It's intended to depict the motion of waves, but is also great to listen to when flying a stunt kite.
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
Sorry, you can't beat Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. There is just nothing else like it. We play it at the highest volume our speakers will allow without distortion. It is just invigorating.
Farmgirl
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Dvorak's New World Symphony
Stravinsky's Rite of Spring and his Firebird suite
Mozart's Symphony #40
Last of the Mohicans sountrack
Bach fugues - most of them
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Beethoven's Piano Sonata #32.
JS. Bach's Mass in B minor
Philip Glass, String Quartets (most of them)
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
I've got sooo many!
Right now what I've been wanting to hear for some reason is In The Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg.
Carabino's Aria Voi che sa pe te (sp?) in the Marriage of Figaro
AJ
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
quote: In The Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg.
Oh, I love this! I used to own a copy of it with vocals, but it's long gone, and I don't know how to find it again.
I dream of someday getting my computer and internet fixed at home, and getting the music that I long for from iTunes.
Posted by UofUlawguy (Member # 5492) on :
Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik Vivaldi's Four Seasons Dvorak's New World Symphony (I second this one!) Barber's Adagio for Strings (that was Barber, wasn't it?) Chopin's piano Nocturnes Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture (I also second this one, but it has to be with real cannons) Night on Bald Mountain (Was that Mussorgsky or Rimsky-Korsakov? I get them mixed up all the time.) I could go on and on. I probably will later.
Posted by Paul Goldner (Member # 1910) on :
Scheharazade, Rimsky-Korsakov. Polovtsian dances from Prince Igor, Borodin. New World Symphony, Dvorak. Concerto in E Minor, Yngwie Malmsteen.
Posted by Paul Goldner (Member # 1910) on :
Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin, and Tchaicovsky SHOULD be all mixed up in your head.
Rimsky-Korsakov polished all of the music these guys wrote, so all of it has a touch of his style Posted by UofUlawguy (Member # 5492) on :
I also second Scheherezade, and the Borodin. I get those stuck in my head all the time.
In fact, I think I'm going to be hearing Scheherezade for the rest of the day.
Posted by skillery (Member # 6209) on :
Yngwie Malmsteen? No way! He's a heavy metal guitarist isn't he?
Add Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Resurrection" to my list. It always brings tears to my eyes.
Posted by digging_holes (Member # 6237) on :
Gustav Holst's The Planets Charles Ives' The Unanswered Question Carl Orff's Carmina Burana Beethoven's 7th symphony (oh heck, ALL of his symphonies) Charles Koechlin's Le livre de la jungle
[ March 24, 2004, 12:55 AM: Message edited by: digging_holes ]
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
Solveg's Song by Grieg Anything by Chopin Any of Beethoven's piano sonatas Anything by Debussy Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin
Posted by Paul Goldner (Member # 1910) on :
Yes, yngwie is a heavy metal guitarist. However, he is also a classical guitarist If you like guitar work, I'd recommend that concerto.
Posted by amira tharani (Member # 182) on :
Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini is topping my list right now, but then it depends on my mood.
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
All of those, but probably top two...
Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" Handl's "Messiah"
Posted by Rhaegar The Fool (Member # 5811) on :
I always liked Beethovens Ninth myself. Though Bachs Third is also very good.
Posted by BYuCnslr (Member # 1857) on :
PDQ Bach's 1712 Overture :: Nods :: Satyagraha
Posted by pajeba (Member # 5656) on :
Dvorak's Serenade for Strings in D minor Barber's Adagio for Strings Holst's Planets, especially Mars Traumerei by Schumann New World Symphony, Scheharazade, Polovstian Dances, Carmina Burana, Debussy, Grieg, Chopin, Liszt I love them all
This thread makes me miss being in an orchestra...
Posted by T. Analog Kid (Member # 381) on :
Strictly Speaking, Beethoven's 9th is far and away my favorite Classical piece.
Since many of you are listing pieces that are, technically speaking, not Classical, I'll add Stravinsky's Firebird Suite, and second Carmina Burana and Rhapsody in Blue.
Also, Pachelbel's Canon in D has got to be a hands-down all-timer.
Copeland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" is nice, too, as is Emerson, Lake, and Palmer's renditon of Mussgorssky's Pictures at an Exhibition .
