The Well-Tempered Ear
Classical music: Who are the best pianists of all time? And which ones do you think were left off the list by Classic FM?
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By Jacob Stockinger
The British radio station and website Classic FM recently published its list of the 25 greatest pianists of all time.
Plus, the website also included samples of the playing where possible.
It is an impressive list, if pretty predictable — and heavily weighted towards modern or contemporary pianists. You might expect that a list of “all-time greats” would have more historical figures — and more women as well as more non-Western Europeans and non-Americans, especially Asians these days.
Here is a link:
http://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/instruments/piano/best-pianists-ever/
So The Ear started what turned out to be a long list of others who should at least be considered and maybe even included.
Here, then, is the question for this weekend: What do you think of the list? Which pianists do not belong on the list? And which are your favorite pianists who are not included in the compilation?
Leave your candidate or candidates in the COMMENT section with a link to a YouTube link of a favorite performance, wherever possible.
Happy listening!
Tags: Alfred Brendel, America, American, Argerich, Arrau, Arthur Rubinstein, Arts, Artur Rubinstein, Ashkenazy, asian, Bach, Baroque, Beethoven, Chamber music, Clara Schumann, Classic FM, Classical music, Claudio Arrau, concerto, contemporary, Daniel Barenboim, England, Europe, European, Franz Schubert, Glenn Gould, great, Great Britain, histiry', historical, Horowitz, Jacob Stockinger, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, John Ogdon, Lang Lang, Leif Ove Andsnes, Ludwig van Beethoven, Madison, Maria Joao Pires, Martha Argerich, Maurizio Pollini, Mitsuko Uchida, modern, Mozart, Murray Perahia, Music, Myra Hess, Orchestra, Pianist, Piano, Radio, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Sergei Rachmaninov, Sexism, sexist, Sonata, Stephen Hough, Sviatoslav Richter, time, UK, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Western Europe, Western European, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, women, YouTube
Classical music: What are the best classical music pieces for beginners to listen to? And why?
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By Jacob Stockinger
The Ear needs your help.
Recently a good friend said: “I don’t listen to or know much about classical music, but I wish I did. You know a lot. What would be good pieces for me to begin with?”
I said I would think about it.
So many composers and works come to mind.
But it is so subjective.
So The Ear thought: Why not turn to readers?
Why not ask readers what pieces got them started on listening to classical music?
And what pieces they would recommend to others?
There are of course some proven and popular standards such as the Symphony No. 5 and the Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor” by Beethoven; the Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor by Tchaikovsky (played and recorded by Van Cliburn in a way that influenced a whole generation); and the Piano Concerto No. 2 by Rachmaninoff.
But there is so much more to choose from, as you can tell from the YouTube video at the bottom.
String music, wind music and brass music.
Big pieces and small pieces.
Solo music, chamber music and orchestral music.
Vocal music and choral music, including operas.
So what would you tell my friend?
Leave a suggestion and why you chose it in the COMMENT section with a link to a YouTube performance if possible.
The friend is waiting.
And The Ear wants to hear.
Tags: Arts, Bach, Baroque, Baroque music, Beethoven, beginner, best, big, brass, Cello, Chamber music, choral music, Classical music, Compact Disc, concerto, Dvorak, Early music, Emperor Concerto, Franz Schubert, friend, George Frideric Handel, great, introduction, Jacob Stockinger, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, Ludwig van Beethoven, Madison, Mozart, Music, opera, Orchestra, Piano, Piano concerto, piece, popular, Rachmaninoff, recommend, recommendation, small, solo, Sonata, standards, strings, symphony, Symphony No. 5, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Van Cliburn, Viola, Violin, vocal music, winds, Wisconsin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, YouTube
Classical music: Get the new UW-Madison brochure for the School of Music concerts, faculty and students. It’s a MUST-HAVE and a MUST-READ, and it is FREE to anyone
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By Jacob Stockinger
Although the UW-Madison officially opened yesterday, today is the first day of instruction. And this weekend will see the beginning of the new concert season at the Mead Witter School of Music.
On Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. in Morphy Hall, faculty soprano Mimmi Fulmer and alumnus pianist Thomas Kasdorf will kick off the season with a FREE concert of music and songs celebrating the 100th anniversary of the independence of Finland.
But that’s just the beginning to an event-filled school year that includes mostly free solo recitals, chamber music, orchestral music, opera, choral music and more.
