Messages

Ironically, in my pursuit of free books to read on my Kindle, I happened upon this book prior to the JKP discussion, but I just started reading his section.   

I find it fairly entertaining, and maybe there are some other unsungs discussed in this book that could be featured in future posts!   

http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=1533759&pageno=46

Thanks for the replies.  I definitely understand what many are saying about being whatever sounds good to you.  Maybe my issue was that I don't know if I'm really missing something big.  I think I gravitated towards the MP3s due in large part to the price, convenience, and sort of secondarily for the lessening clutter (I've got five kids so space is at a premium sometime  ) .  I think ultimately my concern is if I am missing something by going the MP3 route (eclassical pushes a better-than-CD-electronic audio format, but it's more expensive), but I guessd as long as I hear what I need, it's ok.

As for Jerfilm's cataloging question, I'd be interested to know what others do as well.   My CDs are in a large sleeve booklet arranged by composer, while my electonic formats are by composer in specific file folders.  I don't think I'm fair, but I don't care to make any performer cataloging -- this does make for problems when a performer has more than one composer on a specific CD. 

I am really curious as to how people catalog these in any sort of database.  I did start an excel program, but I ultimately wasn't positive what I wanted to include.  Do I care about performer?  Do I care to note each movement?  What about Opus #s?   Etc.

My last post on the Knowles Paine thread got me thinking about how everyone else listens to their classical music collection.   While I have a decent CD collection, I've pretty much gone exclusively the MP3 (occasional FLAC-lossless type) route.  I can remember when our Best Buy in town had a Classical Collection that had it's own room, now it's like one section of the same, well known composers, so maybe my hand was forced a bit, but it doesn't help that I don't like to wait.

I used to have a stereo that we gave away for space reasons and because we got a surround sound system, which I thought would suffice...although I can't say that it really has.  Now I'm stuck listening to classical music through headphones on my computer or my MP3 player.

I guess there are a few questions --

1)  What is your format of choice?  You could also indicated why, although it might be part of my other inquiries below.

2)  Do you hear a sound difference?  I've read things that indicate why MP3s in particular are so much inferior to CDs or lossless type formats, but my biggest problem is that I just don't hear the difference.  I am guessing my hearing isn't what it used to be.  I feel like classical music is really tough to listen to on my mp3 player -- it's so soft at points that there are parts that I'm missing altogether.

3) What do you listen to your classical music on?  Computer/stereo/etc.?

Sorry for  the length of a somewhat trivial, off-topic, issue! 

[St. Peter]

Jerfilm, Thanks for the reminder about the live St. Peter.  I think the label is long gone, but following your advice I got a sort-of reasonably priced copy on Amazon marketplace.  I remember hesitating over it for some reason 20 years ago, then couldn't find it.  Now, thanks to the internet...my collection is that much more Paine-full.

David

I did the same thing, so another thank you to Jerfilm! 

I was a little disappointed that there were no electronic formats for the music, because I have this annoying "I want it now" thing sometimes.

Thanks much for the information! 

It is a real shame that more of his (and many others) work is not recorded.  I think about someone like Hovhaness or even a Philip Glass (both of whom I have enjoyed on occasion) and the "champions" they have.  I think it's important that the more contemporary composers have a "voice" so to speak, but it's frustrating when the money, time, talent is going towards them and not works of the past.**

**By the unsung lot I guess.  Another frustration I have is when there are multiple recordings for one specific piece.  I know the conductor/orchestra/performer can make a difference, but I'm just not likely to spend my money on another version of a piece I already own.

I know that Paine has come up a handful of times on this board.  I think the board may have been what caused me to get his Symphony No. 2 in the first place.  At any rate, I really am only familiar with this work, which I think is fantastic, but plan on getting his Mass and Symphony No. 1 soon. 

As with many of the composers discussed on this forum, it seems like not a lot of Paine's works have been recorded on CDs, etc.  I'm not necessarily surprised that composers have been overlooked, but he's one of the first big American composers it seems and you would think someone would have pushed to record more of his works. 

Am I missing the Paine-recorded-works-vault somewhere, or is this just the sad lot for us fans of unsung composers?

Thanks for the replies so far!   I know when I first posted this, I thought it might be confusing as I wasn't sure exactly what I meant either! 


That said, I do think that it's  the "complex" angle that I had in mind.  I like the idea of the "hermetic things (relation between motives; polyphonic complexity..."   I know that there are pieces of music that can do a great deal in a short span without it being "complicated" and there is no guarantee that a longer piece is more "complex."

At some point, I subscribed to this notion that the longer a given, individual musical piece was (not exclusive to classical music), the better or complex (i.e. more musical ideas or thematic material present) it was.  As a result, I gravitated towards the Mahlers and Bruckners of the world (this is not an indictment of their works, which I still enjoy), and regarded only CD-filling individual symphonies worthwhile.

I realize now that longer in a musical sense does not always mean better or more complex.   

I was curious to know if there are shorter orchestral works (preferably symphonies, but I'm not limiting it to other works) that are just as complex with a lot of thematic material or musical ideas presented in a relatively short space?

I hope this makes sense, although if it brings up more questions, I'd be happy to read where it takes us!

I also am a huge fan of Rubbra in general, so I have a feeling that I'd like a lot of these symphonies, despite the potential sneering I might encounter.     

Updated it to read "love...like"   

Excellent suggestions so far!

A favorite of mine also, though not always in the Romantic orbit (?) of this forum I guess. Depends on which of his works (or even which of his 11 symphonies and sinfonietta) is your favorite though!
Eric

Well, I just listened to #s 1 through 3 at work today -- all fantastic!  I am a sucker for a big orchestral fugue, which he offers up in all three.   I do recall liking all of them, but I need to listen to the others to get a better feel.

Thank you for the replies thusfar.  Some of the composer I am familiar with (thanks to this site), but I have more to check out it seems.

How about one of my favorite unsungs -- 

If you like Rubbra...then you will like...

I have his symphonies and it's one of my favorite sets to listen to!

This place has been fantastic in opening up great music I may have missed otherwise.

I have noticed a few threads might state: If you like [sung composer] then you will like [unsung composer].   Would it be possible to do some of that in this thread?  Maybe it's more a matter of just the genre itself, but sometimes it is nice for a comparison.   (I hope this isn't an unfair thing to request as they are probably all great.)

A few to start with --

If you love Dvorak...then you will like ......

If you love Mahler [symphonic -- I've yet to build much of a taste for lieders]...then you will like...

If you love [ok, insert sung Romantic Russian composer here!]....then you will like....

In those cases, will a composer try to rearrange the movements (maybe not as easy in the Classical/early Romantic periods?) so as to hide the "weaker" one while opening/ending strong? 

Many thanks, everyone for all your interesting replies: it looks as if I shall now need to start budgeting for a few more CD's! ...

I think the same thing everytime I check this forum!     I happen to have a monthly subscription to an online classical music site and try to listen to whatever I can locate.  Saves me a little money, but I'm a hoarder and really want to have it to own!