Something Different

[octave]

Yenn I don't particularly have a problem with what you are saying,   Having said that for me at least I do find it frustrating when people conflate their dislike of particular type of music (or anything really) with the quality of it.   There is a lot of music that does not do it for me but I would never pronounce it as being poor quality.  Although I am not a big fan of heavy opera I don't think that  this  says anything about the quality.  What it does say is I have listened to a lot of it and find it doesn't do anything for me or I have not delved into it enough,

 

It is a little like cricket, to me it is just a boring silly game of hit the ball and try to catch the ball.    I do understand though that cricket fans have a deeper appreciation of the finer points.  Cricket is not stupid, it is just something I a have not learned to appreciate.   

 

 

 

 

[nomadpete]

I'm often guilty of oversimplified generalisations which risk offending people who have differing preferences. For instance, I have a nice loud HiFi in my shed that some might think antisocial if they lived within half a mile of me.  I've transferred my eclectic music collection onto USB so I can set it to 'random play' 3,000 tracks. Everything from 1920's jazz through to recent rock.

 

But wait, didn't I imply "every kind of music?".

 

I don't really intend to offend, and I think taking offence is a choice made by the offended anyway.

 

I DON'T have 'every' genre of music. I categorically reject any kind of yodelling - which encompasses unintelligible opera, Country AND Western "music-to-slit-my-wrists-to". And American rap. This is because regardless of the standard of those renditions, they don't engage my senses in a positive way.

 

But I submit that when it comes to personal preferences, "to each, his (or her) own'. Just because I don't like something, I have no right to try to control what others like.

 

[old man emu]

19 hours ago, old man emu said:

 

It is impolite to say that one type of music is better or worse than another

 

5 hours ago, Yenn said:

But why is it impolite?

Sorry, Yenn, I was trying to solve the problem of saying something in a politically correct way. Nowadays, you can say the kindest thing, or do an unselfish thing and it can be thrown back at you as being at a minimum impolite, but more likely to be classed as sexist, racist, ageist etc., etc. 

 

If I heard what you local ABC was broadcasting from its playlist, I'd probably be kicking the radio around the shed like you might. There's a "Great Music" station in Sydney that you can hear a song and just about set your watch to the correct time their playlist is so predictable. Let's hear Keh Sanh one more time. I reckon they've played it so much that the palter is as smooth as a baby's bottom. 

[willedoo]

I'd agree with octave. All music is good if you, the listener, thinks it's good. I don't like to divide by category. Being the wrong side of mid 60's in age, I should be stereotyped as an old fuddy duddy who doesn't listen to anything produced after my young & free days. But I listen to everything from 1700's classical right up to the latest rap & electronic music. The only stipulation is for it to be good. There's bad rap and good rap, bad electronic and good electronic music, just like there's good & bad rock & roll.

 

Sometimes an understanding of music genres can break down prejudices just like an understanding of AFL rules might make one swallow the pride and actually watch a game one day. For instance, modern electronic music - a lot of older people don't get it and think it's all carp. What they're missing is that it's not designed for the same purpose as music produced by the likes of the Stones, Johnny Cash, Dylan or the Doors. It's dance music; it's that simple. Young people (and a few old ones) want music they can dance to; it's what they do. They want catchy and danceable. To them, dancing is as important as anything else in their lives.

 

Rap is another one that gets a bad rap (?) from older generations. Some people think it's not real singing. Well that's the whole point of rap - it's the peoples music. Because it's more spoken word than singing, performers with a message and talent can reach out to the world without having to have superstar talent and cigar chomping corporate backers/managers. There's a lot of good rap and some very ordinary stuff as well. As older people, we often try to judge modern music on it's upfront song appeal, without understanding the subcultures involved and why they do it, why they like it. If we can understand a bit of that, then, shock, horror, we might actually get to like some of it.

 

A lot of Boomers still listen to 70's and 80's music and say the music of the younger generation is shite. The war generation before us did exactly the same thing. They denigrated our culture and music. You would think we would have learned from that, but as we've taken our turn as the old farts, we're doing exactly the same thing to the kids of today. When will this generational nonsense stop? It's all music.

Edited December 9, 2020 by willedoo

[red750]

2 hours ago, willedoo said:

All music is good if you, the listener, thinks it's good.

