# The classical music thread



## josh23

This is perhaps doomed to being a very un-popular thread, but 'classical,' to use the broad term, is by far my favourite genre of music. The sheer scope/depth of ideas; the beauty, complexity, and richness of so much of the music; and the inexhaustible output/diversity of the music makes exploring it by far the most rewarding of all the (many) impersonal activities in my life.

Anyone else? Tell us about your experiences and thoughts about classical music, and post your favorite works/composers!

Here are some of my favourites:

*Franz Liszt* - Piano Sonata in B Minor: 




Après une Lecture du Dante: Fantasia quasi Sonata: 




*Hector Berlioz* - Grande Messe des Morts (Requiem): 




*Jean Sibelius* - Tapiola: 




*Sergei Rachmaninov* - The Isle of the Dead: 




*Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky* - Symphony No. 6:


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## typemismatch

Ah, good choices. Today I was listening to Benediction de duei sans la solitude (Listz). It has something, but I don't know what yet.

Sooo anyway. Here is my favourite classical recording. It is Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli performing Beethoven's Piano Conerto No 1. I've got this on a Deutche Grammaphone CD with the recording a bit cleaner than this YT vid. Everytime I listen to this performance of the second movement time just seems to stand still. Here is what I mean.. it's like the dust dancing in the air,.. in a shaft of sunlight,.,. inside a wooden cabin.. on a child's summer's day. @ 26:11 that is. wonderful


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## ghoskin

Love Baroque - Vivaldi, Pergolesi, Corelli. Can listen endlessly to 2nd movement of Beethoven 7. Can't really beat Mozart's Don Giovanni


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## Canadian Brotha




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## Strange and Unusual

My dad loves classical music and so I've developed an appreciation for it as well. I enjoy Tchaikovsky. Mostly his ballet stuff. I love August Harvest from his Seasons too. I like Beethoven and Chopin as well. Here's some Liszt I enjoy.


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## josh23

typemismatch said:


> Ah, good choices. Today I was listening to Benediction de duei sans la solitude (Listz). It has something, but I don't know what yet.
> 
> Sooo anyway. Here is my favourite classical recording. It is Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli performing Beethoven's Piano Conerto No 1. I've got this on a Deutche Grammaphone CD with the recording a bit cleaner than this YT vid. Everytime I listen to this performance of the second movement time just seems to stand still. Here is what I mean.. it's like the dust dancing in the air,.. in a shaft of sunlight,.,. inside a wooden cabin.. on a child's summer's day. @ 26:11 that is. wonderful


Ah yes, Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude is a wonderful piece! Some of those sororities are just so gorgeous and radiant. Personally, I like it best in the context of the cycle it comes from: the Harmonies poétiques et religieuses (but it certainly works on its own!).

A good choice with the Beethoven! Listened to the whole thing, very fine performance. Beethoven is a particular favourite of mine (especially the Piano Sonatas), but as you can see from my OP I've been listening to the Romantic era more than anything lately 

I'm not intimately familiar with this concerto (I have heard it a few times, but not for awhile), so you'll have to confirm to me that this cadenza in the first movement was improvised? Doesn't sound like something Beethoven would have written that early in his life.

Anyway, thanks for the post: it reminded me that I always liked this piece, especially the final movement: young Beethoven at his most ebullient and sunny, but tender!



ghoskin said:


> Love Baroque - Vivaldi, Pergolesi, Corelli. Can listen endlessly to 2nd movement of Beethoven 7. Can't really beat Mozart's Don Giovanni


I have not yet really explored Baroque very far: the music I've heard from it has never really struck me very forcefully, but lately I have enjoyed some works by Bach and Scarlatti. I'm sure I'll start to enjoy it more, as its general trends and ideas seem as if they should really be quite congenial to me.

I also enjoy the 2nd movement of Beethoven 7. The symphonies aren't my favorite Beethoven works, but I do like the 7th (the last movement is also quite exhilarating), and the 3rd is one of my favorite symphonies.



Canadian Brotha said:


>


That Von Bingen piece is just beautiful. I haven't listened to much Renaissance/medieval music, but I am looking to rectify that: some of the stuff I've heard is just awe-inspiring. As for the Satie, I've always enjoyed this little piece (and a few of his other little pieces). French music (like Satie, Debussy, Berlioz, Ravel, Alkan, etc) is, in general, perhaps the music I most readily enjoy.



Strange and Unusual said:


> My dad loves classical music and so I've developed an appreciation for it as well. I enjoy Tchaikovsky. Mostly his ballet stuff. I love August Harvest from his Seasons too. I like Beethoven and Chopin as well. Here's some Liszt I enjoy.


Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Chopin: all favorites of mine. As for that Liszt piece, it was the first classical piece I really loved! It's still a piece I love hearing. I remember trying (and failing) to learn it a few years ago...great fun. The first half of the piece (the 'slow' section) is wonderful. Incidentally, his other Hungarian Rhapsodies (he wrote 19!) are fantastic as well: I enjoy all of them.


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## Strange and Unusual

Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Chopin: all favorites of mine. As for that Liszt piece, it was the first classical piece I really loved! It's still a piece I love hearing. I remember trying (and failing) to learn it a few years ago...great fun. The first half of the piece (the 'slow' section) is wonderful. Incidentally, his other Hungarian Rhapsodies (he wrote 19!) are fantastic as well: I enjoy all of them.[/QUOTE]

I suppose I'm not well versed enough in Classical music to have a more expansive list, but most definitely enjoy works from the four composers just mentioned. I really like a lot of random songs. I adore the first half of that Rhapsody as well. How far along did you get in learning it? There are a few pieces that really make me wish I never quit taking lessons.


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## funnynihilist

Very happy to see this thread! Not many people talk about classical music these days.

Last night I listened to Mahler's Symphony No. 9 which is one of my favorites.

I've also been listening to Requiems lately by Durufle, Rutter, and Faure.

and of course some Bach!


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## Canadian Brotha

I listen to a podcast called Classical Guitar Alive & these are a couple pieces I heard via the show


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## josh23

Strange and Unusual said:


> I suppose I'm not well versed enough in Classical music to have a more expansive list, but most definitely enjoy works from the four composers just mentioned. I really like a lot of random songs. I adore the first half of that Rhapsody as well. How far along did you get in learning it? There are a few pieces that really make me wish I never quit taking lessons.


Well my learning of the rhapsody coincided with me having a bit of a breakdown and quitting the piano (after a five year break I've recently got back on again). I got about three pages in (the first half isn't so bad, the second half is very difficult). That's the reason I've gotten back on the piano: so many pieces that made me wish I didn't stop playing.



funnynihilist said:


> Very happy to see this thread! Not many people talk about classical music these days.
> 
> Last night I listened to Mahler's Symphony No. 9 which is one of my favorites.
> 
> I've also been listening to Requiems lately by Durufle, Rutter, and Faure.
> 
> and of course some Bach!


Great stuff! Mahler is one of those great and prominent composers that I just haven't really listened to. There's just so much music that getting into some composers has to wait.



Canadian Brotha said:


> I listen to a podcast called Classical Guitar Alive & these are a couple pieces I heard via the show


Thanks for sharing those. I especially liked the second one. Do you play the guitar?


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## josh23

Some more favourites of mine:

*Franz Liszt* - Variations on Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen: 




*Hector Berlioz* - Tristia: 




*Robert Schumann* - Fantasy in C: 




*Ludwig Van Beethoven* - Piano Sonata Op. 109: 




*Sergei Rachmaninoff* - Piano Concerto No. 3:


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## Canadian Brotha

josh23 said:


> Do you play the guitar?


I do play guitar but not classical, it's too precise for someone without a theoretical background in music


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## funnynihilist

Glad to see this thread still kicking!

Listening to Sibelius Symphony no 6 (Maazel/Pittsburgh)
@josh23 if you do start listening to Mahler, start with the 9th, I think it's the most accessible. Also, Mahler wrote some excellent lieder if you are into that sort of thing.


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## coeur_brise

yay for classical. I like this one, mad crazy angry gentle soft dreamy even whimsical.




edit: I just spent the last hour listening to 3 different versions trying to decide the best one. I think this the one I prefer best. something you don't do in other genres,


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## estse

Besides the more atonal 20th century fine art music I love, I was trying to get a coworker into this today:


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## josh23

funnynihilist said:


> Glad to see this thread still kicking!
> 
> Listening to Sibelius Symphony no 6 (Maazel/Pittsburgh)
> @josh23 if you do start listening to Mahler, start with the 9th, I think it's the most accessible. Also, Mahler wrote some excellent lieder if you are into that sort of thing.


Ah Sibelius. I only started getting into him recently: I bought a CD almost as an afterthought (it was on special for 5 dollars at a CM retail store) with Pohjola's daughter, En Saga, the Karelia suite and Tapiola, all conducted by Colin Davis...and it is now one of my favourite CD's. Such magnificent music. I've only listened to the first symphony, but getting all 7 is now near the top of my to-buy list (I listen to youtube occasionally, but I always prefer getting the CD's, both for personal reasons and to support stores like this.

Thanks for the tip re Mahler. I have listened to his 1st and 2nd symphonies (but I definitely don't know them well at all, aside from remembering a few melodies here and there as well as the apocalyptic ending to No. 2), and my impression has been that it's all a bit chaotic (although it seems like the sort of music that I'd love once I 'get' it). Listening to a more immediately accessible pne to start is probably the way to go for me.



coeur_brise said:


> yay for classical. I like this one, mad crazy angry gentle soft dreamy even whimsical.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> edit: I just spent the last hour listening to 3 different versions trying to decide the best one. I think this the one I prefer best. something you don't do in other genres,


Nice choice! I love the Ballades: including the first (which I started learning a few years ago, but didn't finish due to the same situation I mentioned with the Rhapsody a few posts above), but the favourite is the fourth. Have you heard the others? If you haven't, do!  And yeah, it's true: the diversity of what different recordings bring is almost as abundant as the diversity of different works in classical 



estse said:


> Besides the more atonal 20th century fine art music I love, I was trying to get a coworker into this today:


Never gotten into Glass, and that piece isn't really my type. However, while I haven't explored much atonal 20th century (although I certainly will), I have very much enjoyed some of the stuff I've heard. Stuff from Ligeti (Requiem, Lux Aeterna), Xenaksis (Keqrops, Jonchaies), Schoenberg (Verklärte Nacht, Pierrot Lunaire), and of course quasi-atonal late Liszt (which doesn't really count). Definitely fascinating music (with some incredible soundscapes)! Who/what works are your favourites?


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## typemismatch

josh23 said:


> Ah Sibelius. I only started getting into him recently: I bought a CD almost as an afterthought (it was on special for 5 dollars at a CM retail store) with Pohjola's daughter, En Saga, the Karelia suite and Tapiola, all conducted by Colin Davis...and it is now one of my favourite CD's. Such magnificent music. I've only listened to the first symphony, but getting all 7 is now near the top of my to-buy list (I listen to youtube occasionally, but I always prefer getting the CD's, both for personal reasons and to support stores like this.


Ah yes. The Colin Davis/Boston recordings of Sibelius are excellent. I particularly like the 2nd and 5th Symphonies, which are the two most popular generally.


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## CrazyShyOne

I think this is a lovely thread! For me a s a student and a writer. I have different composers I listen to for different purposes. I know that sounds strange, but it works to put me in the correct mindset for the things I need to focus on. 

When it comes to more modern composers I am a huge fan of Trevor Morris. His pieces can be hauntingly beautiful!


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## estse

josh23 said:


> Never gotten into Glass, and that piece isn't really my type. However, while I haven't explored much atonal 20th century (although I certainly will), I have very much enjoyed some of the stuff I've heard. Stuff from Ligeti (Requiem, Lux Aeterna), Xenaksis (Keqrops, Jonchaies), Schoenberg (Verklärte Nacht, Pierrot Lunaire), and of course quasi-atonal late Liszt (which doesn't really count). Definitely fascinating music (with some incredible soundscapes)! Who/what works are your favourites?


I love Schoenberg and Ligeti, of those you've mentioned. Karlheinz Stockhausen changed my life in college when I did a report on him. I love the concept of John Cage. Edgard Varèse is brilliant for early electronic music. Then there's the tonal modern man Steve Reich, who has composed some of the most beautiful music ever conceived.


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## scarpia

Concerts in Boston are very inexpensive. Rush tickets to the Boston Symphony are only $9 - cash only. NEC concerts at Jordan Hall are free. Brahms German Requiem tomorrow.


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## josh23

A new favourite of mine:






An epitome of late romanticism! Lavish, spectacularly vivid orchestration, allegorical underpinnings, haunting harmonic progressions...Just staggeringly opulent overall. Strauss transfers glorious nature, in all its splendor, into music so vividly: I can't imagine it being done better.

This is a great performance, although it's a terrible shame about the audio quality...


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## coeur_brise

Just some romantic piano classics
Amazing, powerful version played by Dmitri Alexeev (the entire CD set of these preludes is great)





very soft piece, almost identical to Alexeev except his is not on YouTube





Didn't know this existed but wonderful!


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## Tibble




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## Ape in space

I listen almost exclusively to classical music. It is by far the best. Favourite pieces of music of all time are:

1. Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 17, 3rd movement - 





2. Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 20, 3rd movement - 





3. Haven't decided....

I also love Schubert. One example:

Violin Sonata No. 1, 3rd movement (starting at 8:05) - 





And others, but I can't be bothered to compile them all.


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## Ape in space

Ape in space said:


> I listen almost exclusively to classical music. It is by far the best. Favourite pieces of music of all time are:
> 
> 1. Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 17, 3rd movement -
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2. Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 20, 3rd movement -
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3. Haven't decided....


I've now settled on 3 and 4:

3. Mozart, Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, 3rd movement -





4. Mozart, Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, 1st movement -





Interestingly, all 4 of my top 4 pieces of music of all time were written in 1784-1785 (probably the top 7 or so too, because he wrote some other brilliant piano concertos at the same time as well). Mozart must have been smoking some quality **** at that time.


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## Mxx1

I like to listen to classical music sometimes when i work, those i listen to the most is:
1. Air- Johannes Sebastian Bach
2. Clarinet Concerto in A, 2nd movement- Mozart 
3. Lacrimosa- Mosart ( i know it's a funeral song, but i got kind of addicted to it after the movie)


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## funnynihilist

Currently listening to Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 1 Rotterdam Philharmonic under the direction of Edo de Waart. A passionate reading filled with pathos!


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## Underwood

.


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## tea111red

Vocalise by Rachmaninoff


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## Barakiel

Only just recently started listening to some of Steve Reich's music, anybody influenced by Radiohead and John Coltrane is good in my book 











other stuff...











:afr


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## Barakiel

I haven't listened to the whole thing yet, but this is an original piece by Paul McCartney


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## Arbre




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## typemismatch

Eggshell said:


> [YOUTUBEdandandan]SqciMXaABjA[/YOUTUBE]


I didn't know George Osborne could play.


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## Arbre




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## Barakiel

This will always be my favorite performance of Rhapsody in Blue.


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## francisarsenic

I like Francisco Tárrega. I'd recommend Maria, Marietta, Capricho Arabe and, of course, Recuerdos de la Alhambra.


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## francisarsenic

Here's someone playing a nice rendition of Tárrega's Capricho Arabe.


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## francisarsenic

And this.


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## Underwood

.


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## Barakiel

I might be listening to this over the next couple of days:






it was actually a metal album that led me to this


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## Jermster91

One of my favorites.


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## Barakiel




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## Arbre

23:30


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## josh23

I'm going to start listing the things I really like (like, if I was 'rating' I'd give an 8/10 or above), after I listen to them, on here. I was doing this in the 'what are you listening to now' thread, but seeing as this is the only genre I listen to...

Chopin Nocturnes (Ashkenazy) tonight, loved most of them:


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## josh23

Parts 2 and 3 easily found through the vid.


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## josh23

The rest of the (two hour long and in many parts) piece can be found through the vid.


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## unemployment simulator

mainly into contemporary stuff. philip glass being a favourite.


