In article , Iain Churches
wrote:

"Eeyore" wrote in
message ...


Maybe they're just easily contented ?

No Graham. Probably quite the reverse.

Is that an absolute assertion, or just a possibilty? :-)


The tube audio people that I
know seem to spend a long time looking for that last few percent in the
musical performance. That's why there is so much interest in things
like SET and open baffle speakers, horns etc.

But, if you don't care about the ability to differentiate between an
oboe and a cor Anglais then it doesn't really matter, does it?

Alternatively you may care, or be able to distinguish, but be able to do so
using equipment which does not make you wish to spend your time on anything
other than doing so by listening to and enjoying the music.

Could even be possible to do this using audio systems that have no valves,
or SETs, or... :-)

I can understand that some people feel dissatisfied with what they have,
though.

A few days ago I was enjoying a couple of DVDs of Brendel playing. Both
recorded in the same location, but on different occasions. I could easily
hear that the sounds differed - I think, because of the differences in mic
types and positions[1] - yet I still enjoyed the music. I guess I am easily
satisfied - having spent a few decades working at getting the audio systems
I use to deliver the results I enjoy. :-)

Although I admit that in my case, "open baffle" speakers do seem to help me
enjoy the music. Thank you, again, PJW.[2] ;-

Slainte,

Jim

[1] Although perhaps he was more plastered on one occasion than the
other. He plays better when plastered, and it did seem that the Liszt
gave the better stereo image, etc. :-)

[2] Who also moved on from valves to SS in due course and despite
being a keen musician tended then to be puzzled by the ongoing
arguments about valve amps. I can't recall him ever complaining
that without valves he couldn't tell an oboe from a cor any more...

--
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Audio Misc http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/AudioMisc/index.html
Armstrong Audio http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/Audio/armstrong.html
Barbirolli Soc. http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/JBSoc/JBSoc.html

Although perhaps (Brendel) was more plastered on one occasion than the
other. He plays better when plastered, and it did seem that the Liszt
gave the better stereo image, etc. :-) JLS

The music of Abbe Franz Liszt
If loszt would never be miszt.
They all stood aghaszt
As he played oh so faszt
But moszt of the time he was piszt.


When Josef Hofmann's career was in its last stage, when he'd apparently
play brilliantly before the interval then come back on stage tanked up,
a pupil of a friend of Hofmann related going to hear Hofmann play
Chopin and being amazed at his extraordinarily rapid tempo for one of
the more difficult etudes I think it was.
"Why" he asked his teacher, "does he play them so fast?"
"Because he can't play them any faster".

"He has fingers like lightning - they never strike the same place
twice!"

On 2006-09-14, Andy Evans wrote:
Although perhaps (Brendel) was more plastered on one occasion than the
other. He plays better when plastered, and it did seem that the Liszt
gave the better stereo image, etc. :-) JLS

The music of Abbe Franz Liszt
If loszt would never be miszt.
They all stood aghaszt
As he played oh so faszt
But moszt of the time he was piszt.

When Josef Hofmann's career was in its last stage, when he'd apparently
play brilliantly before the interval then come back on stage tanked up,
a pupil of a friend of Hofmann related going to hear Hofmann play
Chopin and being amazed at his extraordinarily rapid tempo for one of
the more difficult etudes I think it was.
"Why" he asked his teacher, "does he play them so fast?"
"Because he can't play them any faster".

Yes, I too immediately thought of the Chopin études when Liszt's speed
was mentioned.

But then I thought of Ligeti's études which can be even more diabolical.

And then there's Nancarrow's studies for player piano which are
*definitely* too fast for human digits. Indeed some of them have been
described as sounding like "Wanda Landowska's harpsichord on speed."

--
John Phillips

"Jim Lesurf" wrote in message
...


[2] Who also moved on from valves to SS in due course and despite
being a keen musician tended then to be puzzled by the ongoing
arguments about valve amps. I can't recall him ever complaining
that without valves he couldn't tell an oboe from a cor any more...



Jim. A "cor" is the name commnonly used by musicians to
denote a French horn, (the instrument first developed in France
from the "cor de chasse") and marked "cor" on most symphonic
full scores.

I don't think anyone on this planet could fail to discern
between a French horn and an oboe:-)

Iain

On Thu, 14 Sep 2006 14:03:51 +0300, "Iain Churches"
wrote:

[2] Who also moved on from valves to SS in due course and despite
being a keen musician tended then to be puzzled by the ongoing
arguments about valve amps. I can't recall him ever complaining
that without valves he couldn't tell an oboe from a cor any more...



Jim. A "cor" is the name commnonly used by musicians to
denote a French horn, (the instrument first developed in France
from the "cor de chasse") and marked "cor" on most symphonic
full scores.

I don't think anyone on this planet could fail to discern
between a French horn and an oboe:-)

Whereas "tell an oboe from a cor" clearly implies a cor anglais. Don't
be silly.

"Laurence Payne" lpayne1NOSPAM@dslDOTpipexDOTcom wrote in message
...
On Thu, 14 Sep 2006 14:03:51 +0300, "Iain Churches"
wrote:

[2] Who also moved on from valves to SS in due course and despite
being a keen musician tended then to be puzzled by the ongoing
arguments about valve amps. I can't recall him ever complaining
that without valves he couldn't tell an oboe from a cor any more...



Jim. A "cor" is the name commnonly used by musicians to
denote a French horn, (the instrument first developed in France
from the "cor de chasse") and marked "cor" on most symphonic
full scores.

I don't think anyone on this planet could fail to discern
between a French horn and an oboe:-)

Whereas "tell an oboe from a cor" clearly implies a cor anglais. Don't
be silly.


Laurence.
Jim's post was brought to my attention by a French horn player in
a major symphony orchestra, a member of the music group to which
I belong. He did not think that accurately differentiating between the
two was "silly". Neither do I.

A cor Anglais is no more a cor than a saxophone is a horn:-)

regards
Iain

On Thu, 14 Sep 2006 15:30:03 +0300, "Iain Churches"
wrote:

Jim. A "cor" is the name commnonly used by musicians to
denote a French horn, (the instrument first developed in France
from the "cor de chasse") and marked "cor" on most symphonic
full scores.

I don't think anyone on this planet could fail to discern
between a French horn and an oboe:-)

Whereas "tell an oboe from a cor" clearly implies a cor anglais. Don't
be silly.


Laurence.
Jim's post was brought to my attention by a French horn player in
a major symphony orchestra, a member of the music group to which
I belong. He did not think that accurately differentiating between the
two was "silly". Neither do I.

A cor Anglais is no more a cor than a saxophone is a horn:-)

Yes dear. Now re-examine the context and stop being silly.

"Laurence Payne" lpayne1NOSPAM@dslDOTpipexDOTcom wrote in message
...
On Thu, 14 Sep 2006 15:30:03 +0300, "Iain Churches"
wrote:

Jim. A "cor" is the name commnonly used by musicians to
denote a French horn, (the instrument first developed in France
from the "cor de chasse") and marked "cor" on most symphonic
full scores.

I don't think anyone on this planet could fail to discern
between a French horn and an oboe:-)

Whereas "tell an oboe from a cor" clearly implies a cor anglais. Don't
be silly.



Laurence.
Jim's post was brought to my attention by a French horn player in
a major symphony orchestra, a member of the music group to which
I belong. He did not think that accurately differentiating between the
two was "silly". Neither do I.

A cor Anglais is no more a cor than a saxophone is a horn:-)

Yes dear. Now re-examine the context and stop being silly.


Laurence. Lighten up a little. Did you not see the smiley
which ended both my posts? If the lines written by Jim were
from anyone else, they would have probably passed un-noticed.
But Jim is renowned for his accuracy in writing, and expects
the same from others.

One more thing. Please do not call me "dear", unless of course
you are a female in your mid 30s, tall, blonde, beautiful and
musically gifted:-)

Regards
Iain

In article , Iain Churches
wrote:

"Jim Lesurf" wrote in message
...


[2] Who also moved on from valves to SS in due course and despite
being a keen musician tended then to be puzzled by the ongoing
arguments about valve amps. I can't recall him ever complaining that
without valves he couldn't tell an oboe from a cor any more...


Jim. A "cor" is the name commnonly used by musicians to denote a
French horn, (the instrument first developed in France from the "cor de
chasse") and marked "cor" on most symphonic full scores.

Happy to accept what you say. That doesn't seem the usual practice in the
small collection of pocket scores I have, but I'd appreciate that full
professional scores may well be very different. Indeed, when I looked
just now in one of my old books on score reading, etc, some of the
examples show 'cor' for the horns, although others do not.

I just typed cor to be brief in what was an aside. Afraid I'd long
forgotten this practice. Probably never had any idea it was common.

I'd be surprised if anyone genuinely misunderstood my meaning, given the
context, but apologies if anyone was.

I don't think anyone on this planet could fail to discern between a
French horn and an oboe:-)

I think I'd agree. Particulary if they use full scores. :-)

Slainte,

Jim

--
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Audio Misc http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/AudioMisc/index.html
Armstrong Audio http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/Audio/armstrong.html
Barbirolli Soc. http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/JBSoc/JBSoc.html

Jim Lesurf wrote:
In article , Iain Churches
wrote:

"Jim Lesurf" wrote in message
...


[2] Who also moved on from valves to SS in due course and despite
being a keen musician tended then to be puzzled by the ongoing
arguments about valve amps. I can't recall him ever complaining that
without valves he couldn't tell an oboe from a cor any more...


Jim. A "cor" is the name commnonly used by musicians to denote a
French horn, (the instrument first developed in France from the "cor de
chasse") and marked "cor" on most symphonic full scores.

Happy to accept what you say. That doesn't seem the usual practice in the
small collection of pocket scores I have, but I'd appreciate that full
professional scores may well be very different. Indeed, when I looked
just now in one of my old books on score reading, etc, some of the
examples show 'cor' for the horns, although others do not.

I just typed cor to be brief in what was an aside. Afraid I'd long
forgotten this practice. Probably never had any idea it was common.

I'd be surprised if anyone genuinely misunderstood my meaning, given the
context, but apologies if anyone was.


James! You of all people must appreciate that accuracy is all and
context is nowt after the stern telling off* you gave me recently :-)

Rob

*watts, hours, joules per second per hour per day and so forth. A friend
(a proper scientist no less, although a polymer scientist) recently in
conversation, happened to say 'watts per hour', and I politely but
firmly corrected him. 'Pedant, you know what I mean', was what I got
back - the look on his face when I explained that one academic, and
another know-all, would actually die before understanding the meaning :-)