Sleepy__Head

Yeah I've not posted for ****ing ages. Apparently I'm dead, or something like that. Certainly felt like it for a while. Work, man, work is busy, and I've been writing some prog-related shit that got completely out of control, and trying to find time to practice and learn Spanish as well. And also see my wife occasionally. Sooo that's all completely off-topic.

As for why I hate el music de Fernando Sor that's a long story but the brief version is that I learned classical guitar for 5 years or so and decided I'd do exams rather than just play for pleasure because at the time I thought I might give teaching a go (I was a total and abject failure at that). Anyway ABRSM exams require that you learn pieces a) from a set list; b) from different periods, so I became, um, extremely well acquainted with the music of Messrs Mauro Giuliani and Fernando Sor because they were often on the syllabus and I was doing exams at the rate of about 1 a year (which meant ditching everything I'd learned the previous year & learning a new set of pieces). And honestly? They really weren't my cup of tea. I mean I get that professional musicians should have an appreciation of the music of different periods and should make an effort to learn about music but although I started off liking them by the end of 7 years of getting (eventually) to grade 8 standard I just couldn't ****ing stand their music any more. It's probably a case of over-exposure, coupled with the fact that although I love classical (small 'c') music I'm just not mad keen on the Classical (large 'C') period because it always seems entirely twee to my ears. Hell, I don't even like Mozart much and I've tried, oh God believe me I've tried. I know it's the nearest thing to heresy in the classical music world but I really don't get on with it. Give me Early thru Baroque music, and Romantic thru Modern music and I'm happy as Larry, but I run like a Kenyan on speed from Classical period stuff.

So - even briefer version - I found his music to have a superficial charm, but playing it for hours on end did my head in. I wouldn't claim that's an objective assessment of any kind. In the end lots of choices about music end up as debates along the lines of "But why don't you like bubblegum flavour ice-cream?". You're either going to like it or you're not, and in my case the answer is 'Not'.

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griffRG7321

Hydra, where's your references???

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CryogenicHusk

Sleepy__Head, I see what you mean. I, at times, have thought that the worst thing you could do if you like a particular piece, or song (that is, if it's challenging enough that you have to practice it and listen to it a lot), is learn it. So I've considered avoiding trying to learn my favorite pieces.

BTW, I, too, prefer to listen to classical music that isn't from the Classical period for the most part.

Hydra150

Where are your references???????

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Blinded by your cyber-love

Sleepy__Head

Woah! Steady on there! My favourite pieces are a different matter. I think the problem I had with practicing Sor a lot was that I was ambiguous about his music to begin with and the hours of practice just clarified my opinion. The same's true of my favourite pieces though - I still love Tarréga, Brouwer and Dyens' music and I played that stuff for hour after hour. (In fact if you fancy a challenge try the first movement of Dyens' Libra Sonatine. It has awkward fingerings, catch-you-out time signature changes, and just plain difficult passages - it's a right bugger of a piece).

The thing I'm trying to emphasize is that if you're not sure about something try playing it for a few hours because that will make your mind up. Don't avoid learning your favourite pieces, throw yourself into them. If it kills the piece for you well maybe you didn't love it so much after all. Pieces are like relationships: You don't find out unless you try. And sometimes you fail. But that's OK - there are more people out there than one person could ever meet to in one lifetime. And there's also more music out there than one person can listen to in one lifetime. So when you fail pick yourself up and go find a new favourite piece. Broken hearts can be difficult to mend; irritation with a piece is much easier to deal with

Besides: Music's a journey of exploration. Why sit by the campfire when you could be cutting your own path through the jungle?

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Sleepy__Head

Yeah!!!!!

And where are my references???????????????????????????????????????? ?

...

Um. Did I misunderstood the assignment?

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