HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: lms@TorreyPinesCA.ncr.com (Max Stern 310-524-6152)
Subject: Re: Who wrote "A Midsummer Night's Dream"?
Organization: NCR (Torrey Pines Development Center)
Disclaimer: This posting does not neccessarily reflect the opinions of NCR.
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 92 18:43:51 GMT

In article <BvHJFu.9ox@comp.vuw.ac.nz> brian@comp.vuw.ac.nz (Brian Boutel) writes:
>
>In article <srgcraf.16.0@grace.cri.nz>, srgcraf@grace.cri.nz (Ross A Fletcher) writes:
>|> In article <199209300651.AA21344@tuna.wang.com> DAVID.CASHMORE@OFFICE.WANG.COM ("David Cashmore") writes:
>|> >From: DAVID.CASHMORE@OFFICE.WANG.COM ("David Cashmore")
>|> >Subject: Who wrote "A Midsummer Night's Dream"?
>|> >Date: 30 Sep 92 02:45:26 EST
>|> >I seem to remember hearing a version by Benjamin Britten one Sunday afternoon
>|> >on Concert FM.  Isn't the famous wedding march (yes we had it at ours) from
>|> >the Mendolsohn (SP also?) version?
>|> >
>|> >David
>|> 
>|> [...]
> [...]
>
>And Britten did compose an operatic version of  A Midsummer Night's Dream, I saw
>it performed (in German) in Osnabruck, I think, in the early '60s. My hosts were
>somewhat bemused. Their only reaction was that they thought they preferred German
>Music. And let me assure you I can tell the difference between Britten and
>Mendelssohn.

Speaking of musical quotes and parodies (weren't we?:-), don't
forget the hilarious parody of the Mendelssohn wedding march in
"Divertissement" by Ibert.

-- 

 |\/|  /_\  \/
 |  | /   \ /\                      Max.Stern@TorreyPinesCA.ncr.com
From: chem91@Elroy.UH.EDU ("Bill Harrison (713)-743-2789")
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Re: Need info on Kraanerg by Xenakis
Date: 8 Oct 92 19:49:57 GMT
Reply-To: chem91@Elroy.UH.EDU
Organization: University of Houston

In article <1b21tkINNf9s@agate.berkeley.edu>, maverick@fir.CS.Berkeley.EDU (Vance Maverick) writes:
>In article <music.718568349@batman>, music@moravian.edu (Steve Heller) writes:
>|> There is an Etcetera CD listed that shows just one work on it,
>|> Kraanerg, featuring Roger Woodward and the Alpha Centuri Ensemble. Is
>|> anyone familiar with this work or CD? Is it a very long work or a very
>|> short CD or what?
>
>Long work.  I remember being intimidated by the readout on the
>CD player when I first plugged it in: one track, 72 minutes.
>
>|> What sort of instrumentation is involved?
>
>(Analog) tape and 22 instruments -- largely extreme winds, if I remember
>right, the clarinet family represented (for hypothetical example) by
>Eb and bass.  Vance Bob says check it out.
>
>	Vance

Agreed... It's typical(?) Xenakis, massive soundscape/texture music, for tape
with woodwind/percussion doing their thing as well... You can't complain about
value for money at 70+ minutes.

Bill
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\               /~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+
| Bill Harrison,            \             /       "Be as radical as... |
| University of Houston, TX  >-----------<         reality itself"     |
| CHEM91@JETSON.BITNET      /             \                V. I. Lenin |
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/               \~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+
From: jmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com (Jim Mann)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Re: price of CDs (was Re: EMI price increase)
Date: 13 Oct 92 18:48:21 GMT
Article-I.D.: transfer.7192
Reply-To: jmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com

In article <1992Oct13.171647.10653@leland.Stanford.EDU>  
velde@gopher.Stanford.EDU (Francois Velde) writes:
> In article <1bd54gINNerh@calvin.usc.edu> alves@calvin.usc.edu  
(William Alves) writes:
> Good point, but let me  correct myself. I explained why I, as a  
consumer, 
> can pay more than for a cassette.  But to explain why companies can  
take 
> advantage of my willingness to pay, you need one of two  
explanations:
> either production costs *including* performers' wages justify the  
high
> price of CDs, or 2) the companies collude. Otherwise, if there was  
any 
> unjustified profits, a record company could lower its price and get  
all
> the customers. The first explanation goes back to my "rent" theory  
below.

