Comments on: Fintan on Joe

By: Sarah

Sarah — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 18:25:14 +0000

LOL. Great Gerry.
Personally I’m still coping with Joseph’s hit list.
Also I’ve discovered Country Mix 106.8 where they play songs like Islands in the Stream. That cheered me up no end. It’s such a shame I can’t sing. You wouldn’t be able to keep me away from the kariokes….

By: Gerry

Gerry — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 17:16:31 +0000

Bates is good Tom, I’ll grant you. But for me the Gibb’s work on Saturday Night Fever with a Fifth of Beethoven actually surpasses the original. Beethoven could write a tune but try dancing to it.

By: tom

tom — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 15:20:52 +0000

Don’t knock it Gerry, ‘Bates’ is a top class arranger and I am sure Beethoven’s music is immeasurably improved thanks to his input.

“Arranging” Beethoven is like re-writing Shakespeare.

By: The Crewser

The Crewser — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 15:12:14 +0000

The light hearted banter is all very fine but somebody’s life was ended and that is a serious matter. I find it absolutely unacceptable that after the decision has been handed down, the vultures in the tabloid media here and in some broadsheets also are hounding people who were involved as witnesses in the trial. There was a time when this type of thing would happen in the UK but now it seems our lot are determined to win the race to the bottom when it comes to gutter journalism. Some controls are called for as a matter of urgency to cutail what we have witnessed in sections of the media over the last week and particularly this past weekend.

By: Gerry

Gerry — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 13:46:04 +0000

what do you think of the argument that the composer wrote (in most cases) a complete work and that to listen to it ‘properly’ you should listen to the whole piece?

It is the equivalent of reading one of those Penguin 70 page extracts and saying you have read the best bit of Catch 22 and never reading the book.

Have you used these compilation CDs as gateways into the main pieces or just left it at enjoying the Hamlet ad music? Not that there is anything wrong with that – I have just never come across anyone recommending music in the way you have without joking. It’s very refreshing .

By: Joseph

Joseph — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:49:55 +0000

Curiously enough I notice that Fintan O Foolish [I like and often agree with him but sometimes he is just a fool!] had another interesting piece in the Irish Times about the Roma people within Europe and some related issues. he mentioned a story involving Franz Lizt and this caught my attention because the collection I suggested has within it

” 8. Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No.2
Philharmonia Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan 1959″

The notes on the jacket for this CD go on to say the following

“Lizt grew up in a part of western Hungary surrounded by Gipsy encampments. In later life he visited them and studied their music. This spectacular showpiece embodies all the danger,color,gaudy excitment and noisy abandon of genuine gipsy music and does indeed incorporate several authentic tunes”

The point being that music be it classical or otherwise is at the end of the day music and is not some narrow field exsiting all on its own.

How amusing to think that the great LIZT studied their music! Well why wouldnt he if it was any good? Evidently it was and had some “classical” value!

By: Joseph

Joseph — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:33:14 +0000

No I dont have shares in the makers/producers of these CD collections!

Just a passion for good music and as I said before I defy anyone to say this is a bad selection. Does it have everything? NOPE!

But it is a darn good overview from which to learn even more.

By: Joseph

Joseph — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:28:20 +0000

* 1. Tchaikovsky
Violin Concerto
Christian Ferras, Philharmonia Orchestra, Constantin Silvestri 1958
* 2. Sibelius
March (alla marcia) from Karelia Suite
Halle Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli 1966
* 3. Verdi
Anvil Chorus from Il Trovatore
Ambrosian Singers, Philharmonia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti 1986
* 4. Berlioz
Hungarian March from The Damnation of Faust
Philharmonia Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan 1959
* 5. Prokofiev
Finale from Classical Symphony
London Symphony Orchestra, Andre Previn 1978
* 6. Delibes
Waltz from Coppelia
New Philharmonia Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras 1970
* 7. Catalani
Ebben? Ne andro lontano from La Wally
Ghena Dimitrova, Munich Radio Orchestra, Lamberto Gardelli 1984
* 8. Liszt
Hungarian Rhapsody No.2
Philharmonia Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan 1959
* 9. Grieg
Piano Concerto
Cecile Ousset, London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Neville Marriner 1985
* 10. Beethoven
Turkish march from The Ruins of Athens
Philharmonia Orchestra, Efrem Kurtz 1960
* 11. Wagner
The Flying Dutchman Overture
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult 1973
* 12. Smetana
Dance of the Comedians from The Bartered Bride
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Rudolf Kempe 1960
* 13. Verdi
Force of Destiny Overture
Orchestra of La Scala Milan, Riccardo Muti 1987
* 14. Britten
Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
Minnesota Orchestra, Neville Marriner 1983
* 15. Mussorgsky
Promenade and The Great Gate of Kiev from Pictures at an Exhibition
The Philadelphia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti 1978

