Three Towns Forum

Members' Lounge => Music, TV, Radio & The Arts => Topic started by: Ian on September 26, 2010, 08:12:24 am

Title: Orchestral
Post by: Ian on September 26, 2010, 08:12:24 am
Music from 1300 to the present but generally described as 'serious' music as opposed to Pop.
Title: Re: Classical, Romantic and Baroque
Post by: Ian on December 15, 2010, 08:45:36 am
This is rather good - keep the sound turned up!

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus - Must See! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE#ws)
Title: Re: Classical, Romantic and Baroque
Post by: Ian on April 02, 2011, 02:56:07 pm
If you're a Sky subscriber then Sky Arts 2 is worth catching.  It's been running televised versions of the Royal Ballet company and the English national Ballet performing the Tchaikovsky ballets over the past few months. Although even a big screen TV can't replicate the 'feel' of actually sitting in a big theatre to see a ballet live, the reality is that it's an impossibility for most these days, since the costs of mounting a full scale ballet are becoming prohibitive outside of London.
Title: Re: Classical, Romantic and Baroque
Post by: Merddin Emrys on December 15, 2013, 09:15:30 pm
I love this! I'm just getting in to the genius of Wagner, so powerful!

http://youtu.be/Zn4Iuxy0X4I (http://youtu.be/Zn4Iuxy0X4I)
Title: Re: Classical, Romantic and Baroque
Post by: Ian on December 16, 2013, 07:24:06 am
It's superb.  The Meistersingers overture is also a wonderful piece. Often thought he ought to have been writing for Hollywood, had he been born fifty years later :-))
Title: Re: Classical, Romantic and Baroque
Post by: DaveR on December 16, 2013, 08:59:35 am
Speaking of music, I've been listening to Michael Nyman lately, specifically his soundtrack to The Draughtsman's Contract. Very good.  $good$
Title: Re: Classical, Romantic and Baroque
Post by: Ian on December 16, 2013, 12:41:07 pm
Nyman's stuff is good, albeit soulful and rather downbeat for me. I didn't realise he'd scored for the The Draughtsman's Contract.  Must try to listen to some of it.
Title: Re: Orchestral
Post by: Ian on December 13, 2014, 08:51:05 am
At this time of year Sky Arts 2 shows a series of ‘seasonal’ concerts from around Europe’s major cities.  The most recent of these is “From Vienna to Broadway” in which Daniele Gatti supposedly conducts the Orchestre National de France and Swedish soprano Ida Falk Winland performs a concert of Christmas melodies and songs from Broadway musicals at the Cirque d'hiver in Paris. The programme includes Sleigh Ride, Winter Wonderland, Deck the Halls and Santa Claus is Coming to Town, as well as numbers from West Side Story, Girl Crazy and Candide.  Mostly stock Christmas fare, you might think, But - and oddly even - the Sky listings omit two crucial pieces of information: the conductor, far from being the Italian Daniele Gatti  is actually the extraordinarily talented (Swedish) Sofi Jeannin. and the children’s choir she runs, La Maîtrise de Radio France.

Children’s choirs are ten a penny at Christmas, and most are characterised by being charming, slightly off-key and single gender - usually male. La Maîtrise de Radio France is, however, rather different. It’s a mixed choir school, founded in 1946, taking children from 8 - 16, and it’s the best children’s choir you’re ever likely to hear. The eighty-odd members are selected on their ability to make a single, pure and flawless sound, and they’re trained relentlessly (it’s a boarding school) to a peak of perfection rarely experienced outside of the King’s College Choral scholars. Add to this the sublime arrangements - complex, subtle, interweaving monuments of polyphony and the result is supremely beautiful.

Sofi Jeannin’s command of the podium is also impressive.  Rarely for a conductor, she is explicit about what the orchestra and choir should do, when to do it and how, and her relationship with the choir is the best I’ve ever seen. She’s outstanding in every respect and this programme is one I defy anyone not to enjoy.

The orchestra made only a couple of timing errors, and were generally pretty good, but are in danger of being merged, as the political forces in France have determined they lack an appropriate ‘French’ identity. Since their remit was originally to embrace an international body of work, this seems not only rather short-sighted, but also smacks of a certain French arrogance, which is a shame, considering their outstanding choir were singing in four different languages during the concert and were totally indistinguishable from British children when singing in English.

All in all, however, a superb concert which I heartily recommend to anyone who enjoys orchestral music.

Title: Re: Orchestral
Post by: DaveR on December 17, 2014, 09:51:08 am
Sounds great, if only I had Sky...  :(
Title: Re: Orchestral
Post by: Fester on December 17, 2014, 03:01:44 pm
Sounds great, if only I had Sky...  :(

.............. Get SKY.  :)
Title: Re: Orchestral
Post by: DaveR on December 17, 2014, 04:52:00 pm
Sounds great, if only I had Sky...  :(

.............. Get SKY.  :)
But...it's rubbish!
Title: Re: Orchestral
Post by: Ian on December 17, 2014, 06:42:31 pm
Quote
But...it's rubbish!

Almost worth it for Sky Arts 2...
Title: Re: Orchestral
Post by: Fester on December 18, 2014, 01:57:00 pm
SKY is GREAT!..... and the advent of Sky Plus completely revolutionised the viewing of the Nation.

No need to watch any adverts, watch what you want, whenever you want.

Fantastic Football matches, great Dramas and Mini Series,  and as Ian says....... Sky Arts 1 and 2.
Title: Re: Orchestral
Post by: SDQ on December 18, 2014, 02:24:22 pm
SKY is GREAT!..... and the advent of Sky Plus completely revolutionised the viewing of the Nation.

No need to watch any adverts, watch what you want, whenever you want.

