It's my favorite piece, and everytime I think that I've heard a better piece of music, I just have to listen to it again. It's rich, audacious, cute, loving and grand. It's everything right and noble in life in a forty minute piece of music.
I have a copy of Toscanini doing it with the NBC Symphony.
[ February 01, 2005, 08:59 PM: Message edited by: Irami Osei-Frimpong ]
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
oooo I love Brahms Copy it for me and send it to me
Posted by Speed (Member # 5162) on :
That is so weird. I have this in the mail right now, half way from Amazon to me.
Oh, and thanks for spoiling it for me. Posted by Speed (Member # 5162) on :
By the way, speaking of contemporaries, I just transferred a 12-record set of Chopin piano solos to CD. Preludes, waltzes, polonaises, etudes, mazurkas, nocturnes... wow. Can anyone else compose 12 records full of unaccompanied piano solos without sounding boring or repetitive or making you feel the need for orchestral accompaniment? As long as we're talking about 19th century European musical genii, I thought we might as well throw him in. Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I love both of them, to be honest. I am blessed with a wife who feels the same, too.
I DL'd a ton of Chopin a few weeks ago, and am about half way through it. Once I am done, I will probably start over.
I am also listening to Yo-Yo Ma play Bach...it is wonderful!
Kwea
Posted by Speed (Member # 5162) on :
You have the Simply Baroque albums, or something else?
Of course, Bach is the master. Let's not start comparing anyone to him, or we can't admire them anymore. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I have to tell you, I can't agree. I love the Brandenburg Concertos more. Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
I really love Brahms' first. You can't beat the way that first movement opens, such pomp and splendour....and timpani. Posted by Irami Osei-Frimpong (Member # 2229) on :
The tympani and rich orchestration of the first movement are bold to the point brazen. I get a shock of confidence just thinking about it. I think my favorite moment is the lead in and brass chorale in the last movement. It's like the man parted the clouds and let in the sun.
There is so much drive and purpose to the piece, it's rich and interesting and lovely.
_________
Speed, your recording is going to be good. The Third symphony and the Tragic Overture are solid pieces. The third starts with that same kind of energy in the first movement, except I think it even has more color owing to the time changes. It's in a major key so it's not as dark and possibly not as deep, but it's an explosion of wonderfulness that keeps me smiling.
The fourth, I don't know what to make of the fourth. The beginning sounds like a series of sighs, and it grew me, and to be honest, it's a Brahms symphony so it's in the top two percent of orchestral music ever written, imo, and while I feel the confusion, I can never get the shape of the piece. It's like a really good book that I can tell is good, but I can't tell why.
[ February 01, 2005, 11:31 PM: Message edited by: Irami Osei-Frimpong ]
Posted by Allegra (Member # 6773) on :
quote: I am also listening to Yo-Yo Ma play Bach...it is wonderful!
The Bach cello suites? or something else? If it is the suites then I can recommend a recording that I find to be far superior.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Allegra, I would love that suggestion actually. I'm madly in love with the Bach cello suites (number 6 makes me swoon), but I haven't picked up a recording yet.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
mmm Yo-yo ma playing Bach's Cello Suite *in love*
Try also Helene Grimaud playing various piano pieces and Dmitri Hvorostovsky singing Russian things.
Posted by Irami Osei-Frimpong (Member # 2229) on :
A few years ago I bought a copy of Helene Grimaud playing the Ravel piano concerto because I needed a copy of the Ravel and let's be honest, I had to pick between this copy and this one.
This monitor doesn't due justice to her eyes on the cover of that CD.
[ February 01, 2005, 11:40 PM: Message edited by: Irami Osei-Frimpong ]
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
*sigh* She's so dreamy.
Posted by Troubadour (Member # 83) on :
I once listened to Brahm's First for about three days straight on loop, breaking only for sleep and food.
I had a Schenkerian Analysis assignment at the Conservatorium, and the guy who was assessing us studied under one of Heinrich Schenker personal students (or something like that).
I read every analysis book we had in the Con's library and in the state library on the Brahm's First and Schenkerian Analysis - and after 3 solid days of listening and a diagramatic representation of the piece that stretched some 30 feet, I realised I disagreed with every major work to use that style of analysis.
In the end I decided to put forward my own interpretation and got 98% for the assignment; no-one else got above 80% and our lecturer believed my analysis to be so accurate that I should do a thesis on it.
Except who wants that much trouble? Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Dude, that's awesome. I'd love to see that analysis, we can roll it out on my driveway.
