Classical Music

[Martian Poet]

Are there any fans of classical music on the board?

If so, let's get a discussion going!

Some of my favorite composers are Chopin, Paganini, Wagner, Bach and Liszt.

[Weisinheimer]

Yeah, buddy! I love classical music. There's bunches of composers I like. Beethoven, Back, Liszt, Mozart, are a few of my favorites. I really like Liszt's hungarian rapsodies. I'm working on learning #2 on the piano.

[Virgil]

We already had a thread on this. Perhaps one of the moderators can merge them together. I love Mozart and Beethoven. But others too.

[jab]

A Feb 14, 2007 article (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/14/arts/music/14levi.html?ex=1172466000&en=606b865c7076d97a&ei=5070) in the NYTimes begins:
The composer Ned Rorem maintains that everything and everyone falls into either French or German aesthetic camps. The French aesthetic favors lightness, texture and surface beauty; the German is concerned with rigor, depth and structure.

If you accept this (and if you don’t, Mr. Rorem would say you are German), then the Boston Symphony Orchestra has long been French...

OK, that quote was thought-provoking for me, not to mention really funny.

So, to take at least momentarily his two divisions, here's a list of my favorite works for each aesthetic! For the French aesthetic, I love Ravel's orchestral arrangement of his own piano work, Le Tombeau de Couperin. This work exudes great French nuance and panache passion. But what is special about this work, for me, is the juxtaposition of its exotic, flashy orchestration and aforementioned delicacy with the early music of Francois Couperin! Not quite like salt and sweet, this combo is perhaps like unto fresh, salty ocean gusts?

As for the Germans, I wish that some church or group performed the appropriate Bach cantata every Sunday. Anyone else want to go? He's not exactly light listening, and I don't often put him in for mood music! While all artists deserve to be listened to actively, Bach's music perhaps more than those of many other ancient composers is best examined, enjoyed through the fullest use of the faculties.

Finally, another favorite of mine is the Fountains of Rome by Respighi. Ormandy and Philadelphia produced a recording of this work that is so good it elevates the quality of the work itself, if you know what I mean. The piece takes a few listens (weeks for me) to get used to, and after that, bliss. Well, would Respighi be German? What do you think?

[Virgil]

I hate to argue with that article (Lord knows I probably argue with The New York Times every day), but I was taught that classical music divides between Italian style and German style. Italian style is very lyrical and emotional while German is abstact and intellectual. Most musical terms are in italian, not French. Many of the great classical composers are either Italian or German.

[JBI]

Just came back from Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin starring Reneé Flemming and conducted by Valery Gorgiev (sp?). Absolutely amazing.


For the posters above, what about Russian music. In style I find Russian music to be very different in terms of style and instruments. Works by composers like Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, or Stravinsky.

As well, French music by composers like Debussy really stand out. I don't think it is really fair to divide music between German and Italian. There are plenty of other variations, and some composers get influenced from different places.

[Logos]

Just came back from Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin starring Reneé Flemming and conducted by Valery Gorgiev (sp?). Absolutely amazing.

Oh! lucky you :)



For the posters above, what about Russian music. In style I find Russian music to be very different in terms of style and instruments. Works by composers like Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, or Stravinsky.

I'm partial to Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev, especially his Romeo and Juliet Suite No. 2, Op. 64b "The Montagues and Capulets" from "Romeo and Juliet" :D



As well, French music by composers like Debussy really stand out. I don't think it is really fair to divide music between German and Italian. There are plenty of other variations, and some composers get influenced from different places.

I totally agree. Like Mozart, Schubert, and Haydn (Austrian), Dusik (Czech), Liszt (Hungarian)

[Scheherazade]

I'm partial to Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev, especially his Romeo and Juliet Suite No. 2, Op. 64b "The Montagues and Capulets" from "Romeo and Juliet" :DJinx! :D

[Logos]

:idea: :redface: :blush: :) :D :lol: :goof:

[Virgil]

Just came back from Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin starring Reneé Flemming and conducted by Valery Gorgiev (sp?). Absolutely amazing.

Sounds great. I've never gone to an opera and would love to.


For the posters above, what about Russian music. In style I find Russian music to be very different in terms of style and instruments. Works by composers like Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, or Stravinsky.
Love them all. Especially Stravinsky.


As well, French music by composers like Debussy really stand out. I don't think it is really fair to divide music between German and Italian. There are plenty of other variations, and some composers get influenced from different places
Oh I agree. I wasn't trying to stipulate that it was Italian and German and no one else. I was more reacting to the NY Times dividing it between German and French which makes no sense to me. Other than Debussy and Berlioz, I'm hard pressed to even to think of anyone else.

Logos, I think Austrian and German tend to get lumped together, although I think I hear a difference. At least to my inexperienced ear.

[jab]

Hmmm... I don't know if I want to argue on behalf of Mr. Rorem's French/German duality or not. First, if I will defend it, I think I must preclude what it could not mean for me if I were to accept it: that all music really isn't as unique as Gr or Fr music, that all composers that are grouped as "French" sounds the same stylistically and all "German" composers are the same, nor that it means that a composer can't fall between the two, etc. I would, maybe, consider whether it is valuable as an aid to expressing succinctly some polar emphases in Western music.

Aside: I think you are right, Virgil, between France and Italy, the latter was the bigger player (perhaps the biggest of all) in the developmental days of the Baroque, and therefore in the flowering of the tradition of Western music. French and German, however are more polar styles than German and Italian, which may be why the composer Ned Rorem chose to use those two nationalities instead.

Of course, every school of composition, national musical tradition, or period has a unique style that is easily identified as being neither French nor German! And I might would argue that Russian is as disparate from French music as to German. (That would be a fun point to think about, perhaps!) The question is, though, does it aid our ability to evaluate and communicate perceptions of music when we introduce into our vocabulary the concept of "Frenchness" and "Germaness", with the terms meaning nothing more or less than those easily identifiable yet hard-to-express qualities which separates their aesthetics. In other words, does it help us understand and compare various composers' works better? Or, does it require too much explanation of what it doesn't mean to be worth the aid to expression that it adds?

[Adudaewen]

I love classical music. Motzart and Beethoven are my favorites, I however also love Chopin and Tchaikovski. I often find myself listening to these songs, and I just cry because it is so beautiful. There are very few things on this earth that affect me like music.

[seasong]

I adore classical. I just saw Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet performed! It was AMAZING! I grew up listening to the music and I've always loved it, but to see it was truly fantastic. I also love Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky. Chopin is my easy listening music and I have a thing for opera.

[Daizee]

classical music's fab! Went to see Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet and it was SO fantastic.

[Adudaewen]

I got to tell you, anyone who has ready access to live opera should count their lucky stars. I have absolutly no access to it, other than ordering cds from Sam Goody and online. And people here give you weird looks when you say you like opera. They don't understand it, its like they lack to capacity. You get shunned and mocked. Or at least I did in high school.

[jab]

I suppose I'll add myself to the list of people who enjoy Prokofiev's works, though I am familiar with his Symphony No. 1 alone.

The "Classical" symphony, as it is call, adopts classical (18th century) form and aesthetic values with sincerity, tenderness, and prankishness. It doesn't mock but modernize, the graceful lines sung with balanced contrast of the classical era with something of a jocund wink all the time that unmistakably betrays its 20th century compositional date and revolutionary creator.

Prokofiev explains himself in his autobiography: "It seemed to me that had Haydn lived to our day he would have retained his own style, while accepting something of the new at the same time. That was the kind of symphony I wanted to write."

To balance a neoclassical shoutout with a neoromantic one, how about Samuel Barber, whose Adagio for Strings is rightly famous, and whose violin concerto is not far less beautiful!

[white camellia]

A combination of the classical and the modern, seems also a trait of Maurice Ravel's works. I love his "Ballade de la reine morte d'aimer" composed at 1890s.

[Virgil]

A combination of the classical and the modern, seems also a trait of Maurice Ravel's works. I love his "Ballade de la reine morte d'aimer" composed at 1890s.

Oh I forgot about Ravel as a French composer. He's my favorite of the french by far, and let me point out he's half Spanish. :D

[stlukesguild]

I'm actually listening to Vaughan Williams right now... Fantasia on 'Greensleeves'. Yes... there actually are some decent English composers. But I lean toward the Germans. How can you not? Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Schubert, Haydn, Handel, Wagner, Bruckner, Mahler, Richard Strauss... But then again I also love the French Moderns: Faure, Ravel, Satie, and Debussy more than all. I'm also a big fan of the great Italians... especially the great Italian opera composers: Rossini, Donizetti, Verdi, Puccini... I've never been a big fan of the Russians. I do like Mussorgsky and Tchaikovski from time to time and I'm coming around to Prokofiev and definitely Rachmanninov... but Stravinsky still does very little for me. Clever... innovative... but leaves me cold. But the comments on Bach... yes! Always Bach! He is God, is he not?