You're right Willie, so I'll leave rap to the Gen Y'ers and Millenials, because frankly, I can't understand a word they say, with the mike pressed hard up against their lips. At least with groups like ABBA you could hear and understand the lyrics.

 

2 hours ago, willedoo said:

It's dance music; it's that simple. Young people (and a few old ones) want music they can dance to; it's what they do.

As for dance, did you see that break dancing is now included as a sport in the 2024 Olympic Games. I'v e seen some incredibly talented break dancers on TV.

[willedoo]

It must have become a competition sport like pole dancing. It makes you wonder if they'll have Olympic Tiddley Winks one day.

[Yenn]

Tiddly winks probably. The Olympics are descending into a position where judges can decide who wins a gold on their predjudices. The sports against the clock are easier to check for cheating. Of course a Russion Bereak dancer is going to get high marks from a Russian judge. We have seen it before.

Back to music. it is possible to hea what most ABC stations distribute on TV nowadays. I can tune in to Sydney, Brisbane, Mackay and Toowoomba and a host of others, but I can't get my local station Capricornia. Pity as my radio reception is poor because the solar collectors cause interference.

[Marty_d]

On 10/12/2020 at 7:07 PM, Yenn said:

... but I can't get my local station Capricornia. Pity as my radio reception is poor because the solar collectors cause interference.

ABC listen App - if you have internet you can listen to whatever's on the radio (whichever ABC channel), otherwise download your favourites when you do have internet and listen to them any time.  I'm a big fan of Late Night Live, the Minefield, Conversations and the Science Show,  so I download them and walk around with headphones while I dig trenches or do woodwork.

[nomadpete]

Or aviation rivets

[Jerry_Atrick]

On 07/12/2020 at 6:07 AM, octave said:

 I have been a working musician/music teacher since 1979 (although retiring on Saturday form the professional part of it)  

@octave - By the time you read this, you should be retired, or at least part way through the worst lesson you have ever given anyone as you don't care about the ratings anymore 😉 So, big conrats! Although, don't fully retire as I am looking forward to that lesson in the finer points of Triangle 🙂

 

On 08/12/2020 at 11:50 PM, old man emu said:

I suppose that anyone's appreciation of anything can be increased as they increase their knowledge of the topic. Music is such a prismoidal thing that it can be appreciated with virtually no knowledge of its intricacies. Just ask a one-year-old to explain the musical work that contains the tune to "Twinkle, twinkle little star".

Definitely true, sir. Think about how most of us approach and appreciate a flight in an airliner.. even though we are down the back, we will be focusing on sights, smells and sounds that others wont... because we (generally) know more about what is going on. That doesn't mean others won't enjoy it  - maybe more than us - they will just enjoy it in a different way than we do (maybe.. maybe not). Or they may loathe it, but in a different way to us, but no doubt there will be similarities..

 

The same is in music.. Each style will evoke core emotions regardless of the fact that we know or don't know about them. If we know more about the music and its story/technology, we will be able to still like/love it or loathe it.. but with a different perspective - that's all..

 

My favourie music is more pub type rock (not heavy metal); but in reality late 80s - mid 90s US North East Coast grunge. But I also like classical, jazz, some blues, some of the earlier rap, techno, some punk (but not much, which is weird since I like Grunge), pop, some hip hop, some of a genre I can only describe as religious/choral. And I am sure there is more that I can't even recall.

 

The two most memorable concerts I have been to are classical music concerts. One was at the Victorian Arts Centre (or concert hall), where I had a season ticket or something like it to the Victorian Symphony Orcestra. We (a bunch of flippin yuppies - I am not proud of all of my history) used to go something like once a month.. This one Friday, after a gruellign week at work we rocked up and I was hoping, no, praying our little band of pretendingtious mid-20 somethings had an ailse seat. No dice! We were right in the middle of the middle, column, I guess. My next prayer was, "jeez, I hope it is something upbeat because I am knackered.".. Well, nope.. It was, to me, the most long, drawn-out, excutiatingly boring peice of noise I have listened to.. In fact the Chinese water torture would have been soothing compared to that. Well, I am slightly on the hyper side (not that my weight would give that away), and after about 10 minutes, I could feel the lactic acid oozing from my leg muscles.. Being tired, all I could do to stop myself from snoring was to fidget. So, I would sit myself this way, then that, cross my legs, stretch out while seated.. you name it, I did it. At intermission, I thought, "heck, I know.. a bit of alcholol will make it go away.." 