And you already have a thesis topic for your PhD? How lucky are YOU? Posted by Troubadour (Member # 83) on :
I'd love to - but unfortunately that was another life. Over ten years ago. I studied Opera - but there wasn't alot of performance to be had and I wasn't really dedicated enough at those tender years to really go anywhere with it....
I've thought about going back to study, which is kind of ironic, since I'm the assistant manager of a graphic design, 3D, digital film, audio engineering college... lol
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Wow! I so didn't know that about you. We should definitely get together and sing sometime. (I'm battling my knee-jerk reaction to go back and get my MM in vocal performance. Teaching is hard and so I'm wanting to run away, but not yet. I'm also toying with the idea of getting an MM in music history. Then maybe I'll borrow your analysis. *sigh* One day.)
Posted by Troubadour (Member # 83) on :
LOL - I've had a very chequered career. Leaving the Con, I wound up getting into digital audio and was on the front wave of the desktop audio revolution - I worked for the company that imported Cubase VST and was about the 3rd user in the country. I converted analog recording studios across to digital platforms - protools, cubase, etc.
I also gigged in a cover band as a vocalist for about four years until recently.
I got into design when I started working for a multimedia college that wanted me to do an audio course for their net and multimedia courses - I wound up learning so much about that side of things I rewrote much of their multimedia stuff for them. Due to a whacky series of events I also started writing for an industry magazine, specialising in film post-production: every month I get to talk to places like ILM, ESC, Animal Logic, Dreamworks, Pixar, etc. Plus I'm teaching a digital film course here at my college and working on my own design firm with a couple of partners.
SooOooooooo, I get around a bit... lol
It'll be a while before I get to duet with any jatraqueros - my US trip isn't going to be for at least 10months, more likely 2 years away....
pity.... Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Allegra, I'm curious to know which suites recording you like better. I like the first Yo-Yo Ma recording (not the most recent one..."inspired by Bach" my fanny).
Posted by the_Somalian (Member # 6688) on :
I have the Karajan cycle of all the Brahms symphonies and I gave the first a go couple of days back. I adore Brahms--I know that he wrote a lot of chamber music but I pretty much own most of his orchestral material (except the Requiem, Haydn Variations and the overture(s)). When I was first getting into the classical and I came across his First I was immensely perplexed by it-it's big, overwhelming and not really appealing at first. But with time I've come to love it--from the grand and intense first movement to the reference to Ode To Joy in the final movement. It's great! =)
quote: The fourth, I don't know what to make of the fourth. The beginning sounds like a series of sighs, and it grew me, and to be honest, it's a Brahms symphony so it's in the top two percent of orchestral music ever written, imo, and while I feel the confusion, I can never get the shape of the piece. It's like a really good book that I can tell is good, but I can't tell why.
You can't beat that opening melody though!
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
I'm a musical plebian, so forgive me in advance
This year, I've been trying to define what I like in classical music. I've discovered that I prefer solos and chamber music to hugely intense symphonic things. I also decided that I preferred Renaissance choral pieces to baroque and classical.
So last night I got the chance to look for music at the nearest public library and found some amazing music. (the public library has impeccable taste) I picked up La dissection d'un homme arme by a German medieval choral group and Brahms's Requiem. I liked the Renaissance piece, as I suspected, but I loved the Requiem.
I think this is the same piece that I saw a PBS special on - a Jewish concentration camp put together a choir and sang it. Am I thinking of the right Requiem?
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Annie, it's VERY likely. I don't recall the special, but the Brahms requiem is performed very, very, very frequently. My church in Atlanta did it every single Good Friday.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Annie, you need to check out some of the later French stuff. (You didn't mention that in your lists.) Debussy, Faure and Ravel anything is some of my favorite. Even the vocal stuff (chanson, the Faure requiem etc.) If you want to get a little funkier, go for some Poulenc. Fantastic. I think you'd love the style, it's not as....huge as the late romantic stuff.
Posted by Ryoko (Member # 4947) on :
Personally, I swear by Bernstein's Brahms cycle....
Just my 2 cents. Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
heeheeheeheehee...Poulenc...funky. That tickles me pink!
Posted by Ryoko (Member # 4947) on :
I'm a big fan of Poulenc's acapella choral music...
Gives new meaning to the lyric:
"Make my funk a P-funk..."
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Now, every time I hear Poulenc, I'm going to add lyrics:
"Won't you take me to...Funkytown!"
Posted by Irami Osei-Frimpong (Member # 2229) on :
quote:You can't beat that opening melody though!
