The Classical Music Guide Forums

barney

I was four when the '50s ended. But, of course, growing up in New Zealand they probably extended well into the '60s. :D The few memories I have are personal rather than societal. I've quoted elsewhere the amazing statistics from Bill Bryson's autobiography about American wealth relative to the rest ...

barney

I have that second complete Rubinstein set, in red trimmed with white. I paid $A140 (these days only $US84) to get it from Amazon Germany, from memory. A wise investment, apparently in every way. :D I paid the same price Barney and am very glad to have the set. I think it worked out to less than $1...

barney

Well-done, Len! Some strikingly beautiful pictures there! When I was a lad of 14, a young robin fell out of her nest and broke her left wing in our back yard. It was the end of the summer, and so I adopted her and brought her into my bedroom for safekeeping (we had a house full of cats: my mother r...

barney

lennygoran wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 09, 2020 10:12 am

barney wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 09, 2020 10:06 am
OK, that's as laboured a pun as even I have ever made, probably.
What can I say-I enjoyed it! Regards, Len

Thanks Len. I fear it's just your generous nature.

barney

Didn't some pop singer sing that, "birds just wanna have fun". Or was it girls? In my younger days, same thing.

OK, that's as laboured a pun as even I have ever made, probably.

barney

Len, I saw that production in my youth at the Paris Opera, which had it on loan. I had a restricted viewing seat (all I could afford), but with the daring of youth hung out from a pillar up in the gods so I could see better. Magnificent opera and production. Certainly would not dare that now; on the...

barney

Congratulations! What an achievement.

barney

Is nobody else impressed but me? Surely that can't be the case...

barney

Universal in Australia told me it is being released only as a digital download in this country. I haven't had a reply to an email asking about the US.

barney

Good answer, but nevertheless that's what I think is happening. Mom and apple pie and the American way of life. The past is increasingly a mythical place.

barney

A fantastic collection, Len. You're a fine landlord! But you need to teach them the rules about quarantine, including rationing.

barney

It seems to me, as an outsider, that the last time there was an identifiable American way of life was the 1950s, and it was built on material aspirations. But it brought with it an optimism and a can-do attitude that were bracing and powerful, especially in contrast to the post-war ruins of Europe. ...

barney

I have that second complete Rubinstein set, in red trimmed with white. I paid $A140 (these days only $US84) to get it from Amazon Germany, from memory. A wise investment, apparently in every way.

barney

Len, this is one of the most delightful things I've seen in ages. I've spread the joy round my family and friends. Many thanks for posting it. It made my day.

barney

You're right, Lance. It's like the stock market, and not realising a loss until you actually sell. We've made a handsome profit, but we'll never realise it because we'll never sell.

One question though - does anyone actually pay those prices, or are they just imaginary?

barney

DG mentioned it in their monthly newsletter, so it must be soon, but I didn't pay attention to the release date, sorry.

barney

Wow, Lance. Maybe time for me to sell?

barney

PS, she was a very gifted pianist, who won the New Zealand National Concerto Competition in the 1950s, but once she had children retired to teaching.

barney

My mother was in a different country, New Zealand. We asked her to live with us, as did my sister with her, but her life and friends were there. My sister was with her at the end, and warned me to come fast. I flew in the next morning, but she died as my plane was landing. Like you two, another near...

barney

Wow, good thing you're not angry! :D I wouldn't like to see you get passionate. Can I just note that Marsalis may not have had Trump in mind. It's a reasonable interpretation but not a necessary one, because the context is his dad. Second, I'm not the enemy. We've often agreed on this forum, and I s...

barney

All true, and all very worrying.
It's often said that civil liberties are hard-won and easily lost.

barney

It looks excellent, Lance. Great range of historical recordings, and of course I know Accardo.
Find the list of performances here:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/p ... te-edition

Most of the others are unknown to me - what are the performances like?

barney

What a lovely writer Stephen Hough is, along with being one of the greatest pianists of this generation. I have to say, I feel a bit as he does, somewhat liberated by the collapse of commitments, but that's because I have enough money to survive, mostly thanks to being older. It's obviously utterly ...

