Classical Music

Arts & Sciences Arts & Entertainment
1

I feel like I’m coming out of the closet with this, but hell, I don’t care. I’d like to get a discussion going and receive some recommendations. When I was a small child I listened to nothing but classical, as that’s all my parents have ever listened to. In junior high I took piano lessons and studied classical, but that didn’t last very long. By high school I had switched over to nothing but rock. With time my musical tastes diversified, but I never really knew much about classical. Now that I’ve got a baby I figured I should start listening to it again, and I’m hooked. Classical music is great. I’m definitely a novice, but due to Amazon.com’s great site, where one can read reviews, listen, compare, etc., rather than buying blindly at FNAC, I’m learning quickly. Here are a few of my favorites

2 favorite CDs (without hesitation):
Bach, Goldberg Variations, Glenn Gould (1981 version): fantastic solo piano.
Bach, Die Kunst der Fuge (Art of Fugue), Keller Quartett: beautiful string quartet.

Favorite symphony:
Mozart, Symphonies 35-41, Berliner Philharmoniker, Karl Bohm (Deutsche Grammophon, 1960).

Favorite of the wife and baby:
Bach, Suites for Solo Cello, Janos Starker: very calm, peaceful and melodic.

Also very nice:
Grieg/Schuman, Piano Concertos, Berliner Philharmoniker, Lief Andsnes/Mariss Jansons

I’ve also got various others including Mozart piano sonatas played by Alfred Brendel, who after 50 years performing is a master, but I find the CD, or Mozart perhaps, a little too romantic and repetitive. For the piano, I think I prefer Bach. Therefore, I’m looking into buying Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, by Sviatoslav Richter, which is truly outstanding, but it’s 4 CDs and $43. One can get half of that played by Gould, which would also be great, but I think I prefer Richter’s version.

Anyone else like classical music? What are your favorites?

[Incidentally, the “books and movies” thread really should be expanded to include books, movies and music.]

2

[quote=“Mother Theresa”]I feel like I’m coming out of the closet with this, but hell, I don’t care. I’d like to get a discussion going and receive some recommendations.

Anyone else like classical music? What are your favorites?[/quote]

I can tell you what I like, but it looks like our tastes are quite different. For me, Mozart is :snore:

The late-romantics offer some jewels, and are fairly easy on the ear. If you like symphonies, check out Bruckner (the latter works), or try Rachmaninov for unabashedly romantic sounds - try the 2nd symphony and any of the piano works. Some people dig Brahms, but I find him a little turgid.

Moving into the 20th century, Mahler’s symphonies are the most influential, and to die for (literally), but I don’t think any other composer has ever captured the essence of living. Try the 3rd symphony, which some critics have hailed as the single-greatest symphony of the 20th century. Mahler is not easy on the ear, but deeply affecting nonetheless. Sibelius has a highly individual sound, best described as organic or expansive, and if you like strings, he

3

Yeah, I’m thinking about that also. Give me a little bit of time…

PS I’m a huge classical music buff too - I grew up with it (Almost a religion with my folks), and still listen to it regularly. I’ve got some CD suggestions that’ll rock your world - but not in this post… Anyway, I see you’ve already got Gould’s Goldberg variations - that’s a classic.

4

I like Bach. I had a CD of Bach Violin concertos and played it while driving though the mountains in Japan. The music and the scenery were just perfect together. If you’ve seen the movie Slaughterhouse Five, there’s the scene where the prisoners are arriving in Dresden and the music is a Brandenburg concerto, I forgot which one. Glen Gould did the music.

Us long hairs should keep each other informed of any local happenings. For example there was a classical guitarist from Japan in town last weekend at the CKS Memorial hall. I wanted to go, but with all the foolishness over there, I gave it a pass.

5

I always listen to 97.7FM in the car. I think only Taichung Chang Hua gets it though
Don’t know much about classical music, but I do have a few pop faves like Schubert’s Trout Quintet and Mozza’s Requiem which I never get tired of listening to.

6

[quote=“Spack”]I always listen to 97.7FM in the car. I think only Taichung (Taizhong) Chang Hua gets it though
Don’t know much about classical music, but I do have a few pop faves like Schubert’s Trout Quintet and Mozza’s Requiem which I never get tired of listening to.[/quote]
Its on 99.7 in Taipei.

7

A few sites you might find of interest.

National Public Radio’s Performance Today’s 50
Offers audio excerpts and commentary for each of the 50 CDs on the list.

Gramophone editors’ choice
Look through the previous months, too.

Monthly listing of Early Music CDs as reviewed in French magazines
Many of these discs are hard to find in Taiwan because they’re on French labels. But they’re still worth seeking out.

8

Sorry, 99.7 is (here I go again) :wanker: Too much bloody talking and explaining. Too much bloody Mozart and squeaky violin music as well.

If you’ve got broadband, there are some great classical stations on the Internet. WCPE in North Carolina is a good one that is funded by donations, so no ads. Classic FM in the UK is OK, but the ads drive me to distraction. BBC Radio 3 is a long-established favourite. You can select individual programs as well as listen live.

WCPE: http://www.wcpe.org/
Classic FM: http://www.classicfm.com/index.cfm?nodeId=35
BBC Radio 3: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/

9

I can’t believe nobody’s mentioned Debussy here – probably my favorite composer. I believe he really paints the music… his work is amazing.

And what about Ravel? And Arvo Part? Some great music there.

10

Mendelssohn. Plus, you can hear where John Williams lifted the theme to “Star Wars” in the c-minor piano trio. (Just listen for the cello line, you can’t miss it!)

11

Dmitri Hvorostovsky, a baritone from Russia, recording of Sviridov’s “Petersburg, a vocal poem” and six romances. Most enjoyable with a glass of good merlot in a quiet cool evening.

