Classical Music

[Enigma]

Tchaicovsky, Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, Bach, Vivaldi(?)......


I don't have a specific favourite but they're all good.

[The Penultimate Ninja]

Anything with cellos.

It doesn't even have to be classical, but if it has cellos it is worth a listen.

[nechronius]

Mozart - 25th symphony, Requiem
Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata, 5th, 6th, 9th symphonies
Dvorak - 9th symphony(needs to be played the right way; fast beat with timpani drums)

Many others but those are particular standouts.

[2000AD]

Are we classing Apocolyptica as classical?

Regardless of that i like:

St Pauls Opus - Holst
Palladio - ?
Morning from the Pyer Gint (sp)

mainly because i've played them on cello and lied them. (palladio is piss eqasy on the cello for the most part )

[Sriad]

Composers that start with B. So Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Bartok, Berlioz, Benjamin Britten, Bizet, Barber... Mostly #s 2, 3, 6, and 8.

[haas mark]

Are we classing Apocolyptica as classical?

Regardless of that i like:

St Pauls Opus - Holst
Palladio - ?
Morning from the Pyer Gint (sp)

mainly because i've played them on cello and lied them. (palladio is piss eqasy on the cello for the most part )

Ahh.. Palladio.. Good in *any* variation I've heard of..

And Tchaikvsky did 1812 Overture, Gojira.

[Darth Gojira]

And Tchaikvsky did 1812 Overture, Gojira.

Thanks. I wasn't sure a Russian would play "Le Marsielle" triumphantly as a French general razes his homeland

[Raptor 597]

Ashokan Farewell is very good though it is considered Baroque.

[Baron Scarpia]

Barbers Adagio for string

I was fishing for that title! It's really such a great tune. A friend loaned me a CD of different groups doing their own versions of it, including an organ version, a vocal version (Agnus Dei), and one by the Canadian Brass

Probably one of the best pieces of the romantic era.
BTW, Angus Dei was the arrangement Barber wrote. Mostly because he was milking a cash cow for all it was worth.

Oh and I forgot to mention Vaughn Williams' Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis.

Actually, the Barber Adagio is not from the Romantic Era, it was written in 1936. It was originally a movement in a string quartet, but it became so popular that he arranged it for an all-string orchestra. The Agnus Dei arrangement came later.

I have to break up my favorites into genres, as there's no way to pick a single favorite composer or piece. Time period designations are my own whims.

Early Music/Baroque (Pre-1750):

Composer: J.S. Bach. The grand-daddy of Western music. *worship*
Orchestral work: Bach's Brandenburg Concertos are the only real contenders.
Choral piece: Bach's B Minor Mass stands today as one of the most monumental pieces of music ever written. That's probably why a recording of it is on the Voyager space probe.
Opera: Bach wrote no operas, so Purcell's Dido and Aeneas will do. Dido's Lament is still one of the most achingly beautiful pieces of music ever written.
Chamber work: Doesn't really apply, so will give to Bach for Air on a G string.
Solo Instrument work: Bach's Fugue in G Minor ("The Great")

Early Classical (1750-1800):

Composer: Mozart is another easy winner here--he has a sweep.
Orchestral work: Mozart's Symphony No. 40
Choral work: Mozart's Requiem is simply vital. No more need be said!
Opera: Mozart's Don Giovanni
Chamber work: Mozart's Gran Partita (Serenade for Winds)
Solo Instrument: Mozart's Ronda alla Turca. It's fun!

Classical (1800-1830):

Composer: Beethoven wins! Few have changed the very nature of music as profoundly as Ludwig.
Orchestral piece: Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 (It's cliched, but it is perhaps the most perfect symphony ever written in terms of form and construction). I'd order his symphonies as 5-7-9-3-4-8-6-2-1.
Choral work: Beethoven's Missa Solemnis *drool*
Opera: While Beethoven's Fidelio has great music, it's rather rum plot-wise. So I give the nod here to Rossini for The Barber of Seville
Chamber work: Beethoven's late string quartets are unbelievable. Mind-blowing stuff.
Solo instrument: Tie between Beethoven's Pathetique piano sonata and the Moonlight Sonata
Art Song: Schubert's Die Erlkonig. To this day, one of the best songs ever written, IMO.

Late Classical/Early Romantic (1830-1860):

Composer: Another B... Berlioz. His music was years ahead of its time.
Orchestral work: Berlioz's Symphony Fantastique
Choral work: Berlioz's Requiem mass, unjustly overlooked.
Opera: Verdi's Rigoletto, which is still one of the best operas ever written. Verdi brought real drama, passion and horror to the stage for the first time.
Chamber work: I'll be indulgent and say Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto counts as a chamber work, because I have to have both it and the Symphony Fantastique on my list.
Solo Instrument: Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 2 (with the Funeral March)
Art Song: Schumann's Dichterlieber, an astounding cycle.

