Classical Music

[Scarecrow Man]

Please post any recomended composers or scores here :)

I am looking for music I can get into, and after listening to a few different songs on a flight I was on I am hooked.

I like the build up, forte I believe it is called, and how the composer can trap a mood into a moment of a song. Sad, fast, slow, I will accept any and all suggestions.

:D

[andsome]

It is well known that my favourite composer is Gustav Mahler, but if you are not normally into classical music you may not like him, his music needs listening to a few times in peace and quiet, to get to fully appreciate it.

Tchaikovsky may well suite your requirements more. In particular his ballet music. Swan Lake would probably suit your criteria for a build up, particularly the Rose Adagio. His piano concerto's are well worth a listen. His No 1 is the most famous of course, with the popular opening movement. The finale is particularly exciting with a massive build up, and it needs real genius to play it well. Sergei Rachmaninov composed some very romantic music. In particular his piano concerto's. The second is very famous for it's romantic themes, and the third for sheer virtuosity and excitement. Another popular piece by him is his 'Rhapsody on an original theme by Paganini'. If you like particularly rousing, stern patriotic sound music then Sibelius would suit. Finlandia is a piece that was banned by the Russians when they controlled Finland, it really depicts the dark majestic mood of Finland's deep forests and reminds me of winter moving into spring. If you would appreciate a really romantic lilting theme then get music from the film 'The Gadfly, composed by Dimitri Shostakovitch. Another gorgeous piece by him is 'The assault on beautiful Gorky', a very beautiful piece played by piano and orchestra. A very tuneful Symphonic poem is 'Ma Vlast' by Bedrich Smetana, it is also very nationalistic, and has two particularly tuneful pieces in it, Vlata is one, pronounced voltava, and depicts the River Vlata on it's journey through Czechoslovakia, and 'From Bohemia's woods and fields'. Finally I would suggest 'Rhapsody on an original theme by Thomas Tallis', composed by Vaughan Williams.

[-pops-]

Try Mahler: big, spectacular, romantic, emotional, sad, happy, joyous - every emotion lies somewhere in his works.

His fifth and third symphonies were used as the background music to the film Death in Venice (Lucino Visconti) which has had millions of people in tears.

The Symphony of a Thousand (Symphony No 8) is one of the most powerful pieces in the whole of music. Not quite a thousand participants but a large number such that it isn't performed very often because of the problems (and cost) of getting the players. Have a look

I see andsome beat me to it.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

My favourite Mahler symphonies (aside from number 8) are number 2 (Resurrection) and number 1 (Titan, used as musical score in my favourite movie Tampopo).

One great contemporary composer is Arvo Pärt - not exactly a "classical" composer, but he has written very powerful stuff.

[andsome]

As I stated, Mahler to me is the greatest compose who has ever lived, but I worry about someone using his music as an introduction to classical music. His symphonies 8 and 2 are my favourites. No 5 is superb, but parts of it are not easy to understand for a beginner in classical music. I forgot to mention a couple of modern composers. Karl Jenkins piece, 'The armed man, a mass for peace', is superb, very tuneful and easy to follow. John Rutter's 'Requiem' is also well worth a listen. Wagner is another favourite for me, but newcomers may not appreciate his full operatic scores. I would however seriously recommend orchestral selections of his favourite tunes.

[-pops-]

Wagner is great but I would never recommend him to a "beginner".

To be able to write an opera that takes the best part of a day to perform shows some determination on the part of the composer, the performers and the listener :)

[andsome]

I have been very lucky in being able to attend what are probably two of the finest Mahler concerts ever put on, in The Symphony Hall in Birmingham. One was with Simon Rattle conducting The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain in a performance of the Symphony number 8. The National Youth Orchestra are one of the finest orchestras in the world. There were 120 musicians on stage. A massive choir extended right up to within inches of the organists back. For those who know Symphony hall, the whole of the left hand ground floor seating area was also filled with choristers. There are four or five side balconies on each side of the concert hall, and each of these was also given over to the choir. Altogether that night there were over 600 performers, it was absolutely unforgettable.

Another was a performance of The Symphony Number 2, by the CBSO. They were conducted on that night by Gilbert Kaplan, an extremely talented amateur conductor, who tours the world giving performances of this symphony. Biography of Gilbert Kaplan. Anyone who can listen to two such pieces as that, without getting a tear in their eyes especially during the finale, cannot possibly have any feelings.

[andsome]

Wagner is great but I would never recommend him to a "beginner".

To be able to write an opera that takes the best part of a day to perform shows some determination on the part of the composer, the performers and the listener :)

NOTE that I did say that beginners to classical music would probably not appreciate Wagner's operas. However I seriously believe that you would be totally devoid of feelings not to be moved by some of the orchestral interpretations available, especially 'Siegfried Idyll', and "Dawn" & "Siegfried's Rhine Journey".

Der Meistersinger overture, Flying Dutchman overtures, to name another couple. Also an orchestral version of the ending of Gutterdamerung, The immolation scene.

