Pianophilia

I do not want to enter any discussion, but honestly I am sick of reading these kind of comments about composers, and it's time I let someone know what I think.
Sincerely, I had my initial struggles with Sorabji music as well. But then, I had it with lots of composers, and I could always find someone who tought they were geniuses and someone who said they were banal composers. If we want, we can discuss Stockhausen alien music, Finissy endless notes echoing aimlessly across the piano, or even Boulez tasteless sonatas.
With that being said, Sorabji stands above all those I mentioned because no matter how long and crazy difficult his pieces are, I can always find a taste of something and a purpose for most of his pieces. I could actually spend some time to learn any of his transcendental studies while I wouldn't spend a minute learning a piece from a serialist composer.
Finally, what came to my mind, was that everyone has their preferences and although it can be hard to understand, there's place for every composer in music. When it comes to art, if you say things like ...is better than... or ...more complex than... you are really missing the point. If you do not like it, do not hear it.

Dani_area_51 wrote:I do not want to enter any discussion, but honestly I am sick of reading these kind of comments about composers, and it's time I let someone know what I think.
Sincerely, I had my initial struggles with Sorabji music as well. But then, I had it with lots of composers, and I could always find someone who tought they were geniuses and someone who said they were banal composers. If we want, we can discuss Stockhausen alien music, Finissy endless notes echoing aimlessly across the piano, or even Boulez tasteless sonatas.
With that being said, Sorabji stands above all those I mentioned because no matter how long and crazy difficult his pieces are, I can always find a taste of something and a purpose for most of his pieces. I could actually spend some time to learn any of his transcendental studies while I wouldn't spend a minute learning a piece from a serialist composer.
Finally, what came to my mind, was that everyone has their preferences and although it can be hard to understand, there's place for every composer in music. When it comes to art, if you say things like ...is better than... or ...more complex than... you are really missing the point. If you do not like it, do not hear it.

I think Sorabji would have read many of the previous comments and attacks on him and dismissed them all as "Opusculum stolidorum" he might even have a point.
regards
Brian

As this is essentially a discussion forum, to my mind it seems
reasonable to debate composers, and what members' views are
on their respective merits.

Often such chat leads to unexpected places and results in new
things being learned (e.g. I didn't know about Starer previously).

Sorabji himself was a maverick, and therefore I doubt if he'd
have belonged to Pianophilia, given the choice. He'd have been
too busy composing his amazing works!

Of course, Timtin. You're right in your words, and we are having a very confortable and civilized debate. I was talking about all the debates around Sorabji in general, and mainly discussions who revolve around if composer A is better than composer B. It is reasonable to share your visions and thoughts about the subject, but it is not reasonable to state some judgement about it because that's merely your opinion. Now, I am not talking of anyone in particular, and I was thinking more of discussions I've also seen in Pianostreet or Youtube.
Like I've said in my previous comment, it makes no sense to me when people say things like "How does anyone enjoy Sorabji weird-and-extremely-long music? How does anyone crave those sounds of despair?" Yeah, I've also been there, but apparently there's a taste for everything and the same way I hate serialism and certain forms of avant-garde music, I am sure others hate Bach, Liszt or Mozart. ( Of course, most of them are pretentious snobs.)

Bach, Liszt or Mozart??

Don't doubt it! They're out there. I know them

I'm not even sure whether or not I'm a member of Pianostreet!
Regarding Sorabji, I'm rather hoping that Alistair will revisit the thread he started,
and give us a few new insights about the composer he knew so well in later life.

Hey guys, Sorabji has many, many smaller works. He didn't just write Mount Everest and then go home.