Organ
I used to be an organist (got the senior organ scholarship at school, played for assemblies and services, contributing even more to my overwhelming geekery, which didn't exactly make life happy for me).

I no longer play, but my best fried and I (he is a professional organist, as are quite a few of our mutual friends) still sit down and listen to records of Messiaen, Bollman and the like, screaming with joy when a particularly juicy stop combination is introduced, some throbbing pedal work kicks in, or the swell box is used in an overly dramatic way.


We also came up with the Eurovision Drinking Game. It's very simple: get an unfeasibly huge amount of alcohol. Every time there's a key change, drink 1 finger. Every time there's a key change coinciding with the start of a chorus/solo bit (for group efforts obviously), drink 2 fingers. Every time Wogan says something sexist, racist or just plain daft, take a massive swig.

We're usually pissed by the 4th entry. The rest goes in a blur. I love Eurovision night.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Thu 6 Mar 2008, 12:35, 9 replies)

...
Is it vulgar of me to love Vidor's organ voluntary quite so much?

I once spent a train journey between Manchester and St Andrews sitting opposite an organ scholar. God, she was lovely.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Thu 6 Mar 2008, 12:38, closed)

Wogan.
Wogan is the man, I like his commentaries over the vignettes that are played before each song, the ones that in some way allude to what life is like in the paricular country we are about to hear on-stage.

Image: a group of suave young men from Montenegro walking down a beach, looking to impress the local ladies with their good looks and cheerful demeanour.

Wogans Comment : "Here come the eejits!"


EDIT
Oh, and is it just me or is 'Quartet for the End of Time' about the most beautiful piece of music that was composed during WW2?
(JasperSinister is offering two tickets to the gun show, Thu 6 Mar 2008, 12:45, closed)

Pffft!
Yeah, Wogan is actually the highlight, sod the music!

All Messiaen rocks. Chamber, organ, choral. Everything. All of it.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Thu 6 Mar 2008, 13:02, closed)

@Enzyme
If you were going to St Andrews by train you would have alighted at Leuchars, as St Andrews itself doesn't have a railway station.

(Is that a geeky comment, or just pedantic?)
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Thu 6 Mar 2008, 13:33, closed)

@k2k6
I've been to Leuchars. Did a week's RAF training there.
Umm...that's all!
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Thu 6 Mar 2008, 13:47, closed)

Messiaen frickin' rawks
and you got a *clicky* from me for the drinking game. But my music geekery trumps yours hands down and you will be a weeping excuse for a music geek when you read my post (ie when I can be arsed to write it)
(grandmasterfluffles Come to my Armageddon party on, Thu 6 Mar 2008, 15:18, closed)

...
Hello GMF! How's the chest infection? And the teeth?

Hmmmm...music geekery to surpass mine? If it's about 16th century spanish polyphonic choral music, you can't surpass me. Other genres I'm willing to consider that you can.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Thu 6 Mar 2008, 15:59, closed)

Well...
Just to give you a taster, this afternoon I modified the wikipedia entry on lydian mode. Take that, wannabe music geeks!

Chest infection = much better today. Teeth = so painful I'm actually looking forward to having all of my wisdom teeth out.
(grandmasterfluffles Come to my Armageddon party on, Thu 6 Mar 2008, 17:07, closed)

Is it sad
that the mode term 'phrygian' makes me snicker every time I hear it?

sounds a bit like 'frigid'
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Fri 7 Mar 2008, 10:15, closed)