Search found 877 matches
- Wed Nov 11, 2009 4:04 pm
- Forum: Corner Pub
- Topic: Islamic Demographics and Europe
- Replies: 12
- Views: 10893
Re: Islamic Demographics and Europe
I don't endorse a Muslim takeover. I simply observe the handwriting on the wall.
- Wed Nov 11, 2009 2:36 pm
- Forum: Corner Pub
- Topic: Islamic Demographics and Europe
- Replies: 12
- Views: 10893
Re: Islamic Demographics and Europe
Folks who are there replace folks who are not there. If a culture devises a way of life, which enables it to displace another culture, that would be what Herbert Spencer would call "survival of the fittest."
- Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:58 pm
- Forum: Corner Pub
- Topic: Islamic Demographics and Europe
- Replies: 12
- Views: 10893
Re: Islamic Demographics and Europe
I don't mean that Darwin would favor the Muslim cause. I mean that he would see that the group which raises the most offspring to maturity eventually prevails in the stuggle for existence.
- Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:18 pm
- Forum: Corner Pub
- Topic: Islamic Demographics and Europe
- Replies: 12
- Views: 10893
Re: Islamic Demographics and Europe
I have also been trying to make this point for a long time. I expressed it by saying that Darwin would bet on the Muslims to win.
- Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:05 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Music that touches you deeply
- Replies: 41
- Views: 18893
Re: Music that touches you deeply
Ich bin der welt abhanden gekommen by Gustav Mahler transports me out of this world.
- Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:21 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Kanae Matsumoto
- Replies: 2
- Views: 3729
Kanae Matsumoto
Are you familiar with Kanae Matsumoto? I had never heard of her, but last night I attended a recital of Schumann and DeBussy works by her. She made Schumann's second sonata come to life for me for the first time. It was a good illustration of how listening to records can never replace the need for l...
- Mon Nov 02, 2009 4:38 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Your thoughts on Brahms' Op. 116 to 119
- Replies: 43
- Views: 29808
Re: Your thoughts on Brahms' Op. 116 to 119
These are the autumnal works of an old man in a declining civilization. I dearly love them. What do you think of the Radu Lupu interpretation?
- Wed Oct 28, 2009 2:50 pm
- Forum: Corner Pub
- Topic: coyotes kill human
- Replies: 13
- Views: 9702
Re: coyotes kill human
This is a matter of concern to me, since I frequently hike in coyote country. I carry a very stout staff with me. I thought I might possibly have to fend off a cougar someday, but I certainly never thought I might be threatened by coyotes. The western coyotes are smaller than those in the east, whic...
- Wed Oct 28, 2009 12:12 pm
- Forum: Corner Pub
- Topic: coyotes kill human
- Replies: 13
- Views: 9702
coyotes kill human
A 19-year-old woman has been mauled to death by two coyotes while hiking in Canada. Coyote attacks are uncommon The teenager from Toronto died a day after being attacked by the wild animals in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia. The Royal Canadian Mountain Police (RCMP) said the woman ...
- Tue Oct 27, 2009 6:42 pm
- Forum: Corner Pub
- Topic: How Well Do You Read the English of Shakespeare?
- Replies: 15
- Views: 9506
Re: How Well Do You Read the English of Shakespeare?
I don't have much trouble reading Shakespeare other than looking up a few obsolete words.
- Mon Oct 26, 2009 9:34 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Your first LP purchase
- Replies: 36
- Views: 18386
Re: Your first LP purchase
The first LP I bought was Mahler's Lied von der Erde with Reiner and Maureen Forrester. The saleslady lamented losing such beautiful album cover art from the store. That really was a different era. The first record I bought was a 78 RPM album of Jacob Gimpel playing Chopin favorites.
- Sat Oct 24, 2009 9:22 am
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: What Music do you Not Listen to?
- Replies: 49
- Views: 16574
Re: What Music do you Not Listen to?
Contemporary music is the biggest gap in my collection. I still haven't gotten around to buying any Bach cantatas. That is on my to do list. Other than that I have a representative collection of classics from Gregorian chant through Shostakovich.
- Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:51 pm
- Forum: Corner Pub
- Topic: LED lightbulbs
- Replies: 17
- Views: 15856
Re: LED lightbulbs
Speaking of unsatisfactory LED bulbs, my wife just remarked that the kitchen light seems dim at times. I still haven't told anyone that I've changed to a different type of bulb. I don't think people would be happy with nothing but LED bulbs. Each type of bulb has its own advantages and disadvantages.
- Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:03 pm
- Forum: Corner Pub
- Topic: LED lightbulbs
- Replies: 17
- Views: 15856
Re: LED lightbulbs
I still use an incandescent light for reading. You can't beat them for quality of the light. They are being banned in Europe. A German man bought 3000 of them in order to have a lifetime supply. I forgot to mention that the LED bulbs emit a humming sound. It isn't loud enough to be a nuisance, but i...
- Thu Oct 22, 2009 1:26 pm
- Forum: Corner Pub
- Topic: LED lightbulbs
- Replies: 17
- Views: 15856
Re: LED lightbulbs
Gentlemen, I have received a half dozen LED bulbs and am currently testing them. You are right about directionality. I have placed them in ceiling fixtures with a reflecting backgound. This seems to diffuse the light fairly well. I did not tell my other family members about what I did. My wife came ...
- Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:47 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Instrument survey
- Replies: 19
- Views: 10811
Re: Instrument survey
I learned to play the piano late in life by attending my sons' piano lessons. I certainly don't consider myself a musician though. I am simply a music lover.
- Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:00 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Your Current 'Kick'...
- Replies: 33
- Views: 14923
Re: Your Current 'Kick'...
I have a tendency to go on kicks like this also. I have just finished listening to Beethoven quartets from the seventh through the sixteenth.
- Thu Oct 15, 2009 6:57 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: The finest performance you have personally attended.
- Replies: 33
- Views: 15775
Re: The finest performance you have personally attended.
I can't say that one stands out as the very best, but I don't think that I've seen anything better than Schwarzkopf as the Maschallin in Der Rosenkavalier, and I had the good fortune to see her twice in the role.
- Thu Oct 15, 2009 6:54 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: East Asian Languages And Perfect Pitch
- Replies: 14
- Views: 11636
Re: East Asian Languages And Perfect Pitch
Swedish and Norwegian are the only European languages that have this characteristic. It is called samansatt accent or musical pitch. Den heliga anden means the holy ghost when inflected, but it means the holy duck if you don't get the musical pitch right.
- Thu Oct 15, 2009 6:47 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Your favourite YouTube clips
- Replies: 22
- Views: 13505
- Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:13 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: How long do you listen?
- Replies: 33
- Views: 19223
Re: How long do you listen?
I try not to do anything else while listening to classical music. Most of my life I averaged two hours a day of attentive listening. I agree with the idea of fasting from music occasionally. I spent a month in a Buddhist monastery where I heard nothing but Buddhist chant. I was surprised that the sl...
- Wed Oct 14, 2009 3:41 pm
- Forum: Films & Movies & Their Music
- Topic: What are the "must-have" films of Ingrid Bergman?
- Replies: 10
- Views: 8789
Re: What are the "must-have" films of Ingrid Bergman?
When I was living in Sweden I saw some quite interesting films at a film festival. One of them was Branningar, which came out in 1935. Ingrid Bergman plays the part of a young girl living on an island. During a violent storm with the passionate music of Tchaikowsky playing in the background, a visit...
- Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:04 pm
- Forum: Corner Pub
- Topic: Capitalism and buffalo meat...
- Replies: 5
- Views: 4788
Re: Capitalism and buffalo meat...
I don't quite understand why this happened. We are planning to stay at a resort in December where Buffalo meat is served. My wife wants to try it. They charge plenty for a steak.
- Sun Oct 04, 2009 6:58 pm
- Forum: Films & Movies & Their Music
- Topic: "The Soloist" .. A great movie
- Replies: 8
- Views: 8442
Re: "The Soloist" .. A great movie
I have just finished reading the book by Lopez. It is just as gripping as the movie and fills in a lot of details. You get a chance to see where the movie falsified the facts to get a better story, but is it really better than the truth? By the way, I might recommend seeing the video "A Man Called N...
- Sat Oct 03, 2009 4:15 pm
- Forum: Corner Pub
- Topic: LED lightbulbs
- Replies: 17
- Views: 15856
Re: LED lightbulbs
Yes, jbuck, I have seen long life incandescent bulbs advertised. John F, I have just ordered some 13 watt LED bulbs, which give the equivalent of a 100 watt incandescent light. I hope to report back on the results within a couple of weeks.
- Sat Oct 03, 2009 11:45 am
- Forum: Corner Pub
- Topic: LED lightbulbs
- Replies: 17
- Views: 15856
Re: LED lightbulbs
Nut-job's observations are well taken. He didn't mention the mercury content of CFL bulbs though. I would still like to test these even though the price should come down. I see some being sold for $100. That really is an absurd price.