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## yeswedreamaboutyoufloyd

A great brazilian composer! Villa-Lobos!


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## josh23

unemploymentsimulator2016 said:


> mainly into contemporary stuff. philip glass being a favourite.


Thanks for this: I haven't given Glass or the other minimalists much of a chance (yet), but I thoroughly enjoyed this.



yeswedreamaboutyoufloyd said:


> A great brazilian composer! Villa-Lobos!


"Why is it that whenever I hear a piece of music I don't like, it's always by Villa-Lobos?"

-Igor Stravinsky

Ol' Igor must not have heard this piece! Beautiful stuff!


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## yeswedreamaboutyoufloyd

@josh23, poor Stravinsnky. LOL There are so many others great composer in Brazil, such this one.


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## Yer Blues




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## Overdrive

This give me chills everytime <3


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## josh23

The latter one of my favourite Chopin works.


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## josh23

Decided it was high time I went through the thread, listened to anything I hadn't already, and comment on it all.



estse said:


> I love Schoenberg and Ligeti, of those you've mentioned. Karlheinz Stockhausen changed my life in college when I did a report on him. I love the concept of John Cage. Edgard Varèse is brilliant for early electronic music. Then there's the tonal modern man Steve Reich, who has composed some of the most beautiful music ever conceived.


I loved both of these. The first just a fascinating sound-scape; the latter a very engaging, almost trippy, experience: the rhythmic processes made me think this is what a minimalistic Stravinsky would sound like :grin2:



scarpia said:


> Concerts in Boston are very inexpensive. Rush tickets to the Boston Symphony are only $9 - cash only. NEC concerts at Jordan Hall are free. Brahms German Requiem tomorrow.


Very lucky! Typically expensive over here. My Mother sung in the Brahms Requiem many years ago, and apparently fainted from the impression the second movement made on her in concert. Great piece.



coeur_brise said:


> Just some romantic piano classics
> Amazing, powerful version played by Dmitri Alexeev (the entire CD set of these preludes is great)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> very soft piece, almost identical to Alexeev except his is not on YouTube


I've been a huge Rachmaninoff fan ever since I played some of his music in my more productive and accomplished days. He surely drew some of the richest, sonorous, and sensual sounds out of the piano that any composer has, as well as writing some of the most viscerally exciting music for the instrument. He had such insight and command over the possibilities of the piano as a composer.



coeur_brise said:


> Didn't know this existed but wonderful!


Just as masterful and wonderful, of course, is Chopin. When matched with Rubinstein the results are always heavenly. If you haven't heard the rest of the Etudes I recommend them, and can give you specific ones to start with if you wish.



Tibble said:


>


Despite having heard this piece probably hundreds of times, it still retains its beauty and magic on every re-listen. Debussy is one of my very favourite composers: tops for me are his Images (for piano) and Etudes.



Ape in space said:


> I listen almost exclusively to classical music. It is by far the best. Favourite pieces of music of all time are:
> 
> 1. Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 17, 3rd movement -
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2. Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 20, 3rd movement -
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3. Haven't decided....
> 
> I also love Schubert. One example:
> 
> Violin Sonata No. 1, 3rd movement (starting at 8:05) -
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And others, but I can't be bothered to compile them all.


I have that recording of the 20th PC (Brendel one of my favourite pianists), my favourite of the Mozart PC's I've heard. Mozart in his refined pathetic (pathos) mode -must have startled the audience at its première!- balanced with his typical spirit and grace.

The Schubert I had not heard before and I thank you for introducing me: a very charming idyll.



Ape in space said:


> I've now settled on 3 and 4:
> 
> 3. Mozart, Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, 3rd movement -
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 4. Mozart, Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, 1st movement -
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Interestingly, all 4 of my top 4 pieces of music of all time were written in 1784-1785 (probably the top 7 or so too, because he wrote some other brilliant piano concertos at the same time as well). Mozart must have been smoking some quality **** at that time.


Could say the same thing about this quartet as I did the PC: one of Mozart's rare minor key works. Very enjoyable stuff.

Haha in his later (but still young) years it is extraordinary how many highly acclaimed pieces he wrote in such short amounts of time. There's a reason he's often considered a quintessential genius!



Mxx1 said:


> I like to listen to classical music sometimes when i work, those i listen to the most is:
> 1. Air- Johannes Sebastian Bach
> 2. Clarinet Concerto in A, 2nd movement- Mozart
> 3. Lacrimosa- Mosart ( i know it's a funeral song, but i got kind of addicted to it after the movie)


When working I can't listen to classical: it demands my full attention, and if I don't supply it I don't get much out of it and get frustrated that I'm missing most of what's going on.

I like all of those pieces too, especially the Lacrimosa which is just wonderful 



funnynihilist said:


> Currently listening to Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 1 Rotterdam Philharmonic under the direction of Edo de Waart. A passionate reading filled with pathos!


Not on youtube, but I enjoy this work: Rachmaninoff the master of the Dies Irae and uses it to great dramatic effect in many works. Have you heard the story of the première and its impact on Rach? I think we on this site can relate to that level of insecurity.



tea111red said:


> Vocalise by Rachmaninoff


Wonderful, haunting, often transcendent music. What a incredible melodist he was, typically complimented beautifully by those dark chocolate, brooding, 'Russian' harmonies. I've been meaning to get more into his songs. He wrote a respectable number of them, but only Vocalise is really known.



Arbre said:


>


Always liked this piece; that performance though! What astounding virtuosity. I saw Kissin live around 3 years ago, something I'll never forget.



Arbre said:


>


Great choices! Never tire of hearing this movement: such tumultuous music, leading directly into the Romantic era. Liszt called the second movement of this work 'a flower between two abysses,' and that's exactly what this movement is: an abyss, one of the first convincing musical portrayals of a kind of madness.



Barakiel said:


> This will always be my favorite performance of Rhapsody in Blue.


Great performance indeed! And such timeless music.



francisarsenic said:


> Here's someone playing a nice rendition of Tárrega's Capricho Arabe.


Nothing quite like Spanish guitar music! Enchanting stuff. Thanks for sharing!



francisarsenic said:


> And this.


Always found that movement to be a little miracle, ever since I first heard it on The Simpson's. Saint-Saens at his best!



Jermster91 said:


> One of my favorites.


Never to be tired of!



Barakiel said:


>


Piquant music by one of my favourite composers!



Arbre said:


> 23:30


Classic Dvorak! One of my favourite symphonies. Love how in the part you mentioned he ripped off Beethoven's 9th symphony, 2nd mvt: "Good composers borrow, great composers steal." (Stravinsky).



yeswedreamaboutyoufloyd said:


> @josh23, poor Stravinsnky. LOL There are so many others great composer in Brazil, such this one.


It's crazy how much good music is out there. I'd never even heard of this composer and yet enjoyed the piece quite a bit. There are probably thousands of composers that I, we, could have similar experiences with and yet only infrequently hear about. It's like my countryman Sculthorpe, of whose music I love, and yet is obscure in the grand scheme of things.



Yer Blues said:


>


I don't think music can be more 'Tchaikovsky' than these two pieces, which means I had a great time listening to them!



Overdrive said:


> This give me chills everytime <3


Bach has really grown on me the last couple of years, and in this case it's pretty amazing the expressive depths he can plumb with just one cello. Also intriguing is how most of the piece is built out of that famous opening idea.



Barakiel said:


> I haven't listened to the whole thing yet, but this is an original piece by Paul McCartney


Always interesting when a non-classical artist crosses over. Can't say I'm much of a fan after one listen (although I did enjoy some of it) but it's certainly impressive in the context of him writing a work at this level of accomplishment despite spending his entire career in a different genre of music. Thanks for sharing.


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## josh23

Barakiel said:


> I might be listening to this over the next couple of days:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> it was actually a metal album that led me to this


This reminds me of an article I read awhile ago about a study, the results of which indicated that those who listened to mainly Classical music often had very similar personality traits to those who listened to mainly Metal. What did you think of the Mendelssohn pieces?



