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Interesting thought.

You could write entire books about the impact that composing and performing under the oppressive psycho-social contradictions that the communist regime had on Dimitri Shostakovich and what his real political persuasions were versus what was expedient. In fact, several books have been written on the subject. They are perhaps not so different from those of a closeted gay growing up under the oppressive contradictions of a straight society, that until very recently and only in a tiny fraction of the world, criminalized and demonized those who were bold enough to expose the truth about their human identity.

Judge and condemn much?



And if they are interested in someone else's non-closeted life?

Are all those people who read biographies of Mozart or Richter per definition " little people" ?

Well...I'll agree it may be rude to pry, but I thought most of the pianists disclosed their sexuality at one point or another. Oh...and let's not bring dwarfism into this mess Of course, stating that it's prurient is entirely tautologous, but of no concern? I'm sure it was a great concern to those involved and, as those interested in music and its history, shouldn't that which concerns the titans of the discipline concern us too? I mean, um, do you indulge no curiosity? Do you hear of Scriabin's madness and just say "that's irrelevant with regard to the technical aspects of his compositions; do not tire me with details of his life, he is nothing but a vessel for my enjoyment, I don't care about him or anything he thinks now, please, tell me more about the spelling of that accidental..."... Sorry, but, um, I can't imagine you're not a tiny bit interested in the influences (and by extension, lifestyles) of pianists and composers. If you aren't then forgive me and your point is fair enough for you but quite a lot of the rest of us care about *how* music is made, down to the finest detail.
Xxx

I often feel gay, but am not a homosexual.

Please give us our language back.

R0B is the name of a gay sex shop in Manchester lol, how ironic.

I didn't notice it when I was in Manchester, three weeks ago.
But nothing would surprise me anymore

exellent!

It's not on the high street haha

I was telling my girlfriend some months ago of this exact fact and she just rolled her eyes at me.

Is this thread one of your own "prurient fixations"? You made your thoughts known to us two days ago, but you seem unable to resist making them known again. I respect your opinion, but what is the point? There are thousands of threads that should be more to your liking, so why waste time repeatedly identifying the fixations of us "little people"?

I would point out that this thread is less than 40 hours old, and has already garnered 2500 views and 150 replies. That is an amazing amount of traffic, so obviously there is interest in the topic. (Yes, yes, I'm sure it's all "prurient".) But I have to say that the thread has remained relatively on-topic, serious and thoughtful, and has not devolved into the sort of lewd snicker-fest that some may have feared.

You say the topic is not important, it doesn't matter, it's none of our concern, and you're right. But what thread does matter, and is important? Look through the list. I see nothing. Most of the topics in this forum are born of curiosity, and nothing more. Most discussions are of the have-you-ever-noticed variety, exactly like the personal conversations that people engage in all the time.

When you're unhappy at the party you're at, simply find a different party. It's not that difficult.

...Or get so liberally plastered that you awake next to the piano with the terrible thought "I can't...oh, please, no...what the heck happened last night?" as you see reams of Ludovico Einaudi scattered about the room

*Deleted*

I meant as a listener...

You wanna talk about artists backstage life yet you don't understand what it takes to be a great artist and you are ofended easily by the same things you're curious about. It takes drugs, dirty sex, alcohol and more - all the topics you forbid to talk about on this forum. Get real and look into mirror...

Wow 16 pages in less than 2 days, incredible. This topic is obviously of great interest. I understand those who say that sexual orientation is none of my business. What gay men do behind closed doors gives me the creeps. However, I fully respect and support their right to express their affection as they choose (though if it's in public they may be subject to legal action) and make lifelong commitments (get married). However, I disagree that it's none of our business. These are (were) public figures and there's no doubt that their sexual orientation affected their artistic personae. Prior to this thread I didn't know that Richter and Hough were gay. It doesn't change my appreciation for their prodigious talents.