No, one company could NOT simply lower its price and get all the
customers. That only works for those commodities that are pretty
much the same from company to company.  I may decide to buy blank
tapes, for example, from the company that has the cheapest.  By and
large, Sony, Fuji, Maxell, TDK, etc. all do a pretty decent job
of making blank tapes, and I'll buy whichever is on sale.

But I don't go into a store saying "I want to buy a compact disk,
now what's the cheapest?"  The companies don't produce the same
thing. (Otherwise, we'd all just buy LaserLite or whatever, and
not buy London, DDG, Phillips, etc.)

This doesn't mean its collusion, however. It's only collusion
if they talk to one another and agree to charge $X. If they just
sort of watch each other to see how much they can get away with
charging, then its not collusion (though the results are the 
same).

> 
> The law can and is interpreted flexibly, I think.  If there are  
unjustified
> profits in the CD business an investigation is warranted.

What does "unjustified profits" mean?  And who do they
have to be justified to?


--
Jim Mann            
Stratus Computer   jmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com
From: tygar+@cs.cmu.edu (Doug Tygar)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Re: Opinions of _Classic CD_ Magazine?
Keywords: classic cd magazine
Date: 16 Oct 92 03:33:16 GMT
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon

In article <1992Oct14.123837.27723@edscom.demon.co.uk> rpt@edscom.demon.co.uk (Richard Tomlinson) writes:
>It's a good way to sample different classical composers/recordings, but that's
>about it. A new magazine is BBC Music Magazine (what an original title) that
>also comes with a free CD. Instead of containing extracts it contains complete
>works. The first CD came with Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony and Britten's
>Symphonie da Requiem (??), the second came with Bruckner's Ninth. The next
>one will have some Sibelius and Nielsen. These are recordings that the BBC
>has made for broadcasting - they are live performances so there is the odd
>cough etc. They are DDD. The cover price is L3.25.
>
>I don't know if it's available in US newsagents but you can subscribe. If
>anyone wants more info, email me and I'll post the phone number.

It is available in the US, I bought a copy of the first issue here.  The
subscription price for US customers is 60 pounds/year.

One real gripe I have with this magazine is the way their telephone service
works.  You call the long distance number (from the US 011-44-937-541-574)
and you will probably get a busy signal.  Try again, and you will get a
recording which states ``Thank you for your call.  All operators are busy
now, please try again soon.''  Well, this quickly adds up on your international
long distance call.  Since there is no information on international
subscriptions in the magazine text, you must call long distance for
information.  

Also, note that about a fifth of the magazine listings are radio/TV/concert
listings for Britain.  (A very tiny fragment of this is for BBC World Service
classical music listings.)

I think that this magazine will have limited appeal in the US.  (Nonetheless,
I put in a subscription.)

-- Doug
From: alves@calvin.usc.edu (William Alves)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Re: used CD market (was Re: price of CDs (was Re: EMI price increase)
Date: 14 Oct 1992 16:38:12 -0700
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: calvin.usc.edu

In article <1992Oct14.212000.10529@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu> velde2@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Velde Francois) writes:

>This brings up another question I have: how well is the used-CD market working?
>A priori, prices (both sell and buy) on used CDs shouldn't be too far from
>new ones, because there is no deterioration of the object, and the "high"
>price of new CDs creates a barrier to experimentation.
>
>In my limited experience in the SF Bay Area, the buy price was $4 and the
>the sell price was about $10.  Is this true elsewhere (or did I miss the 
>really good stores?) What accounts for such a spread?

Well, I visit about 4 places in the LA area that sell used classical CDs.
The prices have ranged from $3 for a budget sampler to $12 for an unusual
import. Usually, however, the prices at all 4 stores are $8 or $9 per disc.
I've only sold LPs so I don't know what they pay for CDs, but it's likely
about half the selling price. What accounts for such a spread? It's what
they can get away with, basically. Again, I don't know about CDs, but I
know people who buy used books and LPs. With those, it's a buyer's market.
I know used book stores that have stopped buying books or pay only cents
on the dollar because they are already overstocked. Also, a lot of sellers
are often trying to unload a collection because they're moving or cleaning
house or something. They're unlikely to be shopping around for the best
price and are happy to sell things in bulk. While the used CD market even
in the LA area still isn't that big, I've been lucky enough to find some
great things. And, as you say, it isn't nearly the crapshoot that buying
used LPs was.

Bill
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
From: roger@crux.Princeton.EDU (Roger Lustig)
Subject: Re: Glass meets Clive Barker response
Originator: news@nimaster
Reply-To: roger@astro.princeton.edu (Roger Lustig)
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 00:00:10 GMT

In article <1992Oct14.212206.7763@dartvax.dartmouth.edu> Joseph.J.Marcheso.Jr.@dartmouth.edu (Joseph J. Marcheso Jr.) writes:
>In article <1992Oct14.145821.9242@Princeton.EDU>
>roger@crux.Princeton.EDU (Roger Lustig) writes:

>> Oh, and as far as fairness goes, note that when Verdi was alive, 
>> he had hadly any "classical" repertoire of operas to compete with.
>> Occasionally a place would dust offf Figaro or Don G, or a Rossini
>> or an early Donnizetti; but he didn't have to compete with his own
>> fifteen-or-so great hits, not to mention Puccini, etc.

>Physician heal thyself. Verdi's competitors were not only Rossini,
>Donzetti, Mozart and Bellini (forgot him?) but Paisiello, Mercadante,
>Meyerbeer and a whole host of others who were considered equally
>popular and performed often in that age. 

Read what I wrote.  He had hardly any "classical" REPERTOIRE to
compete with.

That is, the typical stagione did not have a lot of "classic" operas.
Perhapsa revival or two, but mainly new or recent works.  (And how much
Paisiello was done in the 1840's?)

In other words, Verdi mainly had to face down his contemporaries;
Mozart, etc. were not taking a lot of theatre time from him.

Now, in the *best* of theatres, say, in Germany or Italy, how mcuh
do *all* living composers get?  One night in ten?

>Also his main "rival" for
>attention Wagner was a far more formidible foe than any one Glass has
>now. 

But a living one.  (Also a minor one in Italy and France for most of
his career.)

Roger
From: gmw1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Gabe M Wiener)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Re: Why switch to CD?
Date: 9 Oct 92 22:39:53 GMT
Reply-To: gmw1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Gabe M Wiener)
Organization: Columbia University

In article <1992Oct8.130919.16850@edscom.demon.co.uk> rpt@edscom.demon.co.uk (Richard Tomlinson) writes:
>
>My experience is that analogue recordings are generally far inferior to almost
>all digital recordings. 

Oh, please.

Even the most recent AAD CDs in my collection give
>their analogue origins away by containing enormous amounts of hiss. The whole
>sound is often very muddy and unclear. Yet digital recordings sound so
>incredibly good. If I close my eyes while listening to classical DDD CDs, I
>really feel as if the orchestra is in the same room.

Analog recordings are by no means inferior to digital recordings, and it
certainly isn't generally the case.  A well-made analog recording can sound
better than many digital recordings made today.  Audiophiles were having the
"orchestra in the same room" experience long before the Compact Disc ever
hit the market.

If you close your eyes while listening to a *good* classical recording, and if
you have a transparent enough audio system, only then will the orchestra sound
as if it is in the same room.  A lousy recording, be it digital or analog,
will not convey the same experience.  

More important than the recording medium is the quality of the microphones
and preamplifiers, and most importantly, their placement within the hall.
I'd take a well-miked recording on 30ips Studer over a poorly-miked one on
a Nagra-D any day.

As for tape hiss, most people don't mind it, and besides, now that almost
all analog sites are using SR (which results in 90+ dB SNR), that really
isn't a consideration.


--
Gabe Wiener - Columbia Univ.     "This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings 
gmw1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu       to be seriously considered as a means of 
N2GPZ in ham radio circles        communication. The device is inherently of
72355,1226 on CI$                 no value to us." -Western Union memo, 1877
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
From: conrad@brahms.udel.edu (Jon Conrad)
Subject: Re: Brahms 3rd Symphony
Organization: University of Delaware
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1992 23:07:17 GMT

>   I'm looking for a good recording of Brahms 3rd and would appreciate
>   your recommendations.  

One I haven't seen mentioned, that is my definite favorite of all Brahms
3rds I know, is Claudio Abbado's FIRST recording of it for DG.  This was
part of a complete set of 4 Brahms symphonies he did for DG, each with a
different orchestra.  I don't think the whole box was released in the US
(though it may have slipped in through record clubs and the like), but
the 3rd was eventually issued on the Privilege mid-price line.  It's
with the Dresden State Orchestra, and does justice to both the
classicism and romanticism of the piece.  Beautiful balancing and
coloring.  I don't think it's made it to CD, unless it got onto a
Galleria.  But it's some of my favorite Brahms.

Jon Alan Conrad
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
From: spg@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Stephen P. Guthrie)
Subject: Re: Tchaikovsky Sextet?
Organization: Computer Science Department, Stanford University.
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 08:30:45 GMT

In article <1992Oct7.155514.9737@noose.ecn.purdue.edu> lungtt@gus22.ecn.purdue.edu (Terence T. Lung) writes:
>I remember hearing a great piece on the radio.  Unfortunately,
>I don't completely recall the name.  I think it was Tchaikovsky's
>Sextet.  Does such a thing exist?  I don't see it on the record
>store music catalogs.  Does anyone know of this?  Is there a 
>recording available?
>

Yes, you can find this string sextet in the catalogs under the title
'Souvenir de Florence'. There are several recordings available, I believe.
I have a 2cd set on EMI by the Borodin Quartet containing the 3 quartets
and this piece. Very nice set.


Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
From: dbarker@spang.Camosun.BC.CA (Deryk Barker)
Subject: Re: Kalkbrenner
Organization: Camosun College, Victoria B.C, Canada
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 02:59:25 GMT

In article <1992Oct15.183222.21054@visual.com> rwh@visual.com (Rob Holzel) writes:

   Mike Mayer writes:

   >VOXBOX CDX 5064 The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol. 1

      Friedrich Kalkbrenner   Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 61

      Adolf von Henselt Piano Cnocerto in F Minor
      Ferdinand Hiller Konzertstuck for Piano and Orchestra
      Frederic Chopin Allegro de Concert in A Major
      Hummel Concerto for Piano and Orchestra op 110


   Is this Hummel the B-minor concerto performance by Brendel?  If so,
   it makes cuts in the work.  Hummel is far better served by Stephen
   Hough on his CD of the A-minor and B-minor concertos.  Admittedly
   not at a bargain price, though.

Dunno about Brendel, Rob, but it's *not* the same as either of the
concerti recorded by Stephen Hough.

Deryk Barker, Computer Science Dept., Camosun College, Victoria B.C.
From: young7905@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: <None>
Date: 14 Oct 92 00:43:35 -0500
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

      Mahler's 3rd symphony is, without a doubt his best.           In fact I would go so
far as  to say one of the greatest pieces of music  ever written. For anyone
who is  interested I have been researching the inspiration he had  for this
piece.
      The symphony represents several different levels  of conscioussness. The
first movement represents the universe as a void. The horn call represents pan
calling nature to life and the struggle of nature in the fromless void. This
first mevement makes up the  first section of the piece. Later on in the first
movement you hear the trumpet playing a beautiful  melody
From: roger@crux.Princeton.EDU (Roger Lustig)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Re: Glass meets Clive Barker response
Date: 16 Oct 92 00:55:17 GMT
Reply-To: roger@astro.princeton.edu (Roger Lustig)
Organization: Princeton University
Originator: news@nimaster

In article <1992Oct15.201601.12052@dartvax.dartmouth.edu> Joseph.J.Marcheso.Jr.@dartmouth.edu (Joseph J. Marcheso Jr.) writes:
>In article <1992Oct15.061918.19057@Princeton.EDU>
>roger@crux.Princeton.EDU (Roger Lustig) writes:

>> >had a career spanning 60 years. He was rejected from the conservatory
>> >at 18 and had to be funded while he took on a private tutor. His wife
>> >and two children died when he was composing one of his operas but he
>> >still continued. 

>> Bet he never drove a cab to support himself the way Phil Glass used to.

>I'd say having your whole family die in two months is a little more
>traumatic than driving a cab (which do you think Glass would prefer?)

Fine.  If you'd like, I'll have your family killed too, if it will
make you a better composer.  8-)  I'm not sure why you brought this up.

>>Right.  I wonder what opera Stiffelio was an improvement on... not to 
>>mention its reworking as Alzira...Verdi's early years were decidedly
>>up-and-down in quality as well.  In with Nabucco and MacBeth there
>>are some decidely lesser efforts.

>>The Met doesn't do them.

>I said they were a steady progression not individual masterpieces

No, you said, "Each one better than the other," which, if it's to 
make any sense at all, must mean something like "Each one better than
the last."  And, as you can see, it *wasn't * a steady progression.
There were early highs (Nabucco) and middle-period disasters (Stiffelio).

>If the Met was sure it could sell-out Glass' works then we all know
>they would put them on in an instant (Economics dictates that) However
>even after premiering this work (or for that matter Versailles) it
>knows enough people won't go to see them. Its not the Met's fault its
>the opera goers "fault"

Truer word was never spoken.  There are *lots* of pieces that the
Met audience won't go see.  Many of them *are* excellent.  Go to Europe
sometime and see how a more vibrant operatic culture gives a wider
selection of operas a chance to be heard.  All kinds of good shows
you'd never see here get performed to full houses.  

If you use the Met audience as a standard for operatic taste, you're
headed for deep water...

Roger
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
From: velde2@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Velde Francois)
Subject: I. Pleyel and the Marseillaise
Organization: HAC - Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 14:19:19 GMT

Question: I recently heard a story according to which Ignace Pleyel,
not Rouget de Lille, composed the music of the Marseillaise (the 
French anthem).  The story was that Rouget wrote the words, borrowed
his friend's music and created the anthem. Thereafter Pleyel refused
to have his name associated with such radical music, and lost the
credit.

Does anyone have any confirmation of this story? Is it plausible:
was Pleyel anywhere near Strasbourg in 1792, what political 
opinions did he have, does the music sound anything like what he
would and did compose (if you can't remember the tune check out
Casablanca)? etc...

Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
From: potoole@maths.tcd.ie (Peter O'Toole)
Subject: Re: Alkan trivia
Organization: Dept. of Maths, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 09:28:49 GMT


In article <Bvtznx.489@undergrad.math.waterloo.edu> kldawkin@undergrad.math.waterloo.edu (Kiwi) writes:
>>The way I heard it was that he pulled the book off the shelf, turned
>>around and started walking away, only to have the bookcase assault him
>>from behind. A fanciful addendum to this was that as the bookcase fell,
>>a certain individual who had been hiding behind it triumphantly shook
>>his fist, namely, Franz Lizst.
>
>	Couldn't disagree more... although initially Alkan did not
>	like Liszt, they became fast friends and all the time while
>  etc,etc

Why bother with this theory? I will remind you that Liszt died BEFORE Alkan,
the former in 1886 the latter in 1888.

The story about the bookshelf cannot be disproved. On the one hand I.Phillip
claimed to have pulled Alkan's body from under the shelf. Bertha's is the
one who cliamed that a "fall" or the like was more likely. Ironically both
carried the coffin!

In his book, Ronald Smith points out that there was no police record of an
accident. However he doesn't rule out the possibility.

Raymond Lewenthal was also supposed to write a book. Did it ever turn up?

Peter O'Toole,
Trinity College Dublin.

Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
From: jefrank@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Jason E Frank)
Subject: Glass meets Clive Barker
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 02:24:15 GMT

  I just saw an ad for the forthcoming Clive Barker horror film
"Candyman" and, much to my surprise, saw none other than Philip Glass
credited for the soundtrack.  Has anyone heard anything specific about
this?
--j.e.f.
From: 00hfstahlke@bsu-ucs.uucp
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Opera in the vernacular
Date: 14 Oct 92 13:19:47 GMT

Without raising up the hoary old issue of performance language for opera, I
want to put out a question for discussion on a topic related to that.  Whether
or not you think opera should be performed in the vernacular, or the Mass, for
that matter, I'm curious, as a linguist, about the translatability of operas,
where the libretto and the music may work together in such a way that a
culturally appropriate translation just can't work.  Can you imagine, for
example, Porgy and Bess sung in Italian?  

The question:  what works do you see as simply untranslatable and why?  I would
nominate Carmina Burana, since the music is crafted around the rhythms of the
medieval Latin texts, rhythms that would not work well at all in English
translation since the accentual systems of the two languages differ so
radically and the music is composed to reinforce the accentual patterns. 
(Accent means, roughly, placement of stress or emphasis.  It's a fairly complex
area in linguistics.)  I'd also nominate the Glagolitic Mass, where, once
again, the music is carefully set to enhance the language (Old Church
Slavonic?)  I suspect some of the Ring, though not all, would have similar
problems, although generally English to German and German to English work
better since the languages are so similar.

What works come to mind as untranslatable and why?

Herb Stahlke
Ball State University
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical