Music: Classical Music Thread

[S E P H]

Apologies, but I used the search feature and I was not able to find a thread dedicated to classical music. Classical music is a very interesting concept in today's modern times. It is essentially the genesis for the organisation, development, and spread of almost every genre we now listen to or criticise today. Some of it might be too boring and some of it might be too overplayed, but we all owe the creation of our favourite bands and musicians to composers like Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Tchaikovsky, and Vivaldi to name just a select few.

I wanted to start this thread by posting probably one of the top 5 classical pieces of all time.

Click to read more...

 

[Osprey]

Two of my favorite classical works couldn't have come about under more different circumstances. In fact, the circumstances make them more interesting to me, since knowing the history of things helps my appreciation.

The first is Bach's Brandenburg concertos, a collection of 6 concertos that Bach sent to a potential employer to try to land a job. They were never performed in his lifetime and were lost for 130 years. Imagine finding and performing them for the first time.



The other is Handel's Water Music suite. Handel composed it for King George I, who wanted a concert on the River Thames. It was performed by a full orchestra aboard a royal barge as it went down the river at night. People came from all around to listen from the shore and from other boats. Imagine what that concert must have been like.

 

[VMBM]

Besides Chopin, my biggest favourites are the late-19th and 20th century French and Russian greats.

First some 'water-y' music from Debussy:


And from Ravel:


Fiery stuff from Stravinsky (Petrushka, especially love the opening "Shrove-tide Fair"):


The rawly exciting 3rd movement of Prokofiev's 1st violin concerto:


Shostakovich's 5th symphony; a dark, brooding masterpiece:

 

[John Price]

 

[Kshahdoo]

Bolero of Ravel

 

[Kshahdoo]

 

[Tawnos]

Always been partial to the Romantic era of Classical and Dvorak in particular

 

[Kshahdoo]

It's not quite classical, but I think you can call 5/4 of Dave Brubeck classical music anyway. It's from the same director who made that Bolero cartoon, just even more psychodelic.

 

[John Price]

Always been partial to the Romantic era of Classical and Dvorak in particular

Brahms and Tchaikovsky were good romantic composers.

Dvorak wrote a good piano concerto and cello concerto.

 

[syz]

Took a classical music class in university just as a throwaway spare elective one year and ended up with an appreciation for it. Also watching Nodame Cantabile may or may not have been a factor.

 

[Osprey]

Took a classical music class in university just as a throwaway spare elective one year and ended up with an appreciation for it.

Same here. I already liked classical music, but I gained new appreciation for it by learning about the composers and the makeup of the music and being exposed to more of both. In fact, I had to pick a piece to do a short paper and presentation on and chose a movement of one of Bach's Brandenburg concertos (the ones that I mentioned that were lost for 130 years because Bach sent them off as a resumé). That's how I discovered them. Also, as a class, we went to a performance of Ravel's Bolero, and that's been another favorite of mine since. I have fond memories of that class because I actually learned something.

 

[S E P H]

This is one of the most underrated pieces I think I ever came across, the first 25 minutes or so can rival even the best composers.

 

[Bahama Mama]

Who doesn't enjoy an evening out attending a symphony. This man really knows how to bring out the best and have seen him many times, and if ever possible see his shows in his home town,they are so much fun.

 

[Hippasus]

J.S. Bach is a huge favorite of mine in any genre of music. I really like his one performer instrumental works. Lately, I've also been digging this album of metal / rock interpretation of several very recognizable classical pieces by Eric Friesen called Friesenberg Concertos. It has lots of Vivaldi (an influence on J.S. Bach), and J.S. Bach, as well as a tiny bit of Beethoven. I think the album is astounding. It can be found on Youtube.

 

[kook10]

I enjoy me some classical guitar

 

[John Price]

 

[Jack Straw]

Something a little different by Dmitri Shostakovich

 

[Oogie Boogie]

One that I really enjoy:

 

[kihei]

My favourite composer is Gabriel Faure, a contemporary of Debussy and Ravel, who composed the most beautiful chamber music that I have ever encountered. Here is the first of his two ravishing piano quintets.

 

[Jussi]

 

[todeskultes]

 

[Ouroboros]

 

[islandersbob]

I've been on a Mahler kick recently. Symphony #10 was unfinished, but you can tell there is a lot of Mahler in the Cooke version.

 

[Jack Straw]

 

[Oogie Boogie]