Obviously this is speculation for me, but think about it, a young gay teen won't be distracted into chasing girls as an adolescent and may also be terrified of chasing other boys. That leaves more time for practicing. The stress of having that secret may allow them to gain greater emotional experience which may inform their interpretations of the repertoire. More time to practice and a heavier emotional weight strikes me as a recipe for great pianism if you add in the other necessities, talent, drive to succeed, and opportunity. Given that Jews also faced discrimination and have a culture of success the Horowitz quote takes on significant potential of exposing truth. I have seen capable young boys give up piano perhaps because they thought it was a gay activity.

So I believe the question is a very interesting one and I especially appreciate that the vast majority of this discussion has been either intelligent, light hearted humor or both. To get all PC and say that sexual orientation has no bearing on artistic ability is to diminish the impact of sexual orientation on artistic growth and experience. If we can't discuss the matter as adults for fear of offending someone then we can't explore some of the most important aspects of the human experience.

I thought Stephen Hough's blog was intelligent and forthright. Exactly what we need more of. Thanks for posting the link.

I can't agree more with your latter statement...and your former one reminds me enough to say how sorry I feel for homophobics (inadequate though the term may be); increasingly so, homophobics, racists, anti-Semites etc. become less able to express how they feel and are taught or otherwise told to feel shameful and wicked for their thoughts...um...almost ironic (but not quite) I commend you for having the courage to say outright how you feel. The fact that you bolstered your position by nearly stating that it's an irrational "creeps" and that you respect the life experiences of others despite these creeping sensations slightly diminishes the almost impossible struggle against prejudice (homophobic rights, anyone? )...um...also, you expressed yourself in, with regards to this topic, possibly the most mature and considerate manner I've yet come across...in short, in my opinion, excellent post; gold star. Fortunately, I don't share your affliction (to put it dramatically), but I heavily respect your standpoint (in that you've actually given it some decent thought) and you as a person.

The question is.. is it classical music? or piano & classical lessons?
are their any jazz(gay)players?

Sure..... a ginger gay, playing Jazz

FSO, I have to disagree with your characterization of Steve Chandler's comment as homophobic. One may quibble with his choice of words, but I think he's simply expressing his own orientation, which is straight. I suspect that many gays might call what straight men and women do in the bedroom "creepy" as well. It's not a judgement of them as human beings, but of their sexual activities, and merely expresses the "yuck factor" that those on both ends of the spectrum feel when imagining the sexual life of the other.

But that is a far cry from homophobia. There are too many true homophobes walking around, especially here in the states, to devalue the meaning of the word by applying it too broadly. I've encountered many in my lifetime, and they view gays as sick, perverted, depraved human beings who choose their orientation, choose their life style, and fully deserve any and every tribulation that may ever befall them. There are many areas in this country, where a gay man is risking life and limb to even think of having a drink in a "straight" bar, assuming that his orientation might possibly be revealed to other customers. This is true homophobia, and it can be a deadly serious business.

We are all walking cauldrons of emotions and feelings, shaped by an assortment of biases and prejudices, whether we admit it or not. I will plead guilty myself to the same "affliction" you diagnosed Mr. Chandler with. I even find it unsettling (preferable to "creepy"? ) to see men showing affection in public. It's not their problem, it's my own. Yet there is no way I can simply wish away that reaction, any more than I can wish away my reaction to a Brahms symphony. But what I can do is recognize it as irrational, as a prejudice that's part of me, and rely on reason to guide my beliefs. I fully support gay rights, including gay marriage, because my head tells me it's the right thing to do, even if my gut may occasionally balk a little.

There is no yuck factor for me about what straight people do in the privacy of their bedrooms. I'm at worst ambivalent about it. But I suppose I can understand why some people might find it odd to think about if they aren't that way inclined. The idea however of being unsettled merely by the sight of two people showing affection for each other (or rather certain specific types of people more than others) I can't understand at all. I agree that homophobia is probably a bit strong a word for that, but you're right, it's definitely irrational, and I hate when people try and defend it.