 

Well, occasionally, I have come up with hair-brained ideas, and that was one of them.. As the violinist was torturning me with long drawn excrucaiting noise that sounded like a cat on a porch lamenting the fish that got away rather than anything with melody, I ended up virtually doing headstands in my seat. Even my then (then but lost) fiancee was tiring of my hyperactivity. Anyway, finally, the end of the concert came and I virtually jumped out of my seat clapping because it was ended. I turned to head toward the aisle, I caught a glimpse of my poor, unsuspecting seat-neighbour for that evening.. A woman, probably in her mid 30s to early 40s; tears streaming down her face.. I remarked to her, "yes, it was quite a moving piece.." "Moving!" she exclaimed... "You never bloody stopped... Ruined my whole night!" as her voice quivered and her lips visibly trembled. My face went stoney, but my heart sank for the poor woman, as it was clear, life outside classical music for her was. well.. not much... Of all the people she had to be sat next to.. it was me...

 

The other memorable concert was the Classical Spectacular at the Royal Albert Hall in London.. It was an audio-visual spectacular. It opened with a laser show - no music - better than a Bon Jovi conert I had been to (laser shows were famous for them). The music was electric, the lighting effects were fantastic. If you have ever seen the Proms, especially the last night of the Proms, where everyone gets up, singing Rule Britannia and waving their Union Jacks, it does get a bit like that. My partner and I decided to go on a whim, and even though she was born and bred in England, she didn't really know what to expect. So we arrive at the Albert Hall with no cash and just cards. We purchased our tickets and there were the obligatory merchants selling patriotic Union Jack flags and hats for £2 each. Of course, back in the late 90's, they didn't take cards so we had to pass. My partner worked out what was going to happen.. .

 

Anyway, with the intial light spectacular over, it went into its music.. there was all sorts of stuff - not only, but predominantly classical.. The audience got into everything... Some performers mingle dwith the audience and, for our concert, coaxed hesitant audience members, male and female, to dance. At this stage I was happy not to be in the aisle seat. As it got towards the end, they got onto Ravel's Bolero (which my partner hates, but I love).. Everything would start quiet and end in a raucus mess, the audience clapping to the "beat", the occasional string insturmentalist joining in with the audience.. it was great fun..

 

They then got to Rule Brittania.. I was sat next to what looked like a 70-something year old (I am 30 at the time) and he elbows me, and says, I quote, "Listen here, dear chap. Where on earth is your Union jack?!?". I responded is the thickest Aussie accent I could muster, "Mate, I just came off the boat.. I thought this was a rock concert!". He responed "Well, you look like your enjoying yourself.. have one of these.. and give your fine lady another", and handed me two Union Jack flags...  Well, when in Rome, I say.. I have been to a few rock/pop concerts, including Pearl Jam (which was awesome, dude), Everclear (which was sick, squire), AC/DC (with Bon Scott fronting it), and a few others. Yeah - they have been fantastic.. and the audience were singing and swaying their bodies a bit to the music. But the audience here were going mad.. almost a bit like a posh orgy ogf music and dance. It was amazing to be a part of it - I can understand how people get swept away at rallies and the like... The final piece was Pomp and Circumstance, which is the most Brithsh patriotic song ever... after it all finsihed the encores, clapping and cheering lasted what seemed an eternity.,. For me, it wasn't just the music - most of which I didn't really understand the story to, - it was the whole audio visual sensory overload.. .

 

I have seen great concerts in Aus - many of the other classical concerts I went to were great; I love going to pubs to listen to pub bands... I have been to pop music conerts in Aus, the US and here.. I have been to an Indian wedding (5 days) and developed an affinity to Indian music. I am willing to give almost any music a chance.. except for that really heavy metal - almost horror music, and, what I call a contortion of the human voice - opera! Although, even then, I was forced kickign and screaming to a Figaro opera and I survived (mainly by singing Everclear songs to myslef that night - google the band if you have not heard of them).

 

Here is a yootoob of some of the Classical Spectacular (many years after I went)... You may or may not like it.. Horses for courses, I say.