Fantastic Football matches, great Dramas and Mini Series,  and as Ian says....... Sky Arts 1 and 2.


The latest boxes are brilliant. My old one died so I replaced it with a 2TB box that has Wi-Fi built in so it now has all the catch-up/on demand channels grouped together. With up to 60 HD channels to choose from and the simplest of programme planners it is by far the best TV option on the market.
I guess the only problem people have is the price because with so many channels I challenge anyone to not find something that interests them at any time of the day or night!
Title: Re: Orchestral
Post by: Fester on December 18, 2014, 02:27:42 pm

Fantastic Football matches, great Dramas and Mini Series,  and as Ian says....... Sky Arts 1 and 2.


My SKY plus box is on it's last legs SDQ, how much was the brilliant new box you bought?
I don't want to pay any more for HD subscriptions though.  I was not THAT impressed by the difference when I checked it out.
Title: Re: Orchestral
Post by: SDQ on December 18, 2014, 03:07:27 pm

My SKY plus box is on it's last legs SDQ, how much was the brilliant new box you bought?
I don't want to pay any more for HD subscriptions though.  I was not THAT impressed by the difference when I checked it out.


I think I paid £149 but if you don't have HD you need not get such a high capacity box as SD programmes take up a fraction of the space of a corresponding HD one. You should be able to get a quote & choice of boxes through your Sky account online. You could also get a quote from a local trader, I've used Garry Sky (07770 391379) a couple of times in the past because I've not always been happy with the quality of the work of Sky's fitters.
I think all the new boxes have Wi-Fi so you just need to decide what capacity you want and as you already have the system fitted you can do the change over yourself as it comes with a step-by-step guide to steer you through the process.
Title: Re: Orchestral
Post by: born2run on December 18, 2014, 03:15:31 pm
You can also get a little box that plugs into your old box that will get you all the on demand stuff as well, for movies it's invaluable. For most of the programmes though you will have to pay an extra £5 a month (which I think is the Sky HD subscription so kill two birds with one stone) It's worth having the super big box for normal non HD programmes as you can store millions of them! I have about 6 series of Friends, and 5 of the Sopranos in mine currently! I don't think I will ever get round to watching them all.

You may be able to get the box for free (As I did) by upgrading your subscription to the HD.
Give them a ring and see, but play your cards close to your chest, they don't like giving stuff away but if they think there's a chance you will leave they will THROW things at you.

 ££$
Title: Re: Orchestral
Post by: Merddin Emrys on December 18, 2014, 04:12:58 pm
We have a Humax Freesat box, lots of channels, on demand etc, works like a Sky plus box, no monthly subscription! Obviously not as many channels, we don't want sport anyway! We find plenty to watch on it!
Title: Re: Orchestral
Post by: born2run on December 18, 2014, 04:30:57 pm
Fester

As I'm a nice person, I'll tell you step by step what you need to do to get a better box for free (or as cheaply as possible)

1) Ring them up

2) Tell them you are cancelling

3) They will put you through to some department who's job it is to keep you a customer they will ask you why you are cancelling

4) Tell them because your old box is on it's last legs and you can't enjoy all the on demand stuff either- so you've thought it through and to save buying a new sky box and continuing your subscription you're just going to get a shiny new freeview box that can record on for free.

5) They will give you a new sky box

6) You will buy me a pint to say thank you

 8)
Title: Re: Orchestral
Post by: SDQ on December 18, 2014, 06:04:54 pm
Fester

As I'm a nice person, I'll tell you step by step what you need to do to get a better box for free (or as cheaply as possible)


As a warning (and to show how unlucky I am) I tried this once on the advice of a 'friend' and they said sorry that I was leaving and my contract will finish on....
So tell them you're considering cancelling not that you definitely are!
Title: Re: Orchestral
Post by: Fester on December 19, 2014, 12:42:22 am
I have completed 5 of those 6 stages several times in the past.   (the buying you a pint one seemed pointless, seeing as you are loaded)

Basically, every year when the football season ends, I phone them to threaten cancellation.

They always 'talk me out of it'', and give me either 3 months or 6 months half price.

About 2 years ago, I got a whole year half price.

It is a game of 'chicken' that we take part in every year...... and they usually blink first!


SDQ, thanks for the info..... I'm all over it.
Title: Re: Orchestral
Post by: squiggle on December 18, 2015, 02:56:49 pm
I've tended to be a bit mixed with classical music, liking some bits and not getting on with others although I've probably taken to more as I'm older.  My mother and I are quite different musically, her being classically trained piano and me trying to play jigs, reels etc, on mandolin, etc. as well as a bit of "folk guitar".

Intro over, I do remember being taken to a couple of things in Llandudno as a child.

One was seeing the WNO do the Barber of Seville at the Astra. I'm generally not that fond of opera, tending more to say Gilbert and Sullivan but I have to say that the whole spectacle was rather good! And I'd still be able to tell you where Largo Al Facotum comes from...

The other was hearing John Ogden play in the Arcadia. I never followed up from there but thought he was quite brillaint.

Outside of Llandudno but staying in North Wales, I also had the pleasure of hearing John Williams in St Asaph cathedral.

---
Total drift but Ian, (not that I can sight read) I notice a clef by your name. Apologies if I've missed something in my haste to post but do you play an instrument using the alto or tenor clef?
Title: Re: Orchestral
Post by: Ian on December 19, 2015, 06:43:38 pm
I was trained as a pianist at the Royal Northern where we had to learn how to read in all the clefs. Great fun :-))  You were lucky hearing John Ogden. He became a recluse following his mental illnesses, which lasted for more than ten years, and he died in 1989. But his piano technique was astonishing.