And this year, there is a new guide to the concert season and the School of Music itself.
The short and usual glossy brochure of listings has given way to a booklet guide. It is 8-1/2 by 11 inches big and has 24 well-filled pages. It is printed on regular paper and has much more information about the events and the people who make them happen. It takes you behind the scenes as well as in the hall and on the stage.
It is less showy, to be sure, but so much more readable and informative. And it feels great in your hands.
On the right hand margin, you’ll find concerts with performers and programs. To the left and in the center, you will find news, biographies and other information about musicians, donors and an update about the new concert hall building.
The new guide, which you can get for FREE, is the brainchild of Kathy Esposito (below), the music school‘s publicist and concert manager.
Here is what Esposito has to say:
“Our School of Music website, which debuted in 2014, required resources that previously had been devoted to multiple print publications.
“So we dropped back to only one, a printed events calendar.
“I’m happy to say that for the 2017-18 academic year, we finally found time to enlarge the printed concert calendar into a true newsletter as well.
“We certainly have enough news to share. Much of what’s in there had not been, or still is not, placed on the website at http://www.music.wisc.edu.
“My personal favorites are the stories from students, both undergrad and grad. As a mom of two young musicians, I can, to some degree, understand both the challenges and the thrills of their careers. Learning about their lives is the best part of my job. Occasionally I can help them, too.
“A couple of other things to give credit where credit is due.
“My assistant, Brianna Ware, who is a graduate student in piano, caught and corrected many errors.
“The brochure was designed by Bob Marshall of Marshall Design in Middleton. He did a masterful job. Bravo!
“Printing was coordinated by the fabulous Sue Lind at DoIT (Division of Information Technology) Printing and Publishing, who helped me to choose a new paper stock, a lightweight matte.
“Lastly, upon request from our older readers, we increased the font size slightly.
“We mailed the brochure to all alumni, national and international. That also was new. And our feedback has been quite positive.
“I’m happy to send readers a FREE copy of this fall’s brochure – with the somewhat humdrum title “Concerts, News and Events” – to those who email their postal addresses to me. I’ll place you on the list for next year, too. Send your name and postal address to kesposito@wisc.edu
About twice a month, we also publish an e-newsletter in the form of a blog, which I also paste into an email for those on a Wisclist, who don’t get the blog. It is the same information, but I think the blog is prettier.
That’s available via this link: https://uwmadisonschoolofmusic.wordpress.com/
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Classical music: What is the one piece of music you could listen to over and over and over again without getting tired or bored?
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By Jacob Stockinger
It’s Saturday — time for another reader survey.
A few weeks ago, The Ear asked: Which composer or piece you really cannot stand or consider overrated, for whatever reason.
A lot of readers responded and their responses were very interesting, even unexpected. They included such composers as Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Scriabin and Mahler.
It was a question of personal taste and of course was subjective – like music itself.
Here is a link to that blog post:
Today, The Ear wants to know:
What piece could you listen to over and over and over again without getting tired or bored by it?
Of course, it may not have to do with the quality of the piece, but rather with how forcefully it speaks to you.
And the piece you name now may not be the one you would name next week or next month or next year.
Right now, for example, The Ear is on a kick with the Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52, by Chopin (below). He loves the work for its development and counterpoint as well as its titanic emotion, which is both Classically restrained and Romantically effusive. That’s why The Ear sees it as Chopin’s response to Beethoven’s “Appassionata” Sonata.
The Ear has tried to play the Ballade and loves comparing different interpretations. (You can hear it played by Arthur Rubinstein in the YouTube video at the bottom. And there are a lot other versions on YouTube.)
As to your choice:
It could be larger work like a Beethoven symphony or a Rachmaninoff concerto or a Verdi opera. Or it could be smaller work, like a Schubert song or a Bach prelude or a Puccini aria.
Anyway, let us know what piece you are focused on right now. It might even serve as a recommendation to other readers.
And in the Comment section, tell us what you like about it and why, and include a YouTube link to a performance if you can.
The Ear wants to hear.