[ March 23, 2004, 04:15 PM: Message edited by: T. Analog Kid ]
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Wow. What to do? What to do??
Mille Regretz - Josquin de Prez Several other motets - Josquin Miserere - Allegri Brandenburg Concertos - J.S. Bach Goldberg Variations - J.S. Bach Solo Suite for Cello, No. 6 - J.S. Bach Mass in B Minor - Bach Messiah - G.F. Handel Trumpet Voluntaries - Purcell Water Music - G.F. Handel Cello Concertos (all of them!) - Vivaldi Symphony No. 40 - W.A. Mozart Marriage of Figaro - W.A. Mozart String Quartet 46 - Haydn Pathetique Sonata Op. 13 - Beethoven Symphony No. 3 - Beethoven Symphony No. 9 - Schubert Songs without words - Mendelssohn Dichterliebe - Schumann Marchenbilder for Viola and Piano - Schumann Piano Concerto No. 3- J. Brahms German Requiem - J. Brahms Requiem - G. Faure The Moldau - Smentana The Italian Symphony - Mendelssohn Don Pasquale - Donizetti The Barber of Seville - Rossini Bachianas Brasileiras - H. Villa-Lobos Madame Butterfly - Puccini La Boheme - Puccini Vespers - Rachmoninoff La Mer - Debussy String Quartet - Debussy Ariettes Oubliees - Debussy Sheherazade - Ravel Pavanne for a Dead Princess - Ravel Slavonic Dances - Dvorak New World Symphony - Dvorak American String Quartet - Dvorak Symphony No. 5 - Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 - Mahler Kindertotenlieder - Mahler Falstaff - Verdi La Figure Humaine - Poulenc Gloria - Poulenc String Quartet No. 4 - Bartok Mathis der Mahler - Hindemith Appalacian Spring - Copland Rodeo - Copland The Creation - Copland Anything by Copland Mass - Bernstein Candide - Bernstein
I'm not trying to bore you to tears or be a snob...I really do love all of these pieces of music. And I KNOW that I'm missing quite a few. I would recommend ANY of them for a collection.
Edit because I spelled 'lieder' wrong. The horror!!
[ March 23, 2004, 05:17 PM: Message edited by: Narnia ]
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Oh, and I forgot the Carmina Burana by Carl Orff.
( at digging_holes)
Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :
Mozart Requiem and the St. Matthaus Passion (Bach), plus almost all of Shostakovitch, particularly the quartets and the 10th symphony.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
I slept through a performance of Shostakovich once, while sitting about ten feet from the timpani.
I have no idea how. It was terrible. I was so incredibly, incredibly tired...
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
I second everything that Narnia said. I adore (almost) all of those!
Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :
The piece was terrible, or it was terrible you slept through it?
Posted by skillery (Member # 6209) on :
I enjoy most classical music, but I have an irrational fear of some musical instruments, especially the contra bassoon and the harp. Old gothic harps with eagle claws and mermaid heads give me the willies.
I think it all stems from having listened to “Rusty in Orchestraville” too many times as a kid. Rusty falls asleep while practicing the piano and dreams that the instruments come to life. At the end of the dream the instruments attack poor Rusty. Now any time I hear the harp or bassoon I get cold chills.
My sister played the bassoon in high school, and my wife hired a harpist for our wedding reception. I’m going to have to get therapy if those two instruments keep popping up. There’s a fellow in New York who transfers old children’s records to CD. I think I’ll have him make a copy of “Rusty” for me and then listen to it in my sleep.
Posted by fiazko (Member # 5812) on :
Bolero - Ravel The Funeral March - DeBussy Pretty much anything Copland Jupiter - Holst
Instrumental Soundtracks:
Last of the Mohicans Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Jurassic Park Dances With Wolves Lord of the Rings (which I get to hear live this Saturday--wooohoooo!)
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
These threads are (1) impossible to answer accurately (2) pointless, because there's far more writing than reading -- much less replying -- going on.
"mu" Or while I've got the window open, some of my favorite [whimsical thinking] 20th-century string music:
Szymanowski - Quartet #1 Strauss - Metamorphosen Copland - Nonet Villa-Lobos - Quartet #12 Messaien - Quartet for the End of Time
Note: I don't even like strings. What am I thinking. Brass über alles!