[Watchful]

Here are just a few of my favourites; Mozart - Clarinet concerto (2nd Movement) Mozart's 21st Piano Concerto (2nd Move.) The Walk to Paradise - Delius. Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake & Polynaise Waltz. Bruch's Violin Concerto. Sibelius - Finlandia. Beethove - Romance No. 2. Brahms - Hungarian Dance (Nigel Kennedy) Massenet - Meditation. Maria Callas - La Mamma Morta and 'Un bel di from Madame Butterfly. Gigli - Ombra mai Fu. Vivaldi - Spring Concerto. French Arias - Roberto Alagna. Mahler - Adagietto No 5.

Albinoni's - Adagio. Cavelleria Rusticana - Mascagni. Bach - Air on a G String (Nigel Kennedy). Schubert's Impromtu.

Just for starters :P

[-pops-]

For those "in the know" my house is named Valhalla.

The immolation at the end of Götterdämmerung is one of the greatest of all theatrical experiences.

I would recommend anyone with even the slightest interest in opera or theatre to go and see a live performance of this opera.

[andsome]

I could make a comprehensive list of great classics if Craig could spare the space. There is an absolute wealth of beautiful music out there.

[Belatucadrus]

Borodin

Holst

Ravel

Elgar

Dukas

Grieg

Minogue

Delibes

Copeland

Vaughan Williams

[joysness]

Can't really add anything to the above. It's a great list.

Just wanted to say my favorite has always been Tchaikovsky. Used to put Swan Lake on the phonograph and dance around while cleaning the house. :D

[Watchful]

Another belter is the overture from Orpheus in the Underworld. Exquisite violin music followed by the rousing 'can-can' bit :P

[Scarecrow Man]

Excellent! :D

Thank you all for suggestions. I am going to sample a few of the composers you have listed and let you know what I like the most.

Andsome, I have heard something by Mahler, and I loved it. I cannot remember the name, but it was probably one of the more well known pieces.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Andsome, I have heard something by Mahler, and I loved it. I cannot remember the name, but it was probably one of the more well known pieces.

The most widely known Mahler piece is the Adagio from symphony number 5. As -pops- stated earlier, it was made famous by Visconti's Death in Venice.

[andsome]

Excellent! :D

Thank you all for suggestions. I am going to sample a few of the composers you have listed and let you know what I like the most.

Andsome, I have heard something by Mahler, and I loved it. I cannot remember the name, but it was probably one of the more well known pieces.

Mahler is as said a wonderful composer, but parts of his music can be difficult as an introduction to classical music. I came to love his music quite late, probably in my forties. To make things easier and not put you off, you could see if you could get a selection CD of his most popular themes. This is not a route that I normally like, as I prefer to listen to a whole work, in this case though it could act as a good introduction. My personal favourites are his second and eighth symphonies, for their sheer majesty, but I love them all and have all of them on CD, even the one that he only sketched out, this is the tenth, and has been orchestrated by Deryk Cooke.

[deuces wild]

Ravel: Boléro!

Powerful and quite moving.........especially when with your loved one. :wub:

[Watchful]

Ravel: Boléro!

Powerful and quite moving.........especially when with your loved one. :wub:

If you like that, you'll like this: Wagner - Prelude and Liebestod from "Tristan & Isolde" ;)

It makes me picture a stormy night at sea though :rolleyes: very dramatic.

[andsome]

Ravel: Boléro!

Powerful and quite moving.........especially when with your loved one. :wub:

If you like that, you'll like this: Wagner - Prelude and Liebestod from "Tristan & Isolde" ;)

It makes me picture a stormy night at sea though :rolleyes: very dramatic.

I love both the suggestions. As pops said earlier a full bloodied Wagner opera is rather difficult for newcomers to music, but a lot of his themes are absolutely beautiful. Any beginner to listening to music should acquire at least one orchestrated version of some of his most notable tunes.

[-pops-]

Ravel: Boléro!

Powerful and quite moving.........especially when with your loved one. :wub:

If you like that, you'll like this: Wagner - Prelude and Liebestod from "Tristan & Isolde" ;)

It makes me picture a stormy night at sea though :rolleyes: very dramatic.

Not quite what it puts me in mind of. It is a piece of very intense sexual passion (and all that goes with that!) If it were visual it would be pornographic. Absolutely beautiful music :)

[Watchful]

My comments were 'tongue-in-cheek' :rolleyes:

It is a very passionate death-bed scene, if there is such a thing B)

Barber's Adagio for Strings is often seen as funereal but to me it's a journey from darkness into light with a promise of a new dawn coming :)

It builds and builds to a crescendo of wonder, and I see a brilliant sun rising over a mountain and casting an orange glow across a lake :rolleyes: a placid, glass-like lake...

Sorry folks! got quite carried away there :P

[andsome]

Sorry folks! got quite carried away there :P

Don't worry about it, good music can do that. Top of the pops makes me cry for other reasons.

[Gandalph]

Sorry folks! got quite carried away there :P

Don't worry about it, good music can do that. Top of the pops makes me cry for other reasons.

I wonder what reason that could be? :rofl:

[andsome]

SC Man, how did you get on in your quest, and what do you think of any purchases that you made?

I had a real bit of luck today, bargains can be snapped up now and then. W.H.Smith in Lichfield were having a clear out of old stock, and had a stand filled with C.D's and DVD's all on offer. I found DVD of Andrea Bocelli, 'A night in Tuscany', at a price of £3. It is superb, and features several guest artists.