Martin Pitchon wrot;

>Hi, My name is Martin and...  I have decided not to participate so much in
>the list because I prefer contemporary music.

Well, I have the same problem...but I try to get people interested, but
mostly I get no reply to my postings...

 [And, since it can't possibly have anything to do with the quality of
 the music, it must be that we're all just a bunch of dullards who don't
 really know how to appreciate music.  -dave]

>I could speak about Prokofiev a lifetime, a bit less about Rachmaninov...We
>are not speaking about the same kind of composer.  Think about the
>Prokofiev's first period (before trying to adapt to a more popular style):
>The gambler, the fiery angel, Love for 3 oranges and three chaotic
>symphonies...  Great!  Great!  Better (for me) than his later works more
>measured, more "popular"...because of the pressures

I love to agree!  Prokofiev is a wonderful composer and I like his music
very much, especially his early, *wild* works.  The first violin concerto
(also the second is great), the Skythian suite (spelling?) the symphonies
2 and 3 and the first piano concerto.  My absolute favourite is his 2nd
piano concerto...  an incredible emotional manifesto very intense and
adventurous.  Actually I had always the feeling that Rachaminovs concertos
were just show, whereas Prokofiev put his soul into his.  Also Prokofievs
later works are very fine.  The cello symphony/concerto, the two string
quartets or the late symphonies.  And then there is this row of extremely
fine piano sonatas....

Achim Breiling