Tiger Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 I thought it'd be a good idea to start a thread about some of our favorite classical music pieces. I'm starting with one of my favorites from Mozart. It has been 255 years since Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born and 250 years ago when he started composing. Yes, he really did start composing at age 5! Truly, he is easily one of the top 5 best composers of all time. And with over 600 compositions, he was quite prolific even though he died when he was just 35 years old. Still, that was 30 years of Mozart music, and it is exquisite music at that. I figured why not start a thread for people to post links to their favorite pieces and start off with my favorite composer? I hope others will share their favorite Mozart pieces too, but again, it is for all composers. I was originally going to make it Mozart only, but I figured there would be more activity if all others were included. This is a piece that I heard in high school, though it was a different version, one with only clarinets. I love it, and it is one of my favorites. This is Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in A major, Movement number 3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVzs9ycLRoE
W_L Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 You might enjoy this rendition of Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig Von Beethoven. He was an amazing musical composer, who went beyond the realms of literal music and transcended sound. There's something to be said of Beethoven's ability to write music and listen to it even if he could no longer hear it.My favorite classical composer by far due to his genius and ability to go beyond the realm of functional music.
Sara Alva Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 I've always had a thing for Mozart's Symphony No. 40. It's just one of those pieces I could imagine a story to-- it has a sort of suspenseful feel to it. Sorry, I'm not savvy enough to embed the youtube link http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=aZD9nt_wsY0&vq=medium#t=101
Tiger Posted February 22, 2011 Author Posted February 22, 2011 Today is your lucky day. I found a different link for it, but this is Mozart's Symphony number 40, first movement. I'm going to show you how to embed too. [media] There's also an icon with three pictures. It will load the media code for you.
Sara Alva Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 Today is your lucky day. I found a different link for it, but this is Mozart's Symphony number 40, first movement. I'm going to show you how to embed too. [media] There's also an icon with three pictures. It will load the media code for you. Why thank you. I did try that little icon, but must have muddled it up somehow
Tomas Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 There are so many that I like. I really can't honestly name any one of them as an absolute favorite. Shostakovitch Rachmaninoff Khachaturian Prokofiev Tchaikovsky Mussorgsky Bach Beethoven Mahler Strauss (Richard) Wagner Vivaldi Verdi Puccini Britten Purcell Grieg Haydn Schumann Chopin Handel Mozart Schubert Mendelssohn Berlioz Brahms Dvorak Vaughan Williams Ravel Stravinsky Duruflé Respighi and any number of others. There are pieces by each of the above and others that I enjoy listening to, but IF I were forced to name one composer, it would be Beethoven. Even so, it would difficult to name any one of his works as a favorite. Take Care Tomas
Nephylim Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 Gosh that's some list. I have to say that I agree wholly with most of it. I think pehaps Dvorak is my favourite because he has so much life in his work. It makes me feel that we are doing what he is playing... hunting, watching rivers
Cyhort Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 (edited) I've always been a sucker for these two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl_rljOB4AE&feature=related ^ You would not believe how hard it was to find a video of that one that was both faced paced and without lyrics. EDIT: Grrrrr the embedding on this forum is my new worst enemy! Edited February 22, 2011 by Cyhort
Tiger Posted February 22, 2011 Author Posted February 22, 2011 The system is very picky about how which ones will show. If it says related or featured in the URL, it needs to be removed in order for it to work. Also, I think you can only put in one at a time. The only reason I was about to put two on here was because one was showing the code for it.
Tomas Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 For Nephylim. "Goin' Home,"based on the Czech composer Antonin Dvorak's famous "Largo" theme from his Symphony No. 9 (From the New World), Op. 95. as sung by Libera. "Goin' Home"was actually written by one of Dvorak's pupils, William Arms Fisher (1861-1948), who adapted and arranged the Largo theme and added his own words. Tomas
Adam Phillips Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 Since you led off with Mozart--and man, what's not to love in his catalog?--I thought I'd link to one of his that grabs me real hard. It's the Lacrimosa from the Requiem, K. 626. Yeah, I know, there's probably some Sussmayr in there since Mozart died before the Requiem was finished, but I'd like to believe that, at least for this piece, of which Mozart had written out only the first dozen or so bars, Sussmayr reconstructed it from Mozart's own discussions with him.