Tags: Appassionata Sonata, aria, Arthur Rubinstein, Arts, Bach, Ballade, Baroque, Beethoven, blog, Cello, Chamber music, Chopin, choral music, Classical, Classical music, composer, concerto, counterpoint, development, Early music, effusive, emotion, Franz Schubert, Haydn, Jacob Stockinger, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, Ludwig van Beethoven, Madison, Mahler, Mozart, Music, opera, performance, Piano, piece, post, posting, Prelude, Puccini, Rachmaninoff, Rachmaninov, reader, recommendation, restraint, Romantic, Scriabin, Sergei Rachmaninoff, song, symphony, Titanic, United States, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Verdi, Viola, Violin, vocal music, Wisconsin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, YouTube
Classical music: Tickets are now on sale for the Wisconsin Union Theater’s impressive 2017-18 season
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By Jacob Stockinger
Historically, for almost a century, the Wisconsin Union Theater has been the Carnegie Hall of Madison.
And despite so much competition from other newer presenters and groups these days, the WUT continues to put on impressive seasons in its renovated Shannon Hall (below).
Plus, nine years ago the Wisconsin Union Theater inaugurated and continues to sponsor The Well-Tempered Ear blog.
For that reason, The Ear is listing the complete 98th concert season. Follow the links for more information about the performers, the programs and ticket prices.
BUT PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FOUR CLASSICAL CONCERTS ARE MARKED WITH AN ASTERISK AND A PHOTO.
You can also check out more, including biographies and sound clips, by going to: https://union.wisc.edu/visit/wisconsin-union-theater/seasonevents/concert-series/
Here is the complete press release:
Tickets for the Wisconsin Union Theater’s 2017-2018 season became available as of this week. They may be purchased at the Campus Arts Ticketing Box Office in Memorial Union, online, or by phone at 608-265-ARTS (2787).
A few shows have been added to the season, including the most popular Egyptian TV personality of all time, Bassem Youssef, also known as “The Egyptian Jon Stewart,” a free performance by the Quebecois Le Vent du Nord, and Madison Celtic Festival.
Again this season, UW-Madison student tickets for most performances are only $10 or less.
See the season video here. Listen to the Spotify list here.
The full season – classical concerts have an asterisk –includes:
Madison World Music Festival-FREE!
September 15-16, 2017, Memorial Union Terrace and Willy St. Fest
Saturday, September 23, 2017, 8 PM, Shannon Hall
Black Music Ensemble. Free!
Thursday, September 28, November 30, 2017, and February 15, 2018, 8:30 PM, Fredric March Play Circle
The Re:Generation Tour
Thursday, October 5, 2017, 8 PM; Shannon Hall
InDIGenous Jazz Series: Johannes Wallmann – Love Wins. Free!
Friday, October 6, 2017, 7:00 PM; Fredric March Play Circle
With WUD Music
Friday, October 6, 2017, The Sett
“Retribution”
Saturday, October 7, 2017, 8 PM; Shannon Hall
Thursday, October 12, 2017, 2017, 8 PM ; Fredric March Play Circle
InDIGenous Jazz Series: Dave Stoler Quartet. Free!
Friday, October 20, 2017, 7:30 PM; Fredric March Play Circle
Inti Illimani- 50th Anniversary Tour!
Sunday, October, 22, 2017, 8 PM; Shannon Hall
InDIGenous Jazz Series: Nestle and Lovely Socialite. Free!
Friday, November 3, 2017, 7:30 PM; Fredric March Play Circle
* Richard Goode photo by Steve Risking (He discusses repertoire and plays his favorite Beethoven sonata, which he will perform here, in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
Saturday, November 4, 2017, 7:30 PM ; Shannon Hall
Chasing Rainbows: A World Tour and Historic Look at Travel Films
Travel Adventure Film Series
Monday, November 6, 2017, 7:30 PM ; Shannon Hall
Thursday, November 9, 2017, 8 PM; Shannon Hall
InDIGenous Jazz Series: Paul Dietrich Big Band. Free!
Friday, November 17, 2017, 7:30 PM; Fredric March Play Circle
Saturday, December 2, 2017, 8 PM; Fredric March Play Circle
* Takács String Quartet w/ Garrick Ohlsson
Sunday, December 3, 2017, 7:30 PM; Shannon Hall
Free lecture by Wisconsin Public Radio’s Norman Gilliland, 6:30 pm, Festival Room
Thursday, December 7, 2017, 8 PM; Fredric March Play Circle
“Stepping Out”
Friday, February 2, 2018, 8 PM; Shannon Hall
Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas
Thursday, February 8, 2018, 8 PM ; Fredric March Play Circle
Saturday, February 9, 2018, 8 PM ; Shannon Hall
Wednesday, February 14, 2018, 8 PM ; Fredric March Play Circle
Saturday, March 3, 2018, 7:30 PM; Shannon Hall
Free lecture by Randal Swiggum, 6:30 pm, Play Circle
How to Travel the World for Free
Travel Adventure Film Series
Monday, March 5, 2018, 7:30 PM; Shannon Hall
Marcia Legere Student Play Festival-FREE!
