The FastDay Forum

B&W - surely you are being a bit harsh regarding 'the opera'? I know R3 has been heavily into Wagner and Britten due to their anniversaries but surely there must be some opera you like? I like Wagner and am trying to appreciate Britten more - I don't get on with opera sung in English, except for G&S - but I can understand it is not to everyone's taste. Surely Mozart is acceptable (Cosi fan Tutte is my favorite)?

Doodle - my wife is a soprano but not currently singing in a specific choir, my 19 yr old son is supposed to be a trumpeter but I don't know when he last played (away at Uni this year) and my 23 yr old plays the organ - specializing in cinema/theater organs like Wurlitzers. Where did we go wrong - he has a diploma in recorder playing but has not touched a recorder for years?
I have to be content listening to Radio 3 and attempting the annoying quiz - I have managed to get my name (this name) read out a few times recently, shame that B&W will never be listening!

I just listen to my hubbies playlist from his PC. He is in the 'C's at the moment. This playlist has been playing for the last 2 and a half years it started at A. He does happen to have one and a half TERABYTE of music on his PC at the moment and keeps adding to it. We are hoping to be through the alphabet before retirement age.

Wow, Doodle - how do you keep track?!?

My osteo-arthritis was just a bit of a nuisance at the time, but it's no bother, really.

Happy 23rd anniversary - expect your kids will give you a musical tribute?

Pete,

I like Carmen, but I came to it through the film, Carmen Jones, many years ago.

I've tried to like opera - R3 has been my musical education, really. And I've got this theory that if you listen to something often enough, you'll grow to like it. But it's never happened with opera - except the popular arias, of course. Too much of it is just a dirge (IMHO, I hasten to add!)

The same with German Lieder, I've just never got along with it - I"m aware that it's my lack, at the end of the day.

But I do hold a grudge against the amount of opera on 3. Jazz Record Requests is always either being cancelled or re-scheduled (which I don't really mind since iPlayer came on the scene) because the opera is clashing - or it's too long.

I have to ask, when was an opera cancelled or moved to make way for a jazz concert? It's never happened!

(Sorry, touched a nerve there!)

About quizzes - and the interview with a 'special guest', which also winds me up - they just get in the way of the music. If you want a quiz, give it half an hour and stick it on R4.

I occasionally hear the announcer having to read out about ten names '…who also got the right answer…'! Aargh!

I have to ask, Pete, is having your name read out on the radio a worthy ambition?

The whole thing is just dumbing down, at the end of the day.

(Sorry - but you did ask!)


Edited to say I'm not usually as grumpy as this!

I'm glad to see so many classical lovers on the forum. I didn't grow up with it but at various times have tried to educate myself about it. Also I have been trying to learn to play piano for about two years now. My first setback was a ganglion cyst in my left wrist. And now I have gone and broken the darn thing!

B&W, I agree about opera. Maybe it will grow on me one day.

I have never grown up - Triple J (alternative youth radio) all day. Oz bands like Birds of Tokyo (my faves), Empire of the Sun, going to buy Rufus (Sydney band - electronic, groove really) first album Atlas released today..also just put some oldies on my itunes - Garbage, 1 Giant Leap, Van Morrison - Astral Weeks (my all time favourite album). Play meditation CDs to go to sleep to.

Wow, Doodle - how do you keep track?!?

Happy 23rd anniversary - expect your kids will give you a musical tribute?

They did! It was lovely

Doodle - my wife is a soprano but not currently singing in a specific choir, my 19 yr old son is supposed to be a trumpeter but I don't know when he last played (away at Uni this year)

Our 19 year old son didn't take his cello to uni the first term, but soon missed it!

I'm not singing in a choir at the moment either - oh, for more hours in each day....!

Oh, Miss Lemon, I was sure you were an Agatha Christie fan!

OH and I enjoy live opera when we get a chance, but not the modern stuff. The annual opera this year at Ithaca College (heavy on the performing arts) consisted of Puccini's Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi . What a treat--so many talented student singers and musicians!!

For more than 30 years I listened to the live broadcasts from the Met while doing chores around the house--sort of absorbing it by osmosis.

My favorite music, though, is Jazz, Big Band, and 50's rock and roll.

Pandora radio is playing on the computer. It's set to shuffle and the variety is wide. Currently it is Close To Me by The Cure...oops, that song just finished and Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd is now on.

Currently listening to Tosca on ABC FM. You can listen to it here:
http://www.abc.net.au/classic/listen/

Marybeth! Yes! I'm dotty about her!

Sisters Of Mercy youtube mix....Yesh, I'm still a goth chick at heart! Dancing around the kitchen to Temple Of Love takes 15 years off me!

Geoff Lloyd's Hometime Show podcast

ATM I'm listening to Mozart's Clarinet Concerto In A Major KV 622

On Radio Svizzera Classica (I gave the link above).

Gorgeous, just sublime!

And sometimes, when the adverts intrude, I switch to this Swiss on-line music station - just light classical music with NO adverts. The only thing is the language is either French, German or Italian - you choose:

http://webplayer.radiosvizzeraclassica.ch/?lang=en

Thank you so much for this link. I am really enjoying Evaristo Felice dall'Abaco
Concerto In E Major Op. 6 No. 2 right now