BS: You are a student of what things?

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 08 Nov 15 - 06:55 PM

That's exactly it, HiLo. My reactions are exactly the same. I've only seen Magic Flute the once (when you live in Cornwall it's hard), and I spent the whole performance with tears of joy running down my ugly bearded mush (the Queen Of The Night could hack it, which was a relief!). It's just perfect. It's stupid, it's trivial, the plot's completely ridiculous, it's entertaining on the basest level, it's so approachable, it's as daft as a brush, but it's the most sublime thing. Mozart was delighted that the Viennese were humming and whistling tunes from it. A few weeks later he was dead, aged 35. And they tell me there's a God!

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 08 Nov 15 - 10:01 AM

I have seen the Magic Flute four times, best was in New York a few years ago. Each time I hear it I think that Mozart was the greatest musician ever...then I listen to Bach and I think that he was the greatest. I never think of Beethoven in this context, he is in a realm of his own.

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 07 Nov 15 - 05:49 PM

"sorry, steve, i just cannot get going with classical music and i have tried a few times. it's the formality of it i think, and the showy-offy singing. i like a bit of surprise or ramshackleness"

Well the singing is something after forty years of loving classical is summat I still need to get me head around! I've been to a few Mozart operas and I'm off to see Carmen next week at the Hall For Cornwall in Truro. But mostly I love orchestral and chamber and instrumental music and I'm totally not interested in stuffy stuff. The classical music scene has changed considerably in the last couple of decades and it's lightened up a lot. There's a lot more of looking at what composers really intended rather than the authoritarian claptrap of guru conductors and critics who would have dissed a whole three-quarter hour's symphony just because the oboe played a duff note in bar 78 of the Adagio. I never let anyone tell me what was good, how it should be played or what I should or shouldn't like. The first music that got me hooked was a set of Schubert Impromptus for solo piano that I recorded on a terrible radio cassette in 1973 off the radio. Then I tuned in and heard a performance of Beethoven's seventh symphony. Then I spotted that Beethoven's seventh was to be performed by the Philharmonia under Riccardo Muti at the Festival Hall so we got tickets and I couldn't believe my ears. Then my mate lent me his records of Beethoven's late quartets. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Beethoven has been my only hero ever since. He was the archetypal hairy-arse, argumentative, untidy, supping far too much vino for his own good, fell out with everybody, then wrote the greatest music of all time when he was stone deaf. You can't get more bloody ramshackle than that. It brings a tear to me eye just typing this! Have another go, mate. Those guys were not snobs. They were writing the pop tunes of the day. There's a story about Mozart rolling home to his missus one day in 1791, over the moon because everybody in the Vienna streets was whistling tunes from the Magic Flute!

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 07 Nov 15 - 04:20 PM

I don't think study is necessarily work, achmelvich. Nor is work necessarily a bad thing. Confucius is often credited with the phrase "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life". I doubt it was him and I don't really know why yet, whoever it was, it is almost true. I say almost because you still have to work at the things you love, but it is not the kind of work we usually refer to.

Still, I am not one for homespun philosophy. Remembering instead the words of my favourite philosopher, Terry Pratchett. "Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life."

:D tG

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: GUEST,achmelvich
Date: 07 Nov 15 - 03:24 PM

'student' suggests a bit of work. sometimes, i suppose, i have to make an effort to get to a proper pub and drink good beer, but it's (nearly) always worth it.
music, especially live music. i can't imagine anything better than a sunny day at a music festival with friends and beer and a top roots/ accoustic gig. but it's not work . (sorry, steve, i just cannot get going with classical music and i have tried a few times. it's the formality of it i think, and the showy-offy singing. i like a bit of surprise or ramshackleness (a trot not a stalinist!))
i do like to study people - whether it's just watching people go by (preferably from a beer tent at a music festival on a sunny afternoon) or working with all sorts of people or by reading loads of novels.
i love walking/birdwatching and going to live football but can hardly claim to be a student, i rarely know which hills i am looking at or even the names of the trees or flowers, i just love the occasional moments of beauty.
as i get older i find myself getting more introspective - sadly studying myself, a bad habit that goes along with visits to the north of scotland or gloomily trudging in the lakes.
glasgow or edinburgh for a more lively time - i know a bit about them