[Stanislaw]

My favourite classiscal compser would have to be: Pachbell, Rachmaninof (I think I butchard that), Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Handell, and Vivaldi.

I like each of the composers, generally, but they have certain pices which I favour, for Pachbell it would be his cannon, Tchaikovsky - 1812 and the new world symphony, Wagner - valkries, handel - water music, but for those not mentioned from my above list, I quite like all of their music.
I have left out quite a few composers from my list, but if I were to list all of the composers that I enjoy listening to (and their works that I prefeer...I would be here a long time!)

For modern composers in the classic style (if we are considering those) I would say Rob Dougan is of the best.

[aeroport]

I like each of the composers, generally, but they have certain pices which I favour, for Pachbell it would be his cannon, Tchaikovsky - 1812 and the new world symphony,

Was the "New World" symphony not Dvorak's?


For my part, I really love it all; but lately I've been listening to a good deal of Beethoven, and I listen to Tchaikovsky's concerto no. 1 just about every day right now.

[Stanislaw]

Was the "New World" symphony not Dvorak's?


For my part, I really love it all; but lately I've been listening to a good deal of Beethoven, and I listen to Tchaikovsky's concerto no. 1 just about every day right now.

:blush: you are totally correct, I really botched that one!

[stlukesguild]

Pachelbel's Canon, Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Handel's Water Music... as well as Bach's Brandenburg Concertos were among my first real loves with regard to classical music. I can still listen to the Canon (usually around Christmas) but I realize that Pachelbel was essentially a "one hit wonder". There are many other far greater masterworks based upon the concept of the theme and variation starting with Bach's Goldberg Variations and his Art of the Fugue. I still love the Four Seasons, but I have branched out with regard to Vivaldi, and find that his mandolin concerti and flute (and many others) are marvelous... and he has also written some beautiful vocal works. Bach's Brandenburgs are still thrilling to me... but Bach is such a giant having written masterful works for solo keyboard, solo violin, solo cello, organ, as well as other chamber orchestra pieces (the violin concerti performed by the young Yehudi Menuhin are fabulous... as are the keyboard concerti by Murray Perahia), to say nothing of the wealth of choral music (cantatas, motets, the Mass in B Minor, the passions, etc...). I cannot even choose a single favorite work by Bach, although I must have Pierre Fourniere's recording of the cello suites, Glenn Gould's Goldberg Variations, Angela Hewitt's Well Tempered Clavier, and cantatas 80, 140, and 147. As for Handel. I must admit that I have not listened to the Water Music or the Royal Fireworks Music for quite some time. I recently discovered his lovely keyboard suites, but I'm probably most drawn to his vocal (opera and oratorio) work. Beyond the obvious Messiah, which is certainly deserving of its fame, Handel wrote many other operas and oratorios. I have two favorite recital recordings of selected arias by Andreas Scholl and Renee Flemming that are both marvelous. Both include the famous aria Ombra mai fu which I find to be perhaps the most absolutely exquisite thing Handel ever wrote... and only a few short minutes in length. Of course, my tastes may be colored by the fact that I am currently making a great effort to explore vocal and choral music in some depth... everything from medieval music through vocal pieces by 20th century English composers such as Vaughan-Williams, Benjamin Britten, and Howells, on through Gorecki and Arvo Part. Beyond this I am making a conscious efort to explore the Romantic Russian and Scandanavian composers such as Tchaikovski, Rachmaninoff, Rimsky-Korsakov, Sibelius, Grieg, etc... once again as I have been largely focused upon the Germans and Italians, and to a smaller extent, the French. But what can I say... I can't help myself.:blush: See?! I'm listening to Bruckner's 4th right now.:)

[Virgil]

I still love the Four Seasons, but I have branched out with regard to Vivaldi, and find that his mandolin concerti and flute (and many others) are marvelous... and he has also written some beautiful vocal works.

I quite agree. There is so much more to Vivaldi than The Four Seasons. I particularly like his mandolin works.

I share your love of Bach as well. I have never heard of Pachelbel.

[aeroport]

I have never heard of Pachelbel.

Oh, but you have heard the canon... Doubt it not. No one escapes it!

[stlukesguild]

Oh, but you have heard the canon... Doubt it not. No one escapes it!

Oh so true! I've listened to it it any number of times... and in very poorly recorded quality while being put on hold.