Barakiel said:


> Only just recently started listening to some of Steve Reich's music, anybody influenced by Radiohead and John Coltrane is good in my book
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> other stuff...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :afr


I only started listening to Minimalism recently, after years of just reading people criticise it. I really like what I've heard so far, Reich being a favourite. Desert music is a great example of just how good the genre can be: it seems to have just the right amount of development and the transitions seem to occur at exactly the right times, allowing us to indulge in the wonderful material while also managing to keep it fresh. Clapping music was also engaging and fun.

I've been meaning to listen to more Bartok lately, so this was a great start. Fantastic piece: I especially enjoyed the last 10 minutes or so. Thanks!


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## josh23




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## Arbre

josh23 said:


> Always liked this piece; that performance though! What astounding virtuosity. I saw Kissin live around 3 years ago, something I'll never forget.


You're so lucky for getting to see him live.


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## Barakiel

josh23 said:


> This reminds me of an article I read awhile ago about a study, the results of which indicated that those who listened to mainly Classical music often had very similar personality traits to those who listened to mainly Metal. What did you think of the Mendelssohn pieces?


It's been quite a while, and I ended up forgetting about Mendelssohn and some of the other stuff I posted here :blush but I always dig those short, (relatively) simple piano pieces. Thanks for reminding me at least!

edit: The beginning of that second Mendelssohn piece in A minor reminds me of La Campanella, I like it. Don't really know how to analyze the music beyond that but yeah :blank


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## Barakiel

I've been so obsessed with John Zorn and I kinda feel bad for posting his music everywhere, but I think some of his stuff is really worth sharing here, I especially love the a capella stuff:


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## Barakiel




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## josh23

Barakiel said:


>





Barakiel said:


> I've been so obsessed with John Zorn and I kinda feel bad for posting his music everywhere, but I think some of his stuff is really worth sharing here, I especially love the a capella stuff:


Listened to both of these, having not heard any of his music before, and my first impression as that these are surely 'classical music,' minimalism of the more harmonically adventurous variety. I enjoyed them, especially the latter.

As for feeling bad about posting: anything that seems remotely classical to you and that you like, post away! Nothing quite like sharing music that speaks to us, and many over time will enjoy what you post.



Barakiel said:


> It's been quite a while, and I ended up forgetting about Mendelssohn and some of the other stuff I posted here :blush but I always dig those short, (relatively) simple piano pieces. Thanks for reminding me at least!
> 
> edit: The beginning of that second Mendelssohn piece in A minor reminds me of La Campanella, I like it. Don't really know how to analyze the music beyond that but yeah :blank


Haha I figured: I didn't come on this site for months myself, and thought that probably half of the people I quoted in that post wouldn't post here anymore 

Quite a nice piece, and yeah the melody does have some similarities to Campanella. Being a former pianist I also dig many short piano pieces, a big reason why Liszt, Chopin, Debussy, Rachmaninoff, Schumann, etc are among my favourites.

I'm the same, the only way I can really analyse a piece of music is plainly by what it sounds like. This is all that really matters anyway as far as judging a piece (along with how each second of sound relates): what theoretical knowledge and practise does is allow one to digest and comprehend music faster/easier.


----------



## josh23

Arbre said:


> You're so lucky for getting to see him live.


Doubly so, as it was an all Liszt program: Liszt was my absolute favourite at the time, and he played some of my favourite Liszt! Haven't been to a piano recital for awhile, but I'm seeing Stephen Hough in just over a week. Can't wait!


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## coeur_brise

josh23 said:


> Doubly so, as it was an all Liszt program: Liszt was my absolute favourite at the time, and he played some of my favourite Liszt! Haven't been to a piano recital for awhile, but I'm seeing Stephen Hough in just over a week. Can't wait!












I remember listening to a CD of Hough playing Liszt. Thought it was pretty good.

Les jeux d'eau:






Slightly more regimented sound but much clearer version:


----------



## josh23

coeur_brise said:


> I remember listening to a CD of Hough playing Liszt. Thought it was pretty good.
> 
> Les jeux d'eau:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Slightly more regimented sound but much clearer version:


Hough (who I've seen live once before, have 5-6 CD's of, and have heard many other recordings from him on youtube) is always an interesting artist whose interpretations are typically deeply considered and personal. Don't always find his choices to my liking, but it's always fascinating to hear a great talent whose musical conceptions/inclinations are generally based on much study and contemplation

I have loved the piece you linked ever since I first heard it a few years ago. The whole collection (of three books) that it comes from has afforded me much pleasure over the years, and I recommend it all. :smile2:


----------



## coeur_brise

josh23 said:


> Hough (who I've seen live once before, have 5-6 CD's of, and have heard many other recordings from him on youtube) is always an interesting artist whose interpretations are typically deeply considered and personal. Don't always find his choices to my liking, but it's always fascinating to hear a great talent whose musical conceptions/inclinations are generally based on much study and contemplation
> 
> I have loved the piece you linked ever since I first heard it a few years ago. The whole collection (of three books) that it comes from has afforded me much pleasure over the years, and I recommend it all. :smile2:


Agreed, I liked listening to some of Hough's interpretation, though it's tough to find people who will play some of Liszt's more obscure works (like those mentioned above).

Fun fact, I once listened to an entire CD of Mozart as a kid (over an hour) thinking I would get smarter at the end of it. Haha. But seriously this version is one of my favoritest versions of his violin concertos, No. 4 to be exact. So sweet sounding the violin:

http://youtu.be/YFekmXBUC08#t=40m57s

Jump to around 40 minute mark for the one I prefer most.


----------



## Wirt




----------



## josh23

coeur_brise said:


> Agreed, I liked listening to some of Hough's interpretation, though it's tough to find people who will play some of Liszt's more obscure works (like those mentioned above).
> 
> Fun fact, I once listened to an entire CD of Mozart as a kid (over an hour) thinking I would get smarter at the end of it. Haha. But seriously this version is one of my favoritest versions of his violin concertos, No. 4 to be exact. So sweet sounding the violin:
> 
> http://youtu.be/YFekmXBUC08#t=40m57s
> 
> Jump to around 40 minute mark for the one I prefer most.


Agree about being tough finding people who play the more obscure Liszt, but the Annees de Pelerinage (where Les Jeux comes from) has been recorded in full many times, and is on youtube whether in full or each and every single piece. I'm full of recommendations from the set if you're keen. If not, then we'll contentedly say no more on the matter! :wink2:

If only that were true about making you smarter: I might have some mental alacrity/capacity to speak of by now! That Mozart concerto -which I hadn't heard before- was indeed a wonderful piece, recorded in very warm sound! Thanks for sharing that!



Wirt said:


>


Grieg was a master of creating compelling music from relatively simple means. This affecting lament is a prime example. Thanks for sharing! :smile2:


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## josh23




----------



## josh23

So the concert was fantastic: perhaps the best playing I've seen live. He also performed one of his own compositions and I was very impressed. 

I had a couple of SA triumphs as well:

1. At interval I saw a pianist who I believed I had seen live a couple of years ago, but wasn't sure it was him. I walked up to him and found out for myself: it was him, and we had a nice discussion for three minutes or so.

2. After the concert as I came out of the rest room, Stephen Hough himself came out of backstage right next to me. He met up with a friend and they chatted for a minute, while I waited. When they parted I came up to him and shook his hand. He told me to walk with him to the CD signing, so I walked just as long as I needed to give him a very heartfelt compliment, which he seemed to appreciate. We then parted and he joined his fans.

Felt very awkward during and after the latter especially, but a day later I'm glad I did it. When the thing you push yourself to do is a kind act and you go through with it -whatever the result- your inevitable negative thoughts afterwards, while annoying, can rationally seen as unjustified. It's progress and a victory for you no matter how you do, and something that goes from value neutral - very positive for whoever is on the receiving end.


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## chapis

Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor 4:52-5:25 (I melt)

I love Chopin too. Ballade no. 1 playing to The lady of the camelias (ballet).


----------



## josh23




----------



## josh23

chapis said:


> Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor 4:52-5:25 (I melt)
> 
> I love Chopin too. Ballade no. 1 playing to The lady of the camelias (ballet).


Classic Sibelius, one of my favourite composers! Great performance of a beautiful concerto.