March 15-17, 2018 ; Fredric March Play Circle
Thursday, March 8, 2018, 8 PM; Shannon Hall
Saturday, March 17, 2018, 8 PM; Shannon Hall
Saturday, March 10, 2018; Memorial Union
Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
Sunday, April 8, 2018, 8 PM; Shannon Hall
China: Beyond the Great Wall (World Premiere by Karin Muller)
Monday, April 9, 2018, 7:30 PM; Shannon Hall
Saturday, April 14, 2018, 7:30 PM; Shannon Hall
Le Vent du Nord. Free!
Saturday, May 5, 2018, 8:00 PM; Terrace
This season is presented by the Wisconsin Union Theater’s Performing Arts Committee.
Tags: Arts, Bach, Baroque, Beethoven, Brahms, Cello, Chamber music, choral music, Classical music, Compact Disc, eighth blackbird, Garrick Ohlsson, Jacob Stockinger, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, King's Singers, Ludwig van Beethoven, Madison, Mozart, Music, Norman Gilliland, Randal Swiggum, Richard Goode, Takacs Quartet, vocal music, wisconsin public radio, Wisconsin Union Theater
Classical music education: Here are 10 reasons why students should be allowed to major in music
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By Jacob Stockinger
Many, maybe most, of the college and university students are back by now.
And a week from tomorrow, classes at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will begin.
K-12 classes in public schools and private schools will also start, if they haven’t already, as will another year of music lessons.
And so will the new concert season.
Coincidentally, The Ear came across a post from Forbes magazine that deals with whether students should be allowed to major in music (below, in a photo by Shutterstock).
Many parents, and many politicians too, feel that more practical, higher paying fields are better investments of energy, time and especially money.
The same logic applies these days to the arts and humanities versus the so-called STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Anyway, the advice columnist Liz Ryan answered the question with 10 reasons why it is a good idea to let a student major in music.
The Ear –- who is an avid defender of the liberal arts and of college years not as a trade school but as a chance to explore and experiment — thought that whether you are a student, parent or teacher, you might be interested in reading the reasons why a music major makes sense.
Here is a link:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2017/06/04/ten-reasons-to-let-your-kid-major-in-music/
Tags: advice, Arts, Cello, Chamber music, choral music, classes, Classical music, college, column, Early music, engineering, experiment, explore, field, Forbes, humanities, Jacob Stockinger, Johann Sebastian Bach, K-12, lesson, lessons, liberal arts, Ludwig van Beethoven, Madison, magazine, major, mathematics, Mozart, Music, Music education, music major, opera, Orchestra, Parent, pay, Piano, politician, Politics, practical, private, private school, public, public school, school, school year, science, STEM, Student, symphony, talent, Teacher, technology, trade, trade school, United States, university, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Viola, Violin, vocal music, Wisconsin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Classical music: When you need a quick shot of music, go to “60 Seconds of Classical” on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube
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By Jacob Stockinger
Sometimes a minute is all the time you have.
Or all you want or need.
But a quick moment of classical music can still provide the perfect mini-break or pick-me-up or shot-in-the-arm.
Kind of like those Daily Affirmations some people use.
Thanks to gentle nudging by a friend, The Ear has discovered just how to get that mini-fix of music.
It is a site on the social media site Instagram (below).
And the site is called 60secondsofclassical (below), which you can also find in somewhat different formats on Facebook and YouTube
It has terrific diversity and variety, top-quality performers, great music and excellent editing.
It is, in short, a lot of fun.
Almost like a game.
You can subscribe to it and also let the site know what entries you really like or even love.
Don’t read the caption at first.
See if you can identify the performer.
See if you can identify the composer.
See if you can identify the piece.
And see if you know what comes before and after the one-minute snippet.
Anyway there is a full menu of great music, great performers and great performances.
