# MG: What would you do if a composer is coming over for dinner? (Read Opening Post)



## Conrad2 (Jan 24, 2021)

Story Time: You are travelling on a road when you come across a shabby dressed man asking passersby for food. Feeling sorry for him, you went to a nearby food stand and order some food for him. After receiving the order, you cross the street and offered him food. He accepted and you started to walk away. Suddenly, you are heard a boom and a guest of wind came over you. It's the magic genie again! For your generosity *he gives you the power to meet any composer you want for dinner*. With that he vanished. Now, it's up to you. What do you do?

Clarification:
- Unlike the other post, *your wish is granted automatically and there's nothing you must do to get the wish*.
- You can choose *any composer you want from any period*.
- The *dinner setting* can be from the *past, present, or future* and *in any country, city, or a specific place *.
- *You can cook for him or take him out to a restaurant*. If you want to, please include the name of the restaurant and what you would order at that restaurant.
- *If you are cooking*, the genie gives you the power for all your food to be ready for dinner (*instant preparation and cooking time*) through magic.
- The genie granted you and the composer the gift of "emptiness" *where you can indulge yourself without having a stomachache*, and once the dinner is over, both of you don't feel hungry. 
- *You don't have to pay for anything* as you're using the genie "credit card". 
- The genie generously *allowed your experience to continue until the next day morning* which mean after dinner, you can take a walk with your composer, go to the club, engage in very deep talk, etc. It's up to you. 
- The *composer can speak and understand your native language*.

This post is _meant _to be an *enjoyable and creative exercise* where *you can meet the composer you want admire and break bread with him*. Be free and bold.


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## Conrad2 (Jan 24, 2021)

*I choose Bela Bartok* as I read that he enjoyed discovering new food, talk to his meal companions about food, and indulged in writing notes on what he eaten. Hopefully, my dinner plan would delight him, and my cooking is to his satisfaction. *Linked pictures* *are not exactly what I would be cooking*, *but just a visual* so you can know what I'm talking about.

*Setting*: My old apartment in Chiyoda, Tokyo; Early 2010s; Late summer to early autumn

*Plan*: *I will cook him a multi courses meal inspired by my experience in Japan and Kaiseki cuisine*.

The 1st course: *Raw egg on rice* and topped with soy sauce. My first dish when I arrived in Japan, a comfort food. 
The 2nd course: Hassun (Seasonal sample). This is not in order. 
-	*Sea grape* soaked overnight with sake, dashi, and soy sauce. For decoration I placed the delicate sea grape in a yuzu (Japanese citrus) shell. 
-	*Abalone *with rice which is steam together so the rice can absorb the ocean flavor and I add a zest of ponzu so the sourness can cut through the rich meat. 
-	*Daigaku imo* (Sweet Potato) that is deep fried then coated in honey and sprinkled with sesame seed. 
-	Plain roasted *unagi *(freshwater eel) and seasoned only with salt. Accommodated with a side of wasabi and light soy sauce. 
-	*Ankimo *(monkfish liver) topped with salmon roe over toasted sweet bread. 
-	Smoked *matsutake *(mushroom) with a squeeze of Sudachi (Japanese citrus) and with a side of wild rice. 
The 3rd course: *A selection of Sashimi* (Sea urchin, yellowtail, lean tuna, semi fatty tuna, fatty tuna, salmon, red rockfish, mackerel, red snapper, firefly squid, firefly squid, gizzard shad, sweet shrimp, and bonito) 
The 4th course: *Chawanmushi *(Japanese egg custard) where I will add ginger slices, shiitake mushrooms, ginkgo nuts, grilled unagi, and crab meat fragments. I will add a hint of beef consommé for favoring.
The 5th course: Smoked *salmon *then grilled, while having a hint of rawness at its core, and a light sprinkle of salt to top it creating a contrast between the crispy salty skin and soft smokey meat.
The 6th course: *Spiny lobster* grilled lightly over coal and then place onto a plate of pine needles with a squeeze of Ponzu. 
The 7th course: Grilled skewered *Ayus *(sweetfish) over charcoal. Hopefully, he would like the wavy pattern of the fish! 
The 8th course: *A selection of tempera* (tiger prawn, scallop, oyster, mackerel, maitake- Japanese mushroom, sweet pumpkin, tofu, baby corn, asparagus, and lotus root). The batter comes from a local supermarket and I will fry the temperas in safflower oil as it's neutral-flavored. 
The 9th course: *Tai-chazuke* (sea bream sashimi on rice which is poured over with tea). The sea bream is seasoned with sesame sauce. First, Bartok would eat the sashimi with the rice and then poured the tea over the rice. He would then wait for 30 seconds for the tea to cook the sashimi. 
The 10th course: *Wagyu *(Japanese beef) that is topped by a mousse made with apple and miso and is on a bed of smoked king oyster mushroom. 
The 11th course: *Soba *(noodle) simmered in miso soup broth and top with crispy matsutake shreds. 
The 12th course: *Ken's Café Chocolate Cake* serve three ways
Hot: heated in the oven for 10 minutes and add vanilla ice cream on its side as a lava cake 
Room Temperature: complement with fruits (mango, melon, and white strawberry!!!) 
Cold: complement with whip cream 
The 13th course: *A selection of* *Wagashi *with matcha, a close to perfect closing for our dinner.

*Music*: *I deferred to Bartok choice*. I _would show him how Tidal work_ and let him choose the music to which we are listening to. 
*What we discuss*: The food and music. I'm particularly interested in *his fusion of Eastern European culture into his work* and would like to hear his insight. I *would like to read his notes on the dinner*. 
*After the dinner*: We would probably *walk to the Imperial Palace Garden *which is close by and where we can continue our discussion.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

I would invite Monsieur Chopin, and tell him his Op.34 No.2 is his worst work.

"Stephen Heller, pianist and composer, tells of meeting Chopin in the store of a Paris music publisher. Heller had come in to order all the valses. Thereupon Chopin asked him which he liked best, and when Heller mentioned this sad one in slow time, Chopin exclaimed, "I am glad you like that one, for it also is my favorite," and he invited Heller to have luncheon with him."

and also tease him physically, like this:


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

I would have dinner with Handel. He ate like a pig/big portions, loved food and wine. We can talk a lot about composition, the art of skillful and tasteful improvisation, the art of composing vocal music (as opposed to pure instrumental music), the castrato, music practice, what constitutes good music and performance etc.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

I can't think of anything a composer could say to me in words that he hasn't expressed better in music.


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## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

If Ethel Smyth came to dinner, would have plenty to talk about because I have a fascination for the "suffrage" movement. Even studied a course on the subject


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## fluteman (Dec 7, 2015)

Conrad2 said:


> *I choose Bela Bartok* as I read that he enjoyed discovering new food, talk to his meal companions about food, and indulged in writing notes on what he eaten. Hopefully, my dinner plan would delight him, and my cooking is to his satisfaction. *Linked pictures* *are not exactly what I would be cooking*, *but just a visual* so you can know what I'm talking about.
> 
> *Setting*: My old apartment in Chiyoda, Tokyo; Early 2010s; Late summer to early autumn
> 
> ...


OK, I'm not a composer, much less a famous one, but I am coming over to your place for dinner.


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## Conrad2 (Jan 24, 2021)

fluteman said:


> OK, I'm not a composer, much less a famous one, but I am coming over to your place for dinner.


The magic genie seeing this, grant your request and give you the exclusive privilege of the TARDIS to make it in time for the dinner.







Remember to make it back to the TARDIS before the next day morning or you will be stuck in Tokyo!

Also, the genie *allow you* the ability *to bring another composer with you* for the dinner, if you wish. 
____________________________________________
Yep you are welcomed to come over to my old apartment for this dinner. I'm a novice at classical music so you are more suited than me to talk to Mr. Bartok about his music, while I can engage him on "foodie" topics. You can also help me out in the drink comportment, as I'm not that great with it as food. *If you're tagging a composer with you, I would like to know why*, so I can do some research about him before the dinner start. Looking forward to seeing you at the dinner.


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## fluteman (Dec 7, 2015)

Conrad2 said:


> The magic genie seeing this, grant your request and give you the exclusive privilege of the TARDIS to make it in time for the dinner.
> View attachment 151654
> 
> Remember to make it back to the TARDIS before the next day morning or you will be stuck in Tokyo!
> ...


Bartok works for me. My very first music assignment as a 6-year old piano student was Book 1 of Mikrokosmos. Much more recently, I've listened to all of the Bartok string quartets while treading on my treadmill or pedaling on my bicycle. I think Bartok was a very good choice, as he would have known how to discuss music with any intelligent companion regardless of musical training or background. However, he was a very private man and not the partying type. George Gershwin enjoyed being the life of the party, wowing the guests at the piano. Giacomo Rossini enjoyed fine food and was quite the wit. Leonard Bernstein, before age, health and personal problems took over, reportedly also was quite the party type.

If you can properly execute the dishes you describe, I suspect any of those composers would be delighted to visit you. I don't think they would be interested in me or my conversation. I will say I was a big Dr. Who fan in the era of Tom Baker.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

I'd choose Mussorgsky. We'd have a few pre-lunch drinks, then sort out some food, maybe .........


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## fluteman (Dec 7, 2015)

HenryPenfold said:


> I'd choose Mussorgsky. We'd have a few pre-lunch drinks, then sort out some food, maybe .........


He might have a few more drinks during lunch, and then a few more after. A sad alcoholic decline led to his death. But you are right, he was a fascinating character.


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## Axter (Jan 15, 2020)

I want Anton Bruckner to ease down a bit and will take him out for some cheeseburgers and afterwards will talk to him strictly non-music subjects, rather will fool around with stupid jokes, try to make the man laugh a bit.
Afterwards, when he is gone I will listen to his 7th symphony in all seriousness!


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## aussiebushman (Apr 21, 2018)

Have you read the wonderful anecdote about Antal Dorati inviting both Stravinsky and Rachmaninov to dinner? It was a disaster because neither wanted to speak to the other. But there was a sequel when one of them (I forget which) turned up on the doorstep of the other with a gift.

The Dorati memoir is worth reading for many other reasons. The title is "Notes of Seven Decades." Published in 1979
If I remember correctly (it is awhile since read it) one of Dorati's most famous statements was in response to the question "What can we do to improve this orchestra?" His response was "Go bankrupt and start again"


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