 

[octave]

8 minutes ago, Jerry_Atrick said:

@octave - By the time you read this, you should be retired, or at least part way through the worst lesson you have ever given anyone as you don't care about the ratings anymore 😉 So, big conrats! Although, don't fully retire as I am looking forward to that lesson in the finer points of Triangle 🙂

 

Not quite done yet, start in 1 hour and finish 6 hours later but yes  a certain attitude may creep in, "yeah practice or don't practice, whatever you like"

 

I will be using my new found extra time for my own musical projects,   I am at this stage retaining 2 students, one is pretty advanced and the other is a boy I started teaching a couple of years ago. this boy has Aspergers (an autism spectrum condition) In the beginning it was difficult going, Luckily his mother is pretty easy going and he is obsessed  with aircraft so in many lessons we would digress to the subject of aviation. Over the last year he has discovered a love for jazz and has really taken off.  His mother said that when she told him I was not going to be teaching next year he was in tears.  I do want to see how he progresses.

 

Jerry I see you have posted a clip from the 1812 overture.  My first job was as a musician in the RAAF Band  (1979-1990)  We used to perform the 1812 at least once a year usually outside and usually with the help??? of an armillary unit  kindly??? supplied by the army.   On one occasion we performed it at an event on RAAF base Laverton.  The rehearsal was uneventful but on the actual night the army  got a little over enthusiastic. When the first canon went off the band actually faltered. Brass players say that the bell of their instruments caught the sound wave which travelled through the instrument causing the mouthpiece to momentarily depart from their lips. After the last note as the sound was echoing around we could hear the applause  and  cheers of the crowd as well as the screams and crying of hysterical frightened children.

 

On the other end of the scale we once performed it inside with recorded canons, of course the sound equipment malfunctioned. After the concert many members of the audience approached saying it was good but last time they heard it it was much louder. 

 

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

@octave - Well, best of wishes for the next 6 hours.. Keep us updated on your future muscial exploits.

 

Although the 1812 Overture is my favourite classical piece, the post is to show the theatrics of the Classical Spectacular. I encourage you to watch the second and third vid in the sequence (and if there isn't any, search classical spectacular in yootoob).

 

Happy last day as an almost fulltimer...

 

 

[nomadpete]

Octave I understand your desire to follow through with your two remaining students. I particularly applaud you for supporting your Asperger's student, as he really depends on consistency.

[red750]

My wife had something on the TV early this morning - tenors, sopranos and the like. To me it sounded like someone with their fingers jammed in a car door. She loves The Three Tenors (no more of course), Andea Bocelli, Kiri Te Kanawa (spelling??) and that sort of stuff. Before Covid she used to go to a Morning Melodies concert at the Melbourne Arts Centre Hamer Hall once a month. I'd drop her at the door, go and park near Albert Park Lake, on part of the Grand Prix track, eat my sandwichwes, have a snooze and pick her up a couple of hours later. I think I got the best of the deal. Free disabled parking, right near the public conveniences, and all it cost was the petrol. Also saw the fitness types out jogging around the lake.

[Yenn]

And al I did was complain about the music on ABC being all the same and not to my liking. I was trying to point out that th ideal would be for all tastes to be catered for.

[Old Koreelah]

21 hours ago, Marty_d said:

ABC listen App - if you have internet you can listen to whatever's on the radio (whichever ABC channel), otherwise download your favourites when you do have internet and listen to them any time.  I'm a big fan of Late Night Live, the Minefield, Conversations and the Science Show,  so I download them and walk around with headphones while I dig trenches or do woodwork.

I agree Marty. Unfortunately, ABC transmitters in my region are few and far between. They also seem to have low power. Driving around my district I struggle to hear ABC broadcasts, while local commercial and community radio stations boom in.

My letters and emails are either ignored or are only answered after months of waiting. (Our National Broadcaster has huge budgetary problems.) When I followed their advice to listen on headphones via my phone, the signal is OK but drops out for a few seconds every few minutes.

The disadvantages of living in a rural paradise I guess.

[Marty_d]

4 hours ago, Old Koreelah said:

 

The disadvantages of living in a rural paradise I guess.

Ah, but think of the advantages.  Urban life is not for me!

[old man emu]

11 hours ago, Marty_d said:

but think of the advantages.  Urban life is not for me!

Yep. No rude "entitled" people. No noisy vehicles racing past your bedroom window at all hours. Better access to hospitals without 90+ waiting days for simple procedures.