As for the Lady of Camelias with the Chopin...Amazingly sensual! Enjoyed that a great deal. I'm usually a little hesitant with such license being taken with material, but this is surely an example of it working: the dance seems to amplify the music, while the music seems to amplify the dance.

Thanks for sharing both!


----------



## josh23

Last few days:


























Haven't just been listening to Ashkenazy's Chopin lately, but the other collection I've been listening to (and have liked many pieces/recordings enough to list here) (Leslie Howard's Liszt) has no presence on youtube anymore due to copyright issues.


----------



## unemployment simulator

I need to listen to more steve reich


----------



## sprinter




----------



## Wirt

love clint mansell


----------



## Overdrive




----------



## josh23

unemploymentsimulator2016 said:


> I need to listen to more steve reich


I do too, based on everything I've heard by him in this thread! More hypnotic stuff here. Thanks!



sprinter said:


>


Perhaps not what one immediately thinks of when the hear the name 'Shostakovich,' and it certainly shows another great side of him. I always enjoy this piece when I hear it.



Wirt said:


> love clint mansell


Would only call this classical in a rather peripheral sense, but no matter how one labels it it's certainly quite beautiful. Thanks for sharing!



Overdrive said:


>


More enjoyable minimalism. Good stuff. Thanks!


----------



## josh23

Recently: Early Brendel playing Liszt music that he's not usually associated with:











As well as excerpts from his debut recording:


----------



## josh23

Aimard playing Liszt:































Great playing of great music


----------



## josh23

Aimard in the Liszt Sonata:






(^part one of many, can be found pretty easily from the link)

Arrau with my favourite recording of 'Un Sospiro':


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## josh23

Part 1 of many, the rest to be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrLvgn6_MTiAIY0xLPZc4Br7mvojTsyp1






Probably not destined to be one of my favourite recordings of the piece, but always enjoy returning to this exhilarating masterwork.


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## josh23

Liszt songs tonight. Always liked many of these, but never enjoyed them as much as I did just now. Great stuff.


























There were many more, but most have been deleted from youtube lately.


----------



## josh23

Tonight was Richter playing Chopin. Perhaps sometimes lacking in drama for my taste but always played with a marvellous beauty of tone:


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## funnynihilist

josh23 said:


> Tonight was Richter playing Chopin. Perhaps sometimes lacking in drama for my taste but always played with a marvellous beauty of tone:


That is interesting you say that because Richter is known for his dramatic playing. Have you tried Rubinstein for Chopin? I was listening to Rubinstein play the nocturnes the other night and thought they were really touching.


----------



## josh23

funnynihilist said:


> That is interesting you say that because Richter is known for his dramatic playing. Have you tried Rubinstein for Chopin? I was listening to Rubinstein play the nocturnes the other night and thought they were really touching.


Indeed, and it would have to be the first time I've thought that during any Richter performance. Of course he wasn't known for his Chopin playing although he did play a great deal of his music...

As for Rubinstein, yes I have heard quite a bit of his Chopin on youtube. I vaguely recall a generally 'thin' sound and marvellous clarity of texture, really bringing out the essential elegance of the composers music. It has been awhile though: I tend to stay away from youtube these days unless I'm sharing music, preferring CD's (especially as I have a CM retail shop nearby that I like to support). My Chopin collection consists of box sets by Perahia and Ashkenazy, as well as probably half a dozen single CD's by various others (Richter, Hough, Pollini, and multi-pianist CD's).


----------



## funnynihilist

josh23 said:


> Indeed, and it would have to be the first time I've thought that during any Richter performance. Of course he wasn't known for his Chopin playing although he did play a great deal of his music...
> 
> As for Rubinstein, yes I have heard quite a bit of his Chopin on youtube. I vaguely recall a generally 'thin' sound and marvellous clarity of texture, really bringing out the essential elegance of the composers music. It has been awhile though: I tend to stay away from youtube these days unless I'm sharing music, preferring CD's (especially as I have a CM retail shop nearby that I like to support). My Chopin collection consists of box sets by Perahia and Ashkenazy, as well as probably half a dozen single CD's by various others (Richter, Hough, Pollini, and multi-pianist CD's).


"Elegant" is a good word to describe Rubinstein. He can also be a bit reserved at times but the emotions are there.

I'm the same about preferring the CD because YouTube re-encodes everything and in doing so "squashes" the audio.

Sounds like you have a very impressive collection there!


----------



## josh23

funnynihilist said:


> "Elegant" is a good word to describe Rubinstein. He can also be a bit reserved at times but the emotions are there.
> 
> I'm the same about preferring the CD because YouTube re-encodes everything and in doing so "squashes" the audio.
> 
> Sounds like you have a very impressive collection there!


What you said about Rubinstein is basically how I heard Richter's Scherzi. I do think that many pianists are prone to underplaying and sentimentalising Chopin's frequently violent, dramatic, and angst-ridden music (as Schumann said, 'cannons buried in flowers'), but Richter, being a great master, made it work (and didn't underplay to a great extent).

Indeed, and I also love many other things about it, like having the booklet notes, and the ability to play the music anywhere I want, for example.

Haha my collection is developing quickly as my passion grows: it all amounts to my favourite impersonal leisure. I have around 400 at this point (that is, including individual CD's from box sets), after around 7-8 years of listening.

Have you been listening to much classical lately?


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## Barakiel

I've made quite a few (re)discoveries lately...


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## josh23

Barakiel said:


> I've made quite a few (re)discoveries lately...


I discovered Debussy's Nocturnes about a year ago, where I bought a CD of his Nocturnes, Faun Prelude, and Images, conducted by Abbado, on sale for $5 (AU). They immediately became among my favourite orchestral works, love all 3 equally. Very few composers can match Debussy as far as his sense of colour.

Only had time for the Debussy for now: will listen to the rest later


----------



## flyingMint

Ooooh

I love Erik Satie's Gymnopedie #1





This one isn't classical but I love the instrumentation of this clip... 




my favorite part is the piano riff that starts at 4:05


----------



## funnynihilist

josh23 said:


> What you said about Rubinstein is basically how I heard Richter's Scherzi. I do think that many pianists are prone to underplaying and sentimentalising Chopin's frequently violent, dramatic, and angst-ridden music (as Schumann said, 'cannons buried in flowers'), but Richter, being a great master, made it work (and didn't underplay to a great extent).
> 
> Indeed, and I also love many other things about it, like having the booklet notes, and the ability to play the music anywhere I want, for example.
> 
> Haha my collection is developing quickly as my passion grows: it all amounts to my favourite impersonal leisure. I have around 400 at this point (that is, including individual CD's from box sets), after around 7-8 years of listening.
> 
> Have you been listening to much classical lately?


Yes, it's only been these last few years that I've been appreciating Chopin's piano music. Before that I felt that it was too "brittle" but now that I've aged a bit I can see it's charm.
Recently I picked up the complete music for piano and orchestra with Arrau/London/Inbal but haven't had the chance to listen to it yet but am excited about that!

That a very nice collection you got there! I look forward to reading about your future CD acquisitions in this thread!

I got "serious" about classical music in the early 2000s and I'd guess I have about 600 in my collection now, give or take. And LOTS of LPs that are still stored away in boxes.

I've been listening to lots of classical music lately. I've been delving into the symphonies of Allan Pettersson and last week acquired his 7th and 5th. I am in love with both CDs.

Also some Bach/Glenn Gould, Strauss Sonata for Violin and Piano with Akiko Myers, and an excellent CD of Ravel piano music featuring Sigurd Slattebrekk.

How about you?


----------



## funnynihilist

Been listening to Bach's Solo Cello Suites:


----------



## funnynihilist




----------



## josh23

funnynihilist said:


> Yes, it's only been these last few years that I've been appreciating Chopin's piano music. Before that I felt that it was too "brittle" but now that I've aged a bit I can see it's charm.
> Recently I picked up the complete music for piano and orchestra with Arrau/London/Inbal but haven't had the chance to listen to it yet but am excited about that!
> 
> That a very nice collection you got there! I look forward to reading about your future CD acquisitions in this thread!
> 
> I got "serious" about classical music in the early 2000s and I'd guess I have about 600 in my collection now, give or take. And LOTS of LPs that are still stored away in boxes.
> 
> I've been listening to lots of classical music lately. I've been delving into the symphonies of Allan Pettersson and last week acquired his 7th and 5th. I am in love with both CDs.
> 
> Also some Bach/Glenn Gould, Strauss Sonata for Violin and Piano with Akiko Myers, and an excellent CD of Ravel piano music featuring Sigurd Slattebrekk.
> 
> How about you?


