I had a dream about a man who introduced himself as Bruckner but wasn't. We had a conversation about the mantis in Ancient Greece. Then I told him that his music is a tragedy. He made such a face and said "How did they raise you???"

I cannot understand how anyone who is deeply into classical music doesn't like Brahms.

I feel like the case against bolero could be entirely summed up by the fact that even ravel was confused by its popularity

@lucasstafford2160

8 ай бұрын

Bolero isn't really a good piece; it wasn't supposed to be. But the orchestration in it is utterly masterful. Listening to the whole thing for fun is not something I do, but the first couple minutes or so are quite enjoyable for sure

@joacomartinezt4084

7 ай бұрын

As someone who actually doesn't know anything about music, I do like the beggining of Bolero a lot, maybe is because I don't know anyhting about music, but I like it jaja

@strqrt70

6 ай бұрын

@@joacomartinezt4084If you like the beginning, you’d like the whole thing. Nothing happens, musically anyways. It just gets louder. It’s all in the orchestration.

I love the bolero I just don't know why :')

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

Many do! A few don't... no shame!

At first, I was quite shocked when you put Monti's Czardas at the beginning video. Then, I got calm and watch the rest of the video. Possibly I need more time to feel the melodies of the pieces included in this video because many of them are quite new for me. However, I think Beethoven's Polonaise is quite something like his sonatas rather than standard polonaises. I think about Chopin's polonaises and my mind is like "Ok, Beethoven's work can be a polonaise, but not exactly a polonaise I have known."

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

That may be so, but I think the styles are quite incongruous. Its crime is simply being aggressively competent. I'd far prefer "bad" music to well composed soulless drivelling!

@filoue2583

9 ай бұрын

​@@RachManJohnthe first one you say that you would like to delete it from the human species and it's not that bad bad compare to other (you should check the piano version I find it better)

I saw the title and thought, oh no, I'm gonna have to argue with this guy. So, okay I actually agreed with you on the Barber, Tchaik, Powell, Cage and Berio. I loved the Beethoven, he is playing around, the Polonaise sounds like Beethoven, hilarious. Dvorak did a much better job with the 'spirituals'. When I was young in my germanic mood I listened to everything. I loved Enescu, the rhapsodies were so interesting with the crazy violin stuff at the end. Many years later I was waching the film Latcho Drom, about Roma music, and the section from Romania was violinists play crazy high up on the violin and the melodies and character that was in the Enescu. Bonus points for mentioning Scriabin. I have listened to the Beethoven about 5 times while typing, such a great piece, I wonder if he rattled it off the night before without even playing it.He got some Schubert going in the middle.. Maybe cuz it's played so well it sounds so good to me, don't know.

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

There's nothing to argue on! Just perspectives, perspectives, perspectives and more perspectives! Glad you seemed to have enjoyed :)

what a bad take on Brahms

I find a lot of the time personally I don't find myself hating music I can either "feel it" or I can't. Some composers I haven't and likely will never understand. Others take some time. Example: Sorabji. I went from hating every single piece to, i'd go as far as to say "loving", SOME of his works over time. Other modern composers I just can't work out. Some composers make a pleasant sound but don't "strike" in the same way as others if I'm making any sense at all. Just my own experience. Something like TLA I'd put as something I don't really "Feel" because I don't really know what it's trying to say, whereas Beethoven's polonaise is "pleasant" in my mind but not particularly emotional. TLDR: I'm weird but don't entirely disagree.

@Barichter74318

9 ай бұрын

Thats very understandable. I agree on the most part

have you ever considered using less flowery, psuedo-intellectual language? I used to talk and write like this, and freeing myself from it was one of the best things I ever did.

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

I'm perfectly capable of colloquial speak. But it is how I think - it is a challenge for me to translate my thoughts into a more modern form. It is my personality, like it or not, and thus shall remain.

@mpsp2696

9 ай бұрын

Spare him. His flaw was that his parents read to him as a child. If only they had given him an ipad instead of their time!

@insight827

9 ай бұрын

@@mpsp2696 I've been reading all my life, and I understood everything he said perfectly; It just wasn't well put. It was eloquence for the sake of eloquence, and it obscures the meaning of the words. I would recommend reading "politics and the English language" by George Orwell, an essay which is basically a critique of this manner of speaking.

