Janos Gereben wrote:

>I know only that I doesn't speak to me, and that it's entirely possible
>that those who champion it (including those poor musicians) know something
>I don't know.
>
>I saw (and was irked by) the film and I listened to the darn thing a
>couple of times, went pretty much through the broadcast -- and nada.
>My gut (which is a third ear for me) tells me that it's not for me ...

I listened to the Met broadcast as a complete Schoenberg novice (except for
a performance of Erwartung that I attended at Covent Garden some 30 years
ago - which I found baffling).  I have to say that I found parts of M & A
extraordinarily beautiful - especially in the writing for the choruses.
The intertwining of the various speaking and singing choruses with the
orchestra seemed to me very expressive and yes, moving.  I was surprised by
my response, because I had formed the impression that the opera would be
somewhat dry and over-intellectualised.

Julia Werthimer <[log in to unmask]>
California, USA