**Long post incoming**

My sincere apologies for this very late reply: I've been rather busy and have had a lot on my mind.

Yeah the more I listen to Chopin, the more I hear just how _violently_ expressive it can be. I've gone from perceiving it as being too airy, insubstantial, and 'pretty' to perceiving it as possessing the former and latter qualities to a degree, but also having that weight, that ambitious and impeccable craft, and often that vividly psychologically _dark_ quality that I often love, if you permit me reporting extra-musical impressions.

I have to say that all the works of Chopin's for piano and orchestra are not mature works, and are oft-criticised for their orchestration. I, however, love both piano concertos and find them to be works of a seething genius, just exploding with ideas, invention (in the melodies and piano writing), and beauty: the young man announcing all his talents to the world. He's more sophisticated and refined in later works, but that doesn't detract from the accessible and 'classic' beauty and passion of these ones. Tell me what you think of them: I hope you enjoy them!

Also a great collection you seem to have, and I too am glad to hearing more about it and your listening! It's great to meet someone as passionate about the genre as me: it's not very popular at all in general...

That all sounds very interesting. I have not heard any of Peterson
's works: what are your impressions?

Of those you mentioned Glen Gould's Well-Tempered Clavier is a recent addition to my collection, so I too will be listening to it soon. In the Ravel piano works I have Yves-Thibaudet which I quite like. Haven't heard of Slattebrekk so you'll have to tell me your impressions. Richard Strauss I have quite a few of the orchestral works but not much else (except the Four Last Songs and Salome, the latter which I also recently acquired (Karajan) but haven't listened to yet). The little amount I have and have listened to (the four last songs along with 5 tone poems and the Metamorphosen) has me very excited and considering him among my favourites at this point. I believe most of his chamber works are early compositions, so how characteristic is his Violin and Piano Sonata?

I have not been listening to much lately due to the reasons given at the start of my post, and I generally don't like listening to most works if I can't give them my full attention (or as much as I can muster). Despite this their are some works I've been enjoying here and there lately, some especial examples being Stravinsky's Apollo conducted by the composer, Berlioz' Beatrice et Benedict conducted by Andris Nelsons, and Liszt's Transcendental Etudes by Howard and Trifonov respectively. I've also been watching the complete seasons of Classical Destinations which I got for a gift recently: I recommend the program!

I do, however, have very many new CD's that I've collected over the last few months that I haven't yet listened to and will be diving into shortly: the Bach and Strauss mentioned above, along with: a Boulez conducting box (https://www.amazon.com/Pierre-Boulez-Erato-Recordings/dp/B00QFVL1PG); the last CD of a 3 CD set (I've listened to the first two many times) of some Stravinsky Ballets conducted by the composer Orpheus and Pulcinella; a 9 CD boxset of the complete Rachmaninoff piano works (including works for piano duet) played by various pianists; a CD of Richard Strauss music (Ein Heldenleben and Four Symphonic Interludes, conducted by Andrew Davis with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra); the early Colin Davis recording of Berlioz' Les Troyens; a 3 CD collection of Sibelius recordings by Horst Stein; a CD of Alkan and Liszt works for cello and piano (performed by Pascal Amoyel and Emmanuelle Bertrand); Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire and Chamber Symphony Op. 9 conducted by Herreweghe; a CD of Sculthorpe (Australian composer who I have taken a liking to) music (Piano Concerto (Tamara Anna Cislowska on the keys), Earth Cry (with William Barton on the Didgeridoo (!), Memento Mori, From Oceania, Kakadu) all conducted by James Judd with the New Zealand Symphony; Schumann Piano Sonatas 1 & 3 played by Nikolai Demidenko; Stephanie Mccallum performing piano works of various little-known Australian composers, as well as the Notations of Pierre Boulez and Xenaksis' Herma; Simon Tedeschi playing Mussorgsky's Pictures and Tchaikovsky's Album for the Young; Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique (my third recording) conducted by Dutoit with the Orchestre Symphonique De Moentreal, paired with Lelio (the rarely heard sequel to the Symphony) for Narrator, Chorus, and Orchestra, as well as Tristia for Chorus and Orchestra; the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra under Sebastian Lang-Lessing performing various works by little known and still-living Australian composer Brett Dean; Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony and The Tempest Symphonic Fantasia performed by Pletnev and the Russian National Orchestra; a 3 CD set of 'Martha Argerich and Friends Live from The Lugano Festival,' with Argerich and many other performers playing chamber and concertante works by various composers (Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Schumann, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich, Ravel, Zarebski); a 15 CD set of Puccini Operas (which I got for free for spending a certain amount!) with various performers; Bruckner Symphony No. 4 conducted by Haitink with the Concertgebouw Orchestra; Elgar Cello Concerto, Sea Pictures and Prelude from The Kingdom, Braithwaite conducting the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra; Rachmaninoff 3 Symphonies, Symphonic Dances, Isle of the Dead and The Bells, all conducted by Ashkenazy with the Concertgebouw Orchestra; Bartok 3 Piano Concertos, Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra and Concerto for Orchestra: Anda on the piano, Fricsay conducting; Sibelius String Quartets 2 and 4 by the Flinders Quartet; a double CD Glenn Gould compilation: 1 CD is 'Plays Bach,' the other is 'Plays No Bach'; 2 CD collection of Yvonne Minton, including works by Bach, Rossini, Elgar, Berlioz, Mahler, Mozart, and Strauss, and a CD called Love and Longing by Magdalena Kozena with Simon Rattle, performing works by Ravel, Dvoark, and Mahler.

There are a few other compilation sort of things that were random gifts from one time or another too. I'm so excited for it all!

I will listen to what you posted in your previous two posts when I can.


----------



## josh23

flyingMint said:


> Ooooh
> 
> I love Erik Satie's Gymnopedie #1
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This one isn't classical but I love the instrumentation of this clip...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> my favorite part is the piano riff that starts at 4:05


In the Satie I feel as if the added string music obscures the intent of the original piece significantly, but it's certainly a beautiful arrangement 

As for the ballet sequence, I'd say it's more 'classical' than it is any other genre: just like how Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and Porgy and Bess, as well as various Khachaturian works are considered under the umbrella term of 'classical music.' It's like a mid 20th century 'popular classical' ballet score, and in fact the composer wrote quite a lot of stuff in classical forms.

Not that it matters: at the end of the day, it's a great scene, both in the visual aspects and the music that goes with it. I enjoyed it a great deal: thanks for sharing!


----------



## puffysnow

My absolute favourite symphony:
New Symphony by Antonin Dvorak


----------



## josh23

funnynihilist said:


>


This was really wonderful: in fact it has placed this CD on my wishlist. From the development of the music to the flowering of the Beethoven melody to the sheer beauty of the sounds... Thanks so much!


----------



## funnynihilist

> My sincere apologies for this very late reply: I've been rather busy and have had a lot on my mind.
> 
> Yeah the more I listen to Chopin, the more I hear just how _violently_ expressive it can be. I've gone from perceiving it as being too airy, insubstantial, and 'pretty' to perceiving it as possessing the former and latter qualities to a degree, but also having that weight, that ambitious and impeccable craft, and often that vividly psychologically _dark_ quality that I often love, if you permit me reporting extra-musical impressions.
> 
> I have to say that all the works of Chopin's for piano and orchestra are not mature works, and are oft-criticised for their orchestration. I, however, love both piano concertos and find them to be works of a seething genius, just exploding with ideas, invention (in the melodies and piano writing), and beauty: the young man announcing all his talents to the world. He's more sophisticated and refined in later works, but that doesn't detract from the accessible and 'classic' beauty and passion of these ones. Tell me what you think of them: I hope you enjoy them!


