Classical Music

[jellyfishannah]

I love movie soundtracks. That's really how I got interested in classical music...Hans Zimmer is one of my favorites...

I really like Dvorak, Rachmaninov, and Berlioz. (and I don't have to say Mozart is an absolute genius, seeing you all know that already )

[galadriel]

Originally posted by Elfhelm
Listening to Beethoven today. String Quartets. Anyone care to post what they are listening to (classical) today?

My brother just ordered a bunch of classical CDs, notably the entirety of Handel's The Messiah. There's a terrific part that goes "And we like sheep", which can easily be taken the wrong way. Fun!

[hectorberlioz]

going to library to see if they've ever heard of berlioz. i really want to listen to his....aahh i forgot what its called!

[Elvengirl]

One of my all time favorite classical songs is Pachabel's Canon.
Oh and Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral" by Beethoven
I also love Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky, Bach.....to name a few.

[hectorberlioz]

oh, this is a good idea. post your favorite pieces.
my fav symphony: dvorak's symphony no.9
my fav piano concerto: rachmaninov's piano concerto no.3

i love the pachelbel canon. i'm looking around for more pachelbel stuff...
and does anyone know where i can find that little piano march composed by salieri that was in the movie?

[Sheeana]

Originally posted by jellyfishannah
I love movie soundtracks. That's really how I got interested in classical music...Hans Zimmer is one of my favorites...

I really like Dvorak, Rachmaninov, and Berlioz. (and I don't have to say Mozart is an absolute genius, seeing you all know that already )

Best soundtrack has to be the 2001 one.

Argh! Is anyone else getting a weird blurry version of the entmoot tree? ???

[Hasty Ent]

Originally posted by Sheeana
Best soundtrack has to be the 2001 one.

That's by Richard Strauss (1864-1949) -- it's called Also sprach Zarathustra

well worth checking out...just don't expect any waltzes -- those are by a different Strauss

right now I'm listening to Erik Satie -- Gymnopedies

[Earniel]

Originally posted by Hasty Ent
whenever I have an urge to hear horns, I listen to Handel (Water Music, in particular IIRC)

I've bought that music on CD just for that last year. It's a good choice.

Originally posted by galadriel
My brother just ordered a bunch of classical CDs, notably the entirety of Handel's The Messiah. There's a terrific part that goes "And we like sheep", which can easily be taken the wrong way. Fun!

What are the odds? I'm possitive that your "and we like sheep"-part is identical to what my sister and I used to call the 'ten times ten'. When we were younger and we had absolutely no clue what the chorus was singing, we were completely convinced they were singing "and ten times ten is hu-u-undred" in Dutch. Unfortunately the part where we thought they were singing "and five times five" didn't add up to twentyfive. Only then did we begin to expect the text wasn't entirely what we thought it was.

Alright, call me a barbarian for naming it the 'ten times ten' but we were still very young and clueless then.

[Elfhelm]

Schubert was a party animal. He probably died of syphillis. The cause of death, I believe, was listed as a set of symptoms that are, sadly, typical of syphillis.

hb, I wonder if you were thinking of Berlioz' Te Deum? I prefer the Requiem myself. Also LOVE Harold in Italy!!!!!!

I don't have many favorite pieces. They are all so good. Bach's St. Matthew's Passion, maybe, and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, and Debussy's La Mer. I know there are better violin concerti, but the two by Prokofiev just reverberate in me in a peculiar way.

[hectorberlioz]

Thats it! Te Deum. starring the organ right? i cant wait. they didnt have it at the library*sigh*. yeah i love the requiem. Harold in Italy is awsome!(another of my favs) especcially the third movement, and then it leads to the fourth with a bang.
just call me Hector.

[Alqualaure]

I also have a liking for classical music with horns and drums. Does anyone know a few good pieces with both these instruments?

I recommend Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique - most especially Part V - Dream of a Witches' Sabbath. If this doesn't satisfy your need for horns & drums, I don't know what will!

Also, Musorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition: The Great Gate of Kiev is quite powerful.

Alqua

[Alqualaure]

I'm not always keen on opera but i like the Pearl Fishers' duet. It's a nice piece.

Elvedans, what a GREAT song that is! - and one of my favourites as well.

Bryn Terfel has a new cd (Bryn Terfel Sings Favorites) coming out next week (the 14th) which features The Pearl Fishers' Duet with Andrea Bocelli. I can hardly wait for this - the two of them really brought down the house with this duet at the Classical Brit awards last May!

Alqua

[hectorberlioz]

glorious SHOSTAKOVICH! i listened to his symphony no.8 last night. it was awsome.
my new avatar is berlioz again.

[Khamûl]

Originally posted by Sheeana
My favourite piece at the moment is Bolero by Ravel.

Ah, the piece used so famously in the movie 10. It's good, but a bit repetitive for my tastes.

[Earniel]

Originally posted by Alqualaure
I recommend Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique - most especially Part V - Dream of a Witches' Sabbath. If this doesn't satisfy your need for horns & drums, I don't know what will!

Also, Musorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition: The Great Gate of Kiev is quite powerful.

Thanks, I'll have a look if I can lay my hands on them.

[hectorberlioz]

and if you dont mind my suggesting something myself. try Prokofiev's symphony no.1 "classical". very good

[Elfhelm]

Even if you don't like opera, there are non-singing versions of Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries". If you decide to check out the entire 15 hours Ring Cycle, please don't draw any parallels to our beloved JRRT. He despised the comparison.

[hectorberlioz]

people compared lotr to the ring cycle? i never knew that.

[Comic Book Guy]

Dee by Randy Rhoades and Summer by Vivaldi.

Could somebody recommend me some Bach? I have none of his works on CD, excepting the ones on various compilations.

[Elfhelm]

Originally posted by Comic Book Guy
Dee by Randy Rhoades and Summer by Vivaldi.

Could somebody recommend me some Bach? I have none of his works on CD, excepting the ones on various compilations.

It depends what instrument you would like to hear.

Guitar - I prefer this one record I have by Julian Bream, especially the Chaconne. (EMI D 106073)

Piano - some people go with Glenn Gould playing the Goldberg Variations. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...39949?v=glance

Violin - The sonatas and partitas for solo violin are some of the greatest works are composed.

Organ - Well, here you will find the great show pieces like Toccata and Fugue in Dm (familiar to fans of Phantom of the Opera). There are scores of recording with this piece. Personally I like the way Helmut Walcha plays Bach on organ.

Choral - The Saint Matthew Passion is generally regarded as the masterpiece. He wrote so many Cantatas that most people don't get to hear them all in their lifetime. But "Sleepers Awake" (Wachet Auf?) is greatly loved.

Orchestral - Usually people go for the Brandenburg Concerti. You can find both original instrument and modern symphony versions. I like original instruments myself.

Originally posted by hectorberlioz
people compared lotr to the ring cycle? i never knew that.

hehehe that was quick!