German or Italian Opera?

[Donna Ferentes]

You think wrong. I hate bagpipes with a passion. It is the actual sound, the skill or otherwise of the player is irrelevant.

Excellent. So we can hire a cheap one to play outside your house?

 

[tobyjug]

So what do you like?

Apart from opera, bagpipes and rave music, I like most music as long as it is not played at ear damaging levels.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Apart from opera, bagpipes and rave music, I like most music as long as it is not played at ear damaging levels.

Just take those old records off the shelf
I'll sit and listen to 'em by myself
Today's music ain't got the same soul
I like that old time rock 'n' roll
Don't try to take me to a disco
You'll never even get me out on the floor
In ten minutes I'll be late for the door
I like that old time rock 'n' roll

CHORUS
Still like that old time rock 'n' roll
That kind of music just soothes the soul
I reminisce about the days of old
With that old time rock 'n' roll

 

[pilchardman]

It is the actual sound, the skill or otherwise of the player is irrelevant.

You are quite wrong. The skill of the player is everything. Along with violin, recorder, and other instruments murdered by amateurs, bagpipes get a bad press because of the racket that they can be made to make.

But played by an expert, they are sweet and sublime.

 

[tobyjug]

You are quite wrong. The skill of the player is everything. Along with violin, recorder, and other instruments murdered by amateurs, bagpipes get a bad press because of the racket that they can be made to make.

But played by an expert, they are sweet and sublime.

It matter not the skill of the player the sound to me is like a cat being wound through a mangle very very slowly tail first.

 

[soulman]

You are quite wrong. The skill of the player is everything. Along with violin, recorder, and other instruments murdered by amateurs, bagpipes get a bad press because of the racket that they can be made to make.

But played by an expert, they are sweet and sublime.

Preferably played by Irish Pipers

 

[Donna Ferentes]

It matter not the skill of the player the sound to me is like a cat being wound through a mangle very very slowly tail first.

Curiously enough, the cat here thinks that it sounds like tobyjug being wound through a mangle very very slowly arse first.

 

[parallelepipete]

This is symptomatic of university-grade logorrhea.

'Logorrhea' (or '-oea' to us Brits ) - wonderful word. And good comment too!

 

[parallelepipete]

You are quite wrong. The skill of the player is everything. Along with violin, recorder, and other instruments murdered by amateurs, bagpipes get a bad press because of the racket that they can be made to make.

But played by an expert, they are sweet and sublime.

Erm, bagpipes? In which opera? I know you started the topic, but isn't this all getting a bit off-topic?

and because he derailed it on the first page.

Edit: 'Schwanda the Bagpiper' by Gustav Holst. HA! An opera with bagpiping in! (and Holst's name is German, even if he wasn't )

 

[lizzieloo]

It matter not the skill of the player the sound to me is like a cat being wound through a mangle very very slowly tail first.

Nooooooooo!!!

I used to think that, If you give it a really good listen over time it's wonderful, still no expert.

 

[pilchardman]

It matter not the skill of the player the sound to me is like a cat being wound through a mangle very very slowly tail first.

No. It. Isn't.

Christ, do you not listen? OK. Do me another favour. Look for Robert Matheson's album The Big Birl. The Circular Breath by Gordon Duncan, and the sublime Ceol Mor, Ceol Beag by Iain MacFadyen.

 

[tobyjug]

No. It. Isn't.

Christ, do you not listen? OK. Do me another favour. Look for Robert Matheson's album The Big Birl. The Circular Breath by Gordon Duncan, and the sublime Ceol Mor, Ceol Beag by Iain MacFadyen.

Don't you understand either, it is the actual sound of the bagpipes that I hate, the skill or otherwise of the player makes no difference.

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Keep it up, Tobe, you're making a tedious droning sound.

 

[pilchardman]

Erm, bagpipes? In which opera? I know you started the topic, but isn't this all getting a bit off-topic?

