Classical Music

[vonn]

Searched this board looking for some threads on classical music - surely there must be some classical fanatics on here? I just got Spotify with the intention of listening to pure crap - but just discovered the classical tab

I've played piano for 14 years now, which just means AMEB grades and musical theory. Never pursued it as a subject during tertiary education but I think I have enough experience to comment on it. My favourite pieces have been by Liszt or Tchaikovsky. Liszt because his work is truly technical perfection and requires so much practice, Tchaikovsky because I love the life and energy within his work.
Strangely - not a fan of Beethoven even though I enjoy his work.

I cannot stand baroque - maybe it's the romantic in me. Anyone else gave favourites/dislikes?

 

[brokey]

Have recently gotten into Samuel Barber...mainly due to his ethereal "Addagio For Strings" that I first heard on a compilation CD from the ABC (my first ever CD) back in about the late 80's (and heard it again whilst watching Platoon)...other than that I dont have a preference for any particular classical pieces but I have got a lot of tracks in a folder "Top 100 Masterpieces of Classical Music 1685-1928", almost like a greatest hits...anyway, its good to put on when I am studying...

Like a bit of Opera too...Brightman in particular...phwaaaaarrr....

cheers

col

 

[vonn]

Have recently gotten into Samuel Barber...mainly due to his ethereal "Addagio For Strings" that I first heard on a compilation CD from the ABC (my first ever CD) back in about the late 80's (and heard it again whilst watching Platoon)...other than that I dont have a preference for any particular classical pieces but I have got a lot of tracks in a folder "Top 100 Masterpieces of Classical Music 1685-1928", almost like a greatest hits...anyway, its good to put on when I am studying...

Like a bit of Opera too...Brightman in particular...phwaaaaarrr....

cheers

col

What is the theme of Adagio for Strings played on? Sounds like a keyboard and mixed in a studio, I'm finding it hard to find an instrument that an produce that sound. It's interesting.

 

[brokey]

What is the theme of Adagio for Strings played on? Sounds like a keyboard and mixed in a studio, I'm finding it hard to find an instrument that an produce that sound. It's interesting.

Its all strings (violin, cello etc) if that is what you are asking...

cheers

col

 

[Running Dog]

Too many interesting composers to name here, vonn.

I'd say my favourite is Stravinsky, because of his rhythmic complexity, exotic themes, and orchestral colour. But if we're talking 'orchestral colour' then we can't go past Ravel and Debussy, which takes us into the mid-20th century with Britten and Prokofiev, and that reminds us of composers whose work was based on themes of national identity, like Sibelius, Dvorak, Rimsky-Korsakov etc. So much fabulous music, it's hard to know where to start. Anyone want to know what their ears are for? Have a listen to Appalachian Spring (Aaron Copland).

I'm not so fond of baroque music either- it's a bit twinkly-dinkly and mechanical for me, but like anything it's a product of its time.

Happy listening!

 

[HARKER]

 

[Engimal]

My classical knowledge is fairly limited but I do enjoy it.
Bourrée in E minor is my favourite, being a guitarist.

 

[vonn]

Too many interesting composers to name here, vonn.

I'd say my favourite is Stravinsky, because of his rhythmic complexity, exotic themes, and orchestral colour. But if we're talking 'orchestral colour' then we can't go past Ravel and Debussy, which takes us into the mid-20th century with Britten and Prokofiev, and that reminds us of composers whose work was based on themes of national identity, like Sibelius, Dvorak, Rimsky-Korsakov etc. So much fabulous music, it's hard to know where to start. Anyone want to know what their ears are for? Have a listen to Appalachian Spring (Aaron Copland).

I'm not so fond of baroque music either- it's a bit twinkly-dinkly and mechanical for me, but like anything it's a product of its time.

Happy listening!

I agree with the mechanical description - the beats per bar were always very strange, like 3/16 or something strange from memory. Made it very stilted - huge contrast to later movements.

 

[mellowyellow]

My classical knowledge is fairly limited but I do enjoy it.
Bourrée in E minor is my favourite, being a guitarist.

That would be by J.S Bach. I enjoy attempting some of his cello suites for classical guitar particularly his preludes fugues and sarabands

 

[Engimal]

That would be by J.S Bach. I enjoy attempting some of his cello suites for classical guitar particularly his preludes fugues and sarabands

Yeah, he was a pretty neat fellow. It's a shame more guitarists don't take up classical guitar. It's the most fun (and frustration, occasionally ) I've ever had in music.

 

[vonn]

That would be by J.S Bach. I enjoy attempting some of his cello suites for classical guitar particularly his preludes fugues and sarabands

This might sound stupid, but how do you go about changing the sheet music to suit guitar? Is it fairly simple, or is it already 'pre-written'? I guess I'm so use to piano sheet music I think it's the default, but realizing now that's not the case!

 

[Copernicus]

There's a thread in here somewhere, probably buried deep in the archives.

