Introduce yourself here.....

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

plan to self for day-off today - Fricker, plant bulbs, Jones, toddle up the road to peruse discounts in Tesco's wine aisle, episode of Sherlock Holmes early evening [Jeremy Brett], have something to eat, Arnell, stagger upstairs semi-conscious with the horrible anticipation of work tomorrow morning

Four down, four to go ... The Solitary Cyclist I think.

Good story/episode!

[albion]

I accrued so much debt on my credit card...



that the kind people at MBNA sent me a £30 HMV voucher (something about 'rewards').

[semloh]

I am in two minds over this thread! On one hand, it is interesting to have one's curiosity satisfied as to who sits behind all the mysterious monikers and more or less erudite messages but, on the other, it can break the spell of the imagination which imbues them with fanciful personal qualities. It's risky -  rather like changing from silent movies to talkies, and facing the possibility that the handsome hero with the seductive voice actually sounds like Gracie Fields!

We have only a few contributions, but already some of my illusions have been shattered. Still – here goes!

I was born in 1949, grew up in North Lancashire, England, and came to Australia in 1989 with my wife and children. I have been an academic for about 30 years, and still work half-time as a Professor at the local university. My wife and I run a B&B on a rural property in tropical Queensland. I have a vast collection of CDs, records, cassettes, r2r tapes and digital music, which has suffered from countless international and domestic removals, and the associated climatic changes. When I retire (for the second time) at the end of 2012, I intend to finish digitizing it all, and listen to as much as I can fit into my waking days... whilst I sort out my neglected stamp collection and drool over pictures of the steam locomotives of my youth!

I can't read music, and forgot all musical theory after failing to get beyond nursery rhymes on piano and violin as a child, but I've always loved music of almost every kind. My least favourite types of classical music would be opera and song, and 'modern', atonal music. I'm a romantic, and I generally prefer music which has an explicit key and time signature, with a recognisable structure - a beginning, middle and ending! As to favourite music , therefore, I suppose that overall – setting aside specific favourite works – I'd choose JSB, Beethoven, Mahler, Elgar and Prokofiev. But, there are many British, Scandinavian and "Russian" composers vying for a place on that list.... notably RVW, Sibelius and Shostakovich. Of my limited knowledge of the "unsungs" I would currently name Langgaard and Rangstrom as among my favourites.

And definitely Brett's Holmes, despite my childhood watching Basil & Nigel!

[Dundonnell]

Again...interesting, nay fascinating Delighted you took the plunge

However.....I am just a little perturbed at "some of my illusions have been shattered" . You write that your "imagination which imbues them with fanciful personal qualities" and "the handsome hero with the seductive voice actually sounds like Gracie Fields"

As one of those rash enough to risk the possibility that he would 'shatter illusions' can I assure you that I do not pretend to any personal qualities beyond a genuine and whole-hearted enthusiasm for the music I know and love and an insatiable desire to discover as many new composers of orchestral and choral music as I can find. One of the great joys of membership of a forum such as this is the opportunity to share such enthusiasm, to suggest composers and their music to others and to learn from them of music one has not yet discovered.

Oh....and in no way shape or form could I possibly be confused with Gracie Fields....and I can't sing anyway

[albion]

the handsome hero with the seductive voice actually sounds like Gracie Fields!

"All together now -

Christmas is comin', Christmas is comin'
Christmas is comin' again
But that never thrills me, the thought of it chills me
I tell you it fills me with pain
It makes me remember a Christmas gone by
When I was extremely upset
A night in December, an evening that I
Would very much rather forget
For I took me harp to a party but nobody asked me to play
The others were jolly and 'earty but I wasn't feelin' so gay
They might have said play us a tune we can sing
But somehow I don't think they noticed the thing
I took me harp to a party but nobody asked me to play
So I took the darned thing away

