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

brianlux
brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,764
in Other Music
Here's the scenario:  You've been abducted by (mostly) friendly aliens for a year and they set you up with a very comfortable listening room and a terrific stereo but the only music they have available for you to listen to is what we refer to as "classical" music.  By that, I mean music scored for orchestra, but would also include some solo piano music- but only as etudes, preludes, polonaise, and nocturnes.  They have nothing like more recent avant garde (like Cage, Reich or Glass) and the only modern composers include earlier 20th century people like Elger, Copeland, Ives, Vaughn Williams, Ravel, Schoenberg, Stravinsky, and Shostakovitch.  The aliens also tend to shy away from popular pop-classical and film score composers, and may really turn evil if they hear Disney film or children's movie score music coming out of your room more than at most once a month.  Careful there!

So what are you going to listen to, if anything? (No music is an option, but God help you if you go a year without music.)

For myself, I would definitely listen to the impressionists like Debussy and Ravel. Charles Ives, for sure.  I would relax with a little Chopin now and then.  I would indulge in Beethoven, especially symphonies 1 through 8 (#9?  Nahhh), and some other classic big-time symphonies.  Maybe a little Mozart now and then.

But I would also delve into some of the the more adventuresome works like Holst's Planets, and get into some of the more challenging stuff like Bartok, Schönberg, Shostakovic, and Janáček.

OK, you just been abducted.  One whole year!  What will it be?






"It's a sad and beautiful world"
-Roberto Benigni

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Comments

  • eddiec
    eddiec Posts: 3,965
    Is opera included or only lyric-less orchestral works?
  • josevolution
    josevolution Posts: 32,067
    Can we listen to what the aliens listen to? That would be my choice something totally new to my ears! 
    jesus greets me looks just like me ....
  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,814
    Bach, give me Bach!
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,764
    edited December 2022
    eddiec said:
    Is opera included or only lyric-less orchestral works?
    You might get away with some opera if played discretely and on low volume.  These particular aliens hear operatic singing kind of like the way we hear goats having sex and they're rather squeamish that way.
    josevolution said:
    Can we listen to what the aliens listen to? That would be my choice something totally new to my ears! 
    For eons, these aliens only listened to two notes beeping and thought that was music.  Only recently did they discover music from our world and for some reason only listen to classical music.  OH, what they are missing!
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Bach, give me Bach!
    Thunderous organ music shaking the alien space ship walls.  You have made the aliens very happy, indeed!
    I used to like the Brandenburg concertos but kind of tired of them.  Still, how can one knock Bach, right?!

    Your mention of Bach peeked my curiosity about how long organs have been around, so I looked it up. It's amazing to me that the pipe organ was created as early as it was-  3rd century, B.C. Greece, wow! 
    Here's a photo of the oldest organ found to date, Greek, 1st century B.C.
    By I, QuartierLatin1968, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2405220



    Post edited by brianlux on
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • Hobbes
    Hobbes Pacific Northwest Posts: 6,438
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Bach, give me Bach!
    Stallone, Van Damme, and Schwarzenegger will star in a movie about great composers. They are on set choosing their roles...

    Stallone: I'll be Mozart.
    Van Damme: I'll be Beethoven.
    Schwarzenegger: __________.

  • FR181798
    FR181798 Posts: 2,166
    Hobbes said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Bach, give me Bach!
    Stallone, Van Damme, and Schwarzenegger will star in a movie about great composers. They are on set choosing their roles...

    Stallone: I'll be Mozart.
    Van Damme: I'll be Beethoven.
    Schwarzenegger: __________.

    Ha ha, I hope you made this joke up.  Either way funniest thing I've heard in a while.
  • 1ThoughtKnown
    1ThoughtKnown Posts: 6,155
    Carmina Burana - Carl Orff
    Pachelbel’s Canon - Johan Pachelbel
    Symphony No. 5 in C Minor - Beethoven
    The Planets, Op 32, The Bringer of War - Gustav Holtz
    Symphony No. 40 in G Minor - Mozart
    The Valkyrie: Ride of the Valkyries - Richard Wagner
    Coriolan Overture, Op. 62 - Beethoven
    Flight of the Bumblebee - Ida Cernecka 
    La stravaganza - Vivaldi 
    The Four Seasons -  Vivaldi
    Dance of the Goblins - Bazzini
    Francesca de Ramini - Tchaikovsky

    I like the heavier, darker classical music.  Cranked up that stuff is like metal… just intense. Love it. Great thread idea blux! 

  • 1ThoughtKnown
    1ThoughtKnown Posts: 6,155
    Granted, Flight of the Bumblebee and Pachelbel’s Canon are neither heavy or dark, just beautiful pieces of music.  
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,764
    1ThoughtKnown said:
    Carmina Burana - Carl Orff
    Pachelbel’s Canon - Johan Pachelbel
    Symphony No. 5 in C Minor - Beethoven
    The Planets, Op 32, The Bringer of War - Gustav Holtz
    Symphony No. 40 in G Minor - Mozart
    The Valkyrie: Ride of the Valkyries - Richard Wagner
    Coriolan Overture, Op. 62 - Beethoven
    Flight of the Bumblebee - Ida Cernecka 
    La stravaganza - Vivaldi 
    The Four Seasons -  Vivaldi
    Dance of the Goblins - Bazzini
    Francesca de Ramini - Tchaikovsky

    I like the heavier, darker classical music.  Cranked up that stuff is like metal… just intense. Love it. Great thread idea blux! 