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

@@flexiblepaper7389 how I speak is how I think. It is neither forced nor contrived. If you do not like it, you will not like me, and I am okay with that!

@GlaceonStudios

8 ай бұрын

Maybe don't judge the way people think, please.

this is quite comedic

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

I disagree with many of the opinions you made in this video, but I couldn’t help but admire your honesty and openness while watching, and I couldn’t help but enjoy it.

Dissapointing attitude, though I also remember some puzzlement and frustration with modernist music, I remember already quite early understanding that whilst I do not understand it yet, I will at some point - and will enjoy it. My prediction came true. We absolutely agree on stuff like Czardas or the Hungarian Rhapsody however. We have a classical music station in my country and the most commonly played tracks are such pieces: happy, active, popular tunes which are totally substanceless. Honestly I prefer even obnoxious pop music of today to the completely inane and empty classical pieces written to get a good "humph, bravo" from aristocrats of the 18-19 century. Horrible. Atonal and experimental music couldn't have come soon enough. And yet, odd, Lark Ascending is wonderful and I will definitely defend it in between defending Boulez, Cage, Berio et al.

@pookz3067

9 ай бұрын

Good man! I agree with much of what you say and hope his attitudes will change about some of these pieces as he ages.

@Whatismusic123

8 ай бұрын

You were indoctrinated young

Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5 is a mixture of a portion of a Csárdás entitled "Bártfai Emlék," or "Remembrance of Bártfa" by Kéler Béla (surname first in Hungarian, though he was actually born Albert Paul Keler) and a tune called "Uccu Bizony Megérett a Káka" ("Come, the Rush is Well Ripened"). Recordings of both may be found on KZread.

"Preserve me, oh lord, from the fury of Cage lovers." 😂

Shostakovich waltz no. 2 That piece in the video titled "Chopin spring waltz"

Your explanation of Luciano Bario, and by extension the modernist classical repertoire, is on point.

Hey RMJ!!!! Am so intrigued to see your hated-list and your commentary as always!!! "Preserve me, oh Lord, from the fury of the Cage lovers"!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🎹🎵🙂🙂🙂🤗🤗

What are your opinions on the two Ravel piano concertos? I'm interested to hear your opinion since they were written after Bolero

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

"In G" is pretty good, but too light-hearted for my tastes. Left Hand is a masterpiece.

dollar store ginastera is such a good description of that barber hahaha

na hungarian dance no.5. That is a beutiful peace with such musical contrast. I cannot agree with that.

Very interesting that I remember Samuel Barber actually admired Brahms a lot, so maybe it's not a coincidence that you don't like either of them?

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

Not really! Plenty of composers I love share musical DNA with those that I am less fond of. The presentation is what counts!

nice video. what are your thoughts on ravel's compositions as a whole?

In the last case (Ravel's Bolero) I think you don't like it because maybe you don't understand the concept. The bolero is a Spanish dance from XVIII century. It may be the melody itself that you don't like, but it is very beautiful, I recommend you reconsider listening to it one more time and look for a version that you like.

I like your term "Postmodern Church of the Eternal Revolution". If you don't mind, I shall use that from now on.

I actually agree with your sentiment on the Berio, as a contemporary composer. Too often have I seen composers get stuck inside their own heads, trying to be “new” just to say they had done something original-and completely forgetting that music can carry emotion. I’ve been kind of nervous about voicing this opinion at my college/conservatory which seems to very much enjoy that type of music.

What do you think of River Flows in You and Einaudi?

What did you mean by "the voicing and registrial configuration of chords" and what did you mean when you said that they are they are the greatest litmus test of piano composition?(just curious btw)

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

Ah, I suppose it's how bound a composer is to pushing the audience into strong emotions. A good balance of tense chord voicings and relaxed leading makes for an excellent dramatic device. But some composers simply plow through with the same kind of chords, which comes off as mediocrity.

@poorpianism2482

9 ай бұрын

@@RachManJohn ty for the reply

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

@@poorpianism2482 the pleasure is mine

This is truly hideous 😂

"acceptably humiliating" i felt this on my way to work

The Samuel Barber Piano Concerto Finale just doesn't pop like the toccata from Ginastera's 1st piano concerto. Also, 4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence is still better than the noise John Cage named his 5th sonata!

sonata and interludes is one of my favorite john cage sets haha

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

I can understand why, but under my knowledge of music it cannot touch me! No shame, no shame!

