If you could ONLY listen to classical music (see limitations) for a year, what would you listen to?

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  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,012
    brianlux said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    I listen to classical quite a bit - I love piano heavy pieces, Yo-Yo Ma cello colabs are always wonderful, and some featuring the violin are just amazing. I'd be happy going with the greats - Beethoven, Mozart, Bach... I would not mind only listening to classical for a year, just as long as there is none of that stuff, like court of Henry VIII kind of stuff, I hate that tinkling sounding classical. And please no Sousa, lol.

    Years ago when I was living in Mountain View in the Bay Area I had a neighbor who frequently used to leave her door open and blast John Phillips Sousa and the like on a fairly regular basis.  Some days, I thought I was going to lose my mind, lol. I found lots of reasons to get out and do other things!

    brianlux said:
    Tom and Jerry have a good likening to it.
    https://youtu.be/3Wsx22WxWOc

    Those rascals, lol!
    Cartoons is how I learned about Cab Calloway and Habanera, Beethoven and the like.  They weren't exactly in my parents' wheelhouse but I came to enjoy them through Warner Bros and Tom & Jerry.  Taught me Spanish too Mama yo Quiero.

    Interesting!  Yeah, I remember cartoons that used music in very cool ways. 
    Although not classical music (so a bit off topic), I remember a cartoon that I saw just the one time when I was fairly young- maybe 5 or 6 or 7- that had this crazy family running around the house and they were all singing this song that I thought was cool.  I still remember the  melody and these few lines from the song:

    We are a happy family
    We laugh and sing and dance all day.

    Never have found that cartoon since way back when.
    Concerto piano was very much a thing in Tom & Jerry though.

    As for your cartoon you are looking for, a word might be off.  I wish I had more to go off of cause I would find it!.

    Yeah, we're talking upwards of as much as 65 years ago.  I might off a little off on the lyrics, lol.
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • hrd2imgnhrd2imgn Posts: 4,898
    brianlux said:
    hrd2imgn said:
    Carmina Burana is amazing with the right performance.  Give me some Wagner, and we have perfect German soul music.  Melancholy is part of our fiber
    Carmina Burana... not being a big choral fan, I don't believe I've ever listened to the whole thing, but I really should give it a fair chance some time.  Any recommended performances?

    I discovered this in the movie Excalibur (also with Wagner) and my great uncle told me what it was-O fortuna.  The knights riding out to this as Arthur returns conquering his enemy and regenerating the land is about as great a use of a.musical score I can think up as well as Wagner when he confronts his son to the death
    ...film at it's best.

    It is a pretty versitile and winding experience. Most of the songs intertwine.  Some are way too much for.me, butbthe tension and glory in the music all in one just love it.  O Fortuna is certainly the prime cut. Fortune Plango Vulnera A nice extension,  then there are other extended parts to o fortuna,  so if you like that, you'll like those.

    Titles and parts are too long to type. So here is "the song"
    Veras lets facies 
    Floret Silva
    Estuans enterius
    Armor volat undique
    Cour d'amours in trutina

    The rest is a little much opera for me.  There are some Great performances and some.meh.

    This is my favorite 




  • 1ThoughtKnown1ThoughtKnown Posts: 6,155
    edited December 2022
    hrd2imgn said:
    brianlux said:
    hrd2imgn said:
    Carmina Burana is amazing with the right performance.  Give me some Wagner, and we have perfect German soul music.  Melancholy is part of our fiber
    Carmina Burana... not being a big choral fan, I don't believe I've ever listened to the whole thing, but I really should give it a fair chance some time.  Any recommended performances?

    I discovered this in the movie Excalibur (also with Wagner) and my great uncle told me what it was-O fortuna.  The knights riding out to this as Arthur returns conquering his enemy and regenerating the land is about as great a use of a.musical score I can think up as well as Wagner when he confronts his son to the death
    ...film at it's best.

    It is a pretty versitile and winding experience. Most of the songs intertwine.  Some are way too much for.me, butbthe tension and glory in the music all in one just love it.  O Fortuna is certainly the prime cut. Fortune Plango Vulnera A nice extension,  then there are other extended parts to o fortuna,  so if you like that, you'll like those.

    Titles and parts are too long to type. So here is "the song"
    Veras lets facies 
    Floret Silva
    Estuans enterius
    Armor volat undique
    Cour d'amours in trutina

    The rest is a little much opera for me.  There are some Great performances and some.meh.

    This is my favorite 




    I’ll have to check this out. I have a 1968 DG German  copy. Unfortunately it’s a little beat up. Need something better

    EDIT - found that speakers corner records reissued this in 1995. AAA. Going to grab a copy


    Post edited by 1ThoughtKnown on
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,012
    hrd2imgn said:
    brianlux said:
    hrd2imgn said:
    Carmina Burana is amazing with the right performance.  Give me some Wagner, and we have perfect German soul music.  Melancholy is part of our fiber
    Carmina Burana... not being a big choral fan, I don't believe I've ever listened to the whole thing, but I really should give it a fair chance some time.  Any recommended performances?

