Having problems with message search?
Dear Jorge,
Thanks for that. It actually rang several
bells for me.
I was introduced to Bruckner by an elderly
client, well, very elderly actually: 89 when we first met. He was a wonderful
old man, Polish, had a hell of a life, but he insisted I listen and I never
really got it while he was alive. Then after he died (age 93) I listened again,
more from sentimentality than anything else. But the first pieces that made an
impact were the scherzi, specifically the 8th and, to a lesser
degree the 9th. The 8th in particular seemed so
contradictory, so peculiar, funny but yet also kinda…, kinda…, kinda
…, well, I’m sure you know what I mean. To be honest I still didn’t
really like them much but I found them fascinating in a way I’d never heard
before. It was by closely following the repetitions around and around that I
began to notice the cycles and variations and to work out what he was doing and
how it all added up to something much greater than the parts. So I started listening
to the other movements with that new understanding and suddenly the slow
movement of the 8th fell into place. But for me the breakthrough came
with the slow movement of the 4th, still for me the essence of
Bruckner. Now I find I’ve listened to it so often that I can’t do so
anymore; I need to put it aside for a year or so and re-discover it again. Or
find another performance and listen anew. I would love to see the man who
introduced Bruckner to me again and tell him how much he’s come to mean
to me.
As for Bruckner being (possibly) more of a
male taste, well, hey, I’m probably wrong and maybe it says a lot about
me, but I just thought that he’s just so un-romantic (the title of the 4th
notwithstanding), so un-erotic, so severe and uncompromising and absolute, and I
associate this more with masculinity, though of course by no means exclusively.
The first time I played the slow movement of the 8th to my wife she
was quite blown away, and when we listened to the Te Deum together she was
quite stunned and very impressed. But having said that she still prefers the
motets and the Quintet I think. And there’s the Schubert connection
(though I wish someone would make a major effort to spell that out for me –
I hear it but can’t articulate what it is). Anyway, her route to much
classical music is through the Trout Quartet, which carries a similar flavour
in some places to the Bruckner Quintet.
Anyway, thanks for the post.
Regards – Len.
From:
Sent: Tuesday, July 07, 2009 11:10
PM
To:
Subject: [Y! Bruckner] Re: Is AB a
guy thing?
Sure ;-)
To be honest, I can't remember women appreciating Bruckner music, but most I
discuss music with do not even like classical that much.
Narrowing the list to the four I think that are relevant examples, I don't
remember having discussed Bruckner with one that did love classical, another
one doesn't dislike it (but isn't her first choice), another one couldn't stand
it, and there is a particular case.
This one was a former girlfriend, some three or four years ago. She hadn't even
heard of Bruckner, but got interested due my interest. I borrowed her the
Fourth and the Seventh symphonies, the ones that most people usually like at
first, and her silence about them made me suspect she didn't like.
I asked her about it, and she tried to avoid the subject, just admitting it
wasn't easy listening.
Then I tried something else, I'd already tried with others. Without letting her
know what was being played, I made her listen to both Scherzi, of the Fourth
and the Seventh, next the Ninth one, and next others.
She almost jumped, saying "What is that?! That is very funny, very nice,
indeed! C'mon, tell me what it is!"
As you must have guessed, my answer was rather laconic, "Bruckner".
Period.
"You sure?", she insisted, "I like it, it's nice.".
No need to say I reminded her she had the CDs at her place, waiting to be
listened.
Anyway, we broke soon after that, and I don't know how far she would have gone
with the music.
No, about guys, I happen to know a lot who don't like Bruckner music that much,
not to mention those who don't like it at all. That is why I don't think it is
either a women or men affair.
Regards,
Jorge
--- In
>
> Dear Jorge,
> I only said "most".
> Okay, just disregard it as my naff attempt to be colourful, and I'll try
to
> make all future posts in common time.
> Regards - Len.
> _____
> From:
> [mailto:
> Sent: Monday, July 06, 2009 3:59 AM
> To:
> Subject: Re: [Y! Bruckner] Is AB a guy thing?
> My copy must be a different one, because there is, at least, one woman in
> the conference report pictures ;-)
> Regards,
> Jorge
> --- In
> > Dear All,
> > I've just received my copy of the Bruckner Journal. It contains a
report
> and
> > photographs from the Sixth Bruckner Journal Readers Conference. Seems
that
> > most of the participants were men, and all the posters on this site
appear
> > to be male also. Any comments? Implications?
> > Regards - Len.
> >
>
Offline 
Send Email