Spinning Today (Classical version)

[BTH K10A]

Cage 4'33"

I may also attempt a live performance of this most difficult of works later in the evening. My instrument will be the piano.

[MartinT]

Cage 4'33"

I find that reproduction of this difficult work is improved by turning all amplification off.

[BTH K10A]

I find that reproduction of this difficult work is improved by turning all amplification off.

As I wanted a perfect presentation with real depth to the soundstage I pulled the mains plugs from the sockets too.

[Reid Malenfant]

I find that reproduction of this difficult work is improved by turning all amplification off.

As I wanted a perfect presentation with real depth to the soundstage I pulled the mains plugs from the sockets too.

ROFLMAO

[Marco]

Edgy stuff, Marco. How do you find it?

I like it, Martin. It's rather dark and brooding, but that appeals to me. There's some very nice violin playing, and the recording quality is superb.

It's my first taste of Schönberg, and I'm very happy with it

Marco.

[morris_minor]

This afternoon:

• Rachmaninov - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Piano Concerto No.2: Jean Phillipe Collard, Orchestra of the Capitole, Toulouse/Michel Plasson (Pathe Marconi/EMI)
• Elgar - Symphony No.2: LPO/Boult (EMI)

Doubly nice because Richard from Vantage had brought my newly serviced SL7 back this morning and I christened the new Jico SAS stylus I got for my P22 .

[royzak]

Beethoven - Sonata in C Minor,Op 13.(Pathetique). Solomon.

[BTH K10A]

Thea Musgrave, supposedly influenced by Schoenberg

[IMG][/IMG]

[jandl100]

Cage 4'33"

I may also attempt a live performance of this most difficult of works later in the evening. My instrument will be the piano.

I find that reproduction of this difficult work is improved by turning all amplification off.

As I wanted a perfect presentation with real depth to the soundstage I pulled the mains plugs from the sockets too.

4'33" of silence?
Nah, of course not!

You miss the point.

The pianist walks onto the platform and sits at the piano as if about to play.
Cage wanted to capture the undeniable tension and ambience in a concert hall of the period just prior to music starting.

So having the power turned off defeats the object! .... Cage wanted you to hear the gradually diminishing audience noise as the tension mounts, as part of the effect.
Although the whole effect is reduced on the hifi at home.

It was an interesting idea, investigating an aspect of the concert hall musical experience not previously addressed.
Curiously, it is perhaps the one musical "composition" that really needs to be experienced live in a concert hall as part of an audience. A hifi just doesn't cut it!

Much maligned.

Understandably so!

OK, yeah, it is weird!

_____


You could do the same with non-classical music. Only it could run for much longer and be even more effective (affective?) .... Imagine the start of a rock concert with the huge foot-stomping excitement building up in a packed stadium .... after 10 minutes or so of increasing tension and anticipation, the band runs on stage, the crowd erupts in excitement and enthusiasm.
The end. .... Apart from the ensuing riot by disgruntled fans, of course!

Come on, anyone who has attended live music of any sort knows that this kind of pre-musical tension is very real and a genuine part of an enjoyable live musical experience.

Kudos to John Cage for having the insight to investigate it in one of his works.

[jandl100]

Vaughan Williams - Sea Symphony. EMI CD - Handley, Liverpool PO & Chorus.
Hmm. Bit of a mixture, this. Magnificently wonderful music, of course. Handley's pretty good overall, but the tension does slacken into mere note-spinning now & then. And the baritone isn't really up to it, and the chorus have their off-key moments.
Very dynamic recording that demands to be played loud.
Haitink and his EMI engineering team do it so much better, tbh.
Handley is enjoyable nonetheless - but I doubt I'll play this one again.