So take a minute — or two or three — and try it.
Check it out.
Then let us know what you think.
The Ear wants to hear.
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Classical music: What classical music do you find necessary and why?
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By Jacob Stockinger
The Ear has heard many themes for concerts and festivals.
But he really, really likes the title of this year’s Token Creek Chamber Music Festival (below, inside the refurbished barn that serves as a concert hall).
It runs from Aug. 26 through Sept. 3.
Here is a link to complete details about the performers, the three programs and the five concerts that focus especially on the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and Franz Schubert, Maurice Ravel and Robert Schumann:
The theme or concept is NECESSARY MUSIC.
Of course, as the festival press release says, the Token Creek organizers recognize that the whole idea is subjective, so they refuse to be prescriptive:
“In what way, and for whom is a certain kind of music necessary?
“Certainly the presenters of a chamber music festival would be presumptuous to offer a program as a sort of prescription for listeners. And at Token Creek we won’t.
“So often the music we need arrives by chance, and we did not even know we needed it until it appears. And other times we know exactly what we are missing. And so we offer this year’s programs of pieces that feed the soul.”
The Ear likes that concept.
And he thinks it applies to all of us.
So today he wants to know: What music is NECESSARY FOR YOU and WHAT MAKES IT NECESSARY
Of course, the idea of necessary music changes over time and in different circumstances.
Do you need relief from the anxiety of political news?
Are you celebrating a happy event?
Are you recovering from some kind of personal sadness or misfortune?
But right now, what piece or pieces of music – or even what composer – do you find necessary and why?
In the COMMENT section, please tell us what it is and what makes it necessary?
And please include a link to a YouTube video performance, if possible.
The Ear wants to hear.
Tags: anxiety, Arts, Bach, Baroque, Beethoven, Cello, Chamber music, chance, choral music, circumstances, Classical music, concept, Concert, Early music, event, festival, Franz Schubert, George Crumb, George Frideric Handel, happy', idea, Jacob Stockinger, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, listener, Ludwig van Beethoven, Madison, misfortune, Mozart, Music, necessary, occasion, opera, Orchestra, performance, personal, Piano, pieces, political, Politics, prescriptive, presenter, program, Ravel, sadness, Schumann, Sonata, soul, subjective, symphony, theme, time, Token Creek Chamber Music Festival, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, video, Viola, Violin, vocal music, Wisconsin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, YouTube
Classical music: The Salon Piano Series at Farley’s House of Piano announces its new season of four concerts
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By Jacob Stockinger
The reliably virtuosic and musically enjoyable Salon Piano Series has just announced its 2017-18 season.
A piano duo, piano soloists and the Pro Arte Quartet provide traditional salon concert experiences with informal seating and restored pianos.
The 2017-18 Salon Piano Series season again includes piano soloists and ensembles typical of 19th-century European salon concerts, with well-known concert artists from Italy, Russia, Israel and Ireland.
According to a press release, the season’s offerings are:
Roberto Plano and Paola Del Negro Duo (below) on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017 at 4 p.m.
Italian husband and wife piano duo Roberto Plano and Paola Del Negro kick off the season with Schumann’s “Pictures from the East” (Bilder aus Osten, Op. 66), Brahms’ Hungarian Dances 1-5, “The Moldau” by Smetana, and Brahms’ Sonata for Two Pianos, Op. 34b, the earlier version of his great Piano Quintet. The duo will perform on one piano for the first half of the program and on two for the second half. (You can hear them perform Hungarian Dances by Brahms in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
Ilya Yakushev (below) on Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017 at 4 p.m.
Returning by popular demand, Ilya Yakushev will perform an exhilarating program of Haydn’s Piano Sonata in D Major, Tchaikovsky’s “Sentimental Waltz,” Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” and Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” in his November concert.
Alon Goldstein (below top) and the UW-Madison’s Pro Arte Quartet (below bottom in a photo by Rick Langer) on Saturday night, March 10, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoon, March 11, 2018 at 4 p.m.
To accommodate the crowds, Salon Piano Series booked two performances for Alon Goldstein and the UW-Madison’s Pro Arte Quartet in March. Goldstein will perform selected Scarlatti sonatas solo, then the Pro Arte Quartet and bassist David Scholl will join him for Mozart Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K. 488, in a reduced arrangement, and the Brahms Piano Quintet, Op. 34.
