Classical music thread

SinisterMinisterX

Illuminatus
Staff member
I've been on a heavy classical binge since the start of the year, and I thought I'd share a few finds.

Here's what it looks like without the movie:

Drums + orchestra:

And something far more serious, and notoriously difficult. Unlike the above, this isn't short (it's 16 minutes), but it is one of the most astounding compositions ever built. Beethoven's Große Fuge:

Beethoven wrote the Große Fuge near the very end of his life, stone cold deaf. The wild dissonances were unlike anything heard before that time. Most people blamed Beethoven's deafness, as I did myself on my first hearing many years ago... but every note is perfect, once you hear what Beethoven is doing. If the name "Beethoven" brings to your mind only friendly tunes like the Ode to Joy, this piece may be a shock.
 
I haven't gotten too deep into classical music, I enjoy playing it more than I enjoy listening to it. But here are some pieces I love:


The Danse Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah, I recall posting it before, but here it is again.


Leonard Bernstein's Overture to Candide.


Percy Grainger's Lincolnshire Posy. This is a long one, can't find the entire thing in one video unfortunately.

Another Grainger piece, Spoon River.


Frank Ticheli's Angels in the Architecture
 
I hate to be cliched and go for "popular" pieces, but this is by far my favorite piano piece:



And While Opera is not technically classical music These two are my favorite arias:



The crescendo around 2:10 is the kicker for me:

 
Awesome, thanks for the clarification. I know "classical" is the grouping of three separate genres which I can't recall right now, and Opera is, as you mentioned, a tad different than what people think of as "classical." BTW that Beethoven piece you posted is awesome.
 
I'm not sure if this is what you're thinking of, but classical fans usually divide the music into four rough time periods - Baroque (1600-1750), Classical (1750-1825), Romantic (1825-1900), and Modern. Of course those dates are approximate, music doesn't change overnight.

Otherwise, classical music falls into four rough groups based on instrumentation:
Orchestral (sometimes with voices, but instruments are featured)
Chamber music (always instrumental)
Vocal music (except...)
Opera (a huge area by itself)

At least, that's how it falls out in my brain. :D

BTW that Beethoven piece you posted is awesome.

Indeed. Glad you liked it.
 
I dunno if it can be classified as "classical music", but String Quartet Tributes To Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath are incredible:rocker:
 
Wow this is fantastic, I had no idea you'd started a classical music thread SMX. Why hadn't I thought of it before either? Oh well.
I'm a big fan of classical music (practically impossible not to be as I grew up in Vienna), and my two favorite era's within it are the Baroque and Romantic. Not saying the others aren't good too, but those are my favorite (well, modern is more or less rubbish once you move past 1950 or so and if you don't count film music, which I am starting to cos film music is just awesome).

Some of my favorites:
For the football (soccer) fans out there the Champions League anthem is indeed based on this. The slow build up to the grand choir entrance is one of the most sublime moments in music (imo) and gives me goosebumps every time.

The final movement from the New World Symphony (Nr. 9) by Dvorak. Yeah, hugely popular I know, but I do still love it. Apparently Dvorak based it on a visit he paid to the young country and on folk tunes he heard there. The entire symphony is worth owning a copy of.

Bach. 'Nuff said. His double concerto is one of the most beautiful pieces ever written. But he has a whole host of things that are simply brilliant, pure genius.
 
I don't listen to much classic. I enjoy a smaller piece every now and then, but they rarely stick with me.

I did however record a chamber quartet last year along with a couple of classmates. It was Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (spelling?) and something else I can't remember. Was pretty killer to watch the musicians play it live. I only wish they didn't make all those damn breathing noises - Especially not when they obviously had a cold. Kinda ruins it a bit for me.
 
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. And yeah thats one thing I've noticed especially with male violin players. Lots of unnecessary loud breathing noises.
 
I mean, obviously they have to breath, but why not tiny continous breaths while playing rather than something that almost resembles snoring during pauses?

These, Nat, were however female!
 
Its usually male violin and viola players that are the worst in terms of ridiculous breathing. Apparently though, as Yax reports, it has been taken up by the females as well.
 
The story goes that after hearing this recording of Brahms' Hungarian dances by Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonics, everybody in the world tried to imitate it, and failed. Hence, this effectively killed off the dances and remains a performance to end all performances.


One of the few legit reasons to be proud of my hometown is that we have the best orchestra in the world. :)
 
That made me watch for the millionth time one beard shaving scene... :p
 
Never been that much into classical music. Not sure why, but it's probably like this:
Looking at the music I do like (metal, (progressive/hard) rock, jazz and even pop music), I notice that drums and rhythm play an important role. In classical music, the drums (or percussion) are either non-existent either they have a following role instead of a leading one.

There are exceptions, e.g. today on TV I saw a string quartet (1 cello and 3 violins if not mistaken) which played some very fast and heavy rhythms. It felt so rhythmic and dynamic (and powerful) that I didn't miss any drums or whatever kind of percussion. If someone wants to check it out, go here to the 40th minute: http://programma.vpro.nl/vrijegeluiden/afleveringen/2012/19.html

Also I am very fond of the works by Bernard Herrmann (especially some of his heavy string work in e.g. the films Psycho, Vertigo or Fahrenheit 451).

Bernhard Herrmann - Psycho (1960)

Bernhard Herrmann - Vertigo (1958)

Bernhard Herrmann - Fahrenheit (1966)


Hmm, after all, I guess I do like some classical music.
 
(well, modern is more or less rubbish once you move past 1950 or so and if you don't count film music, which I am starting to cos film music is just awesome).

Until you reach the mid 90's with Therion, Rhapsody, Epica and the like bringing it back man! :p
 
Never been that much into classical music. Not sure why, but it's probably like this:
Looking at the music I do like (metal, (progressive/hard) rock, jazz and even pop music), I notice that drums and rhythm play an important role. In classical music, the drums (or percussion) are either non-existent either they have a following role instead of a leading one.

I'm the same way with rock at least; the quality of the drums is vital for me. It does take some time to get used to orchestral music etc. But it's not true that the drums are always in the back. I heard a piece today which features a military drum prominently, and is worthy of note for more reasons too: Shostakovich's Symphony No. 7, better known as the "Leningrad Symphony".

Dmitri Shostakovich was the biggest composer in the Soviet Union, basically the unofficial state composer. Also highly respected worldwide for his innovative music. However, he'd been on Stalin's shit-list for many years, and Shosty - who lived in Leningrad - needed a hit. Then, the Nazis seiged.

Shosty was drafted into the army's fire brigade. He put out Nazi fires and wrote his symphony in his spare time. The musicians were called back from the front and the premiere piped out on speakers for all to hear. The Soviets smuggled the score out via Tehran to the US, where Toscanini and the NY Philharmonic premiered it to wide acclaim immediately. Within months it was getting played around the globe, even getting Shosty on the cover of Time in uniform:

1101420720_400.jpg


An insistent (but deliberately simple) bassline builds as a trivial, almost silly little melody plays over it. The rhythm won't stop, building into a horribly dissonant pattern - and the melodic forces are forced to rage ever harder in response, to the point of adding an entire second brass section (around the 8 minute mark, the silver horns). According to Shosty "not battle music, but the ominous march of war." It's also been interpreted as Shosty raging against Stalin.

And for Foro, this has plenty of rhythm and percussion. The way it builds up is like Ravel's Bolero on acid.
This piece starts very quietly, you may need to turn up for a bit.

 
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