I listened to disc one of the Arrau set and enjoyed it very much! Very passionate music indeed. Some of it was perhaps a bit "undercooked" but that's alright. The dark passion was still there, which is something I listen for in classical music as well.



> Also a great collection you seem to have, and I too am glad to hearing more about it and your listening! It's great to meet someone as passionate about the genre as me: it's not very popular at all in general...


It certainly isn't popular! Yes, nice to meet a fellow classical music enthusiast. Perhaps we are ahead of your time and classical music will come back into style but I doubt that will happen. 
These days it satisfies me in a way that no other genre can. My desire to listen to rock music is dwindling as well. It just doesn't satisfy me like it did in the past.



> That all sounds very interesting. I have not heard any of Peterson
> 's works: what are your impressions?


I'm in love with his Symphony No. 7. It is the place to start with Pettersson. The other symphonies that I've heard are good as well but they are difficult listening and take many listens for them to sink in for me. 
Pettersson's music is dark and dense and often unsettled. But it's all rewarding, especially late at night listening. 
He was not widely recorded and the CDs are starting to go out of print and up in price so I've been buying them when I can.



> Of those you mentioned Glen Gould's Well-Tempered Clavier is a recent addition to my collection, so I too will be listening to it soon


Ah! A favorite of mine! I actually sprung for the Complete Glenn Gould Bach box set a few years ago and love it very much. The only problem there was that I had some overlap with CDs I already owned and so now I have duplicates. But wow, what a great packaging job Sony did with that box set! It's nice to have all those recordings in one place in their original form as there were on the LPs back in the day.



> . In the Ravel piano works I have Yves-Thibaudet which I quite like. Haven't heard of Slattebrekk so you'll have to tell me your impressions.


Haven't heard Yves-Thibaudet yet, I will look that one up for sure.
Slattebrekk's is a very dark and sensual reading. Very cerebral.



> Richard Strauss I have quite a few of the orchestral works but not much else (except the Four Last Songs and Salome, the latter which I also recently acquired (Karajan) but haven't listened to yet). The little amount I have and have listened to (the four last songs along with 5 tone poems and the Metamorphosen) has me very excited and considering him among my favourites at this point. I believe most of his chamber works are early compositions, so how characteristic is his Violin and Piano Sonata?


It's a dark piece full of fire. I was shocked myself the first time I heard it but now I listen to it all the time and I wouldn't consider myself the biggest fan of Strauss. Last night I noticed I have a CD on my shelf with one of his string septets on it and I'm going to pull that soon and listen to it soon.



> I have not been listening to much lately due to the reasons given at the start of my post, and I generally don't like listening to most works if I can't give them my full attention (or as much as I can muster). Despite this their are some works I've been enjoying here and there lately, some especial examples being Stravinsky's Apollo conducted by the composer, Berlioz' Beatrice et Benedict conducted by Andris Nelsons, and Liszt's Transcendental Etudes by Howard and Trifonov respectively. I've also been watching the complete seasons of Classical Destinations which I got for a gift recently: I recommend the program!
> 
> I do, however, have very many new CD's that I've collected over the last few months that I haven't yet listened to and will be diving into shortly: the Bach and Strauss mentioned above, along with: a Boulez conducting box (https://www.amazon.com/Pierre-Boulez-Erato-Recordings/dp/B00QFVL1PG); the last CD of a 3 CD set (I've listened to the first two many times) of some Stravinsky Ballets conducted by the composer Orpheus and Pulcinella; a 9 CD boxset of the complete Rachmaninoff piano works (including works for piano duet) played by various pianists; a CD of Richard Strauss music (Ein Heldenleben and Four Symphonic Interludes, conducted by Andrew Davis with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra); the early Colin Davis recording of Berlioz' Les Troyens; a 3 CD collection of Sibelius recordings by Horst Stein; a CD of Alkan and Liszt works for cello and piano (performed by Pascal Amoyel and Emmanuelle Bertrand); Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire and Chamber Symphony Op. 9 conducted by Herreweghe; a CD of Sculthorpe (Australian composer who I have taken a liking to) music (Piano Concerto (Tamara Anna Cislowska on the keys), Earth Cry (with William Barton on the Didgeridoo (!), Memento Mori, From Oceania, Kakadu) all conducted by James Judd with the New Zealand Symphony; Schumann Piano Sonatas 1 & 3 played by Nikolai Demidenko; Stephanie Mccallum performing piano works of various little-known Australian composers, as well as the Notations of Pierre Boulez and Xenaksis' Herma; Simon Tedeschi playing Mussorgsky's Pictures and Tchaikovsky's Album for the Young; Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique (my third recording) conducted by Dutoit with the Orchestre Symphonique De Moentreal, paired with Lelio (the rarely heard sequel to the Symphony) for Narrator, Chorus, and Orchestra, as well as Tristia for Chorus and Orchestra; the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra under Sebastian Lang-Lessing performing various works by little known and still-living Australian composer Brett Dean; Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony and The Tempest Symphonic Fantasia performed by Pletnev and the Russian National Orchestra; a 3 CD set of 'Martha Argerich and Friends Live from The Lugano Festival,' with Argerich and many other performers playing chamber and concertante works by various composers (Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Schumann, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich, Ravel, Zarebski); a 15 CD set of Puccini Operas (which I got for free for spending a certain amount!) with various performers; Bruckner Symphony No. 4 conducted by Haitink with the Concertgebouw Orchestra; Elgar Cello Concerto, Sea Pictures and Prelude from The Kingdom, Braithwaite conducting the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra; Rachmaninoff 3 Symphonies, Symphonic Dances, Isle of the Dead and The Bells, all conducted by Ashkenazy with the Concertgebouw Orchestra; Bartok 3 Piano Concertos, Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra and Concerto for Orchestra: Anda on the piano, Fricsay conducting; Sibelius String Quartets 2 and 4 by the Flinders Quartet; a double CD Glenn Gould compilation: 1 CD is 'Plays Bach,' the other is 'Plays No Bach'; 2 CD collection of Yvonne Minton, including works by Bach, Rossini, Elgar, Berlioz, Mahler, Mozart, and Strauss, and a CD called Love and Longing by Magdalena Kozena with Simon Rattle, performing works by Ravel, Dvoark, and Mahler.
> 
> There are a few other compilation sort of things that were random gifts from one time or another too. I'm so excited for it all!
> 
> I will listen to what you posted in your previous two posts when I can.


Wow, some really great CDs in that list. I've always wanted that Argerich and friends set but haven't got around to buying it yet. The Boulez set looks very nice! I was listening to a CD of him conducting Schoenberg last night. 
The Rachmaninoff piano works box set I would really like to know your impressions of because I like that music very much!

I will try to update this thread as much as I can with what I've been listening to recently to keep it going!


----------



## josh23

funnynihilist said:


> I listened to disc one of the Arrau set and enjoyed it very much! Very passionate music indeed. Some of it was perhaps a bit "undercooked" but that's alright. The dark passion was still there, which is something I listen for in classical music as well.


Glad you enjoyed them! By undercooked do you mean too restrained, or do you mean the material wasn't quite refined or sophisticated enough? Or neither? I only know the piano concerti so you'll have to give me your impressions of the other works for piano and orchestra. Arrau is one of my favourite pianists but for whatever reason I don't readily associate him with Chopin: it seems like a mis-match to me, but this is not a view that has been cultivated by listening to much of his Chopin. Perhaps I should change this.



funnynihilist said:


> It certainly isn't popular! Yes, nice to meet a fellow classical music enthusiast. Perhaps we are ahead of your time and classical music will come back into style but I doubt that will happen.
> These days it satisfies me in a way that no other genre can. My desire to listen to rock music is dwindling as well. It just doesn't satisfy me like it did in the past.


Yeah I don't feel as if its popularity will significantly increase either, and I can think of very many reasons why it has been and will continue to be this way. There are, however, certainly more resources out there than there has ever been, due to the internet. That recording above of Dvorak's 9th, for example, has over 5 million views: really makes one wonder where all these people are, and where they go after listening to a work like that? Then again in the grand scheme of things 5 million is a very small percentage.

