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Classical Music

Discussion in 'Entertainment and Technology' started by Marlowe, Jul 31, 2011.

  1. Marlowe

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    Classical music is one of my great passions in life, yet few of my friends listen to classical recordings let alone talk about them. I am wondering if there is anyone in the ECosphere that shares this with me. Are you a musician? Who are your favorite composers? Pieces?

    Choral and early music are my favorite genres. I play the recorder and Krumhorn (yes it is a real instrument) and sing counter tenor in an early music ensemble, though in truth like many recorder players I am actually a lapsed oboist.

    Favorite composers: Bach and Mozart are tied. I like Bach because his music is so structured. I find it beautiful in the way mathematics is beautiful. When I listen to his music, I feel as though every note is perfectly placed and balanced.

    Marriage of Figaro - Mozart
    The Magic Flute – Mozart
    Mozart’s Requiem
    St. John’s and St. Matthew’s Passion – Bach
    Bach's Brandenburg concerti esp. played on period instruments
    Dvorak’s New World Symphony
    Lamentations of Jeremiah – Thomas Tallis (the most beautiful choral work I have ever heard)
    Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas
    Flow My Tears – John Dowland
     
  2. steel03

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    I am a choral music major. I sing first tenor.
    I really like some of the newer stuff (Whitacre, Lauridsen, Gjeilo, etc), and I think it's silly that people write them off, especially Whitacre, who is effectively changing the way young people think about choir and singing.

    I'm a big Chopin guy. I love just about everything Chopin. And of course Mozart was just the master.
    I really love the Brahms Requiem. I got to sing Wie lieblich sind Deine Wohnungen with a 600-voice choir a couple years ago.
    I think my favorite composer is F. Melius Christiansen. The way he weaves parts together is just glorious.You'd be hard-put to find a better part writer.
     
  3. Bolin

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    Classical music is my ultimate passion, and I literally listen to it for hours every day.

    I normally listen to period performances/historically-informed performances, and most of my albums are from composers from the Baroque and Early Classical eras.

    Favorite composers: Johann Sebastian Bach is my absolute favorite. I can connect to his music on an emotional level better than any other composer. Other favorites: C.P.E. Bach, Telemann, Vivaldi, Locatelli, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Saint-Saëns and Schumann.


    Partita No. 2 in d-minor for Violin (without continuo)/Ciaconna - J.S. Bach
    Brandenburg Concerto Nos. 3, 4 and 6 - J.S. Bach
    Violin Concerto in D-Major "L'inquietudine" - Vivaldi
    Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra in a-minor - Brahms
    Ercole sul Termodonte - Vivaldi
    Septet in E-flat Major - Beethoven
    6 Introduttioni for Strings and Continuo, Op. 4 - Locatelli
    L'estro Armonico concertos, Op. 3 - Vivaldi
    Concerto for 4 Violins (without continuo) in C-Major - Telemann
    "Hamburg" String Symphonies (WQ. 182) - C.P.E. Bach
    Cello Concerto in a-minor - Saint-Saëns
    Cello Concerto in a-minor - Schumann
    String Quartets, Op. 41 - Schumann
     
  4. Random Dent

    Random Dent Guest

    I LOVE Classical music!
    Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Yo-Yo Ma...they're ALL great!

    Pachabel's Canon in D never fails to make me cry. Especially when the violins come in...omg...I'm surprised every time when my heart doesn't burst from my chest.

    I recently watched a concert on PBS featuring Yo-Yo Ma...it was amazing.

    I thank my mom all the time for always playing Classical music (she played the piano and we'd listen to all the classical composers on tape/cd) while I was growing up.
     
  5. KnightAssassin

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    :grin: i like classical music . badinerie - bach
     
  6. GlindaRose

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    Ooh yay, classical music! :grin:

    Beethoven string quartet no 5 op 18 - which I will be leading at a concert in a couple of weeks. (This is the 1st movement)

    [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl3ETdGUXwA[/YOUTUBE]
     
  7. solarcat

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    I'm not a classical music buff, but I do have a few favorites.

    Mozart's Requiem Mass
    The Magic Flute
    Moonlight Sonata
    Für Elise
    Egmont Overture
    Pachelbel's Canon in D (absolute favorite)
     
  8. Dominoflare

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    I absolutely adore classical music
    Been both classically and contemporary trained in piano and composition since i was 8
    I'm an aspiring film composer( I compose high impact cinematic music for film/trailers/games etc)
    and i'm truly inspired by modern day film composers like John williams, Howard Shore, James Horner, Hans Zimmer, Harry Gregson Williams
    as well as Composers like Beethoven, Mozart, Debussy, Bach, and the master of orchestration himself...Rimsky-Korsakov
    I also have a strong love for traditional/cultural Eastern asian music, as i'm of part Japanese heritage ^_^
     
  9. Bowie

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    I love classical music. My favourite composer is Bach (and I don't really like Mozart, except for the Requiem). No piece of music fascinates me as much as his Toccata and Fugue. Here's some other stuff I like:

    Bach: mostly his partitas and sonatas for solo violin;
    Beethoven: most of the symphonies. Emphasis on his Piano Sonata #14 and his Große Fugue;
    Rachmaninov, Chopin and Liszt in general;
    Baroque composers, such as Vivaldi and Corelli;
    Some Manuel de Falla;
    Saint-Saens' Dance Macabre and Carnival des Animaux;

    Also, can I count Moondog as classical? If so, definitely add him to that list.
     
  10. Marlowe

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    I suspect you may have already seen this, however, if not, this was how I really came to appreciate the Toccata and Fugue. It helped me dissect all of the stops and allow me to hear the individual lines.

    [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATbMw6X3T40&feature=channel_video_title[/YOUTUBE]
     
    #10 Marlowe, Aug 1, 2011
    Last edited: Aug 1, 2011
  11. steel03

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  12. Bowie

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    I had seen it, yes, and I agree it's a fantastic resource. Have you seen it for the Große Fugue? It's great.
     
  13. malachite

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    moonlight sonata is one of the most relaxing songs in the world, when I'm having a bad day I can put that on and close my eyes and just relax
     
  14. Enaithor

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    I'm a violinist, oboist and flautist, but I also play piano :slight_smile:

    This list is gonna be pretty long, so SPOILER TAGS WOOT
    This is basically going to be all the best things from my classical playlists on Spotify

    Orchestral:
    Bartók - Concerto for Orchestra
    Sibelius - Symphony No. 2
    Sibelius - Valse Triste
    Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 5
    Tchaikovsky - Capriccio Italien
    Hindemith - Metamorphoses
    Borodin - Symphony No. 2
    Borodin - In the Steppes of Central Asia
    Grieg - Peer Gynt Suite
    Mussorgsky - Night on a Bare Mountain
    Bizet - Carmen Suite No. 1
    Holst - Planets Suite
    Ravel - Boléro

    Other ensembles:
    String Quartet:
    Mendelssohn - Capriccio in E minor
    Dvorak - String Quartet No. 10
    Nielsen - String Quartet No. 2
    Haydn - SQ No. 62
    Mozart - SQ No. 17 (Hunt)
    Shostakovich - SQs 7, 8, 12

    String Orchestra:
    Grieg - Holberg Suite (actually originally for piano, but I prefer it for strings)

    Choral:
    Karl Jenkins - In These Stones Horizons Sing
    Poulenc - Gloria
    Bach - Easter Oratorio

    Other:
    Copland - Appalachian Spring

    Solo music:
    Violin:
    Chausson - Poeme
    Glass - Concerto
    Lalo - Symphonie Espagnole
    Monti - Czardas

    Piano:
    Saint-Saens - Concerto No. 2
    Poulenc - Trois Mouvements Perpetuels
    Faure - Dolly Suite (1 piano 4 hands)

    Oboe:
    Poulenc - Sonata
    Britten - Six Metamorphoses After Ovid

    Viola:
    Berlioz - Harold In Italy

    Flute:
    John Rutter - Suite Antique
    Poulenc - Sonata

    Yes, I do rather like Poulenc :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
    And this list is relatively short, it was picked from 32 hours of music lol
     
  15. Steve712

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    Oh boy! What a treat. :grin:

    My favourite composers (I listen mostly to piano music, by the way), are Chopin, Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Rachmaninoff and Liszt, though I also get healthy doses of Haydn, Schubert, Alkan, Mendelssohn, Grieg, Tchaikovsky, Handel, Schumann, Brahms, Buxtehude and Prokofiev, among others.

    As far as favourite pieces and performances go, I'll share a few by era:

    Baroque

    Bach's Fantasia in C minor BWV 906 (Richter) ‪Richter plays Bach Fantasia in C minor, BWV 906‬‏ - YouTube

    Some of my favourite Bach keyboard concerti: D major BWV 1054, F minor BWV 1056 and G minor BWV 1058 (Gould) ‪Glenn Gould 1932 - 1982 Bach Keybord concerto's BWV 1054, 1056, 1058.wmv‬‏ - YouTube

    Bach's Italian Concerto in F major BWV 971 (Gould again) ‪Glenn Gould Plays Italian Concerto By J. S. Bach‬‏ - YouTube

    Handel's Largo from the opera Xerxes (not sure which orchestra or conductor this is): ‪Handel - Largo (from 'Xerxes') Opera‬‏ - YouTube

    Classical

    Mozart Piano Concerto A major K488 (Robert Levin, a superb Mozart player; go to part two for an improvised cadenza, and onward to hear the whole piece!) ‪Robert Levin plays Mozart Piano Concerto no.23, mvt.1(1/2)‬‏ - YouTube

