Anyone into classical music?

[titiany]

All Torque

A mere selection of the stuff that flips my stomach...

• Barber's Violin Concerto - Andante

• Elgar's 'Cello Concerto (Jaqueline Du Pre, obviously, despite the fact that it is very popular)

• Rachmaninov - I love his work and his style, it's so romantic - piano stuff is awesome, particularly the preludes.

• Debussy - the Images pieces.

• Vaughan Williams - Lark Ascending - heard this at the Albert Hall once, played by an 18 yr old violinist. I watched from the back stage because I was playing later on in the concert, and people all around me were crying.

• If you like Mahler's 5th, try the Titan symphony no.1 in D major. The last two movements are mindblowing, but only up really loud. It's often used against old war footage, and from a performer's position, it is one of the most satisfying to play.

• Some of the Poulenc (sp?) vocal stuff is very cool, and just a little bit different.

• Chopin's Nocturnes are stunning - very rich music. Especially cool in the right environment - if you have ever watched The Pianist, you will know what I'm talking about.

• John Williams' Theme from Schindlers List is beautiful, and gets me every time.

• John Taverner. Haunting vocal stuff - try The Lamb for a taster.

Plenty more, but I have work to do!

[alltorque]

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions! Will be doing a teeny weeny bit of amazoning today methinks.



[update] amazon have no record of the outstanding american arranger ErnestM - anyone got any details on this guy?

[IvIark]

Tank Slapper said:

If you like piano music, check out Rachmaninov

Rhapsody on a theme of Paginini by Rachmaninov gives me goose bumps every time hear it.

Arrival of the Queen of Sheba by Handel is quite stirring too.

[dinkel]

titiany said:

Rachmaninov - I love his work and his style, it's so romantic - piano stuff is awesome, particularly the preludes.

I heard his Symphony #2 played by the Concertgebouw Orkest and it was awesome . . .

[800]

personal favourites at the moment:

Mozart - Requiem

Wagner - Parsifal
Der Ring des Nibelungen

[MarkBarton]

Another vote for Du Pré performing the Elgar Cello Concerto

Other personal favourites include:

Verdi's Requiem (The Dies Irae is quite well known, but with good reason! Spine tingling stuff)

Allegri's Miserere

Thomas Tallis - Spem in Alium

Michael Praetorius - Lutherian Mass (The only Christmas music I've got that comes out more than once a year. Knocks Carols into a cocked hat!)

[Nevin]

Was listening to Danse Macabre by Saint Saens on the iPod on the way into work this morning. Enjoyed it so much I listened to it three times in a row.

Can also recommend Prince Igor by Borodin (and also try the Sissel and Warren G version for something different and pretty cool in my book), and Mussorgsky's Picture at an Exhibition.

[Tank Slapper]

A couple more of my favorites:

Berlioz - Requiem. Anything that needs four brass ensembles, as well as a symphony orchestra + choir is going to be fun.

Hindemith - Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber. Second mvt especially.

Bartok - Concerto for Orchestra

Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet, Alexander Nevsky

Schostakovich - Symphony no 5.

Richard Strauss - Til Eulenspiegel, Ein Heldenleben

Resphigi - Pines of Rome

Britten - War requiem

Bach - Mass in B Minor. Fantastic choral writing.

Stravinsky - Rite of Spring

Wagner - Overture to Tannhauser, Tristan and Isolde










>> Edited by Tank Slapper on Monday 22 August 13:07

[adqt]

One of my favourites is Rhapsody In Blue by George Gershwin. A great piece of music with a breathtaking piano solo towards the end. Watched it performed on TV with Simon Rattle conducting. As somebody with a few months of piano experience I was open mouthed at the talent required to do it justice.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Firstly, don't EVER be ashamed of liking classical music - there is a wealth of stuff out there, something for everybody, and only the most narrow minded would knock you for it.

A lot of really good stuff has been recommended, but your best bet would be to listen to Classic FM & Radio 3. Every evening R3 will be broadcasting the Proms live from the Albert Hall so that's highly recommended. Also, where are you based? Get out and hear music live! Lots of classical spectaculars this time of year which can be great!

Here's some more stuff:

Ravel - Mother Goose Suite, Pavane
Debussy
Faure - Requiem
Prokofiev - Romeo & Juliet, Alexander Nevsky, Scythian Suite
Elgar - Enigma Variations, Symphony No.1
Richard Strauss - tone poems (Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel, Ein Heldenleben, Tod und Verklarung), Alpine Symphonie
Mahler Symphonies - there's 10 to try, they're all amazing!
Stravinsky - the best and most important composer of the 20th Century IMHO - Firebird Suite, Petroushka, Rite of Spring (the important work of the 20thC bar none!)
Most of the Russian nationalist composers - Glinka (Ruslan und Ludmilla overture), Musorgsky (Pictures at an Exhibition, orchestrated by Ravel, & Night on a Bare Mountain), Borodin (Overture to Prince Igor), etc.
Hindemith - Mathis der Maler Symphony
Bartok - Concerto for Orchestra
Bernstein - West Side Story, Candide Overture
Wagner - so much! Ride of the Valkyries, Siegfried's Rhine Journey, Siegfried Idyll...
Walton - Symphony No.1, Film music (Henry V, etc.)
Holst - The Planets - hear where John Williams pinched Star Wars from, it's really a combination of this & Stravinsky!)
Brahms - Symphonies
Sibelius - Symphonies, Finlandia, Karelia Suite
Rachmaninov Symphonies
Tchaikovsky Symphonies
Mozart Requiem
Da Falla - Nights in the Gardens of Spain, 3-Cornered Hat

If Concerti are your thing:

Sibelius Violin Concerto
Rachmaninov Piano Concerti
Brahms Violin Concerto
Elgar Violin Conerto
Richard Strauss Horn Concerti
Bartok Piano Concerti

Of course, probably the best known modern classical music is of course film music - there's a plethora of great stuff here :

John Williams (Star Wars x6, Superman, Schindler's List, ET, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, etc.)
Jerry Goldsmith (Star Trek, Alien...)
James Horner (Star Trek movies 2&3, Titanic, Aliens...)
All sorts of fantastic 40s and 50s stuff (Great Escape, Dambusters, Where Eagles Dare, Carry On, etc.)

Fantastically rich vein of accessible classical music with a modern slant.

The great thing about this and all classical music is that there are myriad compilations around (film music, relaxing classics, etc. - although don't follow the common misconception that all classical music is quiet and relaxing - far from it, some of it, try relaxing through Shostakovich 7th Symphony!). Loads of cheap CDs for a fiver - some of the Naxos ones are good.

If you want any further recommendations or anything feel free to mail me offline

Martin.

PS-Somebody mentioned a Reich piece with guitars - maybe try Electric Counterpoint played by Pat Metheny?




>> Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Monday 22 August 16:29

[chim666]

NiceCupOfTea said:

Sibelius - Symphonies....

Agreed! Especially the 5th.

Also I'd second The Moldau by Smetana.

Don't forget Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis by Vaughan Williams.
You'll find both T.T. & The Lark Ascending on the recording by Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields ....absolutely fantastic.

[Tank Slapper]

NiceCupOfTea said:

Walton - Symphony No.1

Fantastic piece.

[titiany]

OOOOHHH!

Widor's Toccata is the BEST piece of organ music out there.

Many public school-ites will be probably be familiar of it as an end of term anthem.

Love it

[wizzpig]

For something a bit different there is always S&M by Metallica (no no no, that's 'Synphony of Metallica' before it starts degenerating into chamois leather thongs & bull whips).

One of the heaviest rock bands in the world playing with the San Fransico Symphony Orchestra. (Michael Cayman at the helm no less!).

Sounds bazaar but works remarkably well.

[Mrs Cuchillo]

NiceCupOfTea said:

John Williams (Star Wars x6, Superman, Schindler's List, ET, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, etc.) Jerry Goldsmith (Star Trek, Alien...) James Horner (Star Trek movies 2&3, Titanic, Aliens...) All sorts of fantastic 40s and 50s stuff (Great Escape, Dambusters, Where Eagles Dare, Carry On, etc.)

Don't forget Michael Kamen - he did "Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves". Fantastic phrases for the French Horns!

Also try finding an instrument you love the sound of, I particularly like the French Horn & Cor Anglais. If you like the Tuba, try the Gregson Tuba Concerto - really shows what the instrument can do!

[Tank Slapper]

Mrs Cuchillo said:

If you like the Tuba, try the Gregson Tuba Concerto - really shows what the instrument can do!

Blimey. Normally if I say that to people they look at me funny!

[plivesey]

Tank Slapper said:

Mrs Cuchillo said: If you like the Tuba, try the Gregson Tuba Concerto - really shows what the instrument can do! Blimey. Normally if I say that to people they look at me funny!

I've been playing the tuba for 20 years and people are always looking at me funny. The two things may be related.

There's always Vaughan Williams' tuba concerto.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Mrs Cuchillo said:

NiceCupOfTea said: John Williams (Star Wars x6, Superman, Schindler's List, ET, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, etc.) Jerry Goldsmith (Star Trek, Alien...) James Horner (Star Trek movies 2&3, Titanic, Aliens...) All sorts of fantastic 40s and 50s stuff (Great Escape, Dambusters, Where Eagles Dare, Carry On, etc.) Don't forget Michael Kamen - he did "Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves". Fantastic phrases for the French Horns! Also try finding an instrument you love the sound of, I particularly like the French Horn & Cor Anglais. If you like the Tuba, try the Gregson Tuba Concerto - really shows what the instrument can do!

Indeed - film music is often a bit of a horn-fest (I'm a horn player )

[KB_S1]

NiceCupOfTea said:

Stravinsky - the best and most important composer of the 20th Century IMHO - Firebird Suite, Petroushka, Rite of Spring (the important work of the 20thC bar none!) >> Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Monday 22 August 16:29

Glad to see someone agrees with me there. Do you turn the lights of for the firebird suite?

[Tank Slapper]

plivesey said:

I've been playing the tuba for 20 years and people are always looking at me funny. The two things may be related. There's always Vaughan Williams' tuba concerto.

I think you might be right

The Vaughan Williams is nice, and possibly a bit more accessible than the Gregson. I played the Gregson, and speaking to people afterwards, the musicians in the audience loved it, and the non-musicians thought it was 'a bit modern'.

Do you know the John Williams (Star Wars bloke) concerto? It is quite unlike his film music, and I didn't like it all that much. It's pretty difficult as well.