    Great list there! 
    I was going to listen to The Planets this evening but got busy so saving it for tomorrow's all day rainy day.
    1ThoughtKnown said:
    Granted, Flight of the Bumblebee and Pachelbel’s Canon are neither heavy or dark, just beautiful pieces of music.  
    Yes, for sure, and Bumblebee is fun to listen to.

    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • 1ThoughtKnown
    1ThoughtKnown Posts: 6,155
    edited December 2022
    brianlux said:
    1ThoughtKnown said:
    Carmina Burana - Carl Orff
    Pachelbel’s Canon - Johan Pachelbel
    Symphony No. 5 in C Minor - Beethoven
    The Planets, Op 32, The Bringer of War - Gustav Holtz
    Symphony No. 40 in G Minor - Mozart
    The Valkyrie: Ride of the Valkyries - Richard Wagner
    Coriolan Overture, Op. 62 - Beethoven
    Flight of the Bumblebee - Ida Cernecka 
    La stravaganza - Vivaldi 
    The Four Seasons -  Vivaldi
    Dance of the Goblins - Bazzini
    Francesca de Ramini - Tchaikovsky

    I like the heavier, darker classical music.  Cranked up that stuff is like metal… just intense. Love it. Great thread idea blux! 

    Great list there! 
    I was going to listen to The Planets this evening but got busy so saving it for tomorrow's all day rainy day.
    1ThoughtKnown said:
    Granted, Flight of the Bumblebee and Pachelbel’s Canon are neither heavy or dark, just beautiful pieces of music.  
    Yes, for sure, and Bumblebee is fun to listen to.

    Thanks man. I’ve always liked classical music with some bite. My wife is a former figure skater and skated to a lot of classical music. Her love for it has rekindled my own passion and we have been expanding the classical genre in our vinyl collection. 👍

    We have some similar favs, although some of the stuff you like I’m unfamiliar with. Will have to check them out! 
    Post edited by 1ThoughtKnown on
  • 1ThoughtKnown
    1ThoughtKnown Posts: 6,155

  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,764
    1ThoughtKnown said:


    Haha!  :lol:
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • F Me In The Brain
    F Me In The Brain this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 31,956
    edited December 2022
    The D would have to play a rock block of Bach.
    https://youtu.be/mXjNATmIruI



    After that, I'll take the probe.

    Perhaps some Tchaikovsky to sooth me as I cry in the corner during recovery time. 😅 

    The love he receives is the love that is saved
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,764
    F Me In The Brain said:
    The D would have to play a rock block of Bach.
    https://youtu.be/mXjNATmIruI



    After that, I'll take the probe.

    Perhaps some Tchaikovsky to sooth me as I cry in the corner during recovery time. 😅 


    "rock block of Bach"  Haha!  Love it!
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,814
    We played a bunch of Bach in school and it was a lot of fun to play.  Other classical stuff is an absolute bore to play.  When they sped things up is when it got fun.
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,764
    edited December 2022
    My wife and I sat down and listened to Beethoven's 8th Symphony this evening- one of my top three of LVB's symphonies.  What a great piece- one side of an album, economical yet not lacking, great themes woven throughout, terrific dynamics, killer finish.  Awesome.  Beethoven, is like the rock and roll of classical music at times.
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,814
    brianlux said:
    My wife and I sat down and listened to Beethoven's 8th Symphony this evening- one of my top three of LVB's symphonies.  What a great piece- one side of an album, economical yet not lacking, great themes woven throughout, terrific dynamics, killer finish.  Awesome.  Beethoven, is like the rock and roll of classical music at times.
    It's all about the build up, the Crescendo!
  • Spiritual_Chaos
    Spiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,650
    Christopher Young

    https://youtu.be/wxIFzdwrzek
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • 1ThoughtKnown
    1ThoughtKnown Posts: 6,155
    brianlux said:
    My wife and I sat down and listened to Beethoven's 8th Symphony this evening- one of my top three of LVB's symphonies.  What a great piece- one side of an album, economical yet not lacking, great themes woven throughout, terrific dynamics, killer finish.  Awesome.  Beethoven, is like the rock and roll of classical music at times.
    I was looking at an 8LP boxset with all LVB symphonies. I would want a stellar copy. What do you have Brian? Any recommendations? 
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,764
    1ThoughtKnown said:
    brianlux said:
    My wife and I sat down and listened to Beethoven's 8th Symphony this evening- one of my top three of LVB's symphonies.  What a great piece- one side of an album, economical yet not lacking, great themes woven throughout, terrific dynamics, killer finish.  Awesome.  Beethoven, is like the rock and roll of classical music at times.
    I was looking at an 8LP boxset with all LVB symphonies. I would want a stellar copy. What do you have Brian? Any recommendations? 

    I grew up listening most of them on Deutsche Grammophon as conducted by Herbert von Karajan, although I like the 6th conducted by Karl August Böhm (also on DG) better, and have long loved Leonard Bernstein's version of the 5th on Columbia.  The thing is though, I know of classical fans who are big fans of DG, and the more astute such fans are, the more likely they are to tell me I'm full of shit, lol.  Die hard classical fans are rather fanatical about their choices! 
    One thing I have that I like and might be helpful is this reference.  It's not helpful for choosing a vinyl source for the music, but it does have a lot of helpful info about many of the versions of a ton of classical music- the conductor, the orchestra, the way it was recorded, etc.:

    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

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