A 6/10 hitrate. I think the specific Sequenza you opted to display here was a poor choice; even the little excerpt you chose to put here is full of vibrant colour, explosive nervous energy, and is frankly quite stirring. Surely with low-hanging fruit like Boulez's Second Sonata or a good third of Stockhausen laying around, you could find better with which to make the same point? Berio deserves no flak here.

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

The phenomenon is known as steelmanning - I take the strongest opponent and thereby make my point for all lesser cousins. It is a better piece than most, although I am still quite uninterested in it. But on the other hand, I dislike it precisely BECAUSE something is there, whilst for Boulez it is just noise.

it was good except for the last one, bolero is peak

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

Sorry... I respect your opinion but do not understand it!

No offense but i literally smelt snobism through screen, even though i agree on some points, but sometimes what i read was absolute bulls**t. Pardon me my language

@arnhayountercay6515

9 ай бұрын

I agree... how can you dislike Brahms? Or Tchakiovsky? And the display of conversations from his discord made me cringe; who would openly discuss the merits of a composition in this way? It is inherently disrespectful to any composer - regardless if they are alive or not.

@na-kun2136

9 ай бұрын

@@arnhayountercay6515 i dislike brahms

@mallorii86110

7 ай бұрын

Yeah it felt like he picked up a thesaurus. I am not a musician but I am a writer. Overbearing and made me feel heavy. Too verbose... Give it a rest.

I truly hope The Lark Ascending is not amoung these. It is the antithesis of the Barber piano 🎹 concerto

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

You are wrong. :D

Nah Fr though when was the last time u thought about ultimation???

Are u literate in WAP?(Wet Apricot Pears)

Now it's my turn to display unfair opinions : I absolutely despise Dvorak's World symphony, and same for his Dumky Trio.

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

Nope. Not unfair at all. I concur

@angreagach

9 ай бұрын

I agree about the New World symphony, but not the Dumky Trio.

I agree that most of these pieces are pretty meh, though I actually vibe with the first one... Except what is all this brahms slander? Brahms wrote a lot of absolute top teir music and while Hungarian dance no. 5 isn't exactly my favourite piece I definitely vibe with it and listen to them every now and again

Discord link expired 😢

@RachManJohn

8 ай бұрын

We had to go private due to a raid, I'm afraid!

@SisselOnline

8 ай бұрын

@@RachManJohn sad...

Try listening to Eugene Ysaye playing the Hungarian dance no. 5. I guarantee it will make you feel better about the composition

@ladymacbethofmtensk896

9 ай бұрын

Or look up the original Bela Keler csardas.

How can you hate that poor old Czsardas?! Granted gypsy music has been done much better elsewhere (and no one can beat Taraf de Haidouks) but it is a harmless salon piece!

@iianneill6013

9 ай бұрын

I am on your side with Brahms' Hungarian Dances. They give me indigestion.

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

Because it hurts my ears and laughs about it. Such malicious music!

No words…

OH GOD….IM DYING. UNLESS………………………………..I GET UR CREDIT CARD/SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER

Brahms wasn't the author of "Hungarian dance no. 5". The author is someone named Bela.

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

Well, he sucks too.

@The_Guy_Who_Asked_06

9 ай бұрын

​@@RachManJohnPFFFFFT LMAO

@ladymacbethofmtensk896

9 ай бұрын

Keler.

@angreagach

7 ай бұрын

As I mentioned in another comment, it's a mixture of a portion of a Csárdás entitled "Bártfai Emlék," or "Remembrance of Bártfa" by Kéler Béla (surname first in Hungarian, though he was actually born Albert Paul Keler) and a tune called "Uccu Bizony Megérett a Káka" ("Come, the Rush is Well Ripened"). Recordings of both may be found on KZread.

@ladymacbethofmtensk896

7 ай бұрын

@@angreagach Another fan of the great Imperial dance composers not called Strauss! Karel Komzák is my favourite.

What a strange creature you are... Most of these are beautiful

The last one is the best song I’ve ever heard Fr Fr

I expect a 50 minute video essay explaining your distaste of Hindemith. I dare you.

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

120 minutes take it or leave it

I hid and it found me anyway. Ending commentary was magnificent, though I am sure listening to Cage made me lose I.Q. points.

I friggin love Czardas, and if you have to delete it from the collective human consciousness, you'll have to take me with it. dang, and Hungarians Dances, my word.

