# How I became a Russian opera fan



## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

This is a bit autobiographic...

When I was 15 at secondary school, we had to make "special presentations" for the music courses and knowing a bit about Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky and Mussorgsky, I decided to make a one hour presentation about Russian music (finally it took 2 hours). I knew very little then...and I thought Glinka was an opera by Rimsky! Every students listened to The Spanish Capriccio, the Russlan and Ludmila overture and some Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky stuff. That was it. After, I started reading Pushkin and Gogol...and I discovered many Russian operas that I couldn't buy because in Argentina it was impossible. When I went to Russia for the very first time, I bought 75 long plays, mainly operas and Shostakovich symphonies...and the following year I returned to Russian and bought 70 more...My Russian operas collection begun. I could make every link between Russian literature and Russian opera, I was amazed to know that many Pushkin and Gogol works became operas...As an adult, I replaced 99% of my collection by CDs and DVDs and I'm still amazed by the enormous number of operas to still be discovered. I learned a lot reading and listening. Of course I'm not just limited to Russian music. I started learning Russian by my own about 4 years ago. I bought so many "interesting" books for it (grammar is soooo interesting). And I practice regularly with some Russian friends...

Maybe this is not interesting for you...some of you would suggest me to speak to a priest! I won't blame you. I've just wanted to share this with sensitive people like you. Thank you for reading this. If you think I am a freak, I won't blame you. LOL

Sincerely,

Martin


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## HerlockSholmes (Sep 4, 2011)

Cool.
[filler text]


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

Thank you.

Martin


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## samurai (Apr 22, 2011)

Martin, Good job. When I was that age I was lucky not to have been kicked out of school!


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

samurai said:


> Martin, Good job. When I was that age I was lucky not to have been kicked out of school!


I was average at school...I was average in everything except in Spanish literature, French and maths. I have always loved reading and analyzing stuff. I am a very analitical guy, big part of my background is in Maths.

No more for now.

Sincerely,

Martin


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## slowjazz (Aug 29, 2011)

this is very nice, myaskovsky. i'm also a russian opera and russian music in general fan. i see that you practice too. do you play piano or sing?


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

slowjazz said:


> this is very nice, myaskovsky. i'm also a russian opera and russian music in general fan. i see that you practice too. do you play piano or sing?


I wish I could. I studied piano when I was a kid, my father interrupted my courses saying it was a waste of time. I was 4. He accepted again when I was 12...Then I met my young-dodecaphonic teacher who introduced me to the Viennese trio: Berg-Scönberg-Webern. My studies were interrupted again...by my father, of course... When I was 13, I bought Lulu, excited I bought Wozzeck...from then I have never stopped liking this kind of music. 5 years ago, I started with Egon Wellesz and this year I started with Ernst Krenek...I think I sing pretty well (I'm not out of tune...LOL). My son is a musician, he says I suck...

My soul is more Russian than anything else...I'm passionate about Russian music


Martin


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

Thank you for sharing. This commands respect! Self-taught, self-discovery and very experienced in Russian opera.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> Thank you for sharing. This commands respect! Self-taught, self-discovery and very experienced in Russian opera.


I'm pretty sure you're the same! (not less or even more!) I'm just very curious, that's all. And when I like something...I persist...I am very stubborn. Some people perceive this as a fault, I think that could be a vertue. I have never given up something I have undertaken. Never a drop out.

But thank you *so much *for your very kind words indeed.

Best of lucks

Martin


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