# Status Report



## nefigah (Aug 23, 2008)

The classical newbie is in a major Beethoven phase!

I came to classical through the Baroque (I suppose technically through the Renaissance, though I didn't much care for it), passed over Mozart and Haydn (I promise I'll get back to you!), and after a bit of jumping around (Brahms, you're awesome, we shall meet again... you too Mahler! And Bruckner, I'll understand you someday, I promise) I've landed on Beethoven of late. I'm sure that's the classical equivalent of being "trendy," especially given my special obsession with the 9th (particularly the first 3 movements). 

Did you have a Beethoven period? Did you get sick of him as a result? (I hope not...!) 


P.S. I shouldn't imply he is all I listen to right now; it just seems like most of the time when I reach for the headphones, I'm in a Beethoven mood. Being new, however, I still haven't even gotten around to listening to all of his symphonies, to say nothing of his entire repertory.


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## PostMinimalist (May 14, 2008)

I went through a serious Beethoven phase while at the RAM and as a result ended up practically memorising the bass parts for all the symphonies! I was a bit of a freak show on the student orchestra scene in London in the late eighties where I would be asked to play from say bar 244 or the 4th movement of the 3rd symphony and I would know it! This actually worked out well in an audition I did after playing a passage from the seventh without turning the page. The panel was suitably impressed and I got the position. I can't do it now though (probably Altzheimers setting in!  ) but I didn't go off B as a result and still listen to a fair amount. THe page turning thing happened once before. I was playing in my first concert with the BBCSSO sharing a desk with Adolf Mink who knew all the Strauss by heart! We played the first two pages of Don Juan and when the conductor said once again da capo I reached out to turn back the page. At that point Adolf placed his bow firmly on the page and whispered, 'now this time from memory!' I was amazed that I remembered all all the difficult passages but I couldn't recall if there were six bars rest or seven, or if the easy pizz was on the third or fourth beat! In other words all the easy bits were taken for granted and the 'excerpts' which we learn at college are all out of realistic context. This sparked off my craze for learning the complete part, rests and everything!
FC


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## Rondo (Jul 11, 2007)

The very first classical recording I owned was a cassette tape with various selections of Beethoven's work, including _Egmont_ Overture, Symphony No. 6: V, Symphony No. 9: II, Polonaise in C, and a couple of others I can't remember. Those pieces set the standard for my taste and preferences in classical music. Then, over time, Beethoven became a gateway to others such as Bach, Brahms, Berlioz and eventually Mahler and Shostakovich. Given the fact Ludwig's music spanned over 2 periods, he is a great start--eventually leading you to other more contemporary composers.


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## Yagan Kiely (Feb 6, 2008)

> to say nothing of his entire repertory.


Bah, nothing much there. But his famous works are certainly famous for a reason.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I am currently enjoying my Beethoven period which began around 1970. I did take a brief hiatus to binge on baroque, but always come back to Beethoven.

I'm always pushing these great Beethoven lectures by Andras Schiff, but they really are remarkable and they've increased my appreciation of the master even more:
http://music.guardian.co.uk/classical/page/0,,1943867,00.html

Don't worry, though. I still listen to almost everything from Renaissance all the way through the 21st century, whatever period we're in now - and also many so called non-classical genre's, folk, rock, and jazz.


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