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A Composer for Christmas

By Old Grumpy Guy on December 22, 2008 at 1:23 AM in Humor, OldGrumpyGuy

By sheer chance, the composer who makes his debut at number five in the list of the Top Ten Composers Ever is someone whose name is synonymous with Christmas. This time I am simultaneously uploading another video of his greatest hits on my Youtube channel, so that everyone can enjoy his music over the Christmas period.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone at NQ and all the readers a great Christmas and to thank those who have expressed appreciation of my videos.

I hope the New Year will bring better things. Actually, I am fairly confident that things will start to look a lot better come Spring. I hope so anyway.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhXA3fXpCFk Woman Voter

    War zone of the ‘cultural front’. OGG
    …….

    Thank you Old Grumpy Guy,

    What would we do without the ‘Ole Ones’ bantering about, Opera, Song and Dance and Art too. I do catch your cultural commentaries and do learn a thing or two or three… :-)

  • http://firefox AnnieCollier

    Thanks again, OGG and a happy Christmas to you as well.

  • http://firefox AnnieCollier

    and, I should add, you have been a welcome respite these past few weeks in the midst of all the vulgar and crass media we are exposed to each day. Much appreciated.

  • BJinChicago

    Thank you, Old Grumpy Guy, this was actually quite good. (Love the pic of Handel in the stands.)

    Has anyone told you that your narrative brings Alfred Hitchcock to mind? You don’t look anything like he did, but there is something in your presentation that brings him to mind. He also was a character and an old grumpy guy.

    • OldGrumpyGuy

      and maybe a bit pompous like me too

  • TeakwoodKite

    Old Grumpy Guy, Best wishes to you and yours.

  • Kyre

    Great series Old Grumpy Guy! I’m really enjoying it. I have a feeling who your number 1 will be, based on your hints tonight, and I eagerly await finding out if I’m right (because if I am, then it’s my favorite classical composer).

    • OldGrumpyGuy

      only time will tell

  • Hot Librarian

    Wow that piece of film was masterful . sarabande.

    Why do we have such shit for movies now?

  • elliewyatt

    Just last night I was thinking how very much I enjoy your videos when they pop up. Always an unexpected surprise… but the composer series has been an especially wonderful breath of fresh air.

    Yep, I’m curious about the other composers & the order.

    Thank you again!!!!

  • bert

    Another great installment with great music to enjoy.

    I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2009.

  • oowawa

    Well OGG, Handel at #5–only an old Scrooge would argue with that choice at this time of year. Moreover, your vid was excellent! And my Merry Christmas present to you: no snide remarks, limericks, rock-and-roll snottiness or colonial snark of any kind! Can’t wait for the Fab Four! Joy to the world!

    • OldGrumpyGuy

      you’ve been infected by the Yule spirit I see. Next Monday comes number 4 – with a new approach to visuals

  • Diana L. C.

    Thank you, OGG!

    I sometimes don’t get on NQ until other posts have taken your first-place spot. In any case, I was feeling all grumpy over the posts above you today. Now, thanks to an OGG, I am no longer grumpy, feeling the dirt of this political morass we have bee traveling through somehow lessened tremendously and miraculously by this music.

    • OldGrumpyGuy

      Thanks Diana. I’m glad I brightened your day.

  • Helen with a T.

    Thank you so very much for this series, music is such a blessing, at least this kind. I do have one thing that has puzzled me since the beginning. I have no doubt that you have very good reasons or that somehow Brahms doesn’t meet your criteria, with which I do not quarrel, but would you explain at some point how he fails, please, just so I can learn more. Thanks again, happy Christmas.

    • OldGrumpyGuy

      It pained me to leave Brahms out of the top ten. As I will be explaining in a video about the people who were considered but left out, I think he is a great composer in being able to achieve great depth of expression through his music. But he did not satisfy all the criteria, particularly with regard to originality. He worked very much within the musical language handed down to him by the composers at numbers 1, 2 and 4. He did little to extend the vocabulary of musical expression. Even his contemporaries thought him very conservative. But that does not take away from the fact that he was a great composer.

  • socalannie

    Very nice. Lovely series. Based on your criteria, I’m guessing Mozart in the top 2? Seriously, what’s next for you after this series is done? You have a fan base now!

    • Old Grumpy Guy

      I have plenty of projects to keep me busy. I have my “Painting with Music” series, which has at least 12 more to go, plus a number of other ideas. I intend to get back to more sociopolitical humor too.

    • Old Grumpy Guy

      As for Mozart, I’m not giving the game away. You will have to watch and find out. Isn’t the tension absolutely nail-biting?

  • AnnieO

    Thanks, OGG. I love, love, love these. I’m dying to see the next 4, but I’ll be disappointed the series is over.

    • Old Grumpy Guy

      Thanks for those kind words Annie. Any suggestions for future series will be welcome.

      • socalannie

        Best of opera!!