    I discovered this in the movie Excalibur (also with Wagner) and my great uncle told me what it was-O fortuna.  The knights riding out to this as Arthur returns conquering his enemy and regenerating the land is about as great a use of a.musical score I can think up as well as Wagner when he confronts his son to the death
    ...film at it's best.

    It is a pretty versitile and winding experience. Most of the songs intertwine.  Some are way too much for.me, butbthe tension and glory in the music all in one just love it.  O Fortuna is certainly the prime cut. Fortune Plango Vulnera A nice extension,  then there are other extended parts to o fortuna,  so if you like that, you'll like those.

    Titles and parts are too long to type. So here is "the song"
    Veras lets facies 
    Floret Silva
    Estuans enterius
    Armor volat undique
    Cour d'amours in trutina

    The rest is a little much opera for me.  There are some Great performances and some.meh.

    This is my favorite 





    Great, thanks!
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • 1ThoughtKnown1ThoughtKnown Posts: 6,155
    edited January 30
    This thread had me add a few classical albums on the wantlist. I’m listening to The Planets right now.. and it’s just stellar. If you like this performance, I recommend this pressing. 

    Post edited by 1ThoughtKnown on
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,012

    This thread had me add a few classical albums on the wantlist. I’m listening to The Planets right now.. and it’s just stellar. If you like this performance, I recommend this pressing. 


    Oooh,  that looks great!  I like the Bernstein/ NY Philharmonic OK, but have been looking to upgrade.  That might be the ticket, thanks for posting it!
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • 1ThoughtKnown1ThoughtKnown Posts: 6,155
    brianlux said:

    This thread had me add a few classical albums on the wantlist. I’m listening to The Planets right now.. and it’s just stellar. If you like this performance, I recommend this pressing. 


    Oooh,  that looks great!  I like the Bernstein/ NY Philharmonic OK, but have been looking to upgrade.  That might be the ticket, thanks for posting it!
    Right on b. I’m going to spin this SC/DG pressing later tonight. It seems SC uses the original stampers as the hype sticker on my version was different. Read somewhere that SC pressings never really go out of print:



  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,012
    brianlux said:

    This thread had me add a few classical albums on the wantlist. I’m listening to The Planets right now.. and it’s just stellar. If you like this performance, I recommend this pressing. 


    Oooh,  that looks great!  I like the Bernstein/ NY Philharmonic OK, but have been looking to upgrade.  That might be the ticket, thanks for posting it!
    Right on b. I’m going to spin this SC/DG pressing later tonight. It seems SC uses the original stampers as the hype sticker on my version was different. Read somewhere that SC pressings never really go out of print:




    Ah, yes!  I have a fondness for Deutsche Grammophon LPs that goes back, oh, well, let's just say "a ways".  :lol:
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • HeavyHandsHeavyHands Posts: 2,130
    Contemporary composer Max Richter has some moving and impressive work.  People would mostly know him from "On the Nature of Daylight" from the album "The Blue Notebooks" and which was featured in the movie Arrival.  

    He did a very interesting project called "Recomposed By Max Richter - Vivaldi: The Four Seasons." Whether or not you like baroque classical, this album is a genuinely beautiful reimagining of some very well worn melodies.  Highly recommended.
    "A lot more people are capable of being big out there that just don't give themselves a chance." -Stone Gossard
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,012
    Contemporary composer Max Richter has some moving and impressive work.  People would mostly know him from "On the Nature of Daylight" from the album "The Blue Notebooks" and which was featured in the movie Arrival.  

    He did a very interesting project called "Recomposed By Max Richter - Vivaldi: The Four Seasons." Whether or not you like baroque classical, this album is a genuinely beautiful reimagining of some very well worn melodies.  Highly recommended.

    Only vaguely know the name, but not his work.  Will check him out!
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • in case they took any away, I’d start with:
    Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 - Bach
    Symphony #7, especially 2d Movement - Beethoven 
    Peer Gynt Suite, especially 2d Movement - Death of Åse - Grieg
    Brahms’ Requiem
    Yo Yo Ma playing Bach Cello Suites 1-6 (live BBC recording)
    Arthur Rubinstein playing Chopin (heard him once)
    Sviatoslav Richter (pianist) playing Beethoven
    Beethoven String Quartets
    Segovia playing guitar - anything (heard him 3 times!)
    I’d be there with you for the Brandenberg Concertos (kinda fond of the harpsichord solo in #5)
    - First few days anyhow
    "If you hate somethin, don't you do it too!"

    "Then I get to thinkin -- I don't wanna think; I wanna feel."
  • curmudgeonesscurmudgeoness Posts: 3,988
    So, no Korngold, Brian? :-)

    Music parent here, late to the conversation. My desert island classical playlist would include:

    Beethoven: collected string quartets; Symphonies 9  and ESPECIALLY 7. Getting kicked out of a concert hall for dancing in the aisles during Beethoven 7 is on my bucket list. The Emperor Concerto. The violin concerto.