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
You like Symanowski?! That'a amazing. I've sung a lot of stuff by him but never heard his orchestral stuff. Now I'm interested.
I also LOVE Villa-Lobos. That's some good 20th century.
Posted by digging_holes (Member # 6237) on :
Speaking of 20th century music, I think I forgot to mention Olivier Messiaen. Anything by him is good, but specifically:
Quatuor pour la fin du temps Catalogue d'oiseaux Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :
I remember I played one of his quartets and it was SUPER hard. Lots of gracenotes, eventually we were playing it so fast I couldn't read it and was essentiall playing it from memory.
"His" refers to Villa-Lobos.
[ March 24, 2004, 12:54 AM: Message edited by: Book ]
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
Once upon a time I was looking for a recording of Webern's "Langsamer Satz" and found it on the B side of some album. Szymanowski's first two string quartets were the A side. The rest is history.
Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :
Of course, you can't refuse the glory of "Menah Menah" by the Muppets.
Anyone who hasn't heard this desperately needs to.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
I've come to love some of the 20th century Russian composers too. Sviridov is one of my FAVORITES.
I love Messaien, but I think my favorite 20th century guys (besides Copland, Sondheim, Bernstein and Gershwin) are Bartok and Hindemith.
But the sad thing is...I know I'm forgetting someone.
Posted by Architraz Warden (Member # 4285) on :
Whoo Narnia. Hindemith, Gershwin, and Bartok are my favorites in terms of composers. I'll add a few to the list...
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Symphonic Metamorphosis... Particularly the fourth movement. (incidentally, the best sleep I've ever gotten was during a live performance of this).
Ron Nelson is a great, and underrated composer. In particular:
Sonoran Desert Holiday, Rocky Point Holiday, and Passacaglia (which is a BACH homage).
I'd highly recommend listening to his work (some good Medevial Suites as well).
I'm sure I'll add some more soon.
Feyd Baron, DoC
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
"Menah Menah" is truly a stirring work of subversive musical genius.
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
The Bruch, Beethoven and Mendelsohn Violin Concertos. Bach's Double Violin Concerto. (Bonus points because I can actually play it ) Nimrod - Elgar The Magic Flute - Mozart Orpheus in the Underworld - Offenbach. (Bonus points because I was in the WA Opera's production of it )
And... I've forgotten the name: it's a Bach prelude that Yo-Yo Ma performs on the cello. Very simple, but amazingly beautiful.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Are you talking about the Bach cello suites? Those are absolutely amazing. No. 6 is my absolute favorite.
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
No, though I do love those as well.
It's originally for the piano (well, I guess originally originally for the clavichord or harpsichord) and it's published in one of the "Preludes and Fugues" books. I'll look it up when I get home.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Ah. Got it. Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
A little Nelson holiday music goes a long way with me, mostly interesting in their ability to track his progress as a composer over the years.
The Passacaglia, on the other hand, is astonishing. It was the first piece to ever sweep the 3 major wind-ensemble composition awards (think Hugo+Nebula, scifi readers -- fortunately or not, as a result I don't think you can call him underrated). I have yet to encounter a more brilliant 1990's work.
edit: which is not to say it's in a particularly 90's style, a la Zwilich or Tower or even Whitacre. Nelson always harkens back to the Howard Hanson school of sound, although here he fuses it with a dark, complex hue all his own.
[ March 24, 2004, 01:53 AM: Message edited by: Richard Berg ]
Posted by Fyfe (Member # 937) on :
Pachelbel's Canon in D. Definitely. It's incredibly soothing, particularly if you get it with ocean sounds.
Brahms and Tchaikovsky, however, were born on my birthday.
Jen
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Book: It was terrible I slept through it. The piece was wonderful. I just needed some serious sleep.
The worst part was that we were sitting in the cheap seats, behind the orchestra. That's right - THE ENTIRE HOUSE COULD SEE ME SLEEPING.
I'm still ashamed. Although we bought a CD of the performance later as penance.
