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Thread: Classical Listening

  1. #1051
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    Quote Originally Posted by stlukesguild View Post
    I actually haven't come across many who would suggest that they hate Mahler. In fact, within the realm of the classical music aficionados, I would say that the late Romantic period seems to have the most fans: Mahler, Brahms, Sibelius, Bruckner, etc... Wagner attracts the most hostility due to his antisemitic comments (in spite of the fact that Chopin, among others, were far more openly antisemitic), his popularity with Hitler (as if that has anything to do with him), and the fact that as a composer he limited himself almost exclusively to opera. It is telling, for example, that Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Puccini, Britten... and even Verdi are rarely discussed by the majority among classical music fans as being among the greatest composers for the very same reason... while composers such as Handel, Vivaldi, Rimsky-Korsakov, and even Tchaikovsky are grossly underrated by those who ignore of are completely ignorant of their operatic achievements.

    personally, I think Mahler is a stunning composer. His symphonic achievements are perhaps only surpassed by Beethoven and his song cycles are equally stunning. If Mahler proves difficult to some listeners, I think it has to do with:
    1. His inclusion of vocals within a good many of his symphonies ("impurity"... and that dislike of the operatic) 2. The scale and the "meandering" or very large and open structure of his symphonies. We can grasp the forms of Haydn and Mozart and Schubert and Brahms far more clearly. 3. His bending of traditional tonality. Here Mahler goes beyond Wagner heading into the realm of multi-tonality and atonality/dissonance in which case we lose the firm-footing of a home base or major key to which we return again and again... and in the process we lose more of the sense of form.
    Thanks for the info, as always, StLukes.

    Ie never gotten why an artist gets flack o Hitler likes there works, other. One of the greatest movies of all time Metropolis, was loved by Hitler. Does it take anything away from the movie? Of course not.

  2. #1052
    Registered User Emil Miller's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neely View Post
    Thanks Loka, Stlukes and Emil for the notes on Haydn and St Peter's Ale respectfully.

    Yes I have found the quartets so far to be quite delicious and very relaxing, unpretensious pieces. I will look further into the choral works as I have still been listening to the Benedictine stuff for a while now so the choral pieces should go down nicely as well.

    ......................

    The St Peter's Ale was indeed a quality brew, highly recommended, even the bottle was a gem.

    http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=st+...t:429,r:23,s:0

    It seems the brewery have got a pub in London as well?:
    http://www.stpetersbrewery.co.uk/london/default.htm
    Yes I read about the pub but unfortunately it is in a part of London that I don't like. According to Wikipedia, the bottle was designed to match an 18th century Gin bottle that they had come into contact with. Since the brewery was founded in the 1990s, it's just another example of how the big brewers have been selling everyone short on quality whilst monopolising the market
    "L'art de la statistique est de tirer des conclusions erronèes a partir de chiffres exacts." Napoléon Bonaparte.

    "Je crois que beaucoup de gens sont dans cet état d’esprit: au fond, ils ne sentent pas concernés par l’Histoire. Mais pourtant, de temps à autre, l’Histoire pose sa main sur eux." Michel Houellebecq.

  3. #1053
    Registered User Emil Miller's Avatar
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    When I was about 17, I read Henri Murger's 'Scènes de la vie de bohème' in an English translation and was immediately struck by Puccini's ability to recreate the story in Italian operatic terms. I didn't know much about opera at the time but, like many people, I knew of this piece and even now, all these years later, it's hard to listen to unmoved.

    http://youtu.be/7kl8P6n3lTE
    "L'art de la statistique est de tirer des conclusions erronèes a partir de chiffres exacts." Napoléon Bonaparte.

    "Je crois que beaucoup de gens sont dans cet état d’esprit: au fond, ils ne sentent pas concernés par l’Histoire. Mais pourtant, de temps à autre, l’Histoire pose sa main sur eux." Michel Houellebecq.

  4. #1054
    Registered User the facade's Avatar
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    I've been listening to Dvorak's "Americain" Quartet (op. 96) - performed by the Jerusalem Quintet. It is superb!

  5. #1055
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    I'd love to hear what you all think of this album, one of my favorites of 2011, if you've listened to it:



    "Attaboy", the opening song, is still my favorite from this album. It's so wonderfully energetic and joyous, and you can just tell the musicians are having a great time.

