Anti-Desert Island Discs

[Michael]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2010...t-island-discs

I wouldn't agree with Alan Bennet's choice, but I'm sure we all have our own Bottom Ten. I haven't the energy to make out a list at the moment, but one work I wouldn't care if I never heard again is Puccini's "O Mio Babbino Caro".

[Sorrano]

Ack, no Bruckner??? What a dismal world that would be!

[Michael]

Ack, no Bruckner??? What a dismal world that would be!

It would leave us more time.

[Sorrano]

It would leave us more time.

Ahhh. Would you prefer Mahler, then?

[Michael]

Ahhh. Would you prefer Mahler, then?

I really like Mahler although I know only about three of the symphonies, but I can't seem to get anywhere with Bruckner. It's not that I dislike his music - it is very pleasant to listen to - but I never go around humming any of it or remember any of the "tunes".

Getting back to "Anti-Desert-Island Discs", I know this is a forum for music-lovers, but there must be some "classical" stuff you hate?
For example, if I never heard the "Radetzky March" again (with or without handclaps) it would be far too soon.

[Sorrano]

There are some trumpet concertos, one by Haydn and another by a contemporary of Haydn (I cannot remember his name, but I am thinking it's Molter) but if I never heard those I would not miss them. There was a time they were played several times a week at about the same time each day on the local radio station.

(It seems too often that those who love Mahler's music are indifferent to Bruckner's and vice versa. I've listened to several of Mahler's symphonies and enjoyed them, but it's not something that I would go out of my way to get.)

[Hollywood]

Let's keep it to Beethoven, for the fun of the idea : Für Elise, Moonlight Sonata, Triple Concerto, Battle Symphony, The Glorious Moment, The Choral Fantasia.

OK, so if you want to keep it just to Beethoven works then the one piece I have to list would be the Tenth Symphony (at least the parts of it that have been recorded).

[Chris]

Honestly, there are no Beethoven pieces I can say I would never want to hear again. Even Fur Elise or other pieces that are played very often.

[Michael]

Honestly, there are no Beethoven pieces I can say I would never want to hear again. Even Fur Elise or other pieces that are played very often.

Likewise. Call me biased but that's why I joined this forum.
Now, how about some detested pieces by ordinary, lesser composers?
I like Shostakovich but not his treacly music from "The Gadfly".

[Sorrano]

Likewise. However, I feel perfectly at liberty to offer subjective and objective reasons why I dislike certain of Beethoven's oeuvre.
Part of it has to do with being overplayed and badly played, and partly with a drop in quality in compositional output.

Badly performed works would certainly be on the list. However, there are well performed recordings, as well, of the "overplayed and badly played" works. Those should be worth keeping. As to your named work, Fur Elise, my own preference would simply be to play the music as opposed to listen to it.

[PDG]

Likewise. Call me biased but that's why I joined this forum.

The Archduke starting to grow on you then, Mike?...

[Michael]

The Archduke starting to grow on you then, Mike?...

Call off the search everybody! He's alive!

The thing is, like Chris said, there is no work of Beethoven's that I wouldn't want to hear again. Even the Archduke. I play it a lot because I can't understand why I don't like it more than I should.

I've a lot of double negatives above, but you know what I mean.

[DavidO]

Let's keep it to Beethoven, for the fun of the idea : Für Elise, Moonlight Sonata, Triple Concerto, Battle Symphony, The Glorious Moment, The Choral Fantasia.

In my case: the 1st movement of the Emperor Concerto & perhaps even the 1st movement of the Waldstein piano sonata (I heard the intake of breath in the room at that one).

I don't know what it is but I feel so exhausted with these. Certainly Fur Elise & the 1st movement of the Moonlight, too, & perhaps even the Fidelio Overture (whenever I listen to Fidelio, I skip the Overture).

This probably all sounds like heresy on my part, but I fully concede that the fault is in me -- I'm the one who is tired of these things.

I'm also tired of the 9th Symphony.

[PDG]

I don't know what it is but I feel so exhausted with these.

I'm the one who is tired of these things.

I'm also tired of the 9th Symphony.

Seems to me D.O. that what you need is a good night's sleep....

[Sorrano]

Seems to me D.O. that what you need is a good night's sleep....

Nice avatar! It fits!