barney

THEHORN wrote: ↑
Fri Apr 03, 2020 3:54 pm
Oh weh ! Beckmesser's revenge !

barney

Also, Brian, her comment about being happy to be able to play badly!

barney

I had the good fortune to hear him live in Prague last year, where he did a sumptuous Beethoven 4. Wonderful pianist, and the Czech Philharmonic are no slouches either.

barney

Of course, Len. When I said I can see both sides, I mean the question of wanting staff who reflect the organisation's values. When it comes to treating all patients alike, that is a core value that should be beyond question, and I read this as being the Mayor's concern.

barney

What a vile government China has. Their typical bullying and intimidation of their own citizens made the worldwide crisis vastly worse. I hope no one is fooled by this.

barney

A very interesting sentiment, Sue. But I can't help feeling that someone without a pugilistic ignorance might have got the US much better prepared and saved thousands and thousands of lives. Someone who listened to advice, who didn't react totally out of his grandiloquent ego, who didn't deny until ...

barney

I can see both sides of this one. It's reasonable for a Christian organisation to wish for its staff not to speak against its values. But there are plenty of LGBT Christians who share the founding principles, and should be entitled to be employed. I'm not sure if they are or not. But to have to hire...

barney

But if you are a Christian and concerned about moral principles, as your post implies, how can you overlook how grotesque this man is, and how divisive? It's his own version of woke politics, and very destructive. Barney and talking about religion I just learned about this-afaiac this is religion a...

barney

That's fascinating. Thanks for posting Lenny. I never heard of the violinist who has commissioned 16 pieces and is paying $500 per 30 seconds. If each work is 10 minutes, that's$20,000 per work and $320,000 for the project. She must have pots of money, but it's a tremendously generous project. I als...

barney

The people on my side of the political divide have been calling out the lack of moral standards in the country for years. For years, I cared about foreign policy more than anything else when it came to choosing candidates and a party. But that has changed in recent years. What's happened to the cul...

barney

Yes, our nation's soul has been damaged for a long time, and it's didn't happen because of Trump. I'm sure you are right, Barry. But he's made it a heck of a lot sicker, for the reasons outlined above. Really, he never matured above the toddler stage. All he wants is praise and gratitude, every iss...

barney

For me, this article nails it. Why Donald Trump is a threat to the United States’ spiritual well-being John J. Thatamanil Posted Mon 30 Mar 2020, 12:24pm Many Americans are beginning to realise that President Donald Trump poses a grave threat to public health and well-being. Thankfully, public healt...

barney

Excellent news. 79, isn't he? Right in the most dangerous group.

barney

Good article. Thanks for posting.

barney

Sad but inevitable.

barney

Thank you. Fine looking group of people.

barney

I'm half way through,but have to stop for now. Really fascinating stuff. Thanks again.

barney

He's the village idiot who reached rock bottom, then started to dig. Every week he finds a new low.

barney

It staggers me that there are people who defend Trump on this and say he is doing a good job. It can only be because of partisan politics. But the criticism is not partisan, it is because so many Americans are going to die who need not have. Neither Democrat nor Republican should think that's a good...

barney

Who are the people in those pix, besides Lance? It's always nice to put faces to names.

barney

Indeed, I join you in that hope. Obviously took a turn for the worse.

barney

Trump has one certainty in life: he's a genius, and nothing is ever his fault. If anything, it's our fault for failing to recognise how amazingly brilliant he is. No wonder he is flailing around blaming everyone else. What staggers the watching world is how many Americans fall for it. Sorry that's t...

barney

It's certainly passed into musical folk lore. I see no reason to doubt it.
In the film, which I enjoyed greatly sort of against my will, the concert is the night Stalin dies. Which is also, famously, the night Prokofiev dies.

barney

Thank you Kjell. I would love to watch this. Alas, your link is not live. Can you have another go?

barney

so do I. It's rarely invented.

barney

Thanks for posting that, Barry. It does seem to match the facts better - at least, so far. And Italy has one of the oldest populations in the world, so you'd expect that if anywhere was going to have casualties at that rate it would be Italy.

barney

I interviewed her once. She was among the most sweet, helpful and open musicians I have dealt with. I really hope it is as smooth for her as possible.

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