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: GUEST,DrWord
Date: 07 Nov 15 - 10:25 AM

I agree, HiLo.
before reading this thread yesterday, I had been thinking of how some of the greatest experiences of my life, on a par with actual lived events, have been in the pages of fiction. Then Steve, with whom I seem to share several passions and interests, says he's never finished a novel! Other posters' sharing has been great, as HiLo said.
FWIW: lexicography, calligraphy, American Sign Language, labyrinths, fretted instruments, and music music music.
I'm with DMcG on the sports thing ~ my sentiments precisely! (sorry, Steve) I'm also blessed with great birdwatching territory, though that's more hobby than passion, likewise with stargazing. In the meantime…
keep on pickin'
dennis

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 07 Nov 15 - 09:15 AM

This is a lovely thread. I hope it lasts awhile. It is grand to hear from people whom you feel you had nothing in common with and often disagreed with, post here sharing the things about which they are passionate. Makes us all seem more human and perhaps, more understanding of each other. Anyway, thanks for starting this, very enjoyable.

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Nov 15 - 08:39 AM

Beer
Pickled eggs

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: Will Fly
Date: 06 Nov 15 - 02:43 PM

Music of ALL kinds, all styles and all periods: jazz, blues, traditional tunes, opera, funk, ragtime, rock'n roll, early country, early church music...

And instruments: blues harp, guitar, tenor guitar, mandolin, keyboards, bass guitar, Appalachian dulcimer, banjo (!), electric or acoustic...

And teaching guitar and tenor guitar - 400 videos on Youtube, many of them instructional...

Photography - first analog for 20+ years, then digital - combined with walking...

Websites...

Genealogy and local history...

Painting and drawing for many years, but nothing for 20 years..

And when all that gives me some spare time - there are the grandchildren!. Hurray!

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 06 Nov 15 - 02:41 PM

I've had moments when Mozart or Beethoven (especially those two), in certain performances, have cut through the murk of life and given me a transcendent glimpse of something beyond ordinary experience, sure enough. I get that most frequently from Beethoven's more intimate chamber and instrumental music, especially the late piano music and late quartets. With Mozart, his greatest symphonies and concertos have public/private moments when he seems to reveal his soul. Try the slow movement of the Concerto in A, K488, or the first movement of the concerto in B flat, K595, in which the surface cheerfulness is punctured by moments of loss and resignation and a failure of nerve. Shuddering if you know how to listen. And do call me Steve. I won't go all cuddly on you, I promise.

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: Donuel
Date: 06 Nov 15 - 01:53 PM

Hio I have been aware of your erudite grasp of history for over many years.

Shaw Have you ever had a Mozart moment of epiphany when a certain performance revealed a truth about music like distant touching?

Funnily enough and punkfolkrocker go hand in hand

It sounds like it would be fun to know DAVE THE gnome

All; some of your favorite student studies I am incapable of due to a revere wiring of dyslexia that does make reading an effort exercise, speaking requiring much practice and writing almost effortless.
ie.learning foreign languages is for me impposible to a large degree.

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 06 Nov 15 - 01:22 PM

Just watch a Liverpool match. Tsk.

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: DMcG
Date: 06 Nov 15 - 01:15 PM

If you expect a student to have some level of expertise in a topic, I'm not sure I'd claim anything. On the other hand if you mean having some degree of interest there's not a lot I'd exclude.


Except sport. Sorry, but for me it does not compute. I see nothing of interest, purpose or value in any of it. I know most people do, so I have tried to 'get it', but no, nothing.

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 06 Nov 15 - 12:39 PM

Archiesology....

I'm a seriously very besotted student of "The Archies "... 😜

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 06 Nov 15 - 12:29 PM

Did I really type archeology and not archaeology? I thought something didn't look right. I'm a bit of a student of such things, you know.

