Classical

[Greenleaf]

Right now I'm listening to Vivaldi's Four Seasons. For reading or working on certain projects, I prefer JS Bach. Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Mozart are my other favorites. What classical do you like, when do you listen to it? Do you just think classical music fans are pretentious or gay? Funny if you did, that's what people say about pipe smokers under the age of 60.

 

[mark]

You know, my mother always had some classical music pumping on the record player when she was puttering around the house when I was a kid,,,I have no idea what or by who, but it kinda stuck in my head,,,,now if I hear classical I know the music and exactly how it goes, but as far as identifying it I'm lost,,,,I have no judgement on those who listen to it,,,some of it fairly rocks,,,,and some of the early progressive rock bands thought so too, Emerson, Lake and Palmer come to mind offhand,,,

 

[Greenleaf]

My mother introduced me to it as well, she later turned me on to operas like the Mozart Requiem (nothing with shrieking old ladies) once I showed interest in classical. I know what you mean about not being able to identify the music, I used to crave hearing that "freaky organ song" or whatever until I got into classical and found out that it was Bach's "Toccata and Fugue," now I have it on a CD.

 

[Vercer]

About as close as I get is some Wagner and the Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta's. Always loved Pirates of Penzance.

 

[Hermit]

I'm partial to Chopin.

 

[Falconer]

I'm partial to Chopin.

and cheerleaders. :roll:

I don't really have an ear for Classical music but I like Bryn Terfel, does he count? :scratch:

 

[bazsup]

I enjoy "classical music" My early career was in music so I enjoy most styles and composers. Nether gay nor snobby but certainly a curmudgeon.

 

[Stogiegila]

I like Vivaldi's Four Seasons, and have listened to Beetoven and Mozart. I actually like classical music when taking a long drive.

I find it relaxing. But don't listen to it often. :no:

 

[St Fiacre]

I am a tchaikovsky fan myself, love the 1812 overature any time you can get away with cannons as instruments is fine by me. Also I think that Motzart's Requiem is actually a Mass and not so much an opera.

 

[MisterE]

My mother introduced me to it as well, she later turned me on to operas like the Mozart Requiem (nothing with shrieking old ladies) once I showed interest in classical. I know what you mean about not being able to identify the music, I used to crave hearing that "freaky organ song" or whatever until I got into classical and found out that it was Bach's "Toccata and Fugue," now I have it on a CD.

The Requiem by WA Mozart is just that- a requiem mass, not an Opera. The Magic Flute (Zauberflote) or Fidelio are operas. Most of his Operas are actually quite funny, but the Requiem has no sense of humor whatsoever.

 

[hobie1dog]

I'll listen to most anything with a trumpet in it, but I'm more drawn to good piccolo trumpet in the Baroque style

 

[St Fiacre]

Thanks for the expansion Mister E I thought that was the case of the Requiem.

 

[Greenleaf]

Yes, mystery, most illuminating.

 

[Prof]

[/quote] I don't really have an ear for Classical music but I like Bryn Terfel, does he count? :scratch: [/quote]

Bryn Terfel is brilliant, his "Songs of Travel" are worth hiking a long distance to hear - and the Finzi and Butterworth collections are spectacular. While I would consider him an opera singer, his classical renditions of oratorio and art songs are special indeed.

I had an old recording of Leonard Warren on last night, another opera legend, probably one of the greatest bass baritones in the last century - died on stage at the Met from a massive coronary while performing the opera, La Forza Del Destino - the Force of Destiny. He was a lion.

Those of you who like to try new things, you should look up a modern contemporary choral composer named Eric Whitacre - he writes for choir, and if you have a system that can keep up - it is some of the most haunting and beautiful music I have ever heard (very much like a secular Arvo Part). There is a recording out by the Brigham Young University choir singing a compilation of his acapella works, that I highly recommend - look him on Pandora or your favorite music sharing site. one of my favorite songs is "Sleep" originally written as "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" but the estate of Frost refused to let Whitacre use the poem for the lyrics of the song, so a friend of his wrote replacement lyrics about his toddler son sleeping - and it is magic.

Sorry so long - this is one of my things...Let me know what you think if you check them out.

B

 

[frumplestiltskin]

Prof, thank you for pointing me toward Eric Whitacre! "Sleep" is an astounding work, and it gave me the chills a bit.
I was a classical guitar major at UNH and have always had an appreciation for classical music. Favorites in the classical guitar repertoire include Albeniz's Suite Espanola and Heitor Villa-Lobos' choros.
In the symphonic genre, in my mind it doesn't get any better than La Mer by Debussy.

 

[Greenleaf]

I seldom ever like to try new things when it comes to music, but I'll have to check out Whitacre on youtube.

By the way, I got this CD at Half Price Books a while back of Beethoven violin sonatas. This CD has the violinist Gidon Kremer, I never heard of any violinist's name before then but this guy is a bad ass. Check out "sonata for piano and violin no. 9," it's fuckin' amazing, just blows me away every time I listen.

 

[Prof]

Frump - you are welcome, isn't that stuff amazing? You should hear the rest of the disk - the dissonances and resolutions are so tight that it drives my speakers nuts - I gave a copy of he disk to a friend who said it drove his cat crazy, but I think he just didn't understand...very very difficult to perform - as you can imagine.

I wouldn't recommend something hard to listen to - no craziness here, just unconventional and beautiful stuff - if you think Barber's Adagio for Strings is good music, you will dig Whitacre...

I have a few recordings of Kremer, but I still enjoy looking at Hillary Hahn more - :face:

If you are into JAZZ, on a completely different note - look up a lady by the name of Esperanza Spalding on youtube, specifically the Stevie Wonder tribute song she did at the White House (or was it the Kennedy Center? I forget) - she is a bass playing, singing beauty - and though relatively unknown, she won't remain so - you heard it here...

B

 

[Carlos]

I like classical a lot. But it's been months since the office turned into a disaster. I cannot get to my stereo and albums at the moment. All vinyl and most of it old. Kremer sounds like someone I need to find and listen to.

 

[Greenleaf]

Hey, Whitacre is pretty good, Prof. Once you mentioned him alongside Adiago for Strings, I had to check it out.

Hilary Hahn, I know of this name, is she a violinist or something? Maybe a pop singer ... whatever the hell pop is, I don't know. Wanna see something inpiring set to music? Go onto youtube and watch videos of "Long Cool Woman" by the Hollies, but that ain't classical so maybe I'm getting off topic.

 

[Irene Adler]

I love Chopin, Beethoven, and Liszt primarily and usually listen to them on my way to work. It helps prepare me for my day and keeps me in a cheery mood when driving through the city at 7:50 am and 5:10 pm.

Some of Mozart's later works are good too (especially his Requiem), though I really don't like his earlier "major" pieces.