At first, the melody sounds like a bunch of sighs, what got me was all of the other incarnations, with the colors swirling about, and of course, there is a section about ten minutes into the first movement where Brahms puts all of the weight of the orchestra on those mere sighs and they sound like the most important and serious line ever written.
The fourth movement is the same, taking these simple melodies and making them uncomfortably serious.
My favorite movement of that symphony is the third. I may just like it as a light break from the weight of the rest, but I like it all the same.
As chamber music goes, the second movement of his sextet, op. 18, is something special. It's just a theme and variations, but the theme is one of those great themes in music, and the variations keep digging and digging in your soul. I'm a fan of all three of the violin sonatas too, but they are all very different pieces.
[ February 02, 2005, 10:44 AM: Message edited by: Irami Osei-Frimpong ]
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
The string quartets are also very wonderful. Incidentally. In case anyone's curious.
As are the cello sonatas.
Brahms is really wonderful, and very approachable.
Posted by Irami Osei-Frimpong (Member # 2229) on :
Poulenc wrote a wind sextet that is a hoot. It's rock and roll.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Don't forget his lieder!!! More really good stuff.
(I'm going to pull an amazon.com thing right now and say:) If you like Brahms, you might also like:
Mahler. Mmmmm. Mahler. Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
So, then, you would, in fact, describe it as "funky"? Posted by Ryoko (Member # 4947) on :
The passacaglia in the 4th mvmt of the 4th is pretty brilliant. It is also very difficult to perform effectively.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
I disagree with that, actually...Mahler is too, too, too much for me. Not as bad as, say, Bruckner, but still...
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Not Poulenc's lieder. (talking to Megan)
As far as Poulenc's choral music, there's some amazing stuff. We sang selections from Le Figure Humaine in Carnegie hall for the national ACDA convention a couple years ago. It was so hard to tune, but when we did, it was like silk.
And his vocal solo stuff is a blast.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Oh Megan, you guys are posting too fast and getting me all confused.
I guess his symphonies might be over the top (but sometimes not. the 4th movement of the 5th symphony is one of the most fantastically subtle things ever written....but then there's the 8th symphony. Definitely not subtle. ) But I adore Mahler's vocal music. His lieder is so much more accessible for me than Brahms' is. Maybe it's just me.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Narnia: Ah, thought you were talking about Brahms's lieder.
I have issues with soupy choral music, though; the "like silk" thing is not a seller for me, personally. Then again, I tend to lean toward the instrumental side of things, as well.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Actually, Narnia, I agree with you about Mahler's lieder. When I think of Mahler (or Bruckner, for that matter), I tend to only think sypmhonically. I like Mahler's lieder, though, and Bruckner's motets as well.
And sorry for going too fast...I'm baby-sitting the computer lab with nothing better to do than to post on hatrack.
[ February 02, 2005, 10:51 AM: Message edited by: Megan ]
Posted by Irami Osei-Frimpong (Member # 2229) on :
I can't get into Lieder. It doesn't do anything for me, it just turns into some chick singing in German. And Mahler is too much for me. I know the first, second, fourth, and fifth pretty well, but they are gangly pieces to my ear.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
So, we've decided that:
Mahler is great, though huge symphonically. His lieder is more accessible than Brahms'
Poulenc is awesome, sometimes funky, but soupy choral is a little less funky than say...a wind quintet or some snappy solo stuff.
Brahms is great. 'nuff said. (even his lieder, though it's not as accessible as that of Mahler, as already mentioned.)
Bruckner...well, we'll talk more about him later.
Ok, Irami beat me again. I have to agree with you Irami. As a vocalist, lieder is my most unfavorite thing to sing. It feels ungangly to me actually. Some people just adore it though, I suppose it depends on voice type, etc.
[ February 02, 2005, 10:54 AM: Message edited by: Narnia ]
Posted by Ryoko (Member # 4947) on :
I'm with ya Narnia on Mahler...
Give me some Kindertotenlieder or Wayfarer any day. Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Agreed!
I don't mind singing lieder, though I don't really sing, per se. I like studying and analyzing lieder. I'm not a "listen to music for the sake of listening" kind of girl anymore. Actually, that's why I like them so much, especially when they're skillfully done, as in Brahms or, say, the King of Lieder, Schubert. When you've got the text and a good translation in front of you, the results can be fascinating.
[ February 02, 2005, 10:56 AM: Message edited by: Megan ]
Posted by Ryoko (Member # 4947) on :
I have a feeling that I'm a little on the opposite side of the spectrum from Megan on some of the big orch stuff.
I'm a Richard Strauss/Mahler/Sibelius kind of a guy.
Some of my favs:
Sibelius: 5th symphony Mahler: 4th, 9th Strauss: Don Juan, 4 Last Songs, Rosenkavalier
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Yeah, you really are on the opposite end of the spectrum as me...but that's cool.
I prefer smaller things that tend toward precision and subtle motions. I love Haydn and Ligeti, and some of Shostakovich (not, mind you, the symphonies). Huge, melodramatic romantic symphonies leave me utterly cold.
Posted by Irami Osei-Frimpong (Member # 2229) on :
I like Richard Strauss. I'd listen to the Rosenkalvier, Don Juan, or Ein Heldenleben any day.
I don't know Sibelius fifth, I just know the one that is played a lot, I think that's the second.
Posted by Ryoko (Member # 4947) on :
I like Ligeti also...although I'm mainly thinking of some of his big orch stuff.
I'm a big Crumb fan? Do we intersect on that? Posted by Ryoko (Member # 4947) on :
Get thee hence and listen to Sibelius 5!!
(That is if you want to. )
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Heehee...and when I'm thinking of Ligeti, I'm thinking of his choral work and his piano etudes.
I like some Crumb, though I am not a huge fan. I generally prefer a twentieth-century aesthetic to a nineteenth-century one, though there are notable exceptions.
Posted by Ryoko (Member # 4947) on :
How do you feel about Barber?
For me, Knoxville Summer of 1915 is one of the most fabulous text settings in any language.
And then there's Stravinsky...
Since Stravinsky has about a zillion different dimensions, I'll just list a few of my favs:
Firebird Rite of Spring Rake's Progress ....more later...gotta run...
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Barber is quite nice, though not often discussed academically.
I love Stravinsky as well, and his music is constantly being examined from every minute angle. As a matter of fact, the head of my advisory committee is a Stravinsky expert.
Posted by Irami Osei-Frimpong (Member # 2229) on :
Shostakovich 10 rocks. The first movement is cold, I'll freely admit that, and it's twenty minutes long so unless you know the piece makes sense, it's tempting to think that he is wasting your time. But it's one of those pieces about Russia, so it's going to be a little cold.
But that first movement is all to lay the foundation for the other three movements, which are glorious.
[ February 02, 2005, 01:00 PM: Message edited by: Irami Osei-Frimpong ]
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Irami, ....are you a brass player? Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
I love Stravinski, the Firebird Suite is one of my favorites, so dramatic.
quote:I have to tell you, I can't agree. I love the Brandenburg Concertos more.
I love the Brandenburgs too, KQ.
I also love Mahler's First, not as crazy about the rest.
[ February 02, 2005, 11:22 AM: Message edited by: Ela ]
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Oh, I missed the mention of the Brandenburgs! Which reminds me...in terms of baroque concerti, Bach is great, but Handel is also amazingly wonderful.
Posted by Irami Osei-Frimpong (Member # 2229) on :
Barber is lovely. One piece that we both may like is "Knoxville: Summer of 1915." He wrote a string quartet I like, too, I think it's opus 10. It's the one from where the famous Adagio is lifted, but if you go back and listen to the entire piece, you'll find it's really, really good.
I'm an oboe player.
Ela,
The Firebird is the closest big Stravinsky piece that I can wrap my head around, and maybe the violin concerto or Petrouska.
The Symphony in C, Symphony of Psalms, Rite of Spring I don't get. I think the only reason I get Pucinella is because Stravinsky is speaking down to me.
[ February 02, 2005, 12:45 PM: Message edited by: Irami Osei-Frimpong ]
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Not sure if you were talking to me, but I've played the Barber quartet; I know what you're talking about.
Ah, ok. The reason I asked is because your list of likes seemed to line up very well with the list of likes of the herd of trombone and tuba players I hung out with in college.
Posted by Irami Osei-Frimpong (Member # 2229) on :
Ruyko,
I didn't see your post on the bottom of that last page. I agree.
Megan,
Isn't that quartet nice? The first movement is brilliant, and I don't think that too many people know that.
Just so you know, I have a big old sappy side that digs Tchiakovsky 5 and Dvorak 7.
