Classical Music

[dancinvixen]

<<Christmas and Easter do seem to bring a lot more interest to "Classical" music -- there are so many compositions written for the celebration of those two religious occasions.

What other (Christmas oriented) compostions do especially enjoy at this time of the year?>> <Wierd Harold>

I particularly like Ave Maria, but it has to be done tastefully. Many of the people who perform this piece, interpret<sp?> it in their own way, and it just doesn't do the piece justice.

 

[Dillinger]

I'm particularly fond of anything by Beethoven.

Mozart's "The Magic Flute"

Rimsky-Korsakov - "Sheherazade"

Personally I was very much influenced by Arnold Shonberg and 12-tone music.

Richard Strauss - "Salome"

Charles Ives - just about anything especially "Three Places in New England" and "Concord Symphony"

 

[chanaud]

If you're a fan of Beethoven, might I suggest the movie and soundtrack to "Immortal Beloved.

 

[CelestialBody]

 

[JazzManJim]

Christmas Music

What other (Christmas oriented) compostions do especially enjoy at this time of the year?

I'm a huge fan of John Rutter's choral compositions. You can't go wrong with his arrangements of "Bring a Torch Jeannette, Isabella" and "Deck the Hall". He's also an original composer and his works "Candlelight Carol" and "Mary's Lullabye" are amazing pieces. He conducts the Cambridge Singers and you can almost always find their CDs or tapes in your Christmas bargain bin.

Also, his "The Reluctant Dragon" is a great Christmastime children's musical, and it's not terribly long.

There's also an amazing piece of music called "O Nata Lux" by Morton Laurritsen (God, I hope that name's spelled right!) which just brings chills to my spine. Along with that, you can add any version of "Jesus Christ the Apple Tree", especially versions sung by the American Boys' Choir or the Cambridge Singers.

All in all, though, I do so love Christmas music. It always does something to me...

 

[Shy Tall Guy]

How many of you like classical, and if so, who is you favorite composer/composers and/or pieces?

I like classical, and Vivaldi's violin and mandolin concertos are my current fave. I also like Corelli, Rimsky-Korsakov and Mendelssohn - and of course the more well known names, Mozart, Chopin, Brahms, Bach (especially the Brandenburg concertos), Beethoven, Wagner (even though he was a racist asshole), Schumann, Handel, Dvorak, Liszt, Strauss, Schubert and Debussy.

The cool thing about classical music is that it is so inexpensive compared to other categories. Even in a music store classical music is often half the cost of other music, and in Circuit City I often get classical CDs anywhere from $1-$3.

 

[La Principessa]

Anymore, I know what I want to get.....it's just a matter of WHO does the recording now.

I like certain conductors and artists. With symphonic pieces I tend to favor the "old school" Ormandy w/ the Philadelphia. Solti w/ the Chicago. Bernstein w/ the New York Phil. And for anyone who enjoys the Beethoven symphonies, Lorin Maazel w/ the Cleveland is perfection.

but I go on......

 

[ranajja]

More music trivia

Dan Fogelberg's "Another Auld Lang Syne"--the melody is straight from the 1812 Overture by, uh, whosiewhatsit.

Looks like we've got a lot of music majors hanging about lit-land!


Aaron Copeland's Rodeo - "Beef. It's what's for dinner."

I'm also partial to the Romantic period, but Mozart was amazing, writing at age 4, I believe;

Beethoven, too, knowing he was going deaf and still composing;

Lizst, the first rock-n-roll star--long haired and flamboyant, the man could absolutely trash a piano every time he played. That's why the Bosendorfer (sp?) pianos are so well made--they were originally built to withstand a Lizst concert.

Wagner, Puccini, Verdi--gotta love the opera

Anyone ever heard Anna Russell's commentary on Wagner's Ring cycle? Hysterical--

and Lehar--The Merry Widow is still dear to my heart--as a freshman music major, I had a major crush on the senior who played Danilo...

 

[dancinvixen]

<<oh oh oh....Carol of The Bells, Trans Siberian Orchestra>> < Celestial Body>

OMG, I have no idea where to get this one. But I want it. Very powerful. I would love to have it on CD and MIDI. Any ideas guys???