Posted by skillery (Member # 6209) on :
quote:Richard Berg: These threads are ... pointless, because there's far more writing than reading
Not in this case. I'm about to sign up for an online music service, and I wanted Hatrack's list of the essential classics. Perhaps we can listen to each other's favorites and then discuss them.
Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :
Can't go wrong with Trauermusik for Hindemith. Short, but good.
Pff. I just realized I'm probably the only person here who knows all (or just) the viola pieces.
[ March 24, 2004, 11:44 AM: Message edited by: Book ]
Posted by amira tharani (Member # 182) on :
Okay, here's a question for all you knowledgeable jatraqueros. I am not in any way into opera, but I rather like choral music from the little that I've listened to and would like to find some more. I don't have any CDs, but I've been to concerts where they sang some Poulenc and Faure pieces and a couple of others I don't recall. I know that Faure's Requiem is supposed to be wonderful, but what else would you recommend as a starter CD collection?
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
For Choral?
Here ya go:
Ein Deutches Requiem - Johannes Brahms Elijah - Mendelssohn *Any CD of pieces by Morten Lauridsen ESPECIALLY the Lux Aeterna. It's fantastic. *Complete A Capella Works of Eric Whitacre (This is really the top of my list. It's modern, it amazing and ANYONE would love it!!) *Requiem - John Rutter Anything else conducted by John Rutter *Consider the Lilies - Mormon Tabernacle Choir *Requiem - Faure (definitely) *Gloria - Poulenc (any other choral stuff by Poulenc is great) *Carmina Burana - Orff St. Cecelia Mass - Gounod Any of the Brahms Motets Any motets by Josquin De prez Mass - Leonard Bernstein (if you're feeling daring) Here's some Baroque stuff that's great: Handel's Messiah is always a winner St. Matthew Passion - Bach *Mass in B Minor - Bach Gloria or Magnificat - Vivaldi
I've put a * by my favorites. Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :
*faints with pleasure at remembering that all this beautiful music exists in the world*
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Actually, if you wanted just selections of good choral pieces instead of the monstrous masses and oratorios, I would pick some CDs released by specific choirs. They would have a variety of different music. Some choirs that I suggest looking into:
Brigham Young University Singers (their latest CDs have been just wonderful) There are also a few CDs released with the combinbed choirs of BYU. St. Olaf Choir Concordia College Choir Mormon Tabernacle Choir There are several really good children's choirs too. Mens Choruses. Most of them that have released CDs are really good.
Posted by skillery (Member # 6209) on :
...Mormon Tabernacle Choir
I like their "A Christmas Gloria" CD. It's a recording of John Rutter's Gloria. I especially like the third movement: "Quoniam tu solus sanctus." I asked my neighbor, who is in the Choir, about that recording, and he said they had a lot of fun recording it.
Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :
Any particularly favorite movements from the Faure Requiem?
PS the Faure Pavane is utterly gorgeous.
[ March 24, 2004, 02:56 PM: Message edited by: Book ]
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
My favorite movement is the Agnus Dei. It's so beautiful with the big French horn fanfare in the middle with the Hosanna. Ah, I love it!
I also love the Sanctus cause the sopranos get to take the whole thing.
Posted by skillery (Member # 6209) on :
I borrowed a CD of Stravinsky’s Firebird this evening on katharina’s and T.Analog.Kid’s recommendation. Unfortunately I had to sit through the first four tracks, which were from “The Song of the Nightingale.” What a cacophonous mess! The fourth movement with the mechanical nightingale was interesting with the instruments sounding like machines and the Morse code tapped out on the piano, but I was relieved when it was finally over. I really enjoyed The Firebird however. It was interesting and exciting, not music to fall asleep to. I will have to attend a live performance, and I’ll probably get my own CD if I can find one without the nightingale.
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
I like the combination of the last two themes: Stravinsky's sacred choral music rocks.
Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :
When I was a kid we had to play Rite of Spring once. It was great, cause we didn't need to practice, on account that no one but a music scholar or critic could've known what the hell was going on. I sure didn't.
Yeah, that's my work ethic, right there.
Posted by The Pixiest (Member # 1863) on :
I love Rite of Spring so I'd know.
But can anything top the Little Fugue?
Posted by vwiggin (Member # 926) on :
I loved Kat's and Narnia's list (especially the Copland stuff).