Tiger Posted February 22, 2011 Author Posted February 22, 2011 I've been on a flute kick lately. This is Flute Concerto No.2 In D Major Mozart K.314 First Movement http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7eoQnajXb4
W_L Posted February 23, 2011 Posted February 23, 2011 Quick question, What would be classical and what's Romantic among the greats? I know Beethoven and Tchaikovsky well enough to know they kind of switched over to Romanticism later in their career. Mozart is predominantly classical; he has some emotional moments in his work, but I don't remember if he had a romantic piece. Tiger, any idea?
Tomas Posted February 23, 2011 Posted February 23, 2011 CPE and Johann Cristian Bach, Franz Joseph Haydn (Papa Haydn), Mozart, Boccherini, von Gluck were in the Classical Period which is generally accepted to have run from 1750 to 1820. Franz Schubert and Beethoven were at the very end of the period and are considered transitional and were instrumental in bringing about the Romantic Period which is usually dated from 1820 to 1910. Besides Schubert and Beethoven other composers of the Romantic period include Chopin, Mendelsshon, Berlioz, Brahms, Greig, Dvorak, Schumann, Bizet, Verdi, Wagner, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, and Mahler. That is a short list there are other well know composer that were part of the Romantic Period. Take care Tomas
Tiger Posted February 23, 2011 Author Posted February 23, 2011 Mozart - Piano concerto no 21 - 2nd movement Bach-
W_L Posted February 23, 2011 Posted February 23, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc34Jr9udlU Nicknamed the Emperor, possibly one of Haydn most well known string quartet arrangements due to the lasting appeal among European listeners. I like this one for its refinement and elegance that shows the best of classical style perfect pitch.
Tiger Posted February 23, 2011 Author Posted February 23, 2011 Frédéric Chopin - Nocturne In E Flat Major, Op.9 No.2 Frédéric Chopin was one of the best, if not THE best, piano composers. Born in Poland, he moved to Paris where he became a legend.
Circle Posted February 23, 2011 Posted February 23, 2011 Quick question, What would be classical and what's Romantic among the greats? I know Beethoven and Tchaikovsky well enough to know they kind of switched over to Romanticism later in their career. Mozart is predominantly classical; he has some emotional moments in his work, but I don't remember if he had a romantic piece. Tiger, any idea? I'm afraid I have to disagree. Beethoven didn't really 'switch' to Romanticism in his career. He was the kind of composer at his time that exhausts the possibilities of classical sonata and symphonic form, and put forth radical ideas inspired by other arts during that time, and forces other composers after him to find new ways to write music. So, in essence, he is a composer that couldn't quite get the classical forms and ideals out of his head, as opposed to Wagner and Liszt later in the century. While Mozart's music was predominantly classical, his lifestyle was a romantic one, almost as if he was living years ahead of his time. That is not to say that classical works lacked emotion - even in Bach's work there were great deal of emotions. Frédéric Chopin - Nocturne In E Flat Major, Op.9 No.2 Frédéric Chopin was one of the best, if not THE best, piano composers. Born in Poland, he moved to Paris where he became a legend. Chopin greatly extended the scherzo, ballade and sonata forms during his lifetime, and revolutionised the way people play the piano forever. Before him it was considered by many great piano masters at the time that playing thumb on the black keys should generally be avoided. Chopin however, would not hesitate to cross the thumb under the fifth finger, or slide fingers across consecutive keys. He expanded the piano techniques of the time, and his music contains much expressions and nuance that earned him an instant place in the canon. He was a genius and had to teach himself a lot of the time. I wouldn't say Op.9 was his best. It was still, early Chopin, but he matured incredibly quickly as a composer. His set of etudes Op 10 showed a much greater sense of maturity both in musical expressions and techniques compared to any previous works, and it lay foundation to his later works like his concertos, his second set of studies, Polonaises and Scherzos. But in my opinion the best of Chopin's piano writing lies in his Ballades, an instrumental form that he invented. It was in these ballades that Chopin weave a narrative, inject it with a lethal dose of emotions and angst of his experiences in life, decorate it in some of the best piano writing in his time. Musically, it was intricate, the structures were intricate. Even Robert Schumann said at the time that the First Ballade in G minor Op 23 resembled Chopin's genius best. The fourth ballade has been compared to as the Mona Lisa, an epitome of Romantic piano music of the 19th century. I'm currently playing Chopin's 4th Ballade at the moment and I heartily agree!
