We've had a lot of music threads over the years, but I don't think we've ever talked much about classical music. Do you have any opinions on classical music? Any favourites? Any memorable experiences? I've been thinking about this because I've just downloaded Smetana's Vltava, which is one of my all time favourite ever pieces of music. An extract from it was at the end of the tape recording of my Ladybird edition of The Ugly Duckling, which I used to listen to over and over as a small child. When I was a child, the local council used to run a programme of orchestral concerts for schoolchildren, which I always loved. There's something about seeing the musicians in action that brings the music alive for me. I always liked watching the cello section best when I was little, because they usually seemed to move a lot more than the others. I've always liked the timpani too - I'd like to have a go on them some day.
vivaldi is my favourite. my sister got to play cello in Gloria and i was a bit jealous. when i took violin lessons i learned haphazard bits of his concerto in A minor. beautiful stuff, and so amazing to play. i should pick up the violin again one of these days... mendelssohn is another composer i love. we did something of his in orchestra once, and it was brilliant in all possible ways.
I pretty much don't listen to anything [i:cbdd57ec22]but[/i:cbdd57ec22] classical music, so it's quite hard to pick total favourites. One of the best times of my life though was going by myself to watch an orchestra play Holst's Planet Suite at Hove Town Hall. This also made me think, as I watched them all playing their bit, how bizarre a composer's mind must be to orchestrate all those people and instruments in his or her mind and put it all down on paper with full instructions.
The most impressive piece I've ever heard was the Passion of John, by J.S. Bach. That blew me completely away. Edit: I got the initials wrong.
To be honest, I have heard very little. I liked what I heard, but its a bit difficult, bewildering even, to know where to start. I've heard some Vivaldi, some Mendelssohn (I liked his compositions quite a bit) - but for someone coming from a country where classical music means something entirely different, Western classical music is unknown territory.
[quote:694e576ada="Maljonic"]I pretty much don't listen to anything [i:694e576ada]but[/i:694e576ada] classical music, so it's quite hard to pick total favourites. One of the best times of my life though was going by myself to watch an orchestra play Holst's Planet Suite at Hove Town Hall. This also made me think, as I watched them all playing their bit, how bizarre a composer's mind must be to orchestrate all those people and instruments in his or her mind and put it all down on paper with full instructions.[/quote:694e576ada] Little known fact: on the orders of George Lucas, John Williams pretty much copied Holst's Planet Suite note by note for the Star Wars soundtrack. Edit: oh sorry we were talking about western art music. I'm gonna be mainstream and say my favourite composer is Beethoven. Piano Sonata No. 8 and No. 14 are to me simply the most beautiful pieces of music written for the piano.
When I was young, my parents listened to nothing but classical music, and I must say that although it is nice, too much of it when all my school friends were listening to Madonna, Michael Jackson or the Ghostbusters theme tune, it rather pissed me off... I don't mind listening to classical, if it's on, but I wouldn't go out of my way to do so. The one thing I remember fondly from childhood was Peter and the Wolf, it was certainly a great introduction for kids to classical music.
My car radio, when it's on, is tuned to classic fm. So much more relaxing when driving and a great selection of music. I love Jupiter from Holtz planet suite and the Armed Man by Karl Jenkins.
[quote:ddd3404bfe="Katcal"]all my school friends were listening to Madonna, Michael Jackson or the Ghostbusters theme tune[/quote:ddd3404bfe] Bustin' makes me feel good!
[quote:ab72a36362="KaptenKaries"][quote:ab72a36362="Katcal"]all my school friends were listening to Madonna, Michael Jackson or the Ghostbusters theme tune[/quote:ab72a36362] Bustin' makes me feel good![/quote:ab72a36362]I ain't afraid a no Holst.... Sorry.
Igor Stravinsy's Rite of Spring and The Firebird Suite are two of my favorites. Even though they are ballets, the dance can be seen well enough if you close your eyes. As a music major I had to sit through many concerts. My favorite listening position is leaning forward slightly and closing my eyes. The guitar professor was amazing to listen to. His movements were so smooth and relaxing. Watching some people play was like watching a wrestling match between them and their instrument, but he was always completely at ease while playing. He and his wife had a duo, The Klasinc / Loncar Duo. That's what I miss most about university. Free concerts. Bach is one of the only composers that didn't have a "bad" song. He wrote his music with such a theory base that it always works. Beethoven, List, Brahms, and Mozart composed some my favorite piano music. Classical music is such a large genre and so moody. I never could decide which composer to write papers on because each one would appeal to a different part of me. Therefore my teacher would eventually just assign me one and be done with it.
Although I barely listen to it anymore, Vivaldi and Grieg are my favourites. Grieg's "Hall of the mountain king" is still beautiful. It was also one of my grandfathers favourite pieces, and was played at his funeral.
[quote:d487f8727f="Tephlon"]Although I barely listen to it anymore, Vivaldi and Grieg are my favourites. Grieg's "Hall of the mountain king" is still beautiful. It was also one of my grandfathers favourite pieces, and was played at his funeral.[/quote:d487f8727f] I love the mountain king, great piece. I always picture John Bauer's paintings when I hear that work.
I loved and love many of the pieces already mentioned - Holst's Planet Suite, Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Vltava by Bedrich Smetana, some pieces by Debussy, some by Beethoven, Saint-Saëns, Ravel, Grieg... My current favourite classical composers are all still alive by the way - some consider them of the same school, and their music certainly has some things in common: Arvo Pärt, Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, and John Tavener. Interesting question, actually. Arvo Pärt, Phillip Glass, or composers/ musicians like Jocelyn Pook, or Wojciech Kilar, and surely a lot of other composers with reputation do both by now.
I don't really know much about classical, but I don't mind listening to it. Except if there's a harpsichord involved. I've come to the conclusion that the harpsichord is the patron instrument of the mentally ill.
[quote:625dc17063="Hsing"][quote:625dc17063]I listen to a lot of film soundtracks. Does that count?[/quote:625dc17063] Interesting question, actually. Arvo Pärt, Phillip Glass, or composers/ musicians like Jocelyn Pook, or Wojciech Kilar, and surely a lot of other composers with reputation do both by now.[/quote:625dc17063] I guess the question is whether you classify music by style or historical period. I would say that most original film soundtracks are classical music of some form or other. John Williams certainly, KK.
Someone once told me that heavy metal is just classical music with distortion. One of my favourites is Debussy's "Prelude a L'apres-midi d' un Faune" by the way.
My favorite was always Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Heavy Metal and Classical music together is awesome. Metallica did an album with Michael Kamen and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, although I thought they could have blended better. Sometimes the orchestra was too loud, or Metallica was. It was almost like they werent listening too closely to each other. (Although they did do the Imperial Death March from Star Wars. Suh-Weet) Also the Trans-Siberian Orchestra puts on great concerts around Christmas time.
I've been trying to actually [i:b75b6be0fd]remember[/i:b75b6be0fd] the names and composers of some of the classical stuff I like recently. We put a classical cd on every night to get my brother to calm down, so I know quite a lot by ear, just nothing about them. Shameful really. I do find that classical music is the most flexible and wonderful genre, in that whatever mood I'm in it complements. Also nothing better for dealing with exam nerves.
