Desert Island Discs

[Quijote]

To develop Michaels's point made elsewhere on this forum, the explosion of interest in composers forgotten by history made possible by YouTube really makes us reconsider the "Canon", doesn't it? I think it can only be a good thing, and I am very excited by the possibilities that are opening up to scholars and PhD students; the channels of research are endless!!

[gprengel]

Yes, this true especially true regarding Beethovens friend Ferdinand Ries. There are so many fantastic works from him on YouTube - or even better on Spotify. I will soon share some of these with you...

[Michael]

To develop Michaels's point made elsewhere on this forum, the explosion of interest in composers forgotten by history made possible by YouTube really makes us reconsider the "Canon", doesn't it? I think it can only be a good thing, and I am very excited by the possibilities that are opening up to scholars and PhD students; the channels of research are endless!!

It's an interesting thought that Beethoven (to pick an obvious example) could have wound up as one of those also-rans. There is quite an element of chance in all success stories.
Tia DeNora has convincingly described the combination of circumstances (apart from the music) that contributed to this composer's popularity and eminence.

[Michael]

Can I count my 84-CD Complete Beethoven Set as one of the ten choices to take to the desert Island?

You are breaking all the rules, Harvey, but you'll get no objections from me!
If we change the name of the conceit to "Desert Island iPods" you could get away with it!
(I have all of Beethoven's output on an Apple device which is literally the size of a postage stamp.)

[Sorrano]

To develop Michaels's point made elsewhere on this forum, the explosion of interest in composers forgotten by history made possible by YouTube really makes us reconsider the "Canon", doesn't it? I think it can only be a good thing, and I am very excited by the possibilities that are opening up to scholars and PhD students; the channels of research are endless!!

There was a member of the forum here that used to have an extensive listening list in the current listening thread that opened up new composers to me via YouTube. It's also fun to see where one video leads to another. The Dowland that you referred to in the other thread has eventually led me to a selection from Purcell's Fairy Queen.

[Albert Gans]

My choice

In no particular order:
1. Beethoven Symphony 5 (either Klemperer or C. Kleiber, both at extremes of interpretation, but equally impressive in my view)
2. Beethoven: Op. 111, Piano Sonata in C-minor (Claudio Arrau is wonderful)
3. Mahler: Symphony 2 (Abbado and the Wiener).
4. Mahler: Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen/Rückert Lieder (Barbirolli and Janet Baker)
5. Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet (Gergiev)
6. Händel: Messiah
7. A CD with Händel arias like Ombra mai fu and Lascia ch'io pianga
8. Beethoven (sorry), PC 4 (I have a record of the Elisabeth Concours with Eliane Rodrigues, which is fantastic)
9. Schubert's Trout Quintet
10. Rameau's 'Les Indes Galantes'.
I'd have a hard time picking one, but if absolutely forced, it no doubt would be Beethoven, probably Op 111.... depending on the mood of the day !

[Harvey]

I am going to have to take mostly opera, but will throw in a single disk combo of Beethoven's 5th and 6th symphonies. For opera it is going to be hard to choose but,

Beethoven's Fidelio (2 disks)
Flotow's Martha (2 disks)
Donizetti's Roberto Devereux (2 disks)
Handel's Julius Ceasar sung in English (3 disks)

Oh no, that will never work. There are so many other great operas to include such as Boris Godunov, Parsifal, Der Freischutz, I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Straszny Dwor, L'amico Fritz, Nina, L'orfeo, Il Ritorno D'Ulisse in Patria, Ariodante...

[gprengel]

I am going to have to take mostly opera, but will throw in a single disk combo of Beethoven's 5th and 6th symphonies. For opera it is going to be hard to choose but,

Beethoven's Fidelio (2 disks)
Flotow's Martha (2 disks)
Donizetti's Roberto Devereux (2 disks)
Handel's Julius Ceasar sung in English (3 disks)

Oh no, that will never work. There are so many other great operas to include such as Boris Godunov, Parsifal, Der Freischutz, I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Straszny Dwor, L'amico Fritz, Nina, L'orfeo, Il Ritorno D'Ulisse in Patria, Ariodante...

Well, if I had only to choose operas I'd take:
- Don Carlos (my favourite opera) + Forca di Destini (Verdi)
- Figaro, Don Giovanni, Cosi fan tutte, La Clemenza di Tito, Idomeneo
- Fidelio
- Fiebaras (Schubert)
- Lucia di Lammamour + Maria Stuart (Final Act)
- all from Bellini (Il Pirata, ...)
- Manon Lesaut (Final Act)

[Albert Gans]

I can't believe I left out Sibelius's Violin Concerto in my little list. I guess either the Schubert or the Rameau, much to my regret, would have to go....
Which reminds me.
A friend of mine and I have occastionally amused ourselves by having 'knock-out competitions' between our favourite pieces of music. Winner is who has the strongest argument..... arguable still somewhat arbitrary.... fun nevertheless. Each one of us would list our 8 favourite symphonies, and we would then write them down on pieces of paper, from which we would draw a tie.... Mahler 9 - Beethoven 7, for example.... etc... silly, and futile, but isn't every game in the end?