Random remarks

The other day I was listening to a CD of Gershwin standards sung by a number of different artists (Diablo 3 Gold). The difference in vocal production, if nothing else, between "Broadway style" and "opera style" was very noticeable.

Now I'm not saying that pop singers should sound like they just arrived from performing La Traviata (say), but they would definitely benefit from some classical-style vocal coaching, and learn to put some real lung power behind their singing instead of using nothing but head voice. Broadway in particular seems to favor a nasal, slightly de-tuned voice, and folks, it ain't beautiful, though London seems to value a better grade of singing.

But keep your hopes up. Very few of us here were raised to love the classics, I'll bet. Most of us came to them in our teens or early adult years. As long as people have easy access to classical music (and it's never been easier or cheaper), there will be s steady influx of new enthusiasts.

Those moments would be meaninless without the context of the music that frames them (Diablo 3 Gold). The cascading chords that the piano belts out at the end of Rachmaninov's 3rd piano concerto would have no impact without the tension that rest of that movement builds. That chord progression in the Moonlight Sonata would not make any sense by itself. The rising trombones in the last movement of Brahms' Fourth could not raise the goosebumps without the rest of the symphony.

I bet some our favorite pieces are favorites because of these brief moments. We savor the music while looking forward to our favorite moments, and are satisfied by them when they finally come.