365 DAYS PROJECT

2007   FEBRUARY 24   #055

Say It Right!

MP3:
01 Composers (12:54)
02 Opera Titles (7:04)
03 Ballet Titles (2:47)
04 Tone Poems & Suites (2:20)
05 Conductors (3:29)
06 Cellists (0:21)
07 Guitarists (0:06)
08 Harpists (0:06)
09 Harpsichordists (0:07)
10 Pianists (1:33)
11 Violists (0:05)
12 Violinists (0:33)
13 Vocalists (3:44)
14 Operatic & Orchestral Groups (0:45)
15 Musical Terms (12:00)

I have to admit that I actually found this record to be more useful than odd. Even though I slogged through 5 years as an undergraduate music major, I never learned how to pronounce even a tiny percentage of these names, titles, etc. This record is definitely a relic of a bygone era, the 50s-60s golden age of classical music snobbery and classical music recordings. It seems so pretentious, but this is just the thing for those of us who don't want to be caught dead at, say, a Stravinsky concert not knowing how the hell you're supposed to say "L'Oiseau de Feu!" True, some parts of this record are a bit behind the times, hence the fact that I'm STILL not 100% sure how to say "Steve Reich" or "Gyorgy Ligeti," but hey, it's a start. Ooh, and it's on RED WAX, and includes a booklet with all the names/titles/terms!

- Contributed by: Pea Hix

Images: Front Cover

Media: 12" LP
Album: Say It Right!
Label: Grayhill
Catalog: GH 100
Credits: Prepared and narrated by Edward S. Dumit. Piano illustrations of musical terms performed by Jerome Rappaport.
Date: 1959

 

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