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Saturday, October 02, 2004
BOOKS & MUSIC...
OK...several things...
1) I'm taking suggestions for which book to read next. I just finished Welcome to the Monkey House by Vonnegut. I'm reading Confessions of a Barbarian, Edward Abbey's edited journals, and am reading Neihardt's A Cycle of the West to Jenn in the evenings (fun doing Mike Fink's brogue, esp. since Neihardt has done it so well). But I'm looking for a novel, I guess. My rules are practically the obverse of G-Had's; he only reads fiction that is less than 5 years old - the Edward Abbey approach ("Books are like eggs--best when fresh"). Abbie (the girl, not the dead, cantankerous, monkey-wrenching male author - note spelling difference for future reference) and I can hardly stand to read novels that were written in our lifetime. I suppose I would be willing to try something newer than '77, but it better not be anything on Oprah's list. Is it true what I've heard that Anna Karenina is the greatest novel of all-time? If so, why is Oprah reading it?
2) Check out the Space Age Pop link at the bottom of the bands link at the left for an extremely thorough exploration of the people, songs, and sounds of ultra-lounge, space age pop, exotica, etc.
3) Since I now have access to virtually unlimited compositions by virtually unlimited composers, I'm trying to minimize my classical music deficiencies. So I'm also taking suggestions for any particular sonatas, operas, overtures, etc. I'm still convinced that it doesn't get any better than Beethoven.
-m
OK...several things...
1) I'm taking suggestions for which book to read next. I just finished Welcome to the Monkey House by Vonnegut. I'm reading Confessions of a Barbarian, Edward Abbey's edited journals, and am reading Neihardt's A Cycle of the West to Jenn in the evenings (fun doing Mike Fink's brogue, esp. since Neihardt has done it so well). But I'm looking for a novel, I guess. My rules are practically the obverse of G-Had's; he only reads fiction that is less than 5 years old - the Edward Abbey approach ("Books are like eggs--best when fresh"). Abbie (the girl, not the dead, cantankerous, monkey-wrenching male author - note spelling difference for future reference) and I can hardly stand to read novels that were written in our lifetime. I suppose I would be willing to try something newer than '77, but it better not be anything on Oprah's list. Is it true what I've heard that Anna Karenina is the greatest novel of all-time? If so, why is Oprah reading it?
2) Check out the Space Age Pop link at the bottom of the bands link at the left for an extremely thorough exploration of the people, songs, and sounds of ultra-lounge, space age pop, exotica, etc.
3) Since I now have access to virtually unlimited compositions by virtually unlimited composers, I'm trying to minimize my classical music deficiencies. So I'm also taking suggestions for any particular sonatas, operas, overtures, etc. I'm still convinced that it doesn't get any better than Beethoven.
-m
Comments:
Awesome space-age-pop link!
I am a Requiem and Concerto man, myself. Mozart created the first perfect requiem, and if his was the only one I could ever listen to, I would be satisfied. Verdi's requiem is amazing, I think it takes three choirs and two symphonies (or something) to perform it. The Dies-Irae (Day of Anger, Day of Wrath) portion is also used in car commercials.
Gabriel Faure' has one of the most beautiful requiems imaginable. The Pie Jesu (Pious Jesus) is one of the most beautifully sung works ever.
And of course, in terms of modern-ness, one of my favorite modern composers, John Rutter, wrote a requiem in the mid-eighties that still moves me to tears. (Notably the Kyrie-Eleison).
My second penchant is for concertos. I tend to like piano concertos and clarinet concertos. On the latter, see Mozart.
In my opinion, Beethoven's fifth (Emperor) concerto is brilliant. I am considering purchasing my third recording of this work.
--gh
I am a Requiem and Concerto man, myself. Mozart created the first perfect requiem, and if his was the only one I could ever listen to, I would be satisfied. Verdi's requiem is amazing, I think it takes three choirs and two symphonies (or something) to perform it. The Dies-Irae (Day of Anger, Day of Wrath) portion is also used in car commercials.
Gabriel Faure' has one of the most beautiful requiems imaginable. The Pie Jesu (Pious Jesus) is one of the most beautifully sung works ever.
And of course, in terms of modern-ness, one of my favorite modern composers, John Rutter, wrote a requiem in the mid-eighties that still moves me to tears. (Notably the Kyrie-Eleison).
My second penchant is for concertos. I tend to like piano concertos and clarinet concertos. On the latter, see Mozart.
In my opinion, Beethoven's fifth (Emperor) concerto is brilliant. I am considering purchasing my third recording of this work.
--gh
I've always been more of a full-symphony guy myself. Personal favorites include Dvorak's 9th, Mahler's 1st and 5th, Beethoven's 7th, Tchaikowsky's 4th. I love them because they pretty much encapsulate the entire range of human emotion within their walls. Symphonies must be listened to LOUD - as does a lot of classical music. A lot of people make the mistake of putting it on as background music - nonsense - it needs to be the main event if you're going to really get into it.
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