    Mozart's Piano Sonata in D major K576, his last (Perahia) ‪Murray Perahia performs Mozart Sonata No. 18, K. 576 - Live!‬‏ - YouTube

    Beethoven Piano Concerto no. 1 in C major Op. 15 (Gould, with his own cadenza in part two; I can't find the other movements from this performance) ‪Glenn Gould - Beethoven,Piano Concerto No. 1 Op 15 - I (1/2)‬‏ - YouTube

    Beethoven Piano Sonata no. 8 in C minor Op. 13 (Kempff)
    Mov. 1: ‪Kempff - Beethoven Pathétique Sonata: Grave - Allegro di molto e con brio‬‏ - YouTube
    Mov. 2: ‪Beethoven Sonata No. 8 'Pathetique' Mov. 2 - Wilhelm Kempff‬‏ - YouTube
    Mov. 3: ‪William Kempff - Sonata No.8 in C minor, op.13 Pathetique - III. Rondo. Allegro‬‏ - YouTube

    Romantic:

    Beethoven Piano Sonata no. 29 in B-flat major Op. 106 (Backhaus) ‪Wilhelm Backhaus plays Beethoven Sonata No.29, Op.106 Hammerklavier‬‏ - YouTube

    Chopin Polonaise in A-flat major Op. 53 (Rubinstein) ‪Chopin - Heroic Polonaise Op. 53 - Arthur Rubinstein‬‏ - YouTube

    Chopin Sonata no. 2 in B-flat minor Op. 35 (Horowitz) ‪Vladimir Horowitz - Chopin Piano Sonata No. 2‬‏ - YouTube

    Chopin Ballade no. 1 in G minor Op. 23 (Annie Fischer) ‪Annie Fischer: Chopin Ballade No. 1 in G minor - LIVE!‬‏ - YouTube

    Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto no. 3 in D minor Op. 30 (Horowitz) ‪VLADIMIR HOROWITZ - MASTER OF RACH 3 OPUS 30 [1909] - HD‬‏ - YouTube

    Liszt Concerto no. 1 in E-flat major S124 (Argerich)
    Pt. 1: ‪Liszt Piano Concerto No 1 E flat major Martha Argerich, von Dohnanyi, Berlin Rso Part1of2‬‏ - YouTube
    Pt. 2: ‪Liszt Piano Concerto No 1 E flat major Martha Argerich, von Dohnanyi, Berlin Rso Part2of2‬‏ - YouTube

    Schubert Sonata in G major D894 (Richter, playing a bit slowly in the first movement, but to great effect)
    Mov. 1: ‪Sviatoslav Richter: Schubert Sonata D.894 1st mvt. 1/3‬‏ - YouTube, ‪Sviatoslav Richter: Schubert Sonata D.894 1st mvt. 2/3‬‏ - YouTube, ‪Sviatoslav Richter: Schubert Sonata D.894 1st mvt. 3/3‬‏ - YouTube
    Mov. 2: ‪Sviatoslav Richter: Schubert Sonata D.894 2nd mvt.‬‏ - YouTube
    Mov. 3: ‪Sviatoslav Richter: Schubert Sonata D.894 3rd mvt.‬‏ - YouTube
    Mov. 4: ‪Sviatoslav Richter: Schubert Sonata D.894 4th mvt.‬‏ - YouTube

    Phew. That took me a while to compile. I know the URLs look funny, but I was too lazy to change them from the forum's default treatment after all that searching. I hope you enjoy.
     
  16. Bolin

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    Bach's "Die kunst der Fuge" BWV 1080 is one of my all-time favorite works. I especially love the Contrapunctus VIII from this work.


    [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arw7yYnr7s4&feature=view_all&list=PL5CBE2CF6014AE1AD&index=8[/YOUTUBE]
     
    #16 Bolin, Aug 2, 2011
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2011
  17. Steve712

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    Does anyone here compose their own music, whether in an art music form or otherwise? I've dabbled a bit in the art myself. My first composition was a year and a half ago, an awkward little fantasia-like piece in E minor with a lot of Bach and Beethoven influence (without any of their grandeur or organisation). More recently, I've experimented with the beginnings of a jazzy scherzo, a polytonal nocturne (which is partway completed), a Chopin-esque song (themed on human rights for an English profolio project) and a improvised piano part to a jingle a friend made up (the "Shark Song" :lol:slight_smile:.
     
  18. Bolin

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    *raises hand*

    Nearly all of my pieces are written in the Baroque style.
     
  19. Steve712

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    Oooo! I would love to see some of them, if you have them available digitally.
     
  20. Bolin

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    Hehe, sure! Although almost all of them are incomplete. :lol: