# the Classical government



## clara s (Jan 6, 2014)

A light touch of politics...

what would be your government of classical music?

names of composers, conductors, musicians, singers are aaaaaall welcome


so

Prime Minister:
Vice President of Government:
Minister of State (Foreign Policy):
Minister of Internal Affairs:
Minister of Culture:
Minister of Defence:
Minister of Health:
Minister of Development:
Minister of Natural Environment:
Minister of Sports:
Minister of Education:


ps

1. please have in mind that your proposals will show elements
not of your political views, but definitely your views regarding 
some extra abilities of your favourite composers/musicians

2. let's put a suggested minimum quota for women about 30%? huh?


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Prime Minister: Joseph Haydn - Someone level headed, kind, and diplomatic
Vice President of Government: Edvard Grieg - Someone similar in quality to the Prime Minister, but can stay more in the background
Minister of State (Foreign Policy): Bela Bartok - Someone who understands the importance of other cultures and peoples
Minister of Internal Affairs: Richard Strauss - Someone level headed and practical. Good at managing.
Minister of Culture: Richard Wagner - Someone who understands the importance of their own culture
Minister of Defence: Rimsky-Korsokov - Someone with military experience
Minister of Health: Elliot Carter - He lived until 103, must be doing something right 
Minister of Development: Stockhausen - Forward thinking, interested in the latest technology, and a very big, ambitious thinker
Minister of Natural Environment: John Cage - Someone passionate about nature and has experience with it in their former day job.
Minister of Sports: Igor Stravisky - Someone competitive and not afraid to be an A-hole.
Minister of Education: Alexsander Borodin - As a Chemist, I'm assuming him to be one who would care a great deal about education.


Sorry about not following the 30% woman thing. I don't know enough about the personalities of the few women composers we have to choose from to do that.


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

Would it be cheating to name Frederick the Great as Minister of Defense? He did compose a lot of music.
Charles Ives would be in there somewhere. Insurance guy, probably put him in charge of the budget.
Gesualdo would do some special forces dirty work.

Also, Violadude, you rate Grieg and Haydn as similar in quality as composers?


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

GreenMamba said:


> Would it be cheating to name Frederick the Great as Minister of Defense? He did compose a lot of music.
> Charles Ives would be in there somewhere. Insurance guy, probably put him in charge of the budget.
> Gesualdo would do some special forces dirty work.
> 
> Also, Violadude, you rate Grieg and Haydn as similar in quality as composers?


No, not as composers. But I think their personalities strike me both as fairly congenial.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Prime Minister (President): Bach. Solid, sound, unwavering. Everybody listens to him.
Vice President: Haydn, he's kind of like Biden, isn't he? Everybody likes Joe.
Minister of State (Foreign Policy): Prokofiev, cosmopolitan. Active and successful in several countries.
Minister of Internal Affairs: Stumped for this one.
Minister of Culture: John C. Adams (that's "Kulture," he's from California).
Minister of Defense: Beethoven, always ready to attack. He'll scare everybody into submission.
Minister of Health: Tchaikovsky, he'll warn everybody about unboiled water.
Minister of Development: Mosolov, fan of factories (e.g., Iron Foundry).
Minister of Natural Environment: Beethoven as a second portfolio, don't need to say why.
Minister of Sports: Chapela, composer of works describing soccer matches.
Minister of Education: François-Joseph Fétis, who ran the Paris Conservatory for many years. Berlioz despised him, but so what. Or if he turns it down, Albrechtsberger, who taught Beethoven and others. Yes, he wrote Jew's Harp Concertos, but after all these years that can be forgiven.

Sorry, no women.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Minister Emeritus (honorary position) of US Public Classical Radio: Antonio Vivaldi.

For without Vivaldi, US Classical Music Radio would simply cease to exist.

Minister of US Health, Life and Property Insurance: Charles Ives:

"We have a special today on whole life, term and the Concord Sonata. What's it going to be?"


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Well I'm sure you weren't expecting _THIS_... 

