Classical Music's Ten Dirtiest Secrets

[Sorrano]

I finally did get the chance to listen to David Hurwitz's video, thanks Michael! I thought it quite funny but did like in particular the way he wrapped it up. Basically, don't judge something because of what is said about it; enjoy it for yourself for how it reaches you.

I have to add that for years I was intimidated by Beethoven's final quartets and piano sonatas because of what was said about them. When I listened to the final sonata the other night I realized that I enjoyed it for its own sake without having to worry about whether or not I might "get it".

[Michael]

It took me awhile and some effort to warm up to chamber music in general, as far as listening goes. In composing I found it to be the medium I liked best. It took some careful listening and adjustments for me but I do enjoy listening to it now.

I was about four years into Beethoven before the string quartets made any impression on me. In fact, I actively disliked them but I kept playing them as background music while I reserved my concentration for the orchestral works.

I must have been picking up on the quartets subconsciously, because I remember putting on the first Razumovsky one day in 1972 and it totally overwhelmed me. I rushed out to buy as many Beethoven string quartets as were available in my local record store. (Not a lot back then.)

Everything clicked into place after that: piano sonatas, violin sonatas, you name it. I think it was a distinct advantage that no box sets or YouTube playlists were available - and where I lived there were no large record stores - so it would be months between purchases and I was able to learn all this fantastic music without getting indigestion.

I seriously would not like to have to choose between the symphonies, the quartets and the piano sonatas.

[Sorrano]

After listening to the 32nd sonata the other night I can say that would be a hard choice.

[Michael]

Getting back to David Hurwitz, I watched a video last night in which he said that he was turned on to classical music when his mother played a record of Beethoven's Pastoral symphony. It was the Pittsburgh SO conducted by William Steinberg.

That was exactly the same recording that turned me on back in 1968 - much around the time Hurwitz heard it.
The big difference was that he was 5 and I was 22.

[Decrepit Poster]

Getting back to David Hurwitz, I watched a video last night in which he said that he was turned on to classical music when his mother played a record of Beethoven's Pastoral symphony. It was the Pittsburgh SO conducted by William Steinberg.

That was exactly the same recording that turned me on back in 1968 - much around the time Hurwitz heard it.
The big difference was that he was 5 and I was 22.

For me it was Berlioz Symphony Fantastique, around age 16, Goosens/LSO. I had heard and enjoyed other classical works prior to that. But it was the Fantastique that impressed me so strongly I was hooked on classical for good. I didn't "get" Beethoven at that time.

As for Hurwitz, he has posted a recording recommendations video for Mahler's third. I own three of his recommendations. (Bernstein/NYPO on DG, Neumann/CPO, Chailly/COA) He plays a brief passage from Fischer/Budapest that tempts me to add it to my physical Mahler arsenal.

[Michael]

For me it was Berlioz Symphony Fantastique, around age 16, Goosens/LSO. I had heard and enjoyed other classical works prior to that. But it was the Fantastique that impressed me so strongly I was hooked on classical for good. I didn't "get" Beethoven at that time.

As for Hurwitz, he has posted a recording recommendations video for Mahler's third. I own three of his recommendations. (Bernstein/NYPO on DG, Neumann/CPO, Chailly/COA) He plays a brief passage from Fischer/Budapest that tempts me to add it to my physical Mahler arsenal.

I seem to own a lot of his recommendations too - even some obscure ones.

I hope you didn't take his remarks on Berlioz too seriously in the video I posted at the top of this thread. He was disparaging some works of various composers - but with a twinkle in his eye.

At the end, he urged everybody to enjoy whatever sounds good to them and take no notice of critics!

[Sorrano]

I seem to own a lot of his recommendations too - even some obscure ones.

I hope you didn't take his remarks on Berlioz too seriously in the video I posted at the top of this thread. He was disparaging some works of various composers - but with a twinkle in his eye.

At the end, he urged everybody to enjoy whatever sounds good to them and take no notice of critics!

I think he was mostly disparaging common concepts of the music and composers. With the Berlioz, for example, I've read and heard so much about the last two movements but never anything on the first three. So obviously, they are boring. Or that all of Mozart's music sounds the same.

So, like you said.

[Michael]

I think I may have done David Hurwitz a disservice with my initial post. I could have picked a better representation by portaying him in a less extreme mode - as in the following interview.

He is primarily a critic of recordings and, as 90% of my musical life has been on vinyl and CD, I can't help enjoying his many videos. He is extremely entertaining but behind it all is a shrewd musical mind.

You might hate everything he says, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind in the least.
As nobody can agree on anything nowadays, give him a chance.

I can assure you that the fact that I agree with many of his Beethoven choices has nothing to do with this. There are other composers besides Beethoven (or so I've heard.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGwYe9a8wj0&t=1406s