    This is my first album of classical fusion, and I'm looking forward to getting more into the genre. I also bought one of Yo Yo Ma's Silk Road Project albums, which is also wonderful.

  6. #1056
    In the fog Charles Darnay's Avatar
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    I love everything Yo Yo Ma does....and this is fantastic.
    I wrote a poem on a leaf and it blew away...

  7. #1057
    In the fog Charles Darnay's Avatar
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    MM's post reminded me of this, even though it is quite different.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h5dI6m6Eh8
    I wrote a poem on a leaf and it blew away...

  8. #1058
    Artist and Bibliophile stlukesguild's Avatar
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    After a long week we spent the evening out at a German restaurant: Jäger Schnitzel, Saurkraut Pierogies, Spätzel, Sauerkraut, and Apple Struedel... with two really magnificent German beers. Back home I'm continuing on my way to slow inebriation with a Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout. The only "classical" music that seems to fit is some "classic rock":

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia1UjNBK_3Y

    Beware of the man with just one book. -Ovid
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  9. #1059
    Artist and Bibliophile stlukesguild's Avatar
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    Returning to the real roots of the Blues:



    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4t2AVTtPSQ

    Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon were the real thing... the music that a slew of white American and British wussie wannabes plundered... and quite often without even offering up credit where credit was due... after all they were just a bunch of poor old black guys.

    Of course returning to the Stones... they fully acknowledged just who they were indebted to... and you have to admit that anyone who can look like this:



    ... and not only still be breathing... but still playing guitar as good as ever... is no wussy wannabe... but rather one bad a*** MF-er!

    Beware of the man with just one book. -Ovid
    The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.- Mark Twain
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  10. #1060
    Artist and Bibliophile stlukesguild's Avatar
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    Recently, I've been making some forays into the realm of the "classical era" beyond Haydn, Mozart, and early Beethoven. I absolutely loved Hoffmeister's clarinet quartets. The sonatas for flute and piano are quite enjoyable as well. Rococo bon-bons, certainly... but sometimes one is in the mood for bon-bons and Hoffmeister is quite masterful as providing what is desired.
    Beware of the man with just one book. -Ovid
    The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.- Mark Twain
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  11. #1061
    Artist and Bibliophile stlukesguild's Avatar
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    Playing around on Spotify this afternoon. I gave this a listen:



    I am a long admirer of the Historically Informed approach to older music... and of Jordi Savall in particular. His recordings of Bach's Brandenburgs and the Art of Fugue and numerous others were eye-opening. His Water Music/Royal Fireworks Music brought to life again a body of music by Handel I had not taken seriously for years. Having said that much, I have mixed feelings about this recording of Mozart's Requiem. Where Savall's recordings of the Brandenburg's or Handel'a Water Music/Royal Fireworks Music could surely suffice as a sole interpretation in any collection, I don't think such is true in this instance. Indeed, there are any number of other recordings that I would nominate as a first choice over Savall, including:







    ... even Karajan's "old school" interpretation.

    Savall places the timpani, winds, and horns right up front... resulting in something of Mozart meets rock n roll. Initially, this results in a highly exciting sound. My first thought upon hearing the opening movement was "Damn!" Unfortunately, the "loss" of the strings results is a loss of a good deal of the subtlety and well as the fire of the Requiem. My overall impression thought is that Savall offers an intriguing interpretation... but I'll stick with Marriner, Gardiner, Herreweghe, etc...

    The next disc I listened to this afternoon was:



    I have had mixed feelings concerning Tavener as a composer. Some works have left me indifferent... or worse. Others I have found pleasing enough, if not overly "original". Yet again there are those works (I think especially of the hypnotic Shûnya) I have found especially powerful. This disc, undoubtedly, proves the value of a top-notch performance. Harry Christopher's and the Sixteen could almost make the phone book sound stellar and spirit-enhancing. They do an absolute stunning job with this collection of Tavener's featuring the Ikon of Light, two settings from William Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience (The Lamb and The Tyger), and several other short choral compositions. The only qualm I have is with the inclusion of Tavener's settting of the semi-well-known Christmas carol, Today the Virgin. It isn't the piece itself, but rather the context... which seems so out of place immediately after the Ikon of Light... and at less than 3 minutes it could be done without. Still... overall, a great disc.