Prime Minister: Glazunov (the man with the mostly excellent track record as well as the experience. _No contest_, except his own vote against himself :tiphat
Vice President of Government: Taneyev (who was director of Moscow Conservatory for a few years and teacher for many more)
Minister of State (Foreign Policy): Tchaikovsky (an ambassador for sure!)
Minister of Internal Affairs: Balakirev (since that's all he cared about ooooh!)
Minister of Culture: Arensky (would have made sure everyone worshiped Tchaikovsky, Lermontov and Pushkin)
Minister of Defence: Cui (the bark and bite!)
Minister of Health: Borodin (would serve to protect all people from mental illness)
Minister of Development: Mussorgsky (the experimenter)
Minister of Natural Environment: Liadov (who specializes in field trips... _long _ones...)
Minister of Sports: um.... Maybe Scriabin and Rachmaninoff can share this title, and thus demonstrate some good-spirited competition 
Minister of Education: Rimsky-Korsakov (the greatest composition teacher in the history of Russia of course)


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Language barriers would be non-existing, of course. And they´re all alive.

Prime Minister: Haitink - a highly experienced cosmopolitan, traits of Dutch efficiency, social responsibility and tolerance. 
Vice President of Government: Blomstedt. Ditto, but of the Swedish sort. 
 Minister of State (Foreign Policy): Barenboim. Very experienced negotiator, with a strong political energy as well.
Minister of Internal Affairs: Neeme Järvi. Gets things done, quickly. 
Minister of Culture: Nørgård. Extremely broad-minded and well-educated. 
Minister of Defence: Penderecki. Lifelong, historical experience and basic seriousness. 
Minister of Health: Anne-Sophie Mutter. Has experiences in the field and seems very health-conscious herself. 
Minister of Development: Ferneyhough. Probably a bit of a nerd concerning future prospects and technology too.
Minister of Natural Environment: Crumb. Some obvious ecological traits in his oeuvre. 
Minister of Sports: Rzewski. Seems democratically and morally qualified, will play down corruption and elitism. 
Minister of Education: Rattle. Broad-minded, organized, and engaged relations to the public.

Minister of equality between sexes: Gloria Coates. A bit of rebellious, American energy and anarchism needed here, I think.
Minister of transport: Philip Glass. Obviously interested in clockwork mechanisms etc.
Minister of religious institutions etc: Gubaidulina. For obvious reasons. Seems educated in many cultures too concerning spirituality.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

What's easier, for a man to learn to take into account the feelings and thoughts of women and thus represent women, or for a man to voluntarily give up his place so that a woman would just make the decisions-at-hand herself and he wouldn't have to change his opinion on anything?


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

hpowders said:


> Minister Emeritus (honorary position) of US Public Classical Radio: Antonio Vivaldi.
> 
> For without Vivaldi, US Classical Music Radio would simply cease to exist.


There's always Telemann.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Huilunsoittaja said:


> What's easier, for a man to learn to take into account the feelings and thoughts of women and thus represent women, or for a man to voluntarily give up his place so that a woman would just make the decisions-at-hand herself and he wouldn't have to change his opinion on anything?


I'd find it harder to give up my place; besides, a little learning is a good thing and not hard to do.


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## clara s (Jan 6, 2014)

Regarding the women percentage, have in mind that the list
could include not only composers, but in special cases musicians, conductors and singers.

Also, who talked about giving up a man's place for a woman? hahaha
the cabinet will be earned by a woman if she is wearthy of the title 

no favours


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## clara s (Jan 6, 2014)

GreenMamba said:


> Would it be cheating to name Frederick the Great as Minister of Defense? He did compose a lot of music.
> Charles Ives would be in there somewhere. Insurance guy, probably put him in charge of the budget.
> Gesualdo would do some special forces dirty work.
> 
> Also, Violadude, you rate Grieg and Haydn as similar in quality as composers?


Frederick the Great as Minister of Defense could be accepted

I suppose "The Hohenfriedberger Marsch" would play all over the Ministry every day

oh, I forgot Ministry of Finance, but who cares about matter?


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## clara s (Jan 6, 2014)

Huilunsoittaja said:


> Well I'm sure you weren't expecting _THIS_...
> 
> Prime Minister: Glazunov (the man with the mostly excellent track record as well as the experience. _No contest_, except his own vote against himself :tiphat
> Vice President of Government: Taneyev (who was director of Moscow Conservatory for a few years and teacher for many more)
> ...


that was a pretty unpredictable list, coming from you hahaha

I have to think deeply why Prokofiev and Shostakovich are out of the cabinet


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## clara s (Jan 6, 2014)

joen_cph said:


> Language barriers would be non-existing, of course. And they´re all alive.
> 
> Prime Minister: Haitink - a highly experienced cosmopolitan, traits of Dutch efficiency, social responsibility and tolerance.
> Vice President of Government: Blomstedt. Ditto, but of the Swedish sort.
> ...


very interesting list

and you kept the 30% of the women

weeeeeell done


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

GreenMamba said:


> There's always Telemann.