    Bach: Cello suites, preferably played on viola

    Dvorak: Symphony 9, violin concerto, and the Czech Suite, played as often as possible. I am irrationally, exuberantly fond of the Czech Suite. Chamber music, especially the "American" string quartet.

    The Mendelssohn octet

    Bartok, Concerto for Orchestra

    The Sibelius violin concerto, ideally the recording by the divine Augustin Hadelich

    Mahler 3, Mahler 9

    Rachmaninoff piano concertos

    Hindemith viola concerto

    Elgar, Enigma Variations and cello concerto

    Prokofiev, String Quartet No. 2
     
    Dohnanyi Serenade in C Major
    All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
  • Leezestarr313Leezestarr313 Posts: 14,352
    I was born where Händel was born, so it's gotta be some Händel, like the Feuerwerksmusik (Music for the Royal Fireworks). Also, Vivaldi's Four Seasons, that has always been one of my favorites. There is a version out there played by Nigel Kennedy that is really awesome. And I know opera may sound like goat sex to aliens but I do love me some opera too. I have been subtitling many in the past, and sometimes things just hit you and you get goosebumps. My favorite is Fidelio, I think. I am very drawn to intense voices and quirky vocalizations, I guess. Counter tenors are very fun to listen to if they are good. A great tenor (mmmmh Pavarotti...) can make you shiver with joy, and some sopranos have ranges that do not seem human (Joan Sutherland is fun, but I also love La Callas). One of the more memorable operas/ plays I was lucky to subtitle was a version of Purcell's Dido & Aeneas. Here is a trailer, it was also visually enjoyable. I love the pronunciation and the humor in this one but it may be because I remember the university courses in historical English Phonetics that were a love-hate thing for me :D


  • curmudgeonesscurmudgeoness Posts: 3,988
    Also, Brian, how do you know what goat sex sounds like??
    All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
  • These are wonderful! I will just have stuff those in my desert isle trunk, as well! The fun of this thread will be actually putting all of these on a Spotify playlist :)
    Thanks!
    "If you hate somethin, don't you do it too!"

    "Then I get to thinkin -- I don't wanna think; I wanna feel."
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,012
    So, no Korngold, Brian? :-)

    Music parent here, late to the conversation. My desert island classical playlist would include:

    Beethoven: collected string quartets; Symphonies 9  and ESPECIALLY 7. Getting kicked out of a concert hall for dancing in the aisles during Beethoven 7 is on my bucket list. The Emperor Concerto. The violin concerto.

    Bach: Cello suites, preferably played on viola

    Dvorak: Symphony 9, violin concerto, and the Czech Suite, played as often as possible. I am irrationally, exuberantly fond of the Czech Suite. Chamber music, especially the "American" string quartet.

    The Mendelssohn octet

    Bartok, Concerto for Orchestra

    The Sibelius violin concerto, ideally the recording by the divine Augustin Hadelich

    Mahler 3, Mahler 9

    Rachmaninoff piano concertos

    Hindemith viola concerto

    Elgar, Enigma Variations and cello concerto

    Prokofiev, String Quartet No. 2
     
    Dohnanyi Serenade in C Major

    Korngold?  Ah- another one to check out!  I have (forever) much to learn still!  Thanks for the tip.
    Yes, Beethoven Symphonies are so great. My first classical record (which I still have!) was given to me in the early 60's is Beethoven's 5th, Bernstein and NY Philharmonic, Columbia Masterworks.  I came with a bonus 7" record, "How a Great Symphony Was Written".  I will always keep that old record, but really should get a better copy of it to play.  The one I have has a LOT of miles on it, lol!
    And Beethoven's 8th is a favorite of mine as well.  A shorter, but dynamic and powerful!
    Also, Brian, how do you know what goat sex sounds like??
    I can only imagine!  :rofl:
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • curmudgeonesscurmudgeoness Posts: 3,988
    I mentioned Korngold because he wrote both orchestral pieces and soundtracks. When I first heard his violin concerto, I thought it sounded like a mid-century movie soundtrack -- turns out there was a reason for that!
    All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,012
    It occurred to me that I had nothing by the composer Iannis Xenakis, so I recently picked up this intriguing LP:

    Iannis Xenakis / Krzysztof Penderecki, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Lukas Foss – Akrata, Pithoprakta / Capriccio For Violin & Orchestra, De Natura Sonoris

    Iannis Xenakis - Akrata Pithoprakta  Capriccio For Violin  Orchestra De Natura Sonoris album cover











    Here's the first cut.  I really like intriguing music such as this:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nobcr2xOIvI

    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • curmudgeonesscurmudgeoness Posts: 3,988
    edited October 25
    A contemporary composer I was introduced to a few years ago, Peteris Vasks:



    ETA: I think the aliens would like these!
    Post edited by curmudgeoness on
    All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
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