By: Joseph

Joseph — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:27:36 +0000

* 1. Beethoven
Piano Concerto No.5 ‘Emperor’
Emil Gilels, The Cleveland Orchestra, George Szell 1968
* 2. Mendelssohn
The Hebrides
London Symphonic Orchestra, Andre Previn 1979
* 3. Rimsky-Korsakov
The Young Prince and The Young Princess from Scheherazade
The Philadelphia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti 1983
* 4. Prokofiev
Peter and the Wolf
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sian Edwards 1990
* 5. Bizet
Farandole from L’Arlesienne
Philharmonia Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan 1959
* 6. Tchaikovsky
Trepak (Russian Dance) from The Nutcracker
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Andre Previn 1986
* 7. Luigini
Ballet Egyptian
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Anatole Fistoulari 1959
* 8. Rimsky-Korsakov
The Flight of the Bumble Bee
ASMF, Sir Neville Marriner 1987
* 9. Ponchielli
Dance of the Hours
Sinfonia of London, Robert Irving 1961
* 10. Khachaturian
Sabre Dance from Gayaneh
London Symphony Orchestra, Aram Khachaturian 1977
* 11. Dukas
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Mariss Jansons 1990
* 12. Stravinsky
The Rite of Spring
The Philadelphia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti 1979
* 13. Chabrier
Espana
The Philadelphia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti 1980
* 14. Tchaikovsky
Italian Caprice
Philharmonia Orchestra, Paul Kletzki 1959
* 15. Beethoven
Symphony No.9 ‘Choral’
James Morris, The Westminster Choir, the Philadelphia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti 1988

By: Joseph

Joseph — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:27:13 +0000

* 1. Dvorak arr Bates
Symphony No.9
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Mariss Jansons 1989
* 2. Smetana
Vltava from My Country
Staatskapelle Dresden, Paavo Berglund 1979
* 3. Rossini arr. Bates
The Barber of Seville Overture
Philharmonia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti 1980
* 4. Verdi
Brindisi from La Traviata
Alfredo Kraus, Renata Scotto, Ambrosian Opera Chorus, Philharmonia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti 1982
* 5. J Strauss II arr, Bates
Die Fledermaus Overture
Munich Radio Orchestra, Placido Domingo 1986
* 6. Mendelssohn arr. Bates
Symphony No.4 ‘Italian’
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Klaus Tennstedt 1980
* 7. Tchaikovsky
Tea (Chinese Dance) from The Nutcracker Ballet
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Andre Previn 1986
* 8. Chopin
Minute Waltz
Dimitri Alexeev 1985
* 9. Mozart arr. Bates
Symphony No.40
ASMF, Sir Neville Marriner 1987
* 10. Elgar
Chanson de Matin
London Philharmonia Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult 1977
* 11. Rodrigo
Adagio from Concierto de Aranjuez
Angel Romero, London Symphony Orchestra, Andre Previn 1977
* 12. Elgar
Symphony No.1
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult 1977
* 13. Villa-Lobos
Aria (Cantilena) from Bachianas Brasileiras No.5
Barbara Hendricks, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Enrique Batiz 1986
* 14. Bizet arr. Bates
In the Depths of the Temple from The Pearl Fishers
Ernest Blanc, Nicolai Gedda, Paris National Theatre Orchestra, Pierre Dervaux 1961
* 15. Debussy
Clair de Lune from Suite Bergamasque
Daniel Adni 1972
* 16. Leoncavallo
Vesti la Giubba from Pagliacci
Jose Carreras, Philharmonia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti 1978
* 17. Verdi
Va Pensiero (Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves) from Nabucco
Ambrosian Opera Chorus Philharmonia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti 1978
* 18. JS Bach
Sleep May Safely Graze
ASMF, Sir Neville Marriner 1984