John O’Conor (below) on Saturday, May 12, 2018, 7:30 p.m.
To cap off the season in May, the great Irish pianist John O’Conor will perform Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert in his first Salon Piano Series appearance.
Visit salonpianoseries.org for complete concert programs, and artist information.
All concerts are at Farley’s House of Pianos, at 6522 Seybold Road, on Madison’s far west wide near West Towne Mall. All concert includes a post-concert artist reception.
Tickets are $50 at the door or $45 in advance; season tickets are $150.
You can purchase tickets online at brownpapertickets.com or in-person at Farley’s House of Pianos. Service fees may apply.
About the Salon Piano Series
Now in its fifth season, Salon Piano Series was founded by Tim and Renée Farley to continue the tradition of intimate salon concerts at Farley’s House of Pianos.
The setting replicates that experienced by audiences throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, and offers audiences the chance to hear artists whose inspiring performances are enhanced by the setting and the fine pianos.
Tags: 18th century, 19th century, Alon Goldstein, Arts, bass, Beethoven, Cello, Chamber music, Classical music, Concert, concerto, dance, demand, Domenico Scarlatti, double bass, duo, ensemble, Europe, exhibition, Farley's House of Pianos, four-hands, Gershwin, Haydn, Hungarian, Hungarian Dance, Hungary, husband, Ilya Yakushev, Ireland, Irish, Israel, Italy, Johannes Brahms, John O'Conor, Ludwig van Beethoven, Madison, Modest Mussorgsky, Moldau, Mozart, Music, November, Paola Del Negro, Piano, Picture from the East, pictures, Pictures at an Exhibition, popular, Pro Arte Quartet, program, quintet, reception, rhapsody, Rhapsody in Blue, Robert Plano, Russia, salon, Salon Piano Series, Scarlatti, Schubert, Schumann, Season, seating, sentimental, Smetana, solo, soloist, Sonata, String quartet, Tchaikovsky, ticket, two-piano, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, version, Viola, Violin, virtuoso, Waltz, West Towne Mall, wife, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, YouTube
Classical music: Which well-known composers or works can’t you stand and consider overrated?
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By Jacob Stockinger
We all have them: Composers and well-known works we just don’t like and consider highly overrated.
Composers whose musical works are deemed masterpieces by some but just don’t speak to others.
The Ear recently saw a blog post on the Internet in which a musically sophisticated British listener ranted against Johannes Brahms (below) – the epitome for so many of carefully crafted, soulful late Romanticism — and about how unlistenable and overwritten Brahms’ music is.
The Ear also knows several people who think that the music of the Classical pioneer Franz Joseph Haydn (below) is boring beyond bearable, that his music is thoroughly second-rate or forgettable – even though the great contemporary American composer John Harbison calls Haydn the most undervalued and underplayed of the great composers.
The 12-tone, serial and atonal composers – Arnold Schoenberg, Anton Webern and Alan Berg – also come in for more than their fair share of dismissal.
For The Ear, one of those composers who divide the world in two – into those who love him and those who hate him – is Alexander Scriabin (below), the late Russian Romantic (1872-1915).
Oh, some of the early piano preludes and etudes are OK, largely thanks to the obvious influence of Chopin.
But even though Scriabin died young, he developed his own mature style, including the use of a mystical chord and a taste for apocalyptic and visionary frenzy .
To The Ear, those late works seem way too over-the-top and out-of-control, lacking in discernible structure and significance.
Not long ago, Wisconsin Public Radio played Scriabin’s symphonic tone poem “The Poem of Ecstasy.” (You can hear it in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
Is The Ear the only person who finds it more like “The Poem of Agony”?
And then there are the late, virtuosic and pretentious piano sonatas called “White Mass” and “Black Mass” – favorites of the great Russian piano virtuoso Vladimir Horowitz (below) who, as a child played for Scriabin.
When it comes to the Russian school, The Ear far prefers the emotion in the music of Sergei Rachmaninoff, Sergei Prokofiev and even Peter Tchaikovsky.
Well, what can you do? Such is taste.
So today, The Ear wants to know: Are there famous composers or famous works that you just can’t stand and consider highly overrated?
Leave the name and the reason you hate it so much in the COMMENT section.
Here’s hoping for some interesting and surprising responses.
The Ear wants to hear.
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