Late Romantic (1860-1900)

Composer: Yet another B... Brahms, my personal favorite composer.
Orchestral work: Brahms' Symphony No 4. The greatest tragic symphony ever written.
Choral work: Brahms's Ein Deutsches Requiem. A magnificent piece written for the living, not the dead.
Opera: Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov. An epic piece that makes one feel like one has witnessed Russian history. It's a shame it has to compete with Bizet's Carmen, which is a close second.
Chamber work: Brahms's Piano Quintet in F minor. The scherzo has some fully jazz-sounding moments.
Solo Instrument: Brahms again...the solo piano op. 118
Art Song: Brahms comes through again with his Nicht mehr zu dir zu gehen. Heart-breaking.

Early 20th century (1900-1950):

Composer: Tough one, but I have to go with Mahler.
Orchestral work: TIE Mahler's Symphony No. 5--The slow movement is jaw-droppingly beautiful. And Stravinksy's The Rite of Spring, because it's just so damn good.
Choral work: Orff's Carmina Burana, while by no means perfect, is indisputably the most fun.
Opera: *Looks at login* I'd have to say Puccini's Tosca wins this, easily. Never has an opera moved along from start to close with such whiz-bang fury as this.
Chamber work: Shostakovich's String Quartet no. 8. Utterly haunting.
Solo instrument: Rakhmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
Art Song: Ok, it's more of a vocal symphony, but Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde works for me.

This leaves out so many favorites, like the Barber Adagio, Bruckner's symphonies nos. 4, 8 and 9, Wagner's works, Verdi's other middle and late operas, Schubert's symphonies, Haydn's works, Vaughn-Williams, etc...but they are my favorites.

Cheers.

[Saurencaerthai]

Entire post

Finally! Someone who gets them into the correct catagories! ::Congratulates::

[jegs2]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have heard MANY mention Bach in a classical thread.
::WHIPS OUT MEGAPHONE:::

BACH WAS NOT FROM THE CLASSICAL PERIOD. HE WAS BAROQUE.

For that reason, I don't listen to much Classical music. It's Baroque for me: Bach & Handel are my favorites.

[BrYaN19kc]

I'm not much into classical music, but I do like Beethovan's Ninth.

[Peregrin Toker]

Well, I do listen a lot to movie soundtracks which are influenced by Tchaikovsky and Holst. Does that count?

[haas mark]

Ashokan Farewell is very good though it is considered Baroque.

[kills it with various silverware] I'm sorry, playing the song kind of killed it for me.

However, there is also Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" which I really like, and also "Etertainer," but I don't know by whom.

[jenat-lai]

Several..

Bach - Cello Suite No. 5
Dvorak - "New World Symphony" (no. 6, especially "Furiant")
Beethoven - Brandenburg Suite No. 3
Grieg - Norweigian Dances
Holst - "Neptune" from "The Planets"
Mozart - "Kyrie" from "Requiem"
Tchaikovsky - "Marche Slav"
Salieri - "Contredanse"

Will think of more later..

SCREAMS BEETHOVEN DID NOT WRITE THE BRANDENBURG SUITES!!!!!!

It was J.S Bach.

[haas mark]

Several..

Bach - Cello Suite No. 5
Dvorak - "New World Symphony" (no. 6, especially "Furiant")
Beethoven - Brandenburg Suite No. 3
Grieg - Norweigian Dances
Holst - "Neptune" from "The Planets"
Mozart - "Kyrie" from "Requiem"
Tchaikovsky - "Marche Slav"
Salieri - "Contredanse"

Will think of more later..

SCREAMS BEETHOVEN DID NOT WRITE THE BRANDENBURG SUITES!!!!!!

It was J.S Bach.

[stabs self with a spork] SOrry about that.. Replace Brandenburg Suite with "Moonlight Sonata," then.

[jenat-lai]

Ok. Having done 3 and a half years at university studying Classical Music... I can honestly say I have known lots of classical music... most of which I absolutley adore... Some of them have 'other reasons' why I like them apart from just the music... but I'll list some, in no particular order. Some are rather mainstream, some are rather cultish (ie you love or hate it) and some are absolutley georgous music but rather unknown (because theyre modern, post modern, Australian, or by composers with not much output.)


Beethoven; Symphony 7
Mahler; Symphony 2, 3, 7, 8, 4, 5, 6, 9, 1 (lol...)
Brukner; Symphony 8
Rehspighi; Pines of Rome, Fountains of Rome, Roman Festivals.
Stravinsky; Firebird, Petrushka, Rite of Spring, Symphony of Psalms, Violin Concerto, Symphonietta.
Vaughan Williams; Symphony 2 (Symphony of a Londerner) Symphony 4 Symphony Antarctica (symphony 6)
Messien; Turangalila Symphonie; Eclairs sur L'au-Dela...
Carl Vine; Symphony 3, Piano Concerto, Symphony 4.2 (Symphony Four Point Two)
Matthew Hindson; Rave-Elation, Speed, RPM, Violin Concerto.
Ross Edwards; Violin Concerto 'Maninyas'
Steve Reich; The Desert Music, Music for Large Ensemble, Violin Phase, Clapping Music, City Life.
Richard Strauss; Alpine Symphony, Thus Spake Zaratuhrustra, Das Rosenkaveler
Benjamin Britten; Peter Grimes, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Piano Concerto
Shostacovisch; Symphony 5, 7, 10, 15.
J.S Bach; Suite for Solo Cello nr 1. Violin Concerto 1. (2nd movement especially)
Tchaicovsky; Romeo and Juliet, Symphony 4.
Wagner; The Ring Cycle, Tristan und Isolde, Meistersingers von Nurenburg.
Brahms; Symphony 4.
Carl Orff, Carmina Burana
Lutosvalsky; Symphonietta
John Williams; Tuba Concerto (yes that's the same guy that wrote the Starwars soundtracks)
Schoenberg; Five pieces for Orchestra.
Hindemith; Sonata for Trumpet and Piano
Eric Ewazen; Sonata for Trumpet and Piano
Graeme Koehne; Powerhouse, Unchained Melody, 3 poems of Byron.


