I love Grieg's "Peer Gynt" myself. If you haven't listened to it, I almost guarantee it will be one of those compositions that you will instantly recognize parts of:
When this piece, "Morning Mood" swells it gives me chills every time. It's stunning:
I also love how In the Hall of the Mountain King builds slowly to a frenzy. Makes me think of dwarves and trolls. Now you will too :
And I also love Tchaikovsky. I am still 100% convinced that John Williams essentially rearranges his work and puts it in movies.
I love how 1812 overture really tells a story through song:
Just a few of my favorite classical bits!
Incidentally, I think this may be the least crazy post I have ever made on these boards.
__________________ @crazybaconlegs ***Mod edit: You are not now, nor have you ever been, a hamster. Please stop claiming this.***
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Crazy Bacon Legs For This Useful Post:
My preferences tend to lean toward modern compositions; mostly 20th century, and a lot of eastern european stuff. Henryk Gorecki's third symphony is stunning. Arvo Part is another favorite; check out his Fratres. If you listen to a bit of this style and find that it's something you like, Gyorgy Ligeti is another guy to check out. Also, Georgs Pelecis, who isn't really a well known composer, has a piece called Nevertheless that floors me every time I hear it.
Also a big fan or Part and Ligeti, but I know better than to suggest them to others if I don't know what kind of musical background they're coming from. Some might know Ligeti from "Lux Aeterna" - otherwise known as the sound of the monolith in 2001. But I'm more fond of some of his adaptations of Hungarian folk songs.
A good 20th century suite that everyone can get into, whether you're into the more experimental or not, is Holst's The Planets. Everyone knows bits of it, but when you listen to it as whole you really start to realize how much John Williams owes him. I usually say "stole from him," but I'm feeling polite tonight.
For any who enjoy classical music, do try and attend the CPO on either April 29, or April 30 of this year. Mahler's Resurrection Symphony will be performed, and with the CPO Chorus and Symphony, there will be over 300 on stage.
This is a great piece of music, and is not performed often on the Calgary scene...very worthwhile to make an attempt to attend.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to redforever For This Useful Post:
Originally heard this in a WW2 documentary when I was young and have loved it for a long time. The composer was co-opted by the Nazi's unfortunately, as a result of his operas being based on the German mythos.
Ride of the Valkyries is much more famous by Richard Wagner, but my fave is Götterdämmerung - Siegfried's Funeral March
It sounds epic and heroic.
This has been mentioned twice so far, but I just wanted to note its recent re-entry into pop culture by serving as the backdrop to the finale in The King's Speech. The 2nd Movement of Beethoven's 7th Symphony in a cool digital display showing the different instruments playing.
Love it, but don't know where to begin in collecting it. So, I mostly enjoy it from the radio (CBC2) or internet radio, or Shaw cable has a few classical music channels.
I like to listen to it when I am reading (or jazz). I can't listen to anything with vocals when I read.
Wish I could play some classical guitar - taking a stab at Mood For A Day by Yes right now.
I started off with Brahms, Chopin, Mozart and Beethoven......pretty standard introduction imo. I highly recommend them as a starting point and their compositions are varied, well covered and readily available.
When I started to 'explore' a bit more, I gravitated towards Sergei Rachmaninoff. He was as brilliant as anyone else, and wrote some tremendous piano-specific pieces (my favorite instrument).
Personally, I recommend focusing on chamber music to start. It's simpler music performed by smaller groups. It can pack a real punch, has tremendous spirit/soul and is (imo) easier to appreciate than large performance pieces.
I started off with Brahms, Chopin, Mozart and Beethoven......pretty standard introduction imo. I highly recommend them as a starting point and their compositions are varied, well covered and readily available.
When I started to 'explore' a bit more, I gravitated towards Sergei Rachmaninoff. He was as brilliant as anyone else, and wrote some tremendous piano-specific pieces (my favorite instrument).
Personally, I recommend focusing on chamber music to start. It's simpler music performed by smaller groups. It can pack a real punch, has tremendous spirit/soul and is (imo) easier to appreciate than large performance pieces.
Rachmaninoff is wonderful. His darkness is very typical of the Romantic period where harmonies began to make their move towards lush chromaticism, pushing the boundaries of the earlier Classical period.
His short piano prelude, Op. 3 No. 2 in C sharp minor is one of his most famous pieces and embodies that style nicely. Huge thick pillars of sound, and very dark yet has an uneasy tenderness within.
His piano concertos are considered to be among the toughest works in the world to play. Brazilian pianist Arnaldo Cohen recently played two of them here in Calgary with the CPO...brilliant stuff.
Anyways, I have my Mahler tickets and second the notion that everyone who is interested should buy some. If you are between the ages of 15 and 26 the CPO has a CPossibilities program where you can sign up (for free) and get tickets to every concert for $12...and sit anywhere you want. This beats paying ~$70 a pop for the nice seats.
They are trying to encourage young people to come out to these things and it's a hell of a deal.
I have always wanted to get into classical music but wasn't sure where to start..
I really like Jazz, listen to quite a bit of it.. any suggestions that would be a sort of bridge?
__________________ "In brightest day, in blackest night / No evil shall escape my sight / Let those who worship evil's might / Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!"
I have always wanted to get into classical music but wasn't sure where to start..
I really like Jazz, listen to quite a bit of it.. any suggestions that would be a sort of bridge?
Scott Joplin's rags might be a nice place to start. Don't listen to the Entertainer, it's over-played. Try the Ragtime Dance or the Peacherine Rag or the Easy Winners.
Then listen to some George Gershwin. The king of jazz in the concert hall. Pick anything - it's all awesome. I played his 3 Preludes at a concert and enjoyed them immensely.
The Following User Says Thank You to arloiginla For This Useful Post:
Look around on the internet for compilations of popular pieces - find an artist you like and then check out his other work. Alot of the music on those compliations were the Stairway to Heaven of their time - there's a reason they are still popular.
That being said, for every William Tell Overture there's 100 sh1tty pieces, music back then is no different than it is today. Studs, one hit wonders and crap.
I would start with Vivaldi personally - especially the Concerto for Mandolin in C Major, it's one of my favorties. Also - if you like Beethoven who obviously very popular - grab the soundtrack to Immortal Beloved with Gary Oldman. Sir Georj Solti and the London PHO did it and it's fantastic.
Keep in mind too that every Conductor puts their own stamp on a piece of music, they aren't just there to wave the baton. This way it's almost like a cover song, the tempo, certain instruments more noticeable or absent all together. You'll find the same piece of music can sound completely different so hunt around.
Another event in Calgary that is most worthwhile to consider attending, is the Honens International Piano Competition, held every 3 years in Calgary. The next upcoming competition is mid October of 2012.
A lot of the preliminary performances by the contestants are free to attend. There is a charge to attend the final competition though.
You can find more info about this international piano competition here:
Xiang Zou was the youngest to ever win this competition in Calgary. He won in 2003 and for his final performance, he played Rachmaninov's Third Concerto, unbelievable performance.
As part of winning the Honens Competition, the winners are matched up with various well known individuals in their field for future master classes, and they are scheduled to give various performances for 3 years....so it kind of sets these winners up for future endeavors. I was in attendance when Xiang Zou was back with the CPO in 2005, and he played Mozart's D Minor Concerto. Just an awesome performance, he has such a presence on the stage.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to redforever For This Useful Post:
I have always wanted to get into classical music but wasn't sure where to start..
I really like Jazz, listen to quite a bit of it.. any suggestions that would be a sort of bridge?
A couple of years ago at the CPO, they had a Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky night.
Jazz Suite 1 and 2 by Shostakovich were performed. Now they are not in the jazz style of Gershwin, are just light dance suites played on the piano, so foxtrots, polkas, marches, waltzes of Shostakovich's time. I quite enjoyed them and ordered in this CD.
:
