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trained-pianist
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« Reply #60 on: 20:37:23, 25-09-2008 » |
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I think that Ulysses is such a difficult book.
I remember reading that Nora Barnicle told Joyce that she wished he would write simpler books (like romances for women).
Tolstoy is not difficult to read (even before going to sleep). Even Dostoevsky is possible to read (though I don't want to read it before going to sleep).
But Joyce is very difficult.
I used to skip Tolsotoy's philosophy and only read the plot, but at one point I read philosophy too. I wish I had Tolstoy War and Peace now.
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JimD
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« Reply #61 on: 21:12:23, 25-09-2008 » |
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Sorry if this has been posted already, but here is your man reading from Finnegans Wake. The mp3 link works for me, but not the other. http://www.salon.com/audio/2000/10/05/joyce1/ |
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #62 on: 21:46:23, 25-09-2008 » |
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« Last Edit: 21:51:37, 25-09-2008 by trained-pianist »
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JimD
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« Reply #63 on: 21:51:41, 25-09-2008 » |
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I have owned a copy of Finnegans Wake for 40 years--never managed to read it (if 'reading' is the word) yet, but after retirement, who knows? Pity Joyce didn't make a reading of the whole thing.
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #64 on: 21:53:24, 25-09-2008 » |
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when my friend talks about Uysses or Finnegans Wake I can listen for hours. He makes it so interesting, so exciting.
May be one has to take a class because it is difficult to read by yourself.
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JimD
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« Reply #65 on: 22:10:01, 25-09-2008 » |
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Hm. I think that if one needs to 'attend a class' to appreciate and enjoy something (rather than deepen one's appreciation) then its status as a work of art is questionable.
Oh dear, I will probably be attacked for philistinism now.
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #66 on: 22:17:08, 25-09-2008 » |
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We go to the theater to enjoy opera. Of course one can enjoy an opera on DVD in his own living room, but it is much more fun to see life performance in company of many people.
When one goes to class one has to prepare, other people bring their own view of the subject. It is completely different experience.
Of course if one is writing Ph.D. on the subject or is working on an article it is another matter.
Can I say, one has his own way for self development?
It took me probably a year to understand and to love Master and Margarita of Bulgakov. At first I did not understand anything. I probably was not ready.
I noticed that the best thing to get to know some unfamiliar composer or music that I don't find attractive is to find someone who loves it.
Some things come easy to people and some things are more difficult.
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« Last Edit: 22:27:53, 25-09-2008 by trained-pianist »
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JimD
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« Reply #67 on: 22:47:54, 25-09-2008 » |
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Well, I can't really disagree with any of that. And yet I hope and believe that, if the artist is interested in speaking (I use the term metaphorically) to an ordinary, reasonably receptive layperson, then he or she should be able to do so with relative immediacy if worthy of the title 'artist'. Whether this is to a group in a theatre or an individual is not really relevant. How much 'work' I am expected to do is tricky: I hope to get away with concentrating, paying attention and trying to be open and unprejudiced!
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Bryn
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« Reply #68 on: 22:50:32, 25-09-2008 » |
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Hm. I think that if one needs to 'attend a class' to appreciate and enjoy something (rather than deepen one's appreciation) then its status as a work of art is questionable.
Oh dear, I will probably be attacked for philistinism now.
I have considerable sympathy with your viewpoint. However, I would simply mention that my introduction to Joyce's work was hearing Berio's "Thema - Omaggio a Joyce", with Cathy Berbarian reciting the text it was based on as a prelude. This was in late teens. I got the book as soon as it was published by Penguin in 1968 and started to read. I was hooked. I have probably missed many subtleties that might be illuminated by others, but I don't see a need to 'attend a class' in order to enjoy, and have at least some appreciation of the work. |
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JimD
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« Reply #69 on: 22:52:10, 25-09-2008 » |
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I think we agree!
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Bryn
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« Reply #70 on: 23:27:46, 25-09-2008 » |
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The recording of Berio's "Thema - Omaggio a Joyce" with Cathy Berbarian reciting the text as a prelude is not currently commercially available. However, it can be found in the form of a 192 kbps mp3 here. |
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #71 on: 06:42:38, 26-09-2008 » |
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I can see now that I was tired last evening because this morning I did my two pages with enjoyment. I hope I will keep going with several more pages. I am encouraged and not upset with myself today.
Thank you for all your views on the subject. Of course, I agree with you.
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JimD
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« Reply #72 on: 07:28:38, 26-09-2008 » |
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I was speaking of Finnegans Wake: I find Ulysses relatively accessible. Someone once called the Wake (something like) a 300 page crossword clue; and I detest crosswords. But I hope eventually to persevere. Richard Ellmann in his biography of Joyce has some interesting tales of how Joyce composed it, including the acceptance of a random aside from Samuel Beckett and the addition of text to please the typesetter regarding the layout of the final page.
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #73 on: 07:39:54, 26-09-2008 » |
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I wrote on some thread before this one was started about Finnigans Wake. I was considering to begin reading Joyce with Finnigans Wake. My friend would do whatever I would do (I have a feeling) because he just loves to talk about any of Joyce's books.
In that previous post I posted what he told me about one of the episods in Finnigans wake. It was so interesting.
Somehow I decided to start with Ulysses. I wish I remembered what thread my post was on. May be you would find it amusing or may be you would think it is too bold. My friend told me it is very bold.
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JimD
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« Reply #74 on: 08:16:33, 26-09-2008 » |
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It would be a brave person who started with Finnegans Wake. Portrait of an Artist is more accessible again than Ulysses, but the short story set Dubliners would also be a good start. The closing lines of the final story The Dead are among the most beautiful and haunting that I have read. I read somewhere that Joyce only wrote masterpieces.
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