Stephen wrote:

> OK I liked the clip I heard on you tube. I think that I must have been put off
> him by seeing a couple of his operas. The first ever opera I ever went to was
> "The Love for Three Oranges" then I saw "The Fiery Angel" at Covent Garden. I
> like the concept but find the actual music too "sharp" to bear. For some reason
> I confuse him with Shostakovich.

I mentioned this piece in particular (as well as the Villa-Lobos and 
Busoni pieces) is that it's a blend of modern and classical forms. 
Prokofiev wrote this symphony with the idea "What sort of symphony would 
Haydn write if he were alive today?"  I figured this would make them a 
bit more palatable.


> Needles to say I don't like Richard Strauss not to be confused with Johann
> Strauss :)

You don't like Richard Strauss!?  I can see some of his operas and such 
but many of his tone poems at least have quite normal tonality.  Also, 
even if you don't like his music, if you haven't heard his Vier Letzte 
Lieder then you really, really should.  I'm hard pressed to think of 
more beautiful pieces of music written in the 20th century (I prefer the 
version with Karajan and Gundula Janowitz, but tastes vary here).


> Yes I could listen to these and I thank you. I suppose that my problem (one of
> them actually) is that I had no musical education and have had to pick things up
> on my own.

Truly, it is my pleasure to recommend music and I'm totally happy to 
suggest many more pieces whenever you should want it.

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