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 06 Nov 15 - 10:46 AM

approx 45 - 50 years keen student of popular culture and ladies private parts...

...apparently 30 years ago I was also an earnest mature student of politics, media, culture and ideology,
preparing to convert from completed first year of post grad diploma to an MA;
when protracted health and financial problems necessitated pressing the abort switch...

It was a case of turning my back on years of reading, research & thesis drafting,
and permanently shutting down higher intellectual functions,
or risk my mind completely imploding under external bleak pressures over which I felt I had no influence or control....

Funnily enough, even though I went a bit odder than usual for a few years,
I still helped 2 young lady friends pass their MAs during that dark interlude... 😕

The last book I managed to read all the way through was Robin Askwith's autobiography.....

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 06 Nov 15 - 10:33 AM

God yes, cooking!

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 06 Nov 15 - 10:32 AM

Medieval music
Bach
Mozart
Beethoven
Schumann
Tchaikovsky
Sibelius
Stravinsky
Ravel
Gershwin
Bernstein
Vaughan Williams
Everything else, paintings, statues, buildings, the lot
Archeology
Geology
Botany
Growing things
The almost boundless diversity, beauty and complexity of the living world
Evolution
Any science that hasn't got too-hard maths in it

I have some blind spots, among them Handel, Britten, Elgar, Copland (bloody awful), Bruckner, Berlioz, Chopin and jazz. And I've never willingly read a novel from end to end in my whole life. I find most of the poetry I read to be contrived and strained, though I have a soft spot for John Betjeman. I can see how good Shakespeare is but I dislike too much theatricality. And Tracy Emin and Damian Hirst can just get lost.

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 06 Nov 15 - 10:31 AM

God, how could I forget..gardening and cooking !

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 Nov 15 - 10:21 AM

...just noticed. After saying no particular order, it was nearly alphabetical. Not planned - Does that say something about me? :-)

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 Nov 15 - 10:15 AM

In no particular order -

Accordion
Anglo Concertina
Tai Chi
Grandparenting
Human nature
The Yorkshire Dales
UNIX

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 06 Nov 15 - 10:04 AM

geology
English language
birds

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 06 Nov 15 - 09:43 AM

That is a very interesting question. I did have to think about it quite a lot. However, here goes; I have been a student (and teacher) of History for most of my life, especially social history. My academic background is in Mediaeval History. I am also very interested in Illuminated manuscripts, and the art of the Middle ages.
I have always loved music of all kinds but I really love opera. I collect books that relate to social history, and church architecture.
I read voraciously and am a huge admirer of Thomas Hardy, Virginia Woolf and W.B. Yeats, among others.
    I love pop music and still listen to it, I am a huge fan of Kate Bush and Joni Mitchell. I love Folk and never miss a day of playing my favourite folk cds.
    I suppose I could go on, but these are my major passions , all of which I have loved and enjoyed for a long time.

Subject: RE: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: Donuel
Date: 06 Nov 15 - 08:28 AM

If you undertake a list of you studentships, I believe you will find that five minutes after you hit submit the urge to add some very important learned accomplishments that you originally and perhaps unconsciously censored. Interesting...

Subject: BS: You are a student of what things?
From: Donuel
Date: 06 Nov 15 - 08:17 AM

We all have been students and continue to be. We most likely share ongoing education in music and specifically folk music.
However in our lives we are students of many different things and disciplines. Some of these things may be in a professional capacity in which we are most invested and may create personal profit but may pale in contrast to another passionate ongoing interest of your own.
For a personal example;
14 years professional student of hypnotherapy, 25 years semi   professional student of the cello, 20 years student of fatherhood,
42 years student of cosmology, 50 years student of original art formats in painting and poetry. 8 years in various religious practices,, many years of being a student of Egyptology and archeological , geological interests.

Some of these studies were weaker than others but were fascinating at the time.


What are yours? I anticipate that folks like Rapaire (old avatar) could be interesting.