As for other genres not satisfying you, I don't believe I have as much experience with them as you. Aside from a phase from ages 12 - 16 when I listened to the music that others were in order to fit in, classical has been my focus. Frequent isolation and a pianist mother will do that for you, but I would like to look into some other genres at one point or another. Sometimes I dabble in Jazz and Metal but I don't last long before I feel like classical: besides, there is an absolutely ENORMOUS and enormously varied world of classical to explore!



funnynihilist said:


> I'm in love with his Symphony No. 7. It is the place to start with Pettersson. The other symphonies that I've heard are good as well but they are difficult listening and take many listens for them to sink in for me.
> Pettersson's music is dark and dense and often unsettled. But it's all rewarding, especially late at night listening.
> He was not widely recorded and the CDs are starting to go out of print and up in price so I've been buying them when I can.


Certainly sounds like my kind of music! Most dense music is rather difficult for me, but generally also has greater staying power once I start to get my head around them (not easy at times with my mental limitations).



funnynihilist said:


> Ah! A favorite of mine! I actually sprung for the Complete Glenn Gould Bach box set a few years ago and love it very much. The only problem there was that I had some overlap with CDs I already owned and so now I have duplicates. But wow, what a great packaging job Sony did with that box set! It's nice to have all those recordings in one place in their original form as there were on the LPs back in the day.


It's actually my first Well-Tempered Clavier, and this is despite my having begun learning a couple of the preludes in it awhile ago and my awareness of just how revered the collection has been for so long. This is probably because, again, the music is often very dense and I usually fail to get as much out of -and therefore get as excited about- it as I'd expect. I'm sure it'll change though as I give it all some time: I have Perahia's Golbergs , the Partita's/French Suites by Bernard Roberts, and the Italian Concerto/French Overture by Angela Hewitt, and I am appreciating it all more and more as I apply myself.



funnynihilist said:


> Haven't heard Yves-Thibaudet yet, I will look that one up for sure.
> Slattebrekk's is a very dark and sensual reading. Very cerebral.


I don't have much of an impression of Yves-Thibaudet as he is the only recording I have. The playing to me seems beautiful and appropriate, but in first recordings that tends to give me more of an impression of the music itself rather than the performer. I'll have to listen to Slattebrekk (and others) and see how they compare, although I'm certainly more in the 'horizontal' (few recordings of many works) phase of collecting than the 'vertical' (many recordings of many works) phase.



funnynihilist said:


> It's a dark piece full of fire. I was shocked myself the first time I heard it but now I listen to it all the time and I wouldn't consider myself the biggest fan of Strauss. Last night I noticed I have a CD on my shelf with one of his string septets on it and I'm going to pull that soon and listen to it soon.


Wonderful! When I look at Strauss' output I always get surprised by how large it is and always wonder what treasures are hidden amongst it. Definitely one of the most intriguing composers for me. Hope you enjoy the Septet!



funnynihilist said:


> Wow, some really great CDs in that list. I've always wanted that Argerich and friends set but haven't got around to buying it yet. The Boulez set looks very nice! I was listening to a CD of him conducting Schoenberg last night.
> The Rachmaninoff piano works box set I would really like to know your impressions of because I like that music very much!
> 
> I will try to update this thread as much as I can with what I've been listening to recently to keep it going!


Yeah I got the Boulez box with the hope that it would be a great way to start getting into the more modern side of Classical Music. I do like what I've already heard from many of the featured composers, so I'm greatly looking forward to hearing more, and also to having my ears and mind opened up to new music and styles. I'm a big Rachmaninoff fan myself, and I played some his piano works a few years ago (the Polichinelle, Elegie, and some of the famous Prelude from Op. 3, the 5th Prelude from Op. 23, and some of a Barcarolle from his Op. 11 works for piano 4 hands), but for whatever reason have not intimately acquainted myself with all of his solo piano music. I am looking forward to doing so, and will certainly give you my impressions and favoured works as I go!

I am glad to hear it! It has been a very quiet thread in general except for me and, to a lesser extent, a couple of others.


----------



## josh23

funnynihilist said:


> Been listening to Bach's Solo Cello Suites:


I listened to this over two days, my first time for all of it (except the opening of the first one, of course) and greatly enjoyed it. Definitely Bach at his most accessible for me, as compared to the dense and frequently quick counterpoint in most of his work. I also liked the rather 'imperfect' sonics: the thick and rather course sound actually seemed to heighten enjoyment and helped add to the sense of profundity. Wonderful!


----------



## josh23

puffysnow said:


> My absolute favourite symphony:
> New Symphony by Antonin Dvorak


I don't listen to this work very often anymore, but whenever I do I'm reminded that it's such a beautiful and magnificent work. Throughout it is melodically inspired, instrumentally colourful, well developed and wonderfully dramatic. Always a pleasure!


----------



## josh23

I've gotten back on the piano lately (practising too inconsistently of course, being me). I played a lot and seriously in my early teens, but stopped at the age of 15. Every now and then I get back on and attempt to get going again but it never lasts long. Hopefully this time is different. I'm not looking to study for exams anymore but am rather just looking to play works I enjoy, and I have started on 2 such works. Here they are in the recordings that led to my enjoyment of them:











I, of course, don't have a singer for the latter, but will just learn the piano part and then play it with my CD.


----------



## funnynihilist

Listening to Brahms String Sextet No. 1 via this French CD:

https://www.amazon.com/Brahms-String-Sextet-B-flat-Major/dp/B00026KH3C

It is very soothing music with just a hint of fire. The playing on the CD is excellent and the sound quality is close and personal. I find that price on Amazon to be a little steep for a single CD. Maybe this is available in different packaging for a lower price?


----------



## funnynihilist

josh23 said:


> I listened to this over two days, my first time for all of it (except the opening of the first one, of course) and greatly enjoyed it. Definitely Bach at his most accessible for me, as compared to the dense and frequently quick counterpoint in most of his work. I also liked the rather 'imperfect' sonics: the thick and rather course sound actually seemed to heighten enjoyment and helped add to the sense of profundity. Wonderful!


This is considered to be the definitive recording of these pieces. Recorded in the 1930s. I return to these often.


----------



## funnynihilist

Listening to Bruch's violin concerto no. 2(Perlman/Mehta/Israel)
What a dark and powerful piece of music from this often overlooked composer!


----------



## Arbre




----------



## the misanthrope

I am a Baroque man my self love Bach, and Handel as well as Boccherini's Quintets with guitar.
Koopman, and yo-yo ma are great


----------



## josh23

Arbre said:


>


Certainly not the kind of music one readily associates with this composer; equally certainly a beautiful, hypnotic piece. Thanks for sharing!


----------



## the misanthrope

any body like Ludovico Einaudi?


----------



## Arbre

josh23 said:


> Certainly not the kind of music one readily associates with this composer; equally certainly a beautiful, hypnotic piece. Thanks for sharing!


Haha, yeah. He's normally playing a normal sounding piano.


----------



## josh23

the misanthrope said:


> any body like Ludovico Einaudi?


I haven't listened to any of his music. What do you think of it? Any recommendations?


----------



## the misanthrope

I love his music, it has a lot of emotional depth, I also recommend Max Richter


----------



## Arbre




----------



## josh23

Arbre said:


>


Enjoyed both of these, especially the second. Thanks!


----------



## josh23

the misanthrope said:


> I love his music, it has a lot of emotional depth, I also recommend Max Richter


I watched a documentary on Richter's recomposition of the four seasons: very interesting.

What are your favourite works by Einaudi? I'll check em out.


----------



## the misanthrope

josh23 said:


> I watched a documentary on Richter's recomposition of the four seasons: very interesting.
> 
> What are your favourite works by Einaudi? I'll check em out.


the albums called Divenire, and Elements are my favorites.


----------



## Arbre




----------



## 629753




----------



## funnynihilist

Always happy to see this thread get bumped!

For me it's been Wilhelm Kempff's box set of Beethoven piano sonatas.
Kempff recorded the complete sonata cycle twice, once in mono on the early fifties and again in stereo in the sixties.
I only have the stereo box but plan on getting the mono box as well.
I've always liked Kempff's playing. Gentle yet passionