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1Dydo
aug 1, 2006, 5:10 pm

Any favorite composers or pieces?

I'm partial to Mozart, I love Beethoven's 'Missa Solemnis', and Schubert's 'Mass in G'.

Also, any feelings on 'crossover' groups/artists such as the Operababes, East Village Opera Company, and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra?

2chichyJakMysz Første besked:
aug 2, 2006, 1:35 am

Beethoven's Ninth, second movement
Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony
my favorites.
=)

3antimuzak
aug 2, 2006, 2:51 am

Bach's B minor mass is the bees knees.

4Dydo
aug 2, 2006, 10:25 am

Who doesn't love Beethoven's 9th? :P And if they don't, they should.

Has anyone ever heard/done Brahm's 'Geistliches Lied'? I thought it was nice enough, but the person who conducted me in it made me *love* it after all he said about it during rehearsal.
'The entire piece is in canon with itself and with itself and with itself and... folks, this is impossible!!' He's right though, it's a powerful piece. :)

5annabethblue
aug 2, 2006, 1:18 pm

I think my favorite piece is Songs my Mother Taught Me by Dvorak.

As far as longer pieces, I'll go for Wieniawski's 1st Violin Concerto, Beethoven's 7th Symphony (esp. 2nd movement), and Handel's Messiah.

We performed the Messiah every year in college, and I really got to loving it. ;)

Any Schubert Lieder is great too, and Vivaldi's string stuff is wonderful. Love it. :)

6Dydo
aug 2, 2006, 2:56 pm

I like the Dvorak piece also, but I only know it in German...

And about the Messiah, don't you love it when you get a bunch of choral/classical geeks together and (especially when you have at least one of every voice part) you can do it (almost flawlessly) with or without instruments/conductor? :P

7lilithcat
Redigeret: aug 11, 2006, 9:11 am

Mozart is God.

I used to think it was Bach, but I've decided that while both are precise and mathematical and intellectual, Mozart has more passion and humanity in his work.

8Dydo
aug 11, 2006, 2:45 pm

I love Mozart. I love Bach as I'm a bassist and I'm partial to feeling Bach is the great, great, great grandfather of the bass :P But Mozart... *happy sigh*

I have this Mozart CD called, "...for Guilty Pleasures" and, oh boy, is it *ever* well-titled. :P

9marietherese
aug 11, 2006, 4:48 pm

Interesting observation, lilithcat. I actually had the opposite experience, going from an early love of Mozart, to a much deeper and more profound love of Bach as I grew older.

For me, the coupling of rigorous intellect with restrained but very sincere and deep emotion in Bach's works (particularly the religious works, the cello suites, the violin sonatas and partitas, and the revolutionary six sonatas for violin and keyboard) give his music a maturity, a depth and breadth of character that Mozart's music mostly lacks (although, I think there are glimpses in Mozart's late work of what a preternaturally mature composer he might soon have become).

Of course, the truly wonderful thing about both composers is that they are so remarkable, so many-faceted and so profound that different people can find almost infinitely different things within their works and each of those discoveries will be just as genuine as any other.

10antimuzak
aug 12, 2006, 3:45 am

I seem to remember that Radio 4 (UK radio) ran a balloon debate about which was the best composer. Bach narrowly won over Beethoven, Mozart was thrown out of the balloon just before these two finalists. Germaine Greer argued for Bach.

11peripatetic
aug 13, 2006, 1:04 am

I'm more of a 20th century guy. Mahler and Shostakovich...

12Dydo
aug 13, 2006, 2:23 am

I think everyone has a love for Mahler that they're afraid to express. :P

13antimuzak
aug 13, 2006, 3:55 am

Quotes from Composers on Composers
Book by John L. Holmes; Greenwood Press, 1990.

Boulez's teacher at the Paris Conservatoire, MESSIAEN, said that Boulez is the greatest musician of his generation, although he said that he is very far from his own musical universe. Not only is he the greatest composer of serial music, but in Messiaen's estimation he is the only one, and he sees him as his successor in the field of rhythm, taking from Messiaen the idea of rhythmic unease and the idea of rhythmic research. He also used rhythmic formulae derived directly from Greek and Indian music.

BEETHOVEN's admiration for Handel was unbounded. He was once asked, "Whom do you consider the greatest composer that ever lived?" His immediate reply was " Handel. To him I bow the knee," and he then bent one knee to the floor. He is also reported to have said: " Handel is the greatest composer that ever lived. I would uncover my head, and kneel down at his tomb!" On his deathbed Beethoven received from Johann Stumpff in London the forty-volume edition of Samuel Arnold's edition of Handel's works; according to Thayer, one day the boy attending on him was asked to hand the big books from the pianoforte where they rested to the bed. "I have long awaited them," said Beethoven, "for Handel is the greatest, the ablest composer that ever lived. I can still learn from him!"

HAYDN was a dear and close friend of Mozart. In a letter to his daughter, Wolfgang's sister, Leopold Mozart reported a remark that Haydn had said to him:

Before God and as an honest man I tell you that your son is the greatest composer known to me either in person or by name. He has taste and, what is more, the most profound knowledge of composition. 342

Haydn also wrote this in a letter to Roth in Prague:

If I could only persuade every friend of music, but especially the great ones, to understand and to feel Mozart's inimitable works as deeply as I do and to study them with as great feeling and musical understanding as I give to them. If I could, how the cities would compete to possess such peerlessness within their walls. Prague would do well to keep a firm grip on this wonderful man--but also to reward him with treasures. For unless they are rewarded, the life of great geniuses is sorrowful and, alas, affords little encouragement to posterity to strive more nobly; for that reason so many promising spirits succumb. . . . It angers me that this unique man Mozart has not yet been engaged by some imperial or royal court.

BEETHOVEN'S respect for Mozart was immense. Ferdinand Ries, a friend of Beethoven, observed that of all composers Beethoven valued most highly Mozart and Handel, then J. S. Bach: "Whenever I found him with music in his hand or lying on his desk it was surely compositions of these heroes.

14antimuzak
aug 13, 2006, 4:02 am

Quotes from Composers of Yesterday: A Biographical and Critical Guide to the Most Important Composers of the Past
Book by David Ewen, David Ewen; H. W. Wilson, 1937.

FRÉDÉRIC FRANÇOIS CHOPIN, perhaps the greatest composer that the pianoforte produced, was born in a village near Warsaw, Zelazowa Wola, on February 22, 1810.

Of all the composers of the past, he ( Dvorak) adored Beethoven the most. At one time, a group of Prague citizens brought him a laurel wreath with the inscription: "To the greatest composer in the world." The next time they visited him, they found the wreath encircling the brow of a bust of Beethoven.

This same year was also distinguished by the fact that Field became the teacher of a young musician who was later to become Russia's greatest composer, Glinka.

He went for a short period to Budapest for further intensive study, not only of music, but of philosophy, literature and languages as well. It was at this time that a score of Wagner Lohengrin came to his hands. The young composer, who until now had considered Mendelssohn the greatest composer of them all, found a new world to explore in this score. Lohengrin gave Karl Goldmark new impetus in his composition. At this time, he produced his first important works for orchestra, including the Sakuntala overture and the Rustic wedding symphony.

EDVARD HAGERUP GRIEG, Norway's greatest composer, was born on June 15, 1843, in Bergen.

At this time, Haydn became acquainted with Mozart. Much to his credit, Haydn recognized Mozart's genius. Until the end of Mozart's life, Haydn fought vigorously to bring the genius recognition. In 1785, Mozart composed a series of six quartets which he affectionately dedicated to Haydn. When Haydn heard these quartets, he told Mozart's father: "I must tell you before God, and as an honest man, that I think your son the greatest composer I ever heard of."

THE greatest composer produced by the Netherland contrapuntal school, 1 recognized by his contemporaries as the foremost musical master of his age, was Josquin des Prés, who was born in Hainault about 1445.

During the last ten years of his life, Rameau lived a quiet and secluded existence, producing his several important treatises on harmony, and composing ballets, operas, instrumental music with an industrious pen. The last years of his life found him generally accepted as the greatest composer of his period; and he saw his "French art" winning a decisive victory.

15cinnamon-tree
aug 16, 2006, 7:46 am

I'm very fond of the entire Nutcracker, and also Pablo de Sarasate's Gypsy tunes is great.

16Dydo
aug 16, 2006, 8:15 am

Antimuzak: Those look interesting, I will look them up.

17MikeinOKC Første besked:
aug 16, 2006, 5:07 pm

Smetana is nice -- I love most of the Romantic composers. Ma Vlast is a joy. Also, Dvorak's New World Symphony, and of course Ludwig and all his creations, perhaps especially the Emperor Concerto.

18sacredpath
aug 16, 2006, 6:13 pm

Although by no means religous love the music of arvo part -it has a sort of mysterous essence which is impossible to put in words

19Quotato
aug 16, 2006, 7:34 pm

Bach for Bass.
Beethoven for Mid-range.
Mozart for Treble.

This is the Holy Trinity of Music

20Dydo
aug 17, 2006, 3:33 pm

Quotato: So right.

21tomcatMurr
mar 15, 2007, 6:38 am

Lilithcat #3:
Actually, God still has quite a lot to learn from Mozart...

22tomcatMurr
mar 15, 2007, 6:39 am

Purcell, Purcell, Purcell.

23coasterb
mar 23, 2007, 12:09 am

Hallelujah Chorus, Beethovens 5,6,9, Prelude in C, Sousa marches, Mars and Jupiter, Bolero! Thats my top favorites.

24ghostwire
apr 3, 2007, 8:32 pm

Denne meddelelse er blevet slettet af dens forfatter.

25docperkins
Redigeret: mar 5, 2008, 3:12 pm

One of my favourites is Alfred Schnittke. Works of AS such as his Symphony No.1 or the Concerti Grossi to mention but a few, are absolutely mind-blowing.
Another contemporary avant-garde composer whose works I enjoy are Morton Feldman. I've just listened to the ECM Label's 2008 edition of Feldman's The Viola in my Life, with The Cikada Ensemble, which is more than convincing. And if you still haven't heard Crippled Symmetry, consider having a go on that as soon as possible...
Another classical avant-garde composer who has to be short-listed is Luigi Nono, and one would do much worse than starting by his Prometeo, in case of approaching Nono's works for the first time.

26clong
mar 5, 2008, 3:08 pm

At the moment my list of favorite pieces (which of course changes from time time) is probably:

Stephen Albert Cello Concert
Mahler Symphony No. 6
Sibelius Symphony No. 5
Nielsen Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4
Mozart Great C Minor Mass
Walton Belshazzar's Feast

27docperkins
mar 5, 2008, 4:53 pm

As a fan of Carl Nielsen I think his Symphony No.4, 'The Unextinguishable' is remarkable, and the rendition of the New York Philharmonic conducted by Bernstein -- through Sony Music -- is unflawed.

28clong
mar 5, 2008, 5:41 pm

I think Bernstein's recording of Nielsen 3 (with the Royal Danish Symphony Orchestra) is stunningly good, one of my all time favorite recorded performances. I have recordings of the 4th by Blomstedt/San Francisco, Bernstein/New York and Karajan/Berlin; each of them is really quite good in its own way.

29Thrin
mar 5, 2008, 5:42 pm

#25,27 docperkins There's a radio programme on Sydney's 2MBS-FM at midnight (Sydney time) called Contemporary Collective. I don't know what it's like as I'm always asleep when it is broadcast, but you might like to investigate.....

http://www.2mbs.com

Happy listening to you all.

30Joles
maj 16, 2008, 4:20 pm

Apparently, I'm WAY outnumbered in my dislike for Mozart. I respect him, but can't stand his music. (My husband always tells me I have poor taste in music. Isn't that great?) Anyway, I've never been one to jump on a band wagon (slight pun intended) and Mozart just never did it for me.

I like my music dark. Beethoven, Brahms, de Meij. Neilsen, Britten, Stockhausen, Lygeti. And many current film composers--Hans Zimmer is a god among men!

31Mr.Durick
Redigeret: maj 16, 2008, 7:21 pm

30> I can smell the powdered wigs in most of Mozart's music. I thought once upon a time that I rejected all of Classical music, but I found myself liking Haydn and Dittersdorf.

When my interests turned to opera and when I developed a little depth (say about eight viewings of five different versions of Cosi fan tutti), I found myself liking the operas and the music in them.

Meanwhile my toe starts tapping from time to time when one of the early symphonies comes on the radio, but the Jupiter is just high quality background music.

We are both outnumbered, but I don't think we have been cast into the desert.

Robert

32MarianV
maj 16, 2008, 7:09 pm

I like the traditional composers, & renaisance, baroque, also Dvorak & Mahler & Grieg. But I really like some of the modern, Alan Hovhaness his"Great Whales" & "Prayer of St. Gregory. " Also Vaughn Williams "The Lark ascending"

33Jamie638
maj 21, 2008, 9:07 pm

Jolene, as you prefer your music dark, then I would suggest you listen to Mozart's Piano Concerto #24 in c minor, K. 491, preferably the historic recording by Denis Matthews on Vanguard. You will change your opinion of Mozart after that. To me, this is Mozart's greatest and most profound work as well as his darkest.

I can do no better that to quote from an excellent review of the above recording that appears on amazon.com: "The C Minor is inward, brooding, and shares a very unusual quality with Beethoven's fourth in that both are almost like chamber music: there is no sense of conflict between the piano and orchestra, rather there is complete partnership. (They are utterly different in nearly every other respect.) Mozart sweated over this C-minor concerto-- he did an enormous amount of revision and rewriting, very uncharacteristic of him. The woodwind writing is particularly wonderful throughout. The opening movement, from its dark unison statement of the theme at the outset, is troubled and turbulent. The slow movement is a respite; the finale is, in fact, one of Mozart's greatest. It is a theme and variations, but it has a mood which is unique, quite unlike anything else Mozart wrote. It is also dark but has a melancholy resignation about it that even the two major key variations cannot dispel. Yet this melancholy is almost painfully moving. (Beethoven was once observed, listening to this movement, his face rapt, his head swaying, and he said to a friend, "Ah, we shall never write anything like this!") It is almost the mournful song of suffering humanity. One critic once tried to verbalize its complex melancholy as being like "a young widow who thinks she is hiding her grief from the world, but whose grief nevertheless is painfully obvious." After the short cadenza, the final variation-cum-coda, in 6/8 time, is first rueful, then passionately dark, and the movement ends in a wave of minor key vehemence. This is exceptionally unusual for the Classical period, which had a preference for major keys in general: even in Mozart's numerically rare minor key works, he almost never ends a work in minor-- this concerto, and the famous Great G minor Symphony no. 40, are two striking exceptions. I have never heard another rendering of this finale to the C Minor that equals, perhaps even approaches, the one here included, both for its lucidity, lyricism, passion, and melancholy".

34Joles
Redigeret: maj 23, 2008, 4:41 pm

Ooooo...I'll definitely have to go dig up a recording of this. You've piqued my interest.

Okay found some clips at least (silly school FireWall.)

So far my take is:
1. Allegro - I like it. Nice and dark, almost an early Beethoven feel.
2. Larghetto - Melancholy but too Mozart-y. LOL (Nice double reed parts, though.)
3. Allegretto - I liked this one a lot, too.

It doesn't pull me over to the dark side. But I could definitely add at least the 1st and 3rd mv't to my classical playlist.

35Jamie638
maj 23, 2008, 8:59 pm

I'd like to suggest several other Mozart works that indulge in dark or tragic emotions. The two g minor symphonies (#25, K. 183 and the one mentioned in the quote, #40, K. 550), the Piano Concerto #20 in d minor, K. 466, the Masonic Funeral Music, K. 477, and of course, his last work, left unfinished at his death, the Requiem, K. 626. There are numerous slow movements in minor keys, my very favorite being the one in Piano Concerto #23 in A major, K. 488. What's unusual about it is that it's written in the key of f sharp minor, one that Mozart never used elsewhere, and its elegaic mood, with an especially sorrowful melody in siciliana rhythm.

36Joles
maj 23, 2008, 10:53 pm

I do like the Lacrymosa from the Requiem. Of course, Mozart only sketched that one...

37Ortolan
jun 17, 2008, 2:28 pm

My favorite CD in my collection is Berlioz's Les Nuits d'Ete & Ravel's Scheherazade, some Poulenc songs sung by the late Regine Crespin, accompanied by Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, conducted by Ernest Ansermet.

The cds vying for the 2nd favorite spots are Marc Andre Hamelin's recording of Nikolai Medtner's Forgotten Melodies and the Cortot/Casals/Thibaud recording of Beethoven's Archduke Trio.

38karenmarie
jun 17, 2008, 3:48 pm

Favorite piece in the whole world: Brandenburg #3 by JS

I love JS, Beethoven (Moonlight Sonata, Appasionata Sonata, #3, #9 especially), Mozart, Stravinsky, Smetana, Dvorak, Rimsky-Korsakov, Handel, Prokofiev.

Does anybody like The Swingle Singers? I'm thinking particularly of "Bach's Greatest Hits" from 1963, but love their newer stuff as well.

39Thrin
jun 17, 2008, 6:02 pm

#38 karenmarie - I haven't heard the Swingles for many years, but recently have been listening to some other vocal groups. A couple of impressive ones spring to mind... The King's Singers with over 35 English Madrigals on an EMI CD called "All at once well met" and Cantilation singing Part, Gorecki, Tavener, Barber, Macmillan, Howells and Rachmaninov on their CD entitled "Prayer for Peace", and another CD of theirs "Allegri Miserere - Sacred Music of the Renaissance".

Perhaps I'll look out for some recent Swingles. Are they still swinging-the-classics?

40Joles
jun 18, 2008, 9:28 pm

I'm not a huge fan of the Swingle Singers. Their arrangements are great, but I don't enjoy their voices as much as some other groups. I do like the King's Singers, though.

41marietherese
jun 19, 2008, 2:25 am

#37 Ortolan, that Crespin CD is a truly wonderful record and among my favorites as well. I collect versions of Berlioz' 'Les Nuits d'Été' and while there are some I may like nearly as well, there are none I like better.

42saxhorn
jul 8, 2008, 11:02 pm

Here are a few of my favorites from different genres:

Choral: Brahm's German Requiem - transcendent

Symphony: Schubert's Great - such fire

Ballet: Ravel's Daphnis & Chloe #2 - sensuous to the max

Wind Band: Hindemith's Symphony in Bb - ultimate in craftsmanship

Anyone like Stravinsky?

43karenmarie
jul 9, 2008, 8:41 am

Love Stravinsky. I just did a bit of research and realize that I've only listened to the teensiest bit of his works, and his only his ballets at that. I love Petrushka the best, then The Rite of Spring, then The Firebird. I remember first listening to them in high school (lo these many years ago).

44saxhorn
jul 9, 2008, 9:50 am

Yep, I love Petrushka, too. It's so accessible. Can you hear his teacher, Rimsky-Korsakov, in it? R-K is in Firebird, too.

45karenmarie
jul 9, 2008, 11:14 am

hey saxhorn: The only piece by Rimsky-Korsakov that I remember is Scherezade and to be honest, I haven't listened to it recently enough to relate it to Stravinsky.

I'll have to get copies, then listen to RK and Stravinsky again. I've been on a baroque binge for years now, so don't have much classical on CDs. Now might be a time to get back into listening to more music...

46saxhorn
jul 9, 2008, 3:57 pm

Listen more broadly to R-K. Operas like Mlada, Le Coq d'Or, etc. R-K was a brilliant orchestrator and Stravisnky adopted his palette of orchestral colors for the early ballet works - basically through Rite of Spring. Of course, Stavinsky added his own ideas, too, which he made greater use of from 1920 on.

47CD1am
Redigeret: jul 27, 2008, 8:20 pm

# 30 & 31 -- Although I enjoy some of his work, Mozart sometimes can put me to sleep.

The earlier composers I favor are Teleman, Vaughn Williams, Chopin, Rachmaninov and Webern.

Favorite contemporary composers are Philip Glass and the instrumental works of Arvo Part.

Then there are individual works by other composers that are superb. Carmina Burana, when performed well, is spectacular. It is one of the few choral pieces that I like.

I first heard Jonathan Holland's Martha's Waltz when it was premiered at a Detroit Symphony concert. It's based on Edward Albee's play, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and is a wonderfully fresh little work, especially for a new composer.

Linda Bouchard, a Canadian composer, has a work called Exquisite Fires. I've never heard it played live but the recording is excellent.

Whoops, I forgot two achingly beautiful pieces, Pavane for a Dead Princess by Ravel and Shostakovich's Gadfly.

48saxhorn
aug 9, 2008, 3:40 pm

Denne meddelelse er blevet slettet af dens forfatter.

49saxhorn
aug 9, 2008, 3:41 pm

I love Ravel,s Pavane, too. I especially like the combination of flute and horn on the melody?

Any fans of Daphnis & Chloe?

50cappybear
Redigeret: jan 7, 2010, 5:00 pm

Come on, you music lovers, let's get this group going again!

Mozart has never really done it for me. He has his moments, but I've never understood what all the fuss is about. Give me Haydn anyday.

I listened to the Abraham and Isaac canticle by Britten this afternoon and it brought tears to my eyes; and again, just thinking about it now. Exquisite.

51cappybear
jan 7, 2010, 4:59 pm

As it's the bicentenary of the births of Chopin and Schumann I thought I'd get my personal celebrations underway by listening to Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 this morning.

I've always been a great admirer of Chopin's solo piano music, but find the two concertos rather thin, uninteresting and too long. Not even the late, great Claudio Arrau could elevate the E minor concerto above the banal. Still, at least I've got it out of the way early on in the year.

Schumann tomorrow.

52bumblesby
jan 7, 2010, 9:07 pm

If you have Sirius XM radio - Symphony Hall, they have been celebrating the births of Chopin and Schumann from time to time so far this year.

53aviddiva
jan 7, 2010, 9:18 pm

50> Cappybear, that Britten Canticle is one of my favorites. He quotes it later in the War Requiem. My husband is a tenor and my son is a fine treble -- one of my fantasies is to hear them sing it together.

54cappybear
Redigeret: jan 10, 2010, 2:54 am

53> My wife and I went to a performance of the War Requiem at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester a few months ago. Powerful stuff, even with the woman two seats away chomping her way through a bag of wine gums all night long. Strange to think now that I didn't like the music of Britten at all, not so very long ago.

aviddiva, what you said about your husband and son sounds lovely. Could you not persuade them to sing to you?

55aviddiva
Redigeret: jan 10, 2010, 3:29 am

My husband would do it (beautifully), but I'd have to get my son to want to learn it. It's possible, but you know how it is if your MOM asks you to learn a piece. I'll work on him and see what happens. Maybe if I play recordings in the car he'll think it's his idea...

56cappybear
Redigeret: jan 10, 2010, 7:00 pm

As well as the bicentenaries of Chopin and Schumann 2010 marks the centenary of the death of that minor master Balakirev. I've had decades of pleasure from Sir Thomas Beecham's recording of the First Symphony with the RPO and am familiar with the Piano Sonata and Tamara; but little else. Time to put that right, I think.

57karenmarie
jan 12, 2010, 10:32 am

The Davidson College (Davidson, NC) Orchestra performed Dvorak's Symphony #8 first and second movements and Debussy's Fetes at the high school last Saturday and then their Jazz Ensemble performed 6 wonderful pieces, including interesting takes on Norwegian Wood and Amazing Grace.

First live classical music I've heard in years and years. Made my my heart feel good.

58bumblesby
jan 12, 2010, 8:48 pm

>54 cappybear:
chomping her way through a bag of wine gums

I had to look that one up! :)

59cappybear
Redigeret: jan 20, 2010, 3:08 pm

I read an article in "The Guardian" the other day about the Cello Suites of J.S. Bach so I thought I'd listen to Suite No. 1, played by Maurice Gendron.

It sounds like a cliche, but I felt I was listening in on a conversation...so personal. I must reacquaint myself with the other suites soon.

Have also been listening to Forest Scenes by Schumann and a selection of Chopin polonaises. Romantic giants both, but really quite different: Schumann bubbling with ideas; Chopin managing to say so much in just a few minutes.

60bumblesby
jan 27, 2010, 9:15 pm

Cello Suites of J.S. Bach

Yes, very famous among string players. These are played not only on the cello, but on the viola and double bass. On the double bass, they are haunting - probably played an octave lower and the notes just resonate, well, hauntingly :)

I recommend listening to just a few at a time like you are doing. I find if I listen to too many of them at once, I become overwhelmed.

One of them called the Bouree - Suite No 3 is a popular one. Listen to it, you may just think that you have heard that somewhere before!

61Barton
jan 28, 2010, 3:11 am

I have four different copies of the J.S. Bach's Cello suites. Each have their own joys. They range from Pau Casals, Mstislav Rostropovich to Yo-Yo Ma.

62dcozy
jan 28, 2010, 3:46 am

I've been listening to Pierre Fournier playing them in Tokyo sometime in 1972 . He also talks a bit (in English) about them. Its a great album.

63Thrin
jan 28, 2010, 4:42 pm

61 and 62..... I'm envious. Must listen to some of those: I only have the Paul Tortelier CD. What a range of emotions these suites take one through. Pure joy for one.

64dcozy
jan 28, 2010, 7:23 pm

You'll also want to check out Anner Bylsma for a period instruments take on them. And I definitely want to hear the Paul Tortelier.

65cappybear
feb 8, 2010, 3:19 am

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mahler. I recently had a couple of long journeys ahead of me, so I packed my cassettes of Mahler's Fifth and Sixth Symphonies in a bid to get to know the man better.

I quite like Mahler's Song of the Earth but generally speaking, there is a restless quality about his music that I dislike, and I found Symphony No. 6 particularly wearing. Mahler's sound-world is not for me, I fear. Any suggestions?

66dcozy
feb 8, 2010, 7:13 am

If Mahler's sound world is not for you I suppose the only suggestion I can make is that you listen to something else. Mahler is far and away my favorite symphonist, but you've given his work a fair chance and I guess, at present, it's not your cup of tea.

Tastes do change, though, so give him another spin in a few years.

67sarahemmm
feb 8, 2010, 9:54 am

I'm hugely looking forward to hearing the Rachmaninov Vespers in a couple of weeks - organised by the Richmond Concert Society. Are there any other LTers who are members? Maybe we could meet up?

68MarianV
feb 8, 2010, 10:41 am

Modern classical music -. for exanple, Alan Hovhaness & his "Mysterious Mountain Symphony, & "And God Created Great Whales"
I have several of his cd's with the Seattle Symphony.
Howard Hanson might be considered modern, also Vaughan Williams - "The Lark Ascending" is a favorite, I have several recordings with "St. Martin-
in-the-Fields.

I played the fluegelhorn in our college concert band & had the solo in "Pavanne pour un enfant defuncte" a
beautiful melody, I like Ravel, Debussy, Faure, that might have been the last great flowering of classical music, since the wars, there has been very little.
"New Age" so far is the best replacement (that doesn't sound right - need to think that over...)

69bumblesby
feb 8, 2010, 8:45 pm

Well, not sure "New Age" is exactly a replacement, but I do like much of the "relaxation" music that is out. Not a real fan of the synthesized keyboard, but there are several with real instruments. Guitar, different types of flutes, harp, piano, etc. I will have to try some of those that you mentioned above.

70bumblesby
Redigeret: feb 8, 2010, 9:01 pm

Speaking of the Pavanne - is that the famous melody? I have the Classical Barbra - Barbra Streisand album which has "Pavane" a melody (with Barbra) made famous by a program called "Night Sounds" that used to play every night on public radio (USA). When I was young, I listened to this show on my little FM transistor radio when I first got into bed. I loved that program. It played many of the slower more relaxing movements of classical pieces. I, still to this day, like the slower movements better!

If you have never heard the Classical Barbra - try it! I think you can download as an MP3. You won't be disappointed.

71cappybear
feb 9, 2010, 4:54 pm

Modern classical music - I must confess there isn't much in my collection after Britten and Shostakovich, who probably sound staid and conventional compared to today's composers.

Ralph Vaughan Williams is one of my favourite composers; indeed, I can't think of anything he wrote that I don't like. I don't know how much of RVW's music you are familiar with, MarianV, but I can recommend Flos Campi, Job, Five Mystical Songs and the Serenade to Music, to name but a few.

I'm not that well up on Howard Hanson, but do have a soft spot for his "Romantic" Symphony.

72cappybear
feb 21, 2010, 4:51 am

Yesterday I listened to Brahms's First Symphony. Strange to think I considered Brahms a dull old stick, only a few years ago. It was this symphony that won me over, with its turbulent introduction, exquisite melodies and lush orchestration; one can even excuse the nod to Beethoven's Ninth in the finale. One of the great nineteenth-century symphonies, for sure.
Rudolf Kempe conducted the Berlin Philharmonic in a recording from the late 1950s.

73bumblesby
feb 24, 2010, 6:20 pm

a dull old stick

I feel this way about Hayden's many symphonies. They seem to have a similar too bright, too nice feel to them (not that I have heard them all). The slower second movements are always my favorite. When he slows down, he seems to have more freedom. I did recently hear I think it was the 38th and rather liked it.

I do however really enjoy Hayden's non-symphonic works like concertos and string quartets. Too me this music is markedly different.

74cappybear
mar 7, 2010, 5:20 pm

Rest in Peace Philip Langridge, a fine tenor whose interpretations of Britten's songs have given me hours of pleasure.

75cappybear
jun 2, 2010, 7:18 pm

I've listened to quite a lot of Walton recently, a composer whose music has given me much pleasure over the years.

Today, it was the turn of his Cello Concerto, which I think I would list as my favourite by a twentieth-century composer. My recording of the work (a casette of Yo-Yo Ma with Previn and the LSO) is coupled with the Elgar Cello Concerto, and it was for this that I bought the tape. Yet I much prefer the Walton concerto.

Has anybody else ever bought a disc or tape for a particular work, only to find that they prefer the companion piece or filler?