I actually prefer Baroque above all else. That's primarily because of Bach, the pre-eminent musician of all time in my view. If you don't think the man was passionate and romantic at heart then you need to give his music another go. His masses and choral music are amazing, and I am also very partial to his organ preludes and fantasias. Some of the organ chorales are a lot lighter on the fireworks but are truly lovely in there own way. I also really like the orchestral suites, which use a variety of instrumentation to great effect, and are pretty symphonic in their own way.

I would also recommend giving a listen to Biber's Missa Salisburgensis. Yeah it's a mass and it's all religious and that, but the sound blew me away the first time I heard it and continues to do so.

From the romantic period I am quite partial to Schubert, Grieg and Dvorak but there's also a lot of pretty melodramatic music from that era that ironically leaves me fairly cold. Never been a massive Beethoven fan though I must admit that the violin concerto is an incredible piece of music.

 

[Copernicus]

That would be by J.S Bach
I enjoy attempting some of his cello suites for classical guitar particularly his preludes fugues and sarabands

Bach wrote some Lute sonatas (essentially transcriptions of the partitas and sonatas for violin) which in turn have been adapted for the guitar.

 

[mellowyellow]

This might sound stupid, but how do you go about changing the sheet music to suit guitar? Is it fairly simple, or is it already 'pre-written'? I guess I'm so use to piano sheet music I think it's the default, but realizing now that's not the case!

Transposing these pieces to classical guitar may seem odd but they do work and sound delightful on the guitar Also, the pieces have been transcribed by a number of guitar players/composers, including Stanley Yates, whom I primarily use.

 

[mellowyellow]

Bach wrote some Lute sonatas (essentially transcriptions of the partitas and sonatas for violin) which in turn have been adapted for the guitar.

If you haven't already,you should acquaint yourself with Sylvius Leopold Weiss, He was a prolific writer for the Lute and in my opinion probably its best exponent He and Bach were acquainted and often played together

On the subject of favorite composers,well Bach goes without saying as his body of work, including voice, chamber music, organ,violin ,harpsichord,cello,flute and so on, is immensely prolific and inspirational.

Other notables from the baroque period are Telemann, Wiess,Couperin, Scarlatti and of course Albinoni, who's Adagio is one of the best known and loved classic pieces of all time

Others include Domenico Cimarosa, Manuel Ponce, Joaquin Turina,Joaquin Rodrigo and Samuel Barber.

 

[Copernicus]

If you haven't already,you should acquaint yourself with Sylvius Leopold Weiss, He was a prolific writer for the Lute and in my opinion probably its best exponent He and Bach were acquainted and often played together

On the subject of favorite composers,well Bach goes without saying as his body of work, including voice, chamber music, organ,violin ,harpsichord,cello,flute and so on, is immensely prolific and inspirational.

Other notables from the baroque period are Telemann, Wiess,Couperin, Scarlatti and of course Albinoni, who's Adagio is one of the best known and loved classic pieces of all time

Others include Domenico Cimarosa, Manuel Ponce, Joaquin Turina,Joaquin Rodrigo and Samuel Barber.

I have most of the Robert Barto recordings of the Weiss Lute sonatas. There is some beautiful music in that collection. It's not quite as contrapuntal and complex as Bach's but I do enjoy listening to them from time to time.

I think they've established that the Albinoni Adagio is not his composition; how it got attributed to him I can't remember, but apparently the composition has been disputed for a while and it's been settled that he did not write it. Nothing against him; I have the Academy of Ancient Music recordings of his op 12 concertos and they're wonderful.

 

[samFFC]

Anything used by Stanley Kubrick is a good suggestion! The main has immense taste.

This one from Barry Lyndon:

 

[mellowyellow]

I think they've established that the Albinoni Adagio is not his composition; how it got attributed to him I can't remember, but apparently the composition has been disputed for a while and it's been settled that he did not write it. Nothing against him; I have the Academy of Ancient Music recordings of his op 12 concertos and they're wonderful.

Really?.... well thats something I didn't know as Ive have always attributed it to him

 

[Dory_77]

Really?.... well thats something I didn't know as Ive have always attributed it to him

Wasn't it found as only half written, then someone else filled out the rest in the 20th century?

 

[vonn]

Learnt piano for 10 years . Got A.Mus.A This is one of my best favourites Thank you for putting this here .

Good on you. Somehow I've managed to study it for longer but am less qualified

I'm useless!

 

[mellowyellow]

Wasn't it found as only half written, then someone else filled out the rest in the 20th century?

Like I said, I have always attributed this piece to him so I was somewhat surprised to find it is not. Even more perplexing is that this has escaped my attention given I have listened to him for more then 2 decades

 

[djrossie16]

Anything used by Stanley Kubrick is a good suggestion! The main has immense taste.

This one from Barry Lyndon:

could listen to this all day

Been listening to a fair bit of classical stuff of late. More so the short piano works variety. Not into the big stuff yet that may come down the track.

 

[AtomicBlonde]

I really only like the dark and/or dramatic pieces and Wagner is my favourite.

This just blows my mind:

 

[AtomicBlonde]

Bolero is another great piece that I have always loved and this is my favourite version thus far:

 

[vonn]

Can we all take a second to appreciate Rachmaninoff. His flight of the bumblebee is one of the funnest pieces composed. Technical genius too.