delius Violin Sonatas are of a very high standard..

I do not have many of her performances but I do like her playing.

Debussy: La Mer and Prélude a lapres-midi d’un faune....



I am having some wonderful weather for my few days off work so I went for a stroll along the coast this morning. When I got back I thought of Jared and Seán and Debussy....so this is for Jared!
BAL did a programme some time ago featuring La Mer. I cannot remember who won but I was so impressed with the Martinon version that I bought it; it is the best that I have heard.

Jared, you're killin' me, I love Debussy's Prelude to an Afternoon on the Phone. What with the Vaughan Williams bashing from Sean and now this...............

Diapason wrote:Jared, you're killin' me, I love Debussy's Prelude to an Afternoon on the Phone. What with the Vaughan Williams bashing from Sean and now this...............

there is a subtle difference... Sean is a devil for bashing RVW whenever he gets an opportunity (as a fellow RVW fan, I'll be the first in line to slap his legs when he next warms to his favourite theme... )

I however have NEVER said that Debussy is a 2nd rate composer... you can ask Fergus. What I have always maintained, is that I just don't get it... I have a complete Debussy/ Ravel/ Faure/ Franck/ Durufle/ Roussel/ Poulenc/ Saint-Saens/ Satie appreciation bypass... pretty well most of it leaves me cold, especially the orchestral stuff....

sorry, my problem, I admit... and I won't knock you for liking it... wish I could, but try as hard as I might...

...I just can't... :-//

Hey, the ears want what they want! (I still struggle with Mahler, and that's definitely all my own problem as well, so I'm not in a position to point fingers or persuade you otherwise!)

Interesting that virtually that whole period of French music does nothing for you, though. I don't know that I quite agree with Boulez's view that modernity awakes with the Faun's flute, but this music certainly stands at the interface, and for that alone I find it quite exciting. Perhaps it's cos I'm not a true romantic...

Diapason wrote:Hey, the ears want what they want! (I still struggle with Mahler, and that's definitely all my own problem as well, so I'm not in a position to point fingers or persuade you otherwise!)

Interesting that virtually that whole period of French music does nothing for you, though. I don't know that I quite agree with Boulez's view that modernity awakes with the Faun's flute, but this music certainly stands at the interface, and for that alone I find it quite exciting. Perhaps it's cos I'm not a true romantic...

my shelves are filling up rapidly with Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, Haydn, Brahms (peculiarly, Sean also has a small appreciation bypass here as well.. I'm going to try and cure him of it), Bruckner, Mahler, R Strauss, Schumann and Mendelssohn, besides Czech, Russian, British & Scandinavian repertoire. I also like most things Baroque & Rennaissance that I've heard, so my repertoire is reasonably broad.

There are however four areas I REALLY struggle with however:

1) Opera. Other than some light 'Dido & Aeneas' stuff and some Magic Flute highlights, I can't make head nor tail of it.
2) Most 20th Century, post tonal music. Another complete Mystery.
3) French Music... although I now admit to liking the Ravel Piano Trio, which is admittedly rather good, and I quite like Berlioz.
4) The Organ. Really, it's a terrible instrument which depresses me thoroughly... much rather listen to the harpsichord, any day...

right, I've probably now annoyed just about everyone on this forum, so I'll take my leave quietly...

Jared wrote:There are however four areas I REALLY struggle with however:


4) The Organ. Really, it's a terrible instrument which depresses me thoroughly... much rather listen to the harpsichord, any day...

Get him Simon! ;-))