Classical Crushes

[Emil Miller]

[Some one more cruel than myself might suggest a fear of a woman who is less of a "delicate" submissive flower and more bold...assertive..."lusty" Seriously, two of my studio mates are Asian: one Chinese and the other Korean, and as a result I have spent a good deal of time around their wives, girlfriends, and sisters without ever noticing a greater or lesser "delicacy" than might be found in their Western/American counterparts. Indeed, in spite of the fact that these cultures are commonly thought of as still being quite patriarchal, the women were often the strongest personalities.

.......more bold...assertive..."lusty"? Are we talking Sarah Palin here?
Despite those orientals who have lived long in the US, or were born there, having adopted certain masculine characteristics, it's difficult to imagine an oriental equivalent of the Daughters of the Revolution or Annie Oakley.
I suppose it all comes down to whether you go for the grizzly bear hunting type or Madame Butterfly. It's simply a matter of personal preference.

[stlukesguild]

......more bold...assertive..."lusty"? Are we talking Sarah Palin here?

Oh please, Brian...

Sarah's all show. Ms Grizzly-bear with her off camera entourage of make-up specialists, hair stylists, and speech-writers? Somehow I imagine a real-life Carmen tearing her to shreds... and looking better doing it.

[Emil Miller]

[COLOR="As for Yuja Wang... I'm not one to dis another's romantic fantasies... but considering that the girl has only recorded two discs that I can find as of today, it would seem an incredible exaggeration to proclaim her the current greatest performer of the concerto repertoire. certainly she faces some formidable competition from Murray Perahia (who may be the reigning master of the piano) as well as Angela Hewwitt, Mitsuko Uchida, Krystian Zimerman, Leif Ove Andsnes, Martha Argerich, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Marc-André Hamelin (arguably the reining virtuoso), Alfred Brendel, and many more... although certainly she may be far more attractive that any of them.

Well naturally she doesn't have the gravitas of older more experienced performers and I doubt that she could match some of them in their specialist fields. As far as recordings go, she has only recently signed for Deutsche Gramophon and has yet to record a concerto, her two existing records being for solo piano. She has, however, performed concertos by Ravel, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Bartok and Brahms as well as the Rach/Pag variations during the current season. The YouTube performance of the Mendelssohn 1st is something that, in my view, wouldn't be bettered by any other pianist. She has stood in for both Argerich and Lupu when they were indisposed and is being hailed as a phenomenon practically everywhere she performs.

http://www.yujawang.com/

Having said that, I must admit that I don't go for the marketing aspect of her persona. It's all too reminiscent of those two most redundant examples of humanity,namely, footballers and pop singers.

After the waif like Ms Wang, I leave you with this thought:

[LitNetIsGreat]

Yukky yuk, what an awful woman in every way, she makes me sick. You should have posted a warning prior to that one!

It is not that I would turn down a hot, lusty night of (conversation?) with one of them there opera Valkyries you understand, I can certainly see the appeal dash it all (especially the Carmen I posted). However as long-term investments they just don't stand up to those Irish harpists/flute players, or indeed one of Brian's many oriental pianists/violinists ladies, for me anyway.

You'd wake up one day, half naked in some flush Parisian hotel with the mother of all champagne hangovers, in debt, hastily looking for your socks and wondering what the hell has just happened. In the bathroom would be a lipstick smeared message which would read "it's been nice, it's been hot" but then you are in the middle of Europe, sockless and left with nothing but those hot nights of "conversation". Is that what you want?

No. Much better to go fishing with the potential dad-in-law types or to hold in-depth conversations with Gandalf figures, and then to come home to a nice Irish lass who will read to you in that most beautiful, beautiful of accents before playing you a jig or something solemn on the harp or flute as you sit in your armchair looked after. Much better that methinks, oh yes.

[stlukesguild]

Yukky yuk, what an awful woman in every way, she makes me sick. You should have posted a warning prior to that one!

Indeed! What is truly scary is the number of people who honestly believe this woman is at all qualified to be president of the United States.

It is not that I would turn down a hot, lusty night of (conversation?) with one of them there opera Valkyries you understand, I can certainly see the appeal dash it all (especially the Carmen I posted). However as long-term investments they just don't stand up to those Irish harpists/flute players, or indeed one of Brian's many oriental pianists/violinists ladies, for me anyway.

You'd wake up one day, half naked in some flush Parisian hotel with the mother of all champagne hangovers, in debt, hastily looking for your socks and wondering what the hell has just happened. In the bathroom would be a lipstick smeared message which would read "it's been nice, it's been hot" but then you are in the middle of Europe, sockless and left with nothing but those hot nights of "conversation". Is that what you want?