[ February 02, 2005, 11:49 AM: Message edited by: Irami Osei-Frimpong ]
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
In choral music, I admit to having place in my heart for Benjamin Britten's War Requiem - maybe because I sang in several performances of it in college, under the direction of an excellent conductor.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
Oh, and Irami, I have to admit, I mainly like Stravinski's Firebird, I haven't listened quite as much to his other pieces. Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Yeah, I actually like the first and third movements of the Barber quartet quite a bit. I like the Adagio, too; it's just kind of overplayed. In fact, that's how I feel about a great deal of romantic symphonic music; I just don't want to hear it anymore. I'd much rather have the precision and wit of the Classical era than the over-dramatic passion of Romanticism.
And regarding Tchaik 5 and Dvorak 7, I don't think you'd be a good wind player if you didn't at least like 'em.
I have to say...I do think Rite of Spring is really, truly amazing, once you get to know it, though. To me, it's utterly earth-shattering in a way that pieces like Firebird cannot be.
*watches her post count creep closer to 1000. debates the possibility of doing a landmark. *
[ February 02, 2005, 11:47 AM: Message edited by: Megan ]
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
(mmm, I love Tchaikovsky 5. Do we have any horn players in the house? )
Megan, word on what you said about the Rite of Spring. I really like to listen to that piece with the score in front of me though...otherwise, I'm easily lost.
Funny, I feel the same way about Beethoven and some Brahms. (about having the score in front of me.) I remember when we analyzed opus 131 (Beethoven) and how incredibly fascinating that was. I've also listened to Brahms 1 with the score in front of me and I won't do it any other way now.
But then, I'm a nerd.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
I feel the same way; that's why I'm doing what I'm doing now.
You could be a super-secret theorist in disguise! Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
I really think I am Megan. I'm actually a super-secret music history nerd. I adore music history. The ham in me loves to perform and the romantic in me loves to conduct....
but I think it would be such a blast to have a room full of intelligent people that HAVE to listen to my CD collection. I've been forcing unwilling people to do it for so long... Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Narnia, I'm afraid I don't know your background; are you (or were you) in music school? I'm thinking you're a vocalist, but I could be utterly wrong about that, as well.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
I'm a vocalist with a Bachelor of music. I'm working on my teaching credential and a master of education kind of comes with that.
Student teaching is kicking my butt. (Freshman girls. Saints preserve us.) I've been battling the urge to run away from teaching and go back to get my MM in....something. Vocal performance? Conducting? Music History?
Ah, too many choices. My current decision is to teach for a few years and take a bite out of my student loans and then go back to school.
I really miss being a music student though. It's hard not to be taking lessons (no time) though it is fun to be teaching privately now. *sigh* It's tough.
Add: My ultimately perfect job would be to conduct an awesome university chamber choir while teaching music history as well.
[ February 02, 2005, 11:58 AM: Message edited by: Narnia ]
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Ah, I see. Yeah, I can't imagine teaching anyone younger than 18, and even the 18-year-olds sometimes drive me a bit batty. Fortunately, though, since they're new to college, the vast majority of them are scared (or, at the very least, slightly unsure of themselves).
I do have to say, though, unless you're considering seriously going into academic music, I'd give the music history (and its cousin, music theory) degrees a miss. They're a pain in the butt, and really only good for getting more academic music degrees.
Anyway, I have to run...piano lesson time! Whee!
Posted by Ryoko (Member # 4947) on :
Ok...back...
Wow, a lot was discussed...where to begin...
Here are some random recommendations for some groovy tunes:
Mozart: Symphony #23 in D (Wonderful Oboe solo in the slow movement...short but sweet...can't remember the K. number off the top of my head...sorry)
George Crumb: Vox Balanae
Ives: Central Park in the Dark and the Unanswered Question
Posted by Allegra (Member # 6773) on :
My favorite recording of the Bach suite is by a Bass player. Edgar Meyer .
Why I love this musician and this recording: "There is a soulfulness to this music that I want to bring out. The bass is darker than the cello... and it's this moody quality that I like to emphasize." Edgar Meyer
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Oh, a bass recording. I see.
I wasn't actually considering other instrument recordings, though I guess if I had to pick one, I guess it would be Edgar Meyer. I don't know that I'd necessarily call it superior to the Yo-Yo Ma recording; it'd be like comparing apples and oranges.
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Now, every time I hear Poulenc, I'm going to add lyrics:![[Blushing]](graemlins/blushing.gif)
![[Confused]](confused.gif)
It doesn't do anything for me, it just turns into some chick singing in German. And Mahler is too much for me. I know the first, second, fourth, and fifth pretty well, but they are gangly pieces to my ear.
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*![[Cool]](cool.gif)