- Sat Oct 03, 2009 11:06 am
- Forum: Corner Pub
- Topic: LED lightbulbs
- Replies: 17
- Views: 15856
Re: LED lightbulbs
Would you pay $39.95 for a light bulb? Didn't think so. But what if it used 90% less electricity than a standard incandescent bulb, cut greenhouse gas emissions and saved you about $280 over its 25-year life span? That's the challenge facing Dutch start-up Lemnis Lighting, which on Friday began sell...
- Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:19 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Your Favourite Composers' Biggest Duds
- Replies: 56
- Views: 18492
Re: Your Favourite Composers' Biggest Duds
I agree with Lance that Beethoven's Missa Solemnis is not one of his very greatest works though the Benedictus is a sublime violin melody. Beethoven's real religious music was the late quartets. I have long been curious about La Clemenza Di Tito. How have I gone several decades as a Mozart lover and...
- Mon Sep 28, 2009 6:37 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Your Favourite Composers' Biggest Duds
- Replies: 56
- Views: 18492
Re: Your Favourite Composers' Biggest Duds
Saying that only Masons can understand Zauberflote is like saying that you have to be Finnish to understand Sibelius. I think the allegory in Zauberflote relates to the universal human condition. Maybe I don't understand all of the symbolism in the opera, but I still find it quite meaningful.
- Sat Sep 26, 2009 6:59 pm
- Forum: Films & Movies & Their Music
- Topic: "The Soloist" .. A great movie
- Replies: 8
- Views: 8442
Re: "The Soloist" .. A great movie
We finally got around to watching the DVD of the movie. The ending was better than I expected. Nathaniel might not be cured of his mental illness, but there was redemption through music and friendship. Using the slow movement from Beethoven's opus 132 for the scene where Nathaniel is given the cello...
- Wed Sep 23, 2009 3:39 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Popularity of Composers based on CD counts
- Replies: 92
- Views: 29810
Re: Popularity of Composers based on CD counts
The closest thing to a surprise is Massenet. What in the world did he write that caused so many recordings. They couldn't all be of Manon.
- Wed Sep 23, 2009 3:34 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Composers who wrote/write their own texts
- Replies: 11
- Views: 10358
Re: Composers who wrote/write their own texts
Beside Wagner the name of Arrigo Boito comes immediately to mind. He was one of the very few with the talent to write professional quality lyrics and music for an opera. Mefistofele is a worthwhile example of this.
- Thu Sep 17, 2009 3:27 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: 100 Best Classical Recordings According to The UK Telegraph
- Replies: 77
- Views: 37559
Re: 100 Best Classical Recordings According to The UK Telegraph
I appreciate the list having the Callas Tosca, but what about Rosenkavalier and Cosi without Schwarzkopf?
- Thu Sep 17, 2009 3:19 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Anybody know anything about Oscar Levant...
- Replies: 34
- Views: 26514
Re: Anybody know anything about Oscar Levant...
I really enjoyed watching the show with Fred Astaire. Oscar was very much as I remembered him with the heavy smoking and wild sense of humor. There was nobody else like him. He was uncommonly nice to his wife that evening. They could have violent spats that ended with her walking off the set. It is ...
- Wed Sep 16, 2009 3:33 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Anybody know anything about Oscar Levant...
- Replies: 34
- Views: 26514
Re: Anybody know anything about Oscar Levant...
It was mentioned that Levant was a guest on TV shows. I am surprised that nobody remembers that he had his own television program in the late 1950's. He appeared with his beautiful blond wife, June. It was obvious that he was a very sick man at that time. To call him neurotic would be an understatem...
- Sun Sep 13, 2009 9:27 am
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Why did Sibelius stop composing?
- Replies: 28
- Views: 13443
Re: Why did Sibelius stop composing?
A heart condition didn't stop Mahler from writing great music. I suspect alcohol may have damged Sibelius' brain, but I don't really know. It's just a guess until we get a definitive answer if ever.
- Sat Sep 12, 2009 12:55 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: I'm All Done With The Really Boring Early Mozart Operas;
- Replies: 66
- Views: 31770
Re: I'm All Done With The Really Boring Early Mozart Operas;
Alright Jbuck, Mark had some eccentric opinions, but what do you think of his reaction to "Per Pieta?" I have just watched a Sally Matthews rendition of the aria on youtube. It looked to me like she agreed with Mark on this one.
- Sat Sep 12, 2009 12:40 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: I'm All Done With The Really Boring Early Mozart Operas;
- Replies: 66
- Views: 31770
Re: I'm All Done With The Really Boring Early Mozart Operas;
I also feel the need to address Cosi Fan Tutte. In spite of the fact that I saw Schwarzkopf at the height of her powers sing Fiordiligi, I have continued to feel that Cosi is only my fourth favorite Mozart opera. My appreciation of it has been increasing however. Some think it has the best score of ...