Telemann just telecommunicated that he is not interested in the position.


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## clara s (Jan 6, 2014)

hpowders said:


> Telemann just telecommunicated that he is not interested in the position.


and of course there is always the question

"german or italian essence?"


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

clara s said:


> and of course there is always the question
> 
> "german or italian essence?"


Yes! Yes!

I seem to have left one government official out:

Hildegard of Bingen (NOT Hildegard of Brooklyn) should be Prime Minister in perpetuity.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

clara s said:


> that was a pretty unpredictable list, coming from you hahaha
> 
> I have to think deeply why Prokofiev and Shostakovich are out of the cabinet


Well I wanted to pick Russians who were closer in generation. Prokofiev and Shostakovich represent a whole other century. A Soviet cabinet would be a separate one!


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Prime Minister: "Pinky" Zukerman
Vice President of Government: Amanda Forsyth
Minister of State (Foreign Policy): "Godfather" Muti
Minister of Internal Affairs: Placido Domingo
Minister of Culture: Nigel Kennedy
Minister of Defence: Danny Barenboim
Minister of Health: Martha Argerich
Minister of Development: Nicola Benedetti
Minister of Natural Environment: Helene Grimaud
Minister of Sports: Evelyn Glennie
Minister of Education: Leo Slatkin


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## clara s (Jan 6, 2014)

hpowders said:


> Yes! Yes!
> 
> I seem to have left one government official out:
> 
> Hildegard of Bingen (NOT Hildegard of Brooklyn) should be Prime Minister in perpetuity.


P.M. in perpetuity in our government?

no way

elections every five years, and may the best win


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## clara s (Jan 6, 2014)

Vaneyes said:


> Prime Minister: "Pinky" Zukerman
> Vice President of Government: Amanda Forsyth
> Minister of State (Foreign Policy): "Godfather" Muti
> Minister of Internal Affairs: Placido Domingo
> ...


nice list but come on Vaneyes

P.M. and V. P. of government husband and wife?

we will be accused for nepotism by our opponents...


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

clara s said:


> P.M. in perpetuity in our government?
> 
> no way
> 
> elections every five years, and may the best win


 After being up all night thinking this over, I'm willing to do four year election cycles, not one year more!

Also I would make Pierre Boulez head of the Department of Taxation, since his works are so taxing to listen to.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

clara s said:


> nice list but come on Vaneyes
> 
> P.M. and V. P. of government husband and wife?
> 
> we will be accused for nepotism by our opponents...


It'll get even trickier when Hillary is elected US Prez.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Vaneyes said:


> It'll get even trickier when Hillary is elected US Prez.


Can't be worse that the hysteric Trump :devil:


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## kartikeys (Mar 16, 2013)

KenOC said:


> Prime Minister (President): Bach. Solid, sound, unwavering. Everybody listens to him.
> Vice President: Haydn, he's kind of like Biden, isn't he? Everybody likes Joe.
> Minister of State (Foreign Policy): Prokofiev, cosmopolitan. Active and successful in several countries.
> Minister of Internal Affairs: Stumped for this one.
> ...


Do not keep Mozart for Minister of Internal Affairs. 
You know why.


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## Gordontrek (Jun 22, 2012)

Prime Minister: Haydn. The kind of stuff he was responsible for every week at Esterhazy? A government would be easy beans.
Vice President: Karl Bohm. This high up, we need someone with a knowledge of law to help keep the PM's head on straight. Bohm was a doctor in law so who better?
Minister of State (foreign policy): Leonard Bernstein. The guy conducted all over the world, and was very much a musical ambassador. 
Minister of Internal Affairs: Sibelius. A lot of national pride and love for his country. 
Minister of Culture: Alban Berg. Seems pretty cultured, I guess...
Minister of Defence: Fritz Kreisler. Fought in World War I, where his musically-trained ear could detect airborne missiles, and he could tell you what they were and where they were going. 
Minister of Health: Alexander Borodin. Was a fairly well-known surgeon as well as composer.
Minister of Development: William Herschel. I know you might prefer someone more modern, but this guy was a prolific composer aside from his well-known astronomical exploits. Discovered two moons of Saturn, the planet Uranus, and two moons of Uranus. 
Minister of Natural Environment: Beethoven. All those stories about him taking walks and enjoying nature, why not?
Minister of Sports: Shostakovich. A big soccer (ok, futbol) fan, and was a certified referee.
Minister of Education: Nadia Boulanger. A lot of great musicians learned from her.