I could probably live with that. It would surely be worth a try. Besides... just think of all the inspiration it would provide for you next novel/painting.

No. Much better to go fishing with the potential dad-in-law types or to hold in-depth conversations with Gandalf figures, and then to come home to a nice Irish lass who will read to you in that most beautiful, beautiful of accents before playing you a jig or something solemn on the harp or flute as you sit in your armchair looked after. Much better that methinks, oh yes.

Neely, you've become too much of the realist. You're not going to churn out the next body of brilliant poetry ala Charles Baudelaire inspired by that nice girl that even dear ol' mum would take to heart. You need the girl that mom always warned you about.

[stlukesguild]

Now here is another stunner: Magali Leger, here performing in Rameau's Les indes galantes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKvd4tMkFHc

Magali irresistibly builds upon conductor Marc Minkowski's energy and enthusiasm for this music. You can't help but feel the pleasure... the sheer fun these performers are having with this music, as opposed to the image often attached to classical music as staid, stuffy, and stodgy.

Here in another selection from Rameau's opera Magali performs with Magdalena Kozena:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOlX-...eature=related

[Emil Miller]

Yukky yuk, what an awful woman in every way, she makes me sick. You should have posted a warning prior to that one!

As StLukes has pointed out, you are probably talking about the next president of the USA. If you thought George W Bush was Gung Ho, you 'aint seen nothing yet.

You'd wake up one day, half naked in some flush Parisian hotel with the mother of all hangovers, in debt, hastily looking for your socks and wondering what the hell has just happened.

Yes, Boulevarde Clichy in Montmatre, I remember it well but it wasn't a hotel exactly.

.....and then to come home to a nice Irish lass who will read to you in that most beautiful, beautiful of accents before playing you a jig or something solemn on the harp or flute as you sit in your armchair looked after.

What have you been drinking ?

[LitNetIsGreat]

I could probably live with that. It would surely be worth a try. Besides... just think of all the inspiration it would provide for you next novel/painting.

Yes it would indeed be inspiration and a hell of an experience, but I'm feeling passed all that now, too old! It sounds like Brian has already been sockless! Sockless in Montmatre, got be be a novel in that one!

Yukky yuk, what an awful woman in every way, she makes me sick. You should have posted a warning prior to that one!

As StLukes has pointed out, you are probably talking about the next president of the USA. If you thought George W Bush was Gung Ho, you 'aint seen nothing yet.

You'd wake up one day, half naked in some flush Parisian hotel with the mother of all hangovers, in debt, hastily looking for your socks and wondering what the hell has just happened.

Yes, Boulevarde Clichy in Montmatre, I remember it well but it wasn't a hotel exactly.

.....and then to come home to a nice Irish lass who will read to you in that most beautiful, beautiful of accents before playing you a jig or something solemn on the harp or flute as you sit in your armchair looked after.

What have you been drinking ?

Well I haven't been sleeping very well so that combined with a few late night Organic Westons must have sent me over the edge? Still, that armchair in that Irish farmhouse and the gentle lassy running me a bath still does it for me. Have I said I'm feeling tired?

It can't be true about that awful women above. Please say it is not so.

[Emil Miller]

It can't be true about that awful women above. Please say it is not so.

It is all too true. So you might as well join in the ballyhoo with one of these.


http://sarahpalinforpresidentbutton.com/

[LitNetIsGreat]

It is all too true. So you might as well join in the ballyhoo with one of these.


http://sarahpalinforpresidentbutton.com/

Oh Christ. This is another point in my favour for avoiding the news. I'm going to throw up my mince pie.

Edit: someone needs to post some nice women quickly!!

Now here is another stunner: Magali Leger, here performing in Rameau's Les indes galantes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKvd4tMkFHc

Granted yes.

[LitNetIsGreat]

Cheesy yes, but, oh, oh my...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ8B-Wl_trQ

[Emil Miller]

How about this lady StLukes? I don't know if she sings as well as Netrebko but she's in the Guiness Book of Records.

[LitNetIsGreat]

Tut, tut, people are lowing the tone again after the class I posted as well...

Don't tell me she is running for Vice President? I would believe it.

What's she in the Guiness Book of Records for anyway?

[Emil Miller]

What's she in the Guiness Book of Records for anyway?

Are you kidding?

[LitNetIsGreat]

Are you kidding?