@RachManJohn

8 ай бұрын

Your continuum means nothing to me in exchange for the annihilation of Czardas, prepare for reality eviction.

@toriiavic9367

7 ай бұрын

​@@RachManJohnСК котят к4 когда ссс уучлал какой СС ассамблеи с мааньссать аска кка4 к как КАпёс перинатальный к аксака какой к акк какой к кккс к кккк акка кв кааак км аакас КА сс кс😊сассса😊самая аск5 если м анкеты на😊😊мм если не не есть😊😊

pianist toes🤤🤤🤤

Have you heard Ryuichi's Bolerish? It's waaay better than the original Bolero.

Bolero feels like a theme and variations without variations, so it's just... Theme. (and, like, one variation)

finally someone that doesn’t really like bolero. i love ravel, hes actually one of my favorite composers but bolero never really spoke to me, never got the appeal! just isn’t for me i suppose. Same with the lark ascending, isn’t for me

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

Way to go! Glad you enjoyed.

@abbasilly

9 ай бұрын

@@RachManJohneven though i don’t agree on some it’s a good video, people get so pressed when people dislike music tgey like 😭😭😭

interesting 😶

ARE U THE CURR??????

For me, the pieces that I hate is pretty much anything from the classical era. I just could never get behind it

@neo9560

9 ай бұрын

And me anything that’s not from the classical era is disappointing and completely un enjoyable no art just trash

I love Ravel. His small output of chamber music is outstanding in most respects. Bolero? If I hear it once a decade I guess I can live with it. Philip Glass, however, is pure evil. Every note he’s ever composed is nauseating, amateurish garbage. Please, Philip. Take your music to the grave with you.

Huh, I can see why someone wouldn’t like Bolero, but I absolutely lovvve it

ye i dislike them too ngl switch that shit up

JOHN PLEASE IM BEING HELD HOSTAGE, AND THEY WANT FEET PICS FROM YOU. PLEASE IT URGENT🤥🤥🤥🤥🤥

Ravel's Bolero is nothng but braindead techno 100 years early.

Do you still view Ervin Nyiregyhazi as the best recorded pianist? If so why, and what do you think of his Vallée d'Obermann?

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

1. absolutely, since the 1 recording we have of Anton Rubinstein isn't enough to judge by. 2. His Vallee is incredible, but only the middle of the pack for me! Only as he reaches even greater heights in other, lesser known performances...

I like the premise of the video but TLA is a good piece man

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

Syrupy, overblown, nauseating. Sorry, I don't see it!

@yush4673

9 ай бұрын

@@RachManJohn I understand your criticisms but I enjoy it for a more emotional reason as it was a piece I used to listen to during a dark place in my life.

JOHN🥹

Also, anti-Natalism is a compassionate antidote to the suffering inherent to human existence.

@RachManJohn

2 ай бұрын

Compassion is a term made up by Big Sad to sell more tears

"But it's just gross to me, decadent and pointing towards a world that is merely a degeneration of nobler times." or tell me you're a quasi-fascist without telling me you are a quasi-fascist

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

Why am I not a full fascist?

I hope some historian drudges this video up 500 years from now. I hate it.

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

Just as Beethoven's worst piece shall be remembered, so shall my least valuable work!

I really hope this is for the sake of discourse and not a representation of your honest opinions.

Hungarian dance no. 5 isn't even Brahms, bro stole it from Kéler and got away with it

@RachManJohn

4 күн бұрын

He should return it, the melody sucks

You are unbearable

@RachManJohn

9 ай бұрын

Correct - you could never make me become a bear!

This may not be completely related, but one composer that I absolutely hate is Brahms. His music is just so academic and detached that it doesn't draw me in at all. I find that oh-so "beautiful" melody from his 3rd Symphony repulsive, in a sense.

@pookz3067

9 ай бұрын

I think because academic work (in all fields of arts and sciences) is ultimately a human activity, one can very often find very tender and sublimely beautiful human aspects in any seemingly academic or detached work. I feel as though I have felt the repulsion you speak of and have often found fruit in fully observing and understanding the nature of my repulsion, usually leading me to find a kind of beauty in what once repulsed me. Of course this has its limits…

John Cage is a GTA parody Also bolero wasn't ever meant to be some incredible masterpiece, it was literally just an exercise