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## Rhombic (Oct 28, 2013)

Prime Minister: Boris Asafiev; certainly, a weird choice, but you might see how everything matches up later
Vice President of Government: Hanns Eisler; cosmopolitan, cultured and a good complement to Asafiev
Minister of State (Foreign Policy): Sergei Prokofiev; he was one of the best ambassadors for Russian music in the west
Minister of Internal Affairs: Nikolai Myaskovsky; concerned with developing music in his own style, no intention of experimenting with French formalism
Minister of Culture: Christopher Willibald Gluck; he knew his things
Minister of Defence: Erwin Schulhoff
Minister of Health: Aleksandr Borodin; had experience both in this field and in chemistry
Minister of Development: Iannis Xenakis; everyone should know why
Minister of Natural Environment: Sergei Lyapunov; literally no reason for tghis choice but he should be in the government
Minister of Sports: Enrique Granados
Minister of Education: shared by Anatoly Lyadov and Rimsky-Korsakov; this is not negotiable


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Vaneyes said:


> It'll get even trickier when Hillary is elected US Prez.


Even trickier running the USA from Federal Prison. Hopefully, her aides will have adjacent cells to help her run the government.


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## Abraham Lincoln (Oct 3, 2015)

Minister of Culture: Felix Mendelssohn

Self-explanitory.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Rhombic said:


> Prime Minister: Boris Asafiev; certainly, a weird choice, but you might see how everything matches up later




Not weird.... positively EVIL!!!








=









Boooo! Hissss!

I don't know where even to start with him, but, if you could imagine someone who did _more _harm to Glazunov's reputation than Stravinsky... and he went _farther _than Stravinsky in that he successfully ruined Rimsky-Korsakov's reputation too!  That was the 1920s USSR...


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

From another thread:

Minister of Incompetence: Alexander Borodin


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## Xenakiboy (May 8, 2016)

I think Stravinsky should manage the tourism sector, since he seemed to be friends with *everybody*


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## Xenakiboy (May 8, 2016)

Also, Babbitt can manage science
Zappa can manage education (because he had strong views on it)
Stockhausen can manage astronomy
And Xenakis can manage architecture/city design


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## kanishknishar (Aug 10, 2015)

President: A tricky one. No one has all the traits except one genius - Sir Simon Rattle.
Vice President of Government: He needs no one! 
Minister of State (Foreign Policy): Die Rassel
Minister of Internal Affairs: Lo asombroso Simon!
Minister of Culture: Il fantastico Rattlesnake!
Minister of Defence: The Rattler!
Minister of Health: Hans Majestet S. Rattle
Minister of Development: The Rattling Machine!
Minister of Natural Environment: Le magicien Rattle
Minister of Sports:A MOST DIFFICULT CHOICE! After much deliberation, I have selected: R-a--t---t----l-----e
Minister of Education: Creathanna
Emperor of the Universe: Our Revered Excellency, His Rattle.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Oh, and one to add:

Minister of Cows: Vaughan Williams


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Herrenvolk said:


> President: A tricky one. No one has all the traits except one genius - Sir Simon Rattle.
> Vice President of Government: He needs no one!
> Minister of State (Foreign Policy): Die Rassel
> Minister of Internal Affairs: Lo asombroso Simon!
> ...


My! What an autocracy! :lol:


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Oh, Minister of Hair: Gustavo. Who else could it be?


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## Abraham Lincoln (Oct 3, 2015)

Ruler of All and Harbringer of the Weirdpocalypse: Scriabin


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## Abraham Lincoln (Oct 3, 2015)

Post removed as it is potentially offensive.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Abraham Lincoln said:


> Post removed as it is potentially offensive.


No..........................get out that's not possible.


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