Welcome back!

[semloh]

I, too, applaud your decision and thank you for all of your labors.  It's a wonderful site.  Recently for me it has been almost unwieldly scouring through all of the many posts and ultimately marking about 85% of them as "read".   I can only imagine how time consuming it had become for Mark and Alan.  And welcome to the team, Semloh......
Jerry

Thank you, Jerry, I really appreciate that. 

I am delighted to be assisting Mark and Alan - we see eye-to-eye on most issues, and already have a good working relationship. I  won't get too involved until October, when my academic life will finally take a back seat and I can devote to this the time and energy that it requires.

[albion]

Having considered the issues arising from recent events both on and away from the forum, I have decided that, for several reasons, my membership has now run it's natural course.

My particular thanks go to the several members who contributed to our knowledge of British and Irish music through their provision of broadcasts and other recordings. Unfortunately the maintenance of that particular archive is no longer viable, as a perusal of it's contents will indicate, and it is now a read-only reference catalogue. Many members will no doubt have their own copies of recordings which were previously available and would probably be willing to make these available through private communication in response to specific requests.

Please accept my sincere thanks for what has gone before, and my best wishes for the future under the new remit.

[Mark Thomas]

Thank you John, I completely understand and my sincere thanks for your huge contribution to the site in the past couple of years. You'll be missed.

[Tartini]

Although i like "romantic" music. So has the greatest discoveries, thanks to this forum, been unsung composers such as Skulte, Arnic and Stoyanov. But as I understand, no longer fit in? For me, is still music that evokes feelings the main thing, whatever label. It was a necessary development of the music during the 1900s, as the "romantic" music tended to get lost in clichés. But I am still an advocate for the beautiful music, like Vasks, for instace, is he a romantic composer?

[Christo]

Having considered the issues arising from recent events both on and away from the forum, I have decided that, for several reasons, my membership has now run it's natural course.

Dear Albion, John,

If I understand things correctly, this means your highly - very highly indeed - appreciated section of British and Irish composers downloads is now also coming to an end? Does that mean they're no longer available to anyone? Is it thinkable they would move to the Art-Music Forum, as proposed by Sydney Grew here below?

Apologies for my lack of understanding of what exactly is going on, but I think I'm speaking for many in praising you for your tremendous efforts here en thanking you wholeheartedly,

warm wishes, Christo (Johan Snel)

[Alan Howe]

The downloads are still available here
...although they can't be added to.

[Christo]

The downloads are still available here
...although they can't be added to.

Many thanks! Being denied access to the Mediafire folders must have a technical reason, then. I'll hope to find out which. 

[Mark Thomas]

Which link are you having trouble with? MediaFire seems to be working OK at present. It may be that the link is no longer valid for some reason: the original poster may have changed the settings to make it private, for example. You could try contacting the the original poster.

[lechner1110]

  Hi.  I love "romantic music" , also I love some "not romantic music" around mid to late 20 century.
  But I can understand intent about change of this forum. 
  Also I promise to upload some romantic music when I will record it from broadcast

  Atsushi

[Alan Howe]

Hi Atsushi,
Your continuing presence with us is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Alan Howe]

But I am still an advocate for the beautiful music, like Vasks, for instace, is he a romantic composer?

No, he doesn't fit at all, I'm afraid. Very sorry.

[fr8nks]

BORING!!! What was once a great site is now closed minded. People get sick on a diet of the same thing day after day. There is no place to go but downhill from here.

[Mark Thomas]

I'm sorry that you feel that way Fr8nks,  but it seems to me that there's still a huge variety in a diet which includes both Farrenc and Furtwängler, even if it excludes Fricker.

[Mark Thomas]

I've had a number of PMs from members unsure whether a specific composer or piece of music does or doesn't come within UC's definition of romanticism. You may have overlooked it, but we do have such a definition already posted here. It's a notoriously difficult area and to some degree it'll always be in the eye of the beholder, so we felt its sensible to give comprehensive guidance on what yardsticks the moderators themselves will be using in future.

[JimL]

Not to mention the fact that there is a ginormous amount of music from the period in question still sitting on shelves awaiting rediscovery.  Hardly boring at all!  Downhill?  Hardly!!!  I would recommend that members who downloaded items that are still in the archive retain their memberships or take steps to make sure that the archive remains active for download.  And, of course, I will be signing up for Sidney Grew's forum as well, and I suggest close contact and cooperation between the two.