Help me - I don't get it

quote:

Originally posted by Cheese:
Jeff Lynne mixing the St-Matthew under Klemperer. And reproduced on a 7-1 surround system.

Is that available in stereo? If so where can I get it?

Can't understand all these posts knocking Jeff Lynne.

Dear ROTF,

The recording was made in mono and stereo on separate recording machines, and when first issued was available on LPs in both versions, as was normal practice at EMI up to the 1960s. It has only appeared on CD in stereo.

Kindest regrds from Fredrik

Available on Amazon

The Manic Street Preachers......

What's that all about then? I just find what they do so formulaic - verse, chorus, verse, chorus, and the lyrics and apologetic whining of the lead singer...

"if you tolerate this, then your children will be next, will be next, will be next, will be neeeext...."

Utter shite.

Phil

Phil - Give it 10 seconds of each and remember the overlying theme of everything they do is "my whole family have just been killed, the house repossessed and I have nothing left to live for". It's all in the overall glumness:

OMG!!

Don't look happy, for gawds sake don't look happy

Do a simple gig, but totally overdo it, why doncha!

Yeah, agreed. Pompous awfulness that make ELP look like Ace Of Base

quote:

Originally posted by Fredrik_Fiske:
Dear ROTF,

The recording was made in mono and stereo on separate recording machines, and when first issued was available on LPs in both versions, as was normal practice at EMI up to the 1960s. It has only appeared on CD in stereo.

Kindest regrds from Fredrik

Available on Amazon

Dear Fredrik

Thank you for the link - I have ordered it.

One of the reviewers says The historical performance lobby (classical music's version of political correctness) would like to brainwash listeners into thinking that Bach can only be performed by small forces on alleged period instruments of modern production.

I think I was definitely brainwashed, as all the vinyl records I have of Bach, Mozart and Vivaldi are indeed from small ensembles on period instruments. I have Gustav Leonhardt's Brandenburgische Konzerte, as we have discussed before. I must confess musicians such as Sigiswald Kuijken (and Christopher Hogwood in the case of Mozart) are ones I still enjoy very much. I have only ever heard one version of Vivaldi's much over exposed Le Quattro Stagioni that I could listen to any time and enjoy and that is by Le Petite Bande with Kuijken.

However, there is time to try something different and so I shall. It may not be produced by Jeff Lynne as Cheese jokingly suggested (perhaps Jeff being born in 1947 has something to do with this), but I'm sure I will enjoy it nonetheless. Thank you once again for the link.

ATB Rotf

Dear ROTF,

I reckon that the most important aspect in performance, either live or on records, is the element of wisdom and understanding on the part of the performer[s] used to characterise the musical performance in its style, and not the actual instruments used.

The Klemperer recording certainly brings out the twin aspects of drama [consider the sections of the Earthquake, and the Rending of the Temple Cloth] as well as the spirituality and seriousness of the whole work, most especially brought out in my view by the splendid Choir.

In practice this performance is slightly weighty, but Klemperer never allows the volume of sound to spoil the clarity of the balance of musical lines, which is crucial in Bach. One day I will get this again on CD to replace the LPs I used to have. It is one of Klemperer's greatest achievenments in the studio.

What is best of all, is when everything comes together in performances on period instruments, and the problem is really that there are more period instrument performances than great perriod instrument performances! Same with modern instrument performances of course, but somehow that is never levelled at this style, but rather from the HIP [musically politically correct] movement, a general dismissal of anything not on olden instruments, which is sad.

Another question for you?

"Accentuate The Positive..."

From what song does that line come, please? You are the lyric expert!

ATB from Fredrik

quote:

Originally posted by Fredrik_Fiske:
Another question for you?

"Accentuate The Positive..."

From what song does that line come, please? You are the lyric expert!

ATB from Fredrik

From Google (and Bing Crosby):
AC-CENT-TCHU-ATE THE POSITIVE (Mister In-Between)


(Johnny Mercer / Harold Arlen)

You've got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between

You've got to spread joy up to the maximum
Bring gloom down to the minimum
Have faith or pandemonium
Liable to walk upon the scene

(To illustrate his last remark
Jonah in the whale, Noah in the ark
What did they do
Just when everything looked so dark)

Man, they said we better
Accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between
No, do not mess with Mister In-Between
Do you hear me, hmm?

(Oh, listen to me children and-a you will hear
About the elininatin' of the negative
And the accent on the positive)
And gather 'round me children if you're willin'
And sit tight while I start reviewin'
The attitude of doin' right

(You've gotta accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between)

You've got to spread joy (up to the maximum)
Bring gloom (down) down to the minimum
Otherwise (otherwise) pandemonium
Liable to walk upon the scene

To illustrate (well illustrate) my last remark (you got the floor)
Jonah in the whale, Noah in the ark
What did they say (what did they say)
Say when everything looked so dark

Man, they said we better
Accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between
No! Don't mess with Mister In-Between

Jeff A

Dear Jeff,

Thanks. My maths teacher once made a little skit on that in a school report. I was such a perfectionist with Maths that I was mortifed in a bad and destructive way when things went wrong. I certainly did less well than I would have done had I followed the advice in that lyric!

Out o' the door to Poland for a week now!