- Sat Sep 12, 2009 12:35 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: I'm All Done With The Really Boring Early Mozart Operas;
- Replies: 66
- Views: 31770
Re: I'm All Done With The Really Boring Early Mozart Operas;
John F, I appreciate your knowledgeable critique of Magic Flute. You may well have the right interpretation. If that is the case, how could a wise man like Sarastro marry someone like queen of the night? Well I guess those mistakes happen in real life too.
- Sat Sep 12, 2009 11:24 am
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: I'm All Done With The Really Boring Early Mozart Operas;
- Replies: 66
- Views: 31770
Re: I'm All Done With The Really Boring Early Mozart Operas;
As a matter of fact I had not seen Bergman's version of Magic Flute, so I looked it up in Wikipedia. "Bergman made a major change in the plot." It sounds to me like Bergman's version of Mozart is no better than Peter Shaffer's. I say this even though I am an admirer of some of Bergman's early work. ...
- Sat Sep 12, 2009 11:19 am
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: I'm All Done With The Really Boring Early Mozart Operas;
- Replies: 66
- Views: 31770
Re: I'm All Done With The Really Boring Early Mozart Operas;
As a matter of fact I had not seen Bergman's version of Magic Flute, so I looked it up in Wikipedia. "Bergman made a major change in the plot." It sound to me like Bergman's version of Mozart is no better than Peter Shaffer's. I say this even though I am an admirer of some of Bergman's early work. I...
- Fri Sep 11, 2009 5:29 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Composers b. 1900-1934 listening frequency
- Replies: 27
- Views: 11725
Re: Composers b. 1900-1934 listening frequency
I again find myself largely in agreement with the other members, except that I didn't pick Copland. Can someone please explain to me what I have been missing all these years. I admit that I am not extremely familiar with all his music.
- Fri Sep 11, 2009 5:21 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: I'm All Done With The Really Boring Early Mozart Operas;
- Replies: 66
- Views: 31770
Re: I'm All Done With The Really Boring Early Mozart Operas;
Magic Flute illustrates different levels of human development. Papageno represents the carnal man. He is interested in eating, drinking, sleeping and getting a girl friend. By accepting and cherishing this character Mozart is liberated to go to the next level, which is Tamino, the noble, high minded...
- Tue Sep 08, 2009 3:44 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Composers b. 1875-1899 listening frequency
- Replies: 17
- Views: 7925
Re: Composers b. 1875-1899 listening frequency
The other members favored the same five as I did on this one also.
- Tue Sep 08, 2009 3:41 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Composers b. 1854-1874 listening frequency
- Replies: 10
- Views: 5853
Re: Composers b. 1854-1874 listening frequency
Amazing! The forum agrees with me on this bunch.
- Tue Sep 08, 2009 3:33 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Composers b. 1653-1797 listening frequency
- Replies: 11
- Views: 5696
Re: Composers b. 1653-1797 listening frequency
I voted for the usual suspects and after a brief hesitation chose Haydn instead of Handel.
- Tue Sep 08, 2009 3:29 pm
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Composers b. 1803-1845 listening frequency
- Replies: 27
- Views: 11404
Re: Composers b. 1803-1845 listening frequency
I am quite surprised that Dvorak is that popular. It is also strange that Mussorgsky is ahead of Wagner and Verdi. I was pleased to see Faure doing so well, since he is one of the five I voted for. I have only become an admirer of Faure relatively late in life.
- Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:35 am
- Forum: Corner Pub
- Topic: All you need to know about religion
- Replies: 14
- Views: 6973
Re: All you need to know about religion
The article rang all too true to me. It leaves me feeling rather depressed, because it takes a reductionist approach to religion. This is the way sociologists think. I would like to mention that a few Muslims convert to Christinaity, because they perceive Jesus to be a kinder, better and wiser perso...
- Mon Sep 07, 2009 9:31 am
- Forum: Classical Music Chatterbox
- Topic: Do you still use cassettes?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 15718
Re: Do you still use cassettes?
I still have a lot of audio and VHS tapes. I haven't bothered to transfer them to discs. It is only rather rarely that I play anything on a tape format any more.
- Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:55 am
- Forum: Corner Pub
- Topic: internet car sale scam
- Replies: 2
- Views: 3404
Re: internet car sale scam
Thanks for that advice. We'll be better prepared to cope with the internet jungle next time. I remember the first time I got a phishing email that put up a perfect replica of my bank website. The only problem was that the URL in the address bar read Latinamusica rather than Chase Bank. I became susp...