Tír Na HiFi

cybot wrote:Double Lp posted on Friday 15th March from Brooklyn and arrived today in Ireland. Surely some record?

I am sure that the pun was unintentional Dermot and is therefore forgiven LOL!!!

fergus wrote:

cybot wrote:Double Lp posted on Friday 15th March from Brooklyn and arrived today in Ireland. Surely some record?

I am sure that the pun was unintentional Dermot and is therefore forgiven LOL!!!

Well spotted Duke :) By the way I'm surprised you didn't pass any comment on Max Richter's Vivaldi Four Seasons (Re)composition on the DG label! I posted it ages ago over on the Electronic section. I haven't bought it myself yet but you never know....Have a look at the YT link below and see what you think....




Amazon:
I have to be in the right mood for listening to the original Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons as brilliant as it is. It just may be one of those pieces of music which has become destined to be overplayed. Familiarity may breed contempt. Despite being a big admirer of Max Richter's work, but not a fan of the previous "recomposed" recordings on Deutsche Grammophon, it was with some trepidation that I ordered this CD.

How wrong I was to be so initially cautious. Richter has absorbed Vivaldi to ensure that this is no remix or redundant rearrangement. Richter has discarded about 75% of Vivaldi's original and the CD only runs for 44 minutes playing time. However, don't let this put you off. What you will hear will astound you. Exquisite violin playing by David Hope is layered over Richter's trademark use of electronica in some of the movements which add a quiet depth and bass and bring out the ever so slight melancholic string of the violin. It will leave you wanting a lot more, but 44 minutes of sublime quality is far superior to 70 minutes of make do in my books. Play it loud and play it through headphones to experience something you will have never heard before. Just superb.

cybot wrote:

By the way I'm surprised you didn't pass any comment on Max Richter's Vivaldi Four Seasons (Re)composition on the DG label! I posted it ages ago over on the Electronic section. I haven't bought it myself yet but you never know....Have a look at the YT link below and see what you think....

I actually did notice it Dermot but decided not to comment at the time but since you have asked I personally dislike people "recomposing" works that have stood the test of a few hundred years. I personally do not get it. I also think that, although I like some of his work and own some, Max would be better "recomposing" some of his own work and leave Antonio's alone. If others like it and enjoy it then good for them. That is just me and unfortunately you did ask my friend.

fergus wrote:

cybot wrote:

By the way I'm surprised you didn't pass any comment on Max Richter's Vivaldi Four Seasons (Re)composition on the DG label! I posted it ages ago over on the Electronic section. I haven't bought it myself yet but you never know....Have a look at the YT link below and see what you think....

I actually did notice it Dermot but decided not to comment at the time but since you have asked I personally dislike people "recomposing" works that have stood the test of a few hundred years. I personally do not get it. I also think that, although I like some of his work and own some, Max would be better "recomposing" some of his own work and leave Antonio's alone. If others like it and enjoy it then good for them. That is just me and unfortunately you did ask my friend.

No worries Fergus. I admire your honesty. The idea of recomposing somebody's work doesn't bother me. I actually like the idea of a reinterpretation of a piece of music but, strangely enough, not classical! Give me improvisation rather than recomposition any day.....Work that one out :)

cybot wrote: The idea of recomposing somebody's work doesn't bother me. I actually like the idea of a reinterpretation of a piece of music but, strangely enough, not classical! Give me improvisation rather than recomposition any day.....Work that one out :)

I absolutely agree with that Dermot. I think that there is a sniff of arrogance and pretentiousness about "recomposing". Improvisation is another thing altogether. In days gone by in the Classical music arena improvisation was the norm; even expected of the composer/performer. That ability seems to have been lost nowadays or is taught out of students or is simply not in fashion anymore. However, no matter what genre of music is concerned, improvisation demands a certain level of understanding and expertise which some have and some do not....remember those looonnnggg rock guitar solos in the 60s and 70s LOL?!?!

cybot wrote: The idea of recomposing somebody's work doesn't bother me. I actually like the idea of a reinterpretation of a piece of music but, strangely enough, not classical! Give me improvisation rather than recomposition any day.....Work that one out :)

Oh yes, I agree.

fergus wrote:In days gone by in the Classical music arena improvisation was the norm; even expected of the composer/performer. That ability seems to have been lost nowadays or is taught out of students or is simply not in fashion anymore.

This is one of those things that still lives on in the organ world, at least in certain countries. I'm a pretty good player, but improvisation is a skill I simply don't possess in any way, shape or form. When I witness it done well I find it quite mind-blowing. Truthfully, my extreme lack of ability in this area makes me feel like a complete fraud as a musician.

fergus wrote:

cybot wrote: The idea of recomposing somebody's work doesn't bother me. I actually like the idea of a reinterpretation of a piece of music but, strangely enough, not classical! Give me improvisation rather than recomposition any day.....Work that one out :)

I absolutely agree with that Dermot. I think that there is a sniff of arrogance and pretentiousness about "recomposing". Improvisation is another thing altogether. In days gone by in the Classical music arena improvisation was the norm; even expected of the composer/performer. That ability seems to have been lost nowadays or is taught out of students or is simply not in fashion anymore. However, no matter what genre of music is concerned, improvisation demands a certain level of understanding and expertise which some have and some do not....remember those looonnnggg rock guitar solos in the 60s and 70s LOL?!?!

Indeed I do Fergus :) Don't look now but some of the solos are still screaming away to infinity :)

Diapason wrote:

fergus wrote:In days gone by in the Classical music arena improvisation was the norm; even expected of the composer/performer. That ability seems to have been lost nowadays or is taught out of students or is simply not in fashion anymore.

This is one of those things that still lives on in the organ world, at least in certain countries. I'm a pretty good player, but improvisation is a skill I simply don't possess in any way, shape or form. When I witness it done well I find it quite mind-blowing. Truthfully, my extreme lack of ability in this area makes me feel like a complete fraud as a musician.

Gosh, that's very harsh.

Don't get me wrong, I think I'm good at what I do! But as long as that amounts to slavishly learning the works of others without a single creative impulse of my own, I really can't and won't feel the complete player.