Who can forget that second movement from Tchaikovsky's fifth symphony...that horn theme is utterly, extremely melodic and catchy. I especially like it when it returns on strings later on in the movement. It is the adante cantabile I'm I'm refering to.Posts: 722 | Registered: Jul 2004
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Link to my version my Dad got me, it's David Zinman; Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich recording, it won an award for the best German recording of the year. It has two versions of the final movement of the 9th, one which is the mroe modern interpretation (a bit slower) and then one which is the way Beethoven had invisioned (faster, in this case, better).
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Right now I'm abstaining from every single orchestral work of beethoven's (with the exceptions of the overtures) because they are my favorite works and I run the risk of wearing them out. So no Beethoven symphony or concerto till the arbitrary month of June.
If you presumably don't already know those works though you are in for a treat! Every one of them is a delight, from the odd-numbered (with the exception of the first) "beethoven the thunder" ones to the calmer, more lyrical even numbered ones (I consider his 6th symphony to be his oddest work because it's the only one where LvB is trying to actually depict something--but the whole thing is just adorable!)
Gotta love the playfulness of the 8th (his shortest, not received well when it was first premiered and when questioned about why everybody seemed to prefer the 7th to it, LvB replied, "because the 8th is so much better." =D
And notice the third movement of the 5th...that horn call early on is in the same form as the ta-ta-ta-TA motive. It was after making that connection and feeling utterly invigorated by the triumphant final movement that I fell in love with the man's music.
I must stop gushing about this stuff now. I could go on all day.
Final thing: If you know/love the choral ending to the ninth, check out man's Fantasia for Piano, Orchestra and Chorus (frequently called the "Choral Fantasy") as it was the predecessor to it. The main theme is very, similar to the Joy theme but quite unique as well...
Say, what do you think of Mozart??
Posts: 722 | Registered: Jul 2004
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Actually I'm very framilar with them, and I love choral fantasy almost as much as the 9th and more than some of his other symphonies, it's one of his absolute best piano works (well ... I consider it a piano work). My Dad has like the complete everything classical collection on Vinyl, especially Wagner. I have very little but I'm trying to start building a CD classical collection.
I don't much care for Mozart. Don't get my wrong, I think he's a musical genuis and I am happy enough while listening to his music, but it always strikes me that each note is perfectly placed melodically, so it's all very pretty, but it's abstract, there's no emotional depth. When I listen to Mozart I hear pretty, when I listen to Beethoven I hear power.
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Cool Hobbes--, my collection is quite modest compared to some, but it was enough to free me from listening to NPR all night in hope that that one really good piece may come on.
Regarding Mozart--you're right about his lack of a powerful sound but come on--there's considerable emotional depth! And along with Haydn he's the quintessential composer of the classic era...I think power a la beethoven (the link to the romantic era) may have been inappropriate with Mozart! (But if you want pieces where he grips you by the throat and won't let you go, explore [if you haven't already) the piano concertos 20 and 24--both of these are unique because, out of the 27, they're the only ones in a minor key and boy are they emotionally involving!
And Clarinet Concerto in A Major, one of his last orchestral pieces before he died (K. number 622...the requiem is 626) is divine. It's happy and cheerful, true, but to think it evokes those moods while his health was declining rapidly!
I generally stay away from his earlier works though where it's just unmatured genius on display (the violin concerti, in the early k 200s are where he starts to control his talent--but it's the ground breaking double concerto for viola and violin (sinfonia concertante--k. 364) where he officially becomes a mature composer. Anything after that point is gold. And generally happy and intensely melodic. I happen to love those attributes but you're not alone in your position on Mozart. a well known music critic agrees with you.
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I'm listening to Vaughan Williams, although not the London Symphony, which is my favourite. It's Symphonu No. 5 in D .
Posts: 8473 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Alain Lefèvre's Lylatov. The album, but especially the title track. I have the sheet music and I'm learning it, but the way he plays it is just unbelievably beautiful.
Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
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I think the most beautiful song in the world is an Estonian folk song called "Olematu Laul". It's by V. Ojakāāl.
I have the sheet music, but it's handwritten and really hard to make out. And I can't do it justice. If I could ever find a recording of this song, I'd be in Heaven. (Anyone, by random chance, have it?) Someone named Leelo Tungal seems to have recorded it but I can't find it anywhere. I haven't heard it since the first time, live, about 6 years ago.
But I make do with Smetena's Moldau in the meantime. It's my second favourite.
Posts: 624 | Registered: Mar 2005
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Didn't you know I expect everyone to automatically figure out exactly what I mean by the most cryptic of statements?
What I mean is what is the sheet music written for, which instrument? Is it a song, or a score, or for a single instrument...?
Posts: 8473 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I'm new - give me a break! Another month and I'll be able to read your mind. (Umm. But that's not a promise.)
Anyway, ahhhhhhhhhh. I understand now. It's just the treble clef melody written out with some very basic harmony in the chorus and the chord names above, with a one bar easy accompaniment riff in the intro. So it's presumably for piano, but it could be anything. It's a faxed copy of a handwritten version, so not all the notes are legible.
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Hm. I was hoping It'd have the words etc. written out- I'm always looking for a good song to add to my collection and Folk Songs are often especially beautiful.
Anyway, if I ever by chance come across I will tell you.
Have you considered transposing it yourself, filling in the notes you don't know from memory?
Posts: 8473 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Oh, it also has the words, though some of them are illegible too. I didn't think to list that. Actually, you can look up the lyrics on Google, I believe. And I've played with it a bit. It's one of those songs that I feel I ruin by playing it though, because I heard it done so fantastically well by my Estonian friend/singer to begin with, and it's one of those completely mesmerizing songs where the world just *stops*, which doesn't happen when you're badly hammering out notes. I feel like it will lose its magic if I play it too much! (That may sound ridiculous, but perhaps you know what I mean.)
I'll copy it/rewrite it out for you and bring it to TO though, if you like. I always love spreading good art. Posts: 624 | Registered: Mar 2005
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Ooooh, could you? You people are all so generous! I wish I had something to send to you. You could just scan in, if you have a scanner, and send it to me by e-mail, if that's easier for you.
Anyway, even if you don't, you should write it out yourself so you have the clean notes .
Posts: 8473 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Yeah, no problem. I don't have a scanner so I'll just write it out and photocopy it. I've been meaning to write it out for myself for a while anyway, you're right! And really, what's the point in hoarding good music? (Besides, if I can spread this song to enough people, someone new will record it by popular demand and then I'll get my wish! It's all part of my master scheme - mwa ha ha ha ha!!!!! )
Posts: 624 | Registered: Mar 2005
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So weird to see my posts from five years. God how the time passes.
Right now I have a Mahler obsession.
Around the time this thread was made I went to a Tower Records and bought Mahler's 5th symphony. I did not manage to "crack the work" so to speak till just about a week ago. In 2006 I bought his first symphony, which I liked more than the fifth symphony, and about a year ago I bought his second symphony which after listening through several times became one of my all time favorite works. His third symphony is the longest symphony ever written, and I really think he should have kept things more concise but the work contains many great moments.
The last movement of his fourth symphony, for some reason, had already been familiar to me and I adored it, so it was on the whole easier for me to digest his fourth symphony. It also helped that it's his shortest and simplest symphony.
Now just about a week ago I finally got to his fifth symphony again and, being more familiar with Mahler's sound world, found it more enjoyable on the whole, though I do still find it moments of it baffling.
Posts: 532 | Registered: Feb 2009
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