They asked Mrs Morgan to play her mouth-organ
And somebody else did a dance
They Let Mrs Carter perform a sonata
But I wasn't given a chance
A north country person called Sandy McPherson
Played bagpipes and took off his coat
While both the Miss Fawcetts bust out of their corsets
In trying to take a top note
But I took me harp to a party, nobody asked me to play
The others were jolly and 'earty but I wasn't feelin' so gay
I felt so ashamed at not strikin' a note
That I tried to hide the thing under me coat
I took me harp to a party but nobody asked me to play
So I took the darned thing away

They sang Home Sweet Home and The Banks of Loch Lomond
And All the King's Horses, then Trees
While nephews and nieces kept playin' their pieces
And spreadin' their jam on the keys
A daughter called Lena, played her concertina
We all played ridiculous games
'Til old Mr Dyer, set his whiskers on fire
And a fire engine played on the flames
But I took me harp to a party but nobody asked me to play
So I took the darned thing away!"

- and I'd been up all night practising the Krumpholz Op.10 Sonata.

[semloh]

Ah, Albion, one of my favourite Gracie songs - no doubt the one that, because of frequently singing it to myself at work, has caused my colleagues to think of me as slighlty eccentric!


Dundonnell - I reserve the right to remain silent regarding the shattered illusions, in fear of incriminating myself! Suffice it to say that my respect for all contributors to the thread remains intact!

[Dundonnell]

 

[giles.enders]

I have noticed that many of the 'blogs' on this site are picked up by Google.  Do you want the world to know about yourself?

[albion]

I have noticed that many of the 'blogs' on this site are picked up by Google.  Do you want the world to know about yourself?

If anybody outside the forum (or even within it) is remotely interested, good luck to them.

[Callipygian]

I have noticed that many of the 'blogs' on this site are picked up by Google.  Do you want the world to know about yourself?

If anybody outside the forum (or even within it) is remotely interested, good luck to them.

If this were a facebook post, I'd press the 'like' button . If there is one weird hobby that is absolutely harmless to be open about on the web, it's unsung classical composers..noone cares, it's politically neutral, no thorny public issues are involved and the most it will suggest to a curious co-worker or employer googling you is that you are a slightly, well, unusual person as far as your passions go, which will probably confirm the impression they got from you at work anyway =)

[britishcomposer]

BTW, the more time I spend with UC  - instead of other sites - the less spam I receive...
A sure sign for the low attraction of this site! 

[Paul Barasi]

None of the music composed by Sherlock Holmes has been recorded or even found. His work is known to have included:

Cocaine Suite: variations on a theme by Elgar
Bacarolle for Violin"The Hoffman"
Scarlett etude
The Scandalous Bohemian Rhapsody
Gloria from the Scott Mass
Baker Street Waltzes

[Lionel Harrsion]

None of the music composed by Sherlock Holmes has been recorded or even found. His work is known to have included:

Cocaine Suite: variations on a theme by Elgar
Bacarolle for Violin"The Hoffman"
Scarlett etude
The Scandalous Bohemian Rhapsody
Gloria from the Scott Mass
Baker Street Waltzes

...not to mention the Carbuncle Blues!

[jerfilm]

Or the posthumous Symphonic Poem, Dr. Watson's Pipedreams......

[semloh]

Talking of which, Aus TV is just about to start a re-run of the Brett 'Holmeses' .... nicely in time for my post-op. recuperation!

But, b]Giles Enders[/b] has made a serious point. Forgive me for teaching my Grandmother to suck eggs, but it is important to understand that every word placed on the internet must be regarded as appearing on the front page of the world's daily newspapers. Never divulge anything or express views that you don't want everyone to know about, and beware of straying into sensitive topics. As Albion says, we avoid such topics and mostly stick to our "harmless" unsung composers, but I want to add that in my own experience the most dangerous ground to walk on is humour - one can easily be sucked into saying things that are best not said - it is as easy to offend as to amuse. Hopefully, we are all wise enough to avoid that trap.

Apologies, if I sound like a schoolmaster! It's because I am - well sort of!