I would add Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake to the list. As for contemporary composers, I think John William's Empire of the Sun and James Horner's Legends of the Fall & Braveheart will stand the test of time.
Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :
Geez, I almost forgot, the Henryck Gorecki 3rd Symphony. Now THAT is some gorgeous music.
Posted by ReikoDemosthenes (Member # 6218) on :
Pachelbel's Kanon D-dur First Suite in E-flat for Military Band - Holst Beethoven's 9th symphony Overture to Candide - Bernstein Prelude and Fugue in B-flat - Bach
and probably a few more that aren't just coming to mind right now...not to mention all the ones in this thread that I'm probably try to locate...
Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :
Curious -- what is the appeal of the infamous Kanon? It's almost as boring as Telemann. Not to mention it's not even a real canon (I doubt Pachelbel had the chops). If you like the chaconne format, there are awesome works throughout the literature.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
I think it's just because it's one of the most played and most accessible pieces to the untrained ear. It's easy for anyone and everyone to hear, enjoy, and appreciate. That's also why Bach is widely loved by most who hear his work.
Now Bartok or Stravinsky. It takes a little effort to enjoy their stuff. Posted by Irami Osei-Frimpong (Member # 2229) on :
?? ??` ny 1,2, 4, 3rd violin sonata, and sextet opus 16. Tchaikovsky 5th symphony and violin concerto Beethoven's third, violin concerto, and I dig the slow movement of the seventh. Shostakovich' 10th. It took a while to understand, but there are <i>so</i> cool themes explored.
Depending on my mood, I like energy of the Razumovsky quartets or Ravel's Tzigane.
I think that Bartok's Dance Suite is engaging and accessible.
edit:
I forgot the Prokofiev piano sonatas.
[ March 25, 2004, 11:41 AM: Message edited by: Irami Osei-Frimpong ]
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
We played a long piece by Hindemith in all-state band. It was quite a beautiful piece from my perspective. I wish I could have heard more of it, but I was third-chair trumpet deep in the brass section. I have no idea what it actually sounded like to the audience.
Posted by Rhaegar The Fool (Member # 5811) on :
Welcome to the Jungle: Guns n' Roses
Posted by digging_holes (Member # 6237) on :
Josquin des Prez, Missa Pange Lingua and any other masses from that composer and/or era.
Posted by skillery (Member # 6209) on :
I’ve been listening to Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade and Stravinsky’s Firebird during the past week, and I wish I had a background in music so that I could discuss the two works intelligently. I wish my local university had a crash course in music called Critical Listening.
Anyway, in my opinion Stravinsky’s work doesn’t quite measure up to that of his teacher. Rimsky-Korsakov’s themes are more fully realized, while Stravinsky seems to ramble.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Skillery: Here.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Stravinsky had different periods. You need to catch some of his late late stuff and you'll be baffled at the total absence of theme.
Actually, I think that part of the reason that Rimsky-Korsakov seemed to have more thematic development was because of the 'period' in which he was writing. Firebird is more like contemporary music and closer to The Rite of Spring (which is very un-thematic). Stravinsky's earliest stuff was quite melodic and very similar to that of RK.
The thing about both of them was their genius usage of the orchestra. Rimsky-K was so deft with the way he combined and used the intruments. He passed that on to Stravinsky I'm sure, and Stravinsky experimented quite a lot.
Anyway. My 2 bucks. Posted by skillery (Member # 6209) on :
I'll give Firebird another listen and see if I can discover some of Stravinsky's experimentation.
Thanks for the link katharina. Those courses are on sale right now. I’ll probably get the DVD set.
Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :
Isn't Firebird his most orthodox piece?
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
No. Firebird was when he was beginning to get unorthodox. There is a whole bunch of music he wrote before that that's MUCH more orthodox.
The cool thing about Stravinsky is that he often imitated styles. There are several pieces that sound like Bach, or Mozart, or Schubert, or Brahms...and they are all by Stravinsky. If you listen to them, you hear 'new' stuff that those composers would never have included in their music, but the style is very similar all the same. Our music history teacher used to try to trick us by playing some of that stuff now and then and making us crazy.
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
OK, I'm a classical music tasteless bourgeoise who probably needs a lot of enlightening.
That said, I really love solo classical guitar. I have a lame Sugo music CD with nature noises, but some of the most beautiful classical guitar I've heard. My favorite is Vivaldi's guitar concerto in D. I can't find this anywhere else or in any other versions, though. All the Vivaldi CDs I find are the 4 seasons.
I'm also slowly being exposed to opera. I hate to admit this, but I find Opera Babes really nice to listen to. My favorite so far is Lackmé. Carmen is great too.
Posted by human_2.0 (Member # 6006) on :
Some of the classical stuff on my iPod:
Bach's Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor Bach's Prelude and Fugue in G minor Copland's 3rd symphony (includes Fanfare for Common Man) Debussy's La Mer and 3 Noctunres Everything by Vaughan Williams (ok, not everything--but notably Dona Nobis Pacem, his 5th, 6th, 7th, and 9th symphonies, Serenade to Music, 5 Variants on Dives and Lazarus--LDS hymn 284, For All the Saints--LDS hymn 82, O Clap Your Hands)
Not on my iPod and stuff I haven't yet seen posted: Carlo Gesualdo's Moro Lasso John Adams' Harmonielehre (I had a lesson from him ) Samual Barber's School for Scandal Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story Bela Bartok's Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta Beethoven's 2nd movement from the 7th symphony Alan Hovhaness' And God Created Great Whales and Mysterious Mountain Charles Ives' The Unanswered Question Erich Wolfgang Korngold's The Adventures of Robin Hood Gyorgy Ligeti's Lux Aeterna (made popular by the movie 2001) Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition (Enchantment readers should like this especially) Francis Poulenc's Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (I play the clarinet, what can I say?) Sergey Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf Leroy Robertson's Oratorio from the Book of Mormon Kurt Weill's Three Penny Opera (especially Mack the Knife)
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
human, that's some good stuff!!
Annie, if you slog through all the gazillions of Vivaldi CDs on Amazon.com, you'll find those guitar concertos. I have CDs with one of his guitar concertos and one of his pieces for solo guitar, as well as a Mandoline concerto!!
My favorite Vivaldi are the cello concertos.
Posted by digging_holes (Member # 6237) on :
Woo hoo! Classical guitar rocks!
Check out Leo Brouwer, especially his Estudios Sencillos and La Espiral eterna. Nikita Koshkin is also a very interesting composer for the guitar, though you may have more trouble finding recordings.
Just had to recommend some of my favourite stuff. Posted by aka (Member # 139) on :
I'm so pleasantly shocked that other people also like a lot of the stuff I particularly like.
Bach's B minor mass is so great! My dad arranged three or four of the sections for piano and they are my favorite pieces to play. The Two Kyries and the Christi Elyson, and one I can't get enough of is the Qui Sedes ad Dextram Patrus or whatever. (I'm no good at Latin.) Ah, that one is so good! If I were God I think I would just so totally be flattered that such great music was inspired by me. Bach really didn't write anything that wasn't really good. He's far and away the best composer ever.
Stravinsky rocks the house! Firebug Suite (well, we call it that, since we're all pyros in my family), Rite of Spring, and Petroushka are my favorites by him.
Beethoven's odd numbered symphonies, particularly 5 and 9 of course. Anyone else ever notice that everyone's odd numbered symphonies are best? Everything by Beethoven is good. That boy wrote some good stuff, particularly after he ceased to be encumbered by a sense of hearing.
For Holst the Planets I also add my vote.
Aaron Copeland Appalachian Spring. The very most beautiful part of this piece is the prayer near the end. It brings tears to my eyes always.
Rachmaninoff wrote some really good stuff. There's a waltz my dad used to play on the piano that's kickin.
Maurice Ravel too. I'm thinking of this thing in G that I can't remember the name of. Again it was a piece my dad played. So many weird notes that when you hear it enough to feel what they mean are just exactly perfectly right!
Khatchaturian whose name I can't spell and am too lazy to google. Violin concerto. And one I can play but I don't know what it's called. His stuff is passionate and sounds so very Russian to me though of course he's Armenian which is probably a lot different to people who know.
I love Handel's Messiah too. So add one tick mark beside that one.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
I love them all![[Wink]](wink.gif)
at digging_holes)