I think that just about covers the majority of music that has caught my attention of being outstandingly very challenging, inspirational or otherwise exceptional to listen to.

[haas mark]

Handel - "Music for the Royal Fireworks" from Water Music

Fantasia Suite by whom, I don't know

[jenat-lai]

Handel - "Music for the Royal Fireworks" from Water Music

Fantasia Suite by whom, I don't know

Is that the Disney one?

If so it's by Debussy, Musorgsky, Mozart, Berlioz and a number of other composers... if it's something else, then by the name 'fantasia suite' I'm not farmiliar with it

If it's the Symphony Fantastique, then it's Berlioz...

I'm thinking it's the Mickey Mouse one though which is a nice arangement of stuff and a good introduction to alot of music, but it isn't a piece of music in it's own right as such. (ie composed over a period of about 100 years by 5 different composers of 4 different nationalitys. French, Russian, German and I think Italian too (though not sure on that one.) )

[haas mark]

Handel - "Music for the Royal Fireworks" from Water Music

Fantasia Suite by whom, I don't know

Is that the Disney one?

If so it's by Debussy, Musorgsky, Mozart, Berlioz and a number of other composers... if it's something else, then by the name 'fantasia suite' I'm not farmiliar with it

If it's the Symphony Fantastique, then it's Berlioz...

I'm thinking it's the Mickey Mouse one though which is a nice arangement of stuff and a good introduction to alot of music, but it isn't a piece of music in it's own right as such. (ie composed over a period of about 100 years by 5 different composers of 4 different nationalitys. French, Russian, German and I think Italian too (though not sure on that one.) )

Both, actually, as well as the Fantasia Suite for Viola.

[Baron Scarpia]

Ashokan Farewell is very good though it is considered Baroque.

[kills it with various silverware] I'm sorry, playing the song kind of killed it for me.

However, there is also Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" which I really like, and also "Etertainer," but I don't know by whom.

"The Entertainer" is by Scott Joplin, and it's Ragtime, not Classical.

[haas mark]

Ashokan Farewell is very good though it is considered Baroque.

[kills it with various silverware] I'm sorry, playing the song kind of killed it for me.

However, there is also Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" which I really like, and also "Etertainer," but I don't know by whom.

"The Entertainer" is by Scott Joplin, and it's Ragtime, not Classical.

Grr.. I thought it was.. Oh, well, we're all allowed to make mistakes.

[Baron Scarpia]

Beethoven; Symphony 7
Mahler; Symphony 2, 3, 7, 8, 4, 5, 6, 9, 1 (lol...)
Brukner; Symphony 8
Stravinsky; Firebird, Petrushka, Rite of Spring, Symphony of Psalms,
Vaughan Williams; Symphony 4
Shostacovisch; Symphony 5
J.S Bach; Suite for Solo Cello nr 1. Violin Concerto 1. (2nd movement especially)
Wagner; The Ring Cycle
Brahms; Symphony 4.
Carl Orff, Carmina Burana

*thumbs up*

I was a music major in college myself. The above pieces are a sign of excellent taste.

I've only recently begun to explore Bruckner, and man is it rewarding. Previously, I had stereotyped him as an artness stoge who just knew how to be loud and long. How wrong is that?! The 8th Symphony is magnificent, especially the transcendent Adagio. And then there's the 9th...transforming!

I highly recommend getting the old Furtwangler recordings of Bruckner--he did them like no one else. And he has probably the greatest recording of the 9th ever made, during the war. It was 1944, and the Berlin Phil gave a concert to which nobody came--the audience just didn't show up. But Furtwangler conducted anyway, and the performance was luckily recorded. It's stupefying--one of those recordings that can really affect you.

[Baron Scarpia]

[kills it with various silverware] I'm sorry, playing the song kind of killed it for me.

However, there is also Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" which I really like, and also "Etertainer," but I don't know by whom.

"The Entertainer" is by Scott Joplin, and it's Ragtime, not Classical.

Grr.. I thought it was.. Oh, well, we're all allowed to make mistakes.

S'ok, we all do. If you'll permit me one more little correction, the "New World Symphony" is Dvorak's 9th, not 6th.

[haas mark]

S'ok, we all do. If you'll permit me one more little correction, the "New World Symphony" is Dvorak's 9th, not 6th.

Was it? Well, then, I though it was the 6th.. Oh, well.

Also, Schubert's "Unfinished Symphony" ~ I *really* liked playing this piece.