    *******************

    Still toying about on Spotify... in spite of the fact that I have some 50... if not 100 discs I have yet to listen to. Anyway... I decided to stay in the choral mode... and to stick with Harry Christophers and the Sixteen. Anyone unfamiliar with this group really needs to give them a listen. Their performances of "Early Music" are absolutely stunning... and their performances of Bach, Mozart, and especially Handel may even be better.



    This disc is a collection of late 19th and 20th century choral music featuring works by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Stravinsky, Tchesnokov, Kalinnikov, Arvo Part, John Tavener, and James MacMillan. All of the composers, with the exception of MacMillan, have been profoundly impacted by the music of the Eastern Orthodox and/or Russian Orthodox choral tradition. There is a common stress upon the lower register or bass vocalists and a simple chant-like structure. MacMillan, a staunchly conservative Scottish Catholic, nevertheless fully fits within this selection. I cannot recommend this disc highly enough for anyone certain that there is no Modern/Contemporary music (and especially choral music) of real "beauty"... in the most traditional sense. No music could be more beautiful and more consoling.
    Beware of the man with just one book. -Ovid
    The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.- Mark Twain
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  12. #1062
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    What do you think of this piece?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCdZbRBusz0

  13. #1063
    Original Poster Buh4Bee's Avatar
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    I really liked it. It's got some nice blues with a "classical" sound.

  14. #1064
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    It was interesting for a few minutes.

  15. #1065
    Artist and Bibliophile stlukesguild's Avatar
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    from Amazon.com:

    "His work has great beauty...The separate pieces amount to one big work of a lifetime, such as we so much want to write: unbegun, unended, unending. Whatever is missing has to be imagined. It's all there"

    -Wolgang Rihm

    The present recording followed on from Rosamunde's performances in their Munich concert series "From the Quartet Book". In a CD booklet note, Yoffe writes that the contribution of the Hilliard Ensemble, "whose versions of Machaut, Palestrina or Lassus have for years been my yardstick for the art of singing, surpassed everything I could have hoped for..."

    "Song of Songs" was produced by Manfred Eicher in St Gerold in November 2009, just a few months after the Hilliard's recording of "Officium Novum". The monastery has also been the site of Rosamunde recordings including the Mansurian quartets, as well as many other ECM albums of both composed and improvised music.

    Boris Yoffe is a Russian-born, Israeli composer. Yoffe graduated from its Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in 1989. The following year he emigrated to Israel, and began his studies at the Tel Aviv Music Academy in 1990. In 1997 he moved to Germany to study, initially, with Wolfgang Rihm in Karlsruhe. Prodigiously prolific, Yoffe has been writing quartets almost daily since 1995, most of them around a page in length, lasting a little over a minute. By now his Book of Quartets is a compendium of several thousand pages. Critics have called the collected Book of Quartets a work without end... a composition as a diary... an unfolding poetic meditation. As his teacher Wolfgamng Rihm has admitted, the Book of Quartets is one of those epic creations of a lifetime: unbegun, unended, unending... a musical equivalent of Whitman's Leaves of Grass, Baudelaire's Fleurs du Mal... or perhaps the best analogy would be with Edmond Jabès' The Book of Questions. The pieces on this recording were selected, by the players and by the composer, from the approximately eight hundred he has written during the last three or four years. Among them are other single-page compositions from a related, interpenetrating project in which the quartet’s four parts become eight with the addition of four singers, their voices matching the instruments in range as they sing phrases from the Song of Songs.

    The music is rather stark... minimalistic... yet unworldly. I would highly recommend this disc for anyone intrigued with Modern/Contemporary music and art song. The only equivalent I can think of is that of Othmar Schoek's songs set to a string quartet and a few contemporary songs I have come across on various discs. This is certainly one of those discoveries that I suspect I will be returning to again and again.

    The performance, as should be expected of the first-ever collaborative effort of the Rosamunde Quartet and the Hilliard Ensemble is top notch.
    Beware of the man with just one book. -Ovid
    The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.- Mark Twain
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