Itzhak Perlman’s Tchaikovsky violin concerto with Isreael Philharmonic

Yo Yo Ma’s classical cello. He seems to have abandoned the classical stuff recently, which is a pity.

12

Adagio from Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto makes me fall in love with my instrument all over again. Cliche, I know, but it’s one of the most beautiful pieces for the clarinet (although I do love the Priestess’s Song from Aida with the clarinet and oboe intertwining mysteriously). I have always been a Mozart fan.

13

I love Bach cause his music is calm and soothing sometimes. But talking about music that calm the most people I would say Mozart is the best. His music is touching a soul like a child…

And I love Vivaldi’s four seasons. So dramatic and beautiful. I had a pleasure to see Nigel Kennedy in real last November at the National concert hall. He is a very gifted musician and plays with his heart.

No one has mentioned about Chopin, although a lot of out there might not like his music because it’s such a cliche. But anyone who can play piano must love his piano pieces.

Oh, and for the children, I think you can play " Peter and Wolf " by Prokofiev, a Russian composer. It’s fun and interesting so you can story reading to your kids.

These are what I like to listen most of the times:

  1. Haydn cello concerto by Du Pre. She is a wonderful cellist.
  2. Vivaldi - four seasons by Nigel Kennedy
  3. Lizst or Chopin pieces by Yun-Di Lee. A young pianist from China.
  4. Bach’s Brandenburg suite, or any piano pieces by Glenn Gould
  5. Moazrt’s flute concerto played by Pahud
  6. Piano concerto No.2 by Rachmaninov
  7. Impromptus op 99 and 142 by Schubert
  8. Bach’s cello piece by Yo-Yo Ma
14

That’s the first classical music I can remember hearing, along with “A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.”
Nowadays I prefer something a bit meatier – Mahler in particular gets my juices running.
Stravinsky gets me all hot and bothered with Sacre du Printemp, too, while Sibelius’ modal and darker stuff gives me goosebumps. Grieg’s poeticism and Mendelssohn’s Hebridean Overture … well, 'nuff said.

15

That’s the first classical music I can remember hearing, along with “A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.”
Nowadays I prefer something a bit meatier – Mahler in particular gets my juices running.
Stravinsky gets me all hot and bothered with Sacre du Printemp, too, while Sibelius’ modal and darker stuff gives me goosebumps. Grieg’s poeticism and Mendelssohn’s Hebridean Overture … well, 'nuff said.[/quote]

I don’t like Mahler, Stravinsky and Sibelius either.

16

That’s the first classical music I can remember hearing, along with “A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.”
Nowadays I prefer something a bit meatier – Mahler in particular gets my juices running.
Stravinsky gets me all hot and bothered with Sacre du Printemp, too, while Sibelius’ modal and darker stuff gives me goosebumps. Grieg’s poeticism and Mendelssohn’s Hebridean Overture … well, 'nuff said.[/quote]

I don’t like Mahler, Stravinsky and Sibelius either.[/quote]
Ah well, you see, that’s why they invented different composers – because otherwise everybody would like the same thing, and THEN where would we all be? If you don’t like those three, then it just means your blood doesn’t run hot enough. :wink: :wink: :wink:

17

[quote=“sandman”]
Ah well, you see, that’s why they invented different composers – because otherwise everybody would like the same thing, and THEN where would we all be? If you don’t like those three, then it just means your blood doesn’t run hot enough. :wink: :wink: :wink:[/quote]

Those three are difficult to understand. I prefer something from Baroque era.

No one has mentioned about Beethoven yet.

18

there is another album I’d like to recommend:
Yo-Yo Ma’s Simply Baroque, that comes with Bach’s pieces :boo-hoo:

19

Some personal favourites because I’ve been in choirs that have sung them:
J. S. Bach Cantata “Gottes Zeit is die aller beste zeit”
Mendelssohn’ “Elijah” Victorian hokum but very rousing
Verdi’s Requiem: Stirring and operatic
Berloz’s Requiem: Full orchestra, 4 brass bands and a battalion of kettle drums usher in the last trump and produce a real feeling of the end of the world!
For listening I prefer over the top orchestral excess:
Scriabin’s “Poem of Ecstasy”
Any Richard Strauss, Mahler, Max Reger, Bax and Elgar

Finally to make purists shudder: arrangements of JS Bach by Leopold Stokowski for full symphony orchestra - lush, rich, indulgent and lots of fun. Stokowski wasn’t called the "old magician’ for nothing.

Naxos has a huge repertoire and they are cheap CDs

20

My taste in classical music depends on a lot of factors, almost like I’m hormonal or something. Mood, time of day, surrounding environment affects which composers, or time period I can listen to.

All in all, the one composer that speaks to me is Beethoven. I never tire of any of his music. Alfred Brendel is the best pianist for his work IMO. Another fantastic pianist is Murray Perahia. The oldie classic pianists like Vladimir Horowitz and Arthur Rubinstein and Sergei Rachmaninoff, never get tired of them. Another lesser known and under appreciated pianist is Alicia de Larrocha. If you can, you should get her recordings. I don’t know the new guys as I stopped playing about 18 years ago and haven’t kept up.

Debussy, Mendelssohn and Schubert are under appreciated and can be listened to around the clock and very soothing. Same goes for Bach. Never been a big fan of Mozart, I have to concentrate too much for him to fully appreciate its genius. Chopin is another, great works but cliched and with him I have to think too hard. I prefer sometimes not to think about my music. Russian composers are another favorite, tend to be dark, moody and full-bodied which suits my general disposition quite nicely. The Romantic period symphonic works are good sources for inspiration and cave time periods.

So that being said, has anyone attended Taipei Symphony Orchestra performances? They’ve got Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream coming up end of the month. Unfortunately will be out of the country then.