Classical Music II

[Earniel]

Excellent idea! I never thought a Belgian ad would be put on youtube. But I found it.

[Mari]

It's Händel
Sarabande, Händel

[Earniel]

So it is. Much thanks.

[Tessar]

I got an AMAZING CD for Christmas . It's the Bach/Handel one I wanted with Natalie Dessay and Philippe Jaroussky... The Bach Magnificat and Handel Dixit Dominus. It's a great recording!

[Mari]

Listening to Haydn's Trumpet Concerto in E flat right now and before that Orpheus and Eurydice by Gluck. Unfortunately I don't have the entire performance, only several parts.
Ahh, great music it is. *relaxes completely while listening and reading a book*

[hectorberlioz]

Era: Mediaval
Type: Vocal/Choral
Composer: Guilliame de Machaut
Work: Messe de Notre Dame

The composer is Guilliame de Machaut, a mediaval poet/composer (back in the day when those two were inextricably fused), and the work is the justly famous and admired Messe de Notre Dame.
This is truly funky music. If you thought The Beatles were revolutionary in music, think again. The Messe de Notre Dame is like the rock 'n' roll of mediaval music. This work is mostly famous because it is the first mass written by a known composer (most others were single or jointly signed "Anonymous"). The sound you'll hear is a very "forward" kind of chanting that throws you for a loop...it doesn't "go" the way you think it will. It's a strange--just "strange"-- sound at first, but the more you listen, the more radical and exciting it becomes.
The recording I recommend is the recording performed by the Hilliard Ensemble, directed by Paul Hiller, on the Hyperion label. The CD also contains two other works by Machaut, the last track particularly contains a work that I can't get out of my head.
If you thought or still think that "chanting is boring", then you obviously haven't heard this stuff.
Amazon.Com Link to CD Search Results

[Grey_Wolf]

Inbetween acts II and III in Carmen there is this beautiful intermediate piece I would love to get hold of. Do any of you have it in file. Would be most olbliged. gw

[sun-star]

Hector, that link doesn't work. I want to learn more about Machaut!

[hectorberlioz]

Try now, Sun-star.

[hectorberlioz]

Era: 20th Century
Type: Orchestral
Composer: Leos Janácek
Work: Sinfonietta

The composer is Leos Janácek, the third in the trinity of great Czech composers after Bedrich Smetana and Antonin Dvorak (....and Bohuslav Martinu, some might add). Well the Czechs have a lot to be proud of, because in addition to those just mentioned, Janacek was the most forward-looking of all of them. He wrote music that had a real edge at one moment, and at another instance it would sound 'heart-on-sleeve- romantic. This 'Sinfonietta' personifies this unique style of Janacek's. It opens and closes with a fanfare that, if you didn't know any better, you would think belonged in a patriotic American movie. In fact however, it was written by a then little-know Moravian (still Czech) composer as a patriotic duty for his country. Appropriately paired with fellow countryman Dvorak's Legends.Strongly recommend the reading by Neeme Jarvi and the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. Amazon Link

[hectorberlioz]

Era: 20th Century
Type: Orchestral
Composer: Bela Bartok
Work: The Miraculous Mandarin

The composer is Bela Bartok, and the work is his ballet 'The Miraculous Mandarin'. No, it isn't about an citrus fruit that just "tastes so miraculous". Indeed, the plot is a lot more edgy than that. Quite violent in fact, so I won't give you the summary of the story. Unattached to the dance style, the music very much worth your time and investment. It's very driving music, exciting, and 'deliciously decadent'. If you're still stuck on the 'Classical is all for romantic evenings with [insert beloved's name] and fine wine...DO NOT PLAY THIS MUSIC ON ROMANTIC OCCASIONS. I recommend the recording by Ivan Fischer leading the Budapest Festival Orchestra on the Philips label. Amazon Link.

[Grey_Wolf]

Have any of u heard of a classical singer called Madalena Cousino?

Would be glad if u could send me a link or info on her.

best
gw

[hectorberlioz]

my blog discussion on the seperation or lack thereof of art and politics.

http://BerliozBlogger.townhall.com/g...4-676f543e791e

[Tessar]

I could never be the one to tell you whether it's right or not to be biased about something like that.

But I have to admit: I LOVE Brittan's work. But I find it difficult to sing/listen to some times because I know he was a pedophile... or at the least made his 'feelings' known at several points. I don't know if he ever actually 'did' anything. Not just that, he was also gay... which makes me angry, because I feel that it's people like him who help give gay people a bad name.


But hey, I love his music. What am I supposed to do? I feel in my heart that the composer was flawed, but I enjoy his music for its aural qualities, not for the man who composed it.


I could, if I wanted to, read the Golden Compass books. But would that turn me into an atheist? I doubt it. I would probably just enjoy it, or maybe not, as a work of fiction. It might plant 'thought seeds' in my head, but then I read a lot of other books that plant 'thought seeds' that are contrary to what the Golden Compass is purportedly about.

Now does that mean I would go and pick up a book on satanic worship purposely? Definitely not. I feel it would be against my principles and morals to knowingly expose myself to something I consider so wrong when my reason for reading that thing is -expressly- meant for the purpose of learning about something I consider wrong.





But when it comes to music like this... I mean, lets be honest: Is it in English? If it's not, do you even -understand- the language it's being performed in?

The enjoyment you're seeking from it is probably exclusively an aural one, and has nothing to do with sitting down to hear a 'story' unless it's simply the story of the musical phrase, unless I miss my guess.


So no, if I were you I wouldn't feel bad about listening to that music. But then again, I'm not exactly without fault on that count myself.


Music is a feeling. Go with it. If you feel bad listening to something, then -don't-! Music doesn't have to be logical to be beautiful, and thus I don't think our reasoning for it has to be logically thought out either.

[hectorberlioz]

Tessar, thanks for reminding me of Britten. I knew I forgot someone...

[Mari]

You know too much about the background of the music. If you do not know the background of the composer and listen to the music, there's no problem, right? And the problem won't arise until you know about it. The political things don't become apparent through the music. So then what's wrong with enjoying the music?
But that is just my humble and probably overly simplistic view.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

I just ran some references to Michael Maniaci, who, after further research, sounds very, very interesting indeed. Has anyone heard of him?

[Mari]

I have a whole list of Sonata for Violin and Piano by Mozart on my computer (I think I have them all, but I'm not sure) but though I really like the arrangements I really really really dislike the sound of the violin. Does anyone have a suggestion for some good performances?

[Mari]

Just some nice relaxing music I'd like to recommend.
If you click on the link, you get to listen to a few samples. The music is rather busy, but it is also uplifting in a way.
Anyway:
Percy Grainger

[Tessar]

Originally Posted by Gwaimir Windgem

I just ran some references to Michael Maniaci, who, after further research, sounds very, very interesting indeed. Has anyone heard of him?

I've heard him, and I'm a bit unsure of how I feel about him. His diction REALLY bothers me, because half of his face is paralyzed so he can't really form all of the vowels properly. Also there's... something... in his sound that I don't really care for... I think it might be something about his vibrato.

On the other hand, he sings Mozart's Alleluia from the Exultate Jubilate better than 9/10ths of the sopranos I've ever heard if you ignore the diction... so... there it is. I definitely think he's got great technique.


Do you like him?



I'm particularly enamored of Susan Grahm right now. I've always loved her voice, but I found a recording of her singing A Chloris and I've been listening to it non-stop since that's one of my NATS songs .