Catch you all shortly. Fredrik

Accentuate The Positive was the first record I fell in love with, circa 1960. My elder sister had a single of it by Gene Vincent and I'd sneak up to her room and play it to death. Every other version has seemed a pale shadow since.

quote:

Originally posted by Fredrik_Fiske:
Dear ROTF,

Another question for you?

"Accentuate The Positive..."

From what song does that line come, please? You are the lyric expert!

ATB from Fredrik

Jeff is absolutely right, of course, it is from Mister In-Between by Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen, both of whom were renowned songwriters of their time. The song was subtitled Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive. Please click here to hear Bing Crosby with the rather excellent Andrews Sisters singing Mister In-Between. I've not heard the Gene Vincent version.

The other well known song they wrote together was Blues In The Night subtitled my My Mama Done Tol' Me.

IIRC then Harold Arlen wrote Somewhere Over The Rainbow for the Wizard of Oz and other songs from the same film - must dig out my copy and play it.

Mercer wrote many hits including the words for Moon River and Autumn Leaves - he also wrote the words and music for Something's Gotta Give - the song where an irresistible force meets an immovable object.

ATB Rotf

I can't hear or think of it now without the images from Dennis Potter's "Singing Detective".

Steve

I just don't get Mary Black (and her ilk) It just says nothing to me.

Post Beatles Paul McCartney efforts, what's that all about? Again, nothing happening for me.

Wings - only the band The Beatles could have been.

quote:

Post Beatles Paul McCartney efforts, what's that all about? Again, nothing happening for me.

Not even "Maybe I'm Amazed"?

Agree that his output is patchy, but try "Flaming Pie" for the nearest he has got to Beatles form on a few of the tracks. Some great Steve Miller in there as well.

If "Somedays" does not do it for you. Written as it was, when Linda was very ill - I'll eat the sleeve.

Steve

I feel the problem with Paul McCartney's solo stuff is its always compared to the Beatles and maybe should be examined on its own merit, maybe. Of it was always going to be a hard act to follow.



Dean..

I knew the McCartney thing might get a response. I wasn't saying all Macca's stuff post Beatles is crap, just that it don't do anything for me. I obviously recognise him as an extraordinary talent, and I'm sure there are gems in there. I know somebody who will have all his albums, so I'll get him to stick some on when I'm next at his place, see if I still don't get it.

Actually, if you just examine the Macca solo stuff on its own merit then you realise just how bad some of it is. Peaked with Band On The Run and has long needed someone with guts to stand up to him and tell him when he's being trite and his melodies lack effort.

IMHO.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Heath:
I just don't get Mary Black (and her ilk) It just says nothing to me.

Go and see her live and you'll understand - or listen to No Frontiers and Babes In The Wood - she a great singer and chooses excellent songs - especially those of the late great Noel Brazil.

Not sure who is of Mary's ilk - she sounds pretty unique to me.

ATB Rotf

quote:

Originally posted by Steve S1:
[QUOTE]Post Beatles Paul McCartney efforts, "Maybe I'm Amazed"?

Steve

Totally agree Steve - What a great track that is - there's much in Paul's post-Beatles work to admire so I say we should live and let die.

For those who doubt Macca then please try Ram, Band On The Run or London Town - now what's wrong with that I'd like to know.

ATB Rotf

Wish I hadn't said owt now.

The thread was about artists you don't get, not artists you think are crap, there's a difference. I will never say that the music you listen to is rubbish, because to you it isn't. Unless of course you listen to Phil Collins

Mary Black has a fantastic voice and is backed by musicians at the top of their game, but this probably part of the problem for me. That, and I was tortured by it daily when I worked in a Linn dealership! It's just a genre of music I don't get (too safe, too cosy) and Mary Black just happened to be the easiest target, soz Mary.

I've already said my piece about Macca, another artist who has played it too safe in the main, coming out with bland MOR or novelty hits. If this means something to you, all well and good, but it does nowt for me.

Some people on the forum won't get some of the music I like, some will probably say it's shit, but I can live with that.

Anyway, I'm off to listen to Girls Aloud - Sound Of The Underground, a seminal debut I think you'll find

Heath,

I'm not a Macca fan by any means, certainly he has produced some pretty forgettable stuff.

But in the spirit of the thread, I thought I'd point you in the direction of some of his more decent solo stuff. I think Maybe I'm Amazed is among his best ever songs - though I like the Faces version best, just to complicate things.

Anyway, love him or hate him - it's not been all "Mull of Soddin' Kintyre", "Silly Love Songs", or the truly embarassing duets with Messrs Wonder & Jackson.

Flaming Pie has some gems, give it a go - you know you want to.

i have enjoyed reading this thread. i am interested in a related thread. how about bands you didnt get at first, or when they were the rage but get now. Nirvana would top my list.

Dear ROTF,

Thank you for the Bing link!

I will listen later. Funny how such thinsg as that lyric never leave the memory!

ATB from Fredrik

quote:

Originally posted by csl:
Nirvana would top my list.

Give this a spin



It is only 26 minutes or so, but it's magical. Released in 1967, Nirvana's song-writing team of Patrick Campbell-Lyons and Alex Spyropoulos were at their best. It contains one of Nirvana's best known tracks We Can Help You - the other being Rainbow Chaser from All Of Us.

However, if you meant the other group that took the name Nirvana then I'm sorry I haven't a clue; only ever heard one record by them called Nevermind and simply didn't like it so I'll leave it for somebody else to recommend how to get into them.