Conversations can do that.

But that's a great idea. Bagpipes in an opera... trundles off to email that nice young MacMillan chappy...

 

[pilchardman]

Don't you understand either, it is the actual sound of the bagpipes that I hate, the skill or otherwise of the player makes no difference.

OK. If you click here and still think that, I will sadly admit you have cloth ears, but leave you alone.

http://www.scottishradiance.com/gtduncan.htm

There is a tune you can listen to.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Conversations can do that.
...

You're starting to understand.

 

[MysteryGuest]

I can't stand the ridiculously exagerrated vibrato that all opera singers use, which just sounds ludicrously kitsch to me - so I don't really like opera.


to opera

 

[Cloo]

And MG should know... he's lived with me!

TBH, I'm a female opera/classical singer and while I appreciate it, I do understand that others might find operatic singing ludicrously affected. It is an acquired taste, but that doesn't mean in requires a heightened sensibility to appreciate it or anything.

 

[parallelepipete]

I can't stand the ridiculously exagerrated vibrato that all opera singers use, which just sounds ludicrously kitsch to me - so I don't really like opera.


to opera

But operatic singers who've trained over the last 20-ish years or so use vibrato in a more subtle way than old-style singers like, say, Richard Tauber did. Do you find listening to old recordings worse?

 

[pilchardman]

You're starting to understand.

You sound like you think I'm some sort of slow learner or recidivist Moderator.

I've always appreciated the tangents of the human mind.

 

[geminisnake]

I've always appreciated the tangents of the human mind.

And he makes use of them as often as he can!!

 

[tobyjug]

OK. If you click here and still think that, I will sadly admit you have cloth ears, but leave you alone.

http://www.scottishradiance.com/gtduncan.htm

There is a tune you can listen to.

You obviously do not understand, like female opera singers the sound of bagpipes causes me actual physical pain.
It is the sound itself it does not matter how well they are played.

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Christ, the record's stuck. Could somebody give it a nudge?

 

[tobyjug]

Christ, the record's stuck. Could somebody give it a nudge?

I people cannot understand that some sounds are not universally liked by everyone I cannot help that. If something sounds fucking awful to someone no amount of "education" is going to make any difference.
I dare say the opera and bagpipe lovers here have other types of music and musical instruments that they can't stand either.

 

[parallelepipete]

Christ, the record's stuck. Could somebody give it a nudge?

Bagpipe Arguments This Way



(Sorry about the image size)

(And shameless plug of own thread)

 

[sam/phallocrat]

I can't stand the ridiculously exagerrated vibrato that all opera singers use, which just sounds ludicrously kitsch to me - so I don't really like opera.


to opera

me too - unless I'm mistaken you're meant to sing the note, not cycle endlessly around it (and yes I appreciate younger singers don't suffer as much from this affliction but it's prevalent in most opera like) . . . all the cloudy vowels and melodramatic silliness hacks me off as well, give me a nice cantata or oratorio any day

Oh and all 19th C opera is crap anyway 'cos there are no parts for altos/countertenors

 

[butterfly child]

I went for Italian, but the truth is I don't really mind.

I prefer it sung in it's original language, and not translated into English, though.

 

[WasGeri]

You obviously do not understand, like female opera singers the sound of bagpipes causes me actual physical pain.
It is the sound itself it does not matter how well they are played.

I don't understand how anybody could listen to 'One Fine Day' from Madama Butterfly and not be moved to tears.

I listened to it in bed this morning (I couldn't sleep) and I was weeping buckets by the end!

 

[tobyjug]

I don't understand how anybody could listen to 'One Fine Day' from Madama Butterfly and not be moved to tears.
!

I would be in tears due to the pain in my ears.

 

[pilchardman]

I would be in tears due to the pain in my ears.

<vows to break into Toby's house in the dead of night with an iPod loaded with The Best Opera Album In The World...Ever.>