rustle Posted February 24, 2011 Posted February 24, 2011 I'm unable to find links, but ... Waldesrauschen by Liszt Hammerclavier by Beethoven The Firebird Suite by Stravinsky Not strictly classical, I know, but I'm a romantic at heart.
Tomas Posted February 25, 2011 Posted February 25, 2011 Max Bruch Violin Concerto #1 in G minor, Op 26, 2nd movement - Itzhak Perlman, violin Kazuyoshi Akiyama conducting the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra Beautiful Take Care Tomas
West Coast Dude Posted March 3, 2011 Posted March 3, 2011 I've been on a flute kick lately. This is Flute Concerto No.2 In D Major Mozart K.314 First Movement http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7eoQnajXb4 Technically that piece is not really a flute piece, it's the Oboe Concerto in C Major, Mozart was just lazy and transposed it too D Major. Galway doesn't play Mozart well at all....Grrr. If you want to listen to Mozart, check out Mitsuko Uchida. Frédéric Chopin - Nocturne In E Flat Major, Op.9 No.2 Frédéric Chopin was one of the best, if not THE best, piano composers. Born in Poland, he moved to Paris where he became a legend. It was his birthday the other day, and in honor I played his E Major etude It reminds me of beautiful wintry falling snow!
West Coast Dude Posted March 3, 2011 Posted March 3, 2011 Technically that piece is not really a flute piece, it's the Oboe Concerto in C Major, Mozart was just lazy and transposed it too D Major. Galway doesn't play Mozart well at all....Grrr. If you want to listen to Mozart, check out Mitsuko Uchida. It was his birthday the other day, and in honor I played his E Major etude It reminds me of beautiful wintry falling snow! Ok time for everyone to hear the piece that was in one of my Chapters. Close your eyes and imagine Caleb and Ryan playing that piece
West Coast Dude Posted March 3, 2011 Posted March 3, 2011 I'm unable to find links, but ... Waldesrauschen by Liszt Hammerclavier by Beethoven The Firebird Suite by Stravinsky Not strictly classical, I know, but I'm a romantic at heart. Firebird is a very hard piece to play as an Orchestral musician. Peabody Conservatory does a pretty good job though http://www.youtube.c...aY&feature=fvst http://www.youtube.c...aY&feature=fvst Now for my all time favorite piece. Imagine you're lover, dressed in seven layers....imagine he/her removing the layers....after you can do whatever they want cause they're naked...
Zolia Lily Posted March 3, 2011 Posted March 3, 2011 Went to Beethoven's house in Bonn, Germany. Pure Awesomeness!!!! His symphonies are brilliance This one in particular makes me all goosebumpy. Perhaps since it's my mum's favourite and she cried when dad got her the CD... and the awesome awesome Grieg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAbwMGZtIsY And the very fantabulous fantabulistic Vivaldi Four seasons : Spring Four seasons : Summer Four seasons : Autumn Four seasons : Winter
West Coast Dude Posted March 3, 2011 Posted March 3, 2011 Went to Beethoven's house in Bonn, Germany. Pure Awesomeness!!!! His symphonies are brilliance This one in particular makes me all goosebumpy. Perhaps since it's my mum's favourite and she cried when dad got her the CD... and the awesome awesome Grieg http://www.youtube.c...h?v=PAbwMGZtIsY And the very fantabulous fantabulistic Vivaldi Four seasons : Spring Four seasons : Summer Four seasons : Autumn Four seasons : Winter Zolia, If you like the four seasons, check out Sarah Chang playing them ~ She does an amazing job, plus she's a hot chick
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