I am looking to add some classical music to my ipod. While I know composers, I don't know the compositions that well(aside from the big ones, Beethovens 5th, etc). Anyone have some suggestions?
I'd throw out John Williams name as the greatest American composer. Much modern classical music has been relegated to the movies and Williams is the best there is. JMHO
A classic classical song is Pachelbel's Cannon in D. You'll hear it at many weddings.
"The Planets"...Gustav Holst, always enjoy sitting down on occasion and listening to this. I think it was only 1914 or so it was written. Good stuff, powerful at times!
Quote: I'd throw out John Williams name as the greatest American composer. Much modern classical music has been relegated to the movies and Williams is the best there is. JMHO
I'd agree with that! Williams has helped make the movie industry billions! Not to mention you'd probably recognize anything he's composed. (Like the Olympic Anthems) Copeland is great as well ... any casual listener will know his "Beef, it's what's for dinner" song (actually called Rodeo). Randy Newman ("The Natural") and Jerry Goldsmith (*"Rudy") are really good as well, as far as modern American composers.
As far as composers and songs ...
- The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky. (This is a bunch of songs ... Dance of Sugar Plum Fairy, Nutcracker Suite, etc) - Canon in D by Pachelbel. (One of the best ever IMO) - Carmen Opera by Bizet (It's an opera ... but lots of recognizable stuff in it)
A few on my playlist: - Bach: Brandenburg Concerto, Cancan, Jesu Joy of a Man's Desiring - Beethoven: Fur Elise, Moonlight Sonata, #5, #9 (Also one of my faves!) - Handel: Air Music, Water Music - Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Rondo Alla Turca, Sym #40 - Tchaikovsky: Sleeping Beauty Ballet, 1812 Overture (Always love when they play this on the 4th of July ... cause it's by a Russian)
Actually, the Looney Tunes episode you're talking about (What's Opera, Doc) comes more from the Tannhauser Overture by Wagner than Flight of the Valkyries.
Yeah, I listen to just about anything and everything ... but if i really need to concentrate and get down to business, I switch it over to the classical section of my music player.
I'm working on a masters in voice performance (opera) at the moment.. but I've honestly always been more of a blues man
But I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Carl Orff's Carmina Burana (Specifically the "O Fortuna" section)
The flowers duet from Delibes' Lakme is pretty much the most beautiful thing written for female voices.
And "O Fond du Temple Saint" From Bizet's "The Pearl Fishers" is pretty much the male equivilant... I was lucky enough to get to perform this with another grad student last year.
Heh, yeah... I sing/study opera, but I'm actually in a blues band in town too!
(The Sufferin' Moses Blues Band will be playing in Athens tonight at 19 South, and next Saturday from Noon til three at the Chili Bowl Cook-off for any of you Athens Dawgs out there! )
Ain't a thang wrong with it, water, My Man. Go on, bradmss...wit yo' 'brad'-ass.... sing that mess, yo!
If you can bend a great blues line, you've won over just about anyone- for good reason. Even Schubert couldn't write a song that will grab a listener's soul like the Blues. And Franzie-boy could write him some songs.
Whether you drop down some blues at an Ohio U nightspot or command the stage, singing Puccini's 'Nessun Dorma"- you'd better post your stuff for us to enjoy... ya feelin' me here?
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Squires:
Some damfine suggestions already posted. Go with any of them, and they’ll give you hours of great music for almost any mood.
Here are some "Bigs," right off the top of my head, organized by historical period and approximate dates)
Baroque: 1600-1750
JS Bach: The 6 Brandenburg Concerti St Matthew Passion
Antonio Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
Georg Fredrich Handel: Watermusik or Royal Fireworks
Classical: 1750- 1825
Mozart: Any Symphony (35 and 40 are Da Bomb) Franz Josef Haydn Any Symphony- dude was as much a genius as Mozart
Romantic:
Beethoven: All Symphonies Franz Schubert: Unfinished Symphony P.I. Tchaikovsky: All Symphonies, Nutcracker Swan Lake ballets, Piano Concerto #1 Johannes Brahms: All Symphonies, German Requiem String Sextet Richard Strauss (Not Johann Strauss- the ‘Waltz King’…) Death & Transfiguration, Alpine Symphony, Don Juan, Til Eulenspiegel
Post-Romantic (20th c. til now): Arnold Shoenberg: Verklarte Night (Transfigured Night) for string ensemble Igor Stravinsky: All 3 Ballet scores: (Firebird, Rite of Spring, Petrouchka) small ensemble works Sergei Prokofiev: Cinderella Suite, Lt. Kije Suite, Peter & the Wolf Dmitri Shostakovich: All Symphonies (15) all string quartets (15). Samuel Barber: Adagio for Strings, Cello Concerto, Knoxville: Summer of 1015, Essay for Orchestra, 1&2. Anything by Philip Glass/Terry Riley/John Adams.
Hope this helps.
I know it’s a lot of names, but feel free to PM me for descriptions of any of these pieces. It’s all great music, and many fit particular moods you might have, or background music you may want to play. If you don’t know what a dude’s music sounds like, ask- I’ll do the best I can to draw you a picture. Sometimes, you can get samples of their music online before you buy… so PM me up, and ask what you need to know. I do this crap for a paycheck, so I know what the music’s all about.
Best toya, Squires…
This is very cool stuff you want to acquire. If I can be of any help, I’ll do what I can.
Ain't a thang wrong with it, water, My Man. Go on, bradmss...wit yo' 'brad'-ass.... sing that mess, yo!
If you can bend a great blues line, you've won over just about anyone- for good reason. Even Schubert couldn't write a song that will grab a listener's soul like the Blues. And Franzie-boy could write him some songs.
Whether you drop down some blues at an Ohio U nightspot or command the stage, singing Puccini's 'Nessun Dorma"- you'd better post your stuff for us to enjoy... ya feelin' me here?
______________________
Haha thanks! Although I'm a baritone and I play bass in the blues band... So I don't sing much in the band (but backup) and I'll probably never sing Nessun Dorma. (I used'ta could hit a high C for fun a while back though lol)
I do have to say, speaking of bending, these new nylon tape-wound strings actually bend pretty well on my Fender Frettless Jazz Special
I'll be bending them and singing backup this Saturday at the Chili Bowl Cook-off!
And I'll try to get some of both styles posted sooner than later!
Just did Mahler3 last week!!! An excellent piece. It's not done very often, because of all the extra players necessary. If we hadn't programmed this 2 years ago, it probably wouldn't have been performed at all this year I'm sure the organization took a financial hit, hiring all the extras. I'm glad we did it, tho- it's only the 2nd time I've ever done it- and that was 15 years ago. Waaay too much time between performances of this great work.
Firebird is Da Bomb. I first heard it as a teenager. The finale movement was used as 'entrance music' at the beginning of all Yes concerts. I couldn't believe that it entertained me more than most of that Yes concert I attended. Chased it down, and have been a fan ever since. Wonderful, imaginative writing.
Quote: Bartok as well.
Thanks for the reminder, Charger.
Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra, Miraculous Mandarin Suite, ALL String Quartets.
I love this thread. It would be great to have each of you up in the hizzy one day, to share my love with you all. Happy lis'nin', Dawgs!
Quote: But I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Carl Orff's Carmina Burana (Specifically the "O Fortuna" section)
Speaking of this piece, the trans siberian orchestra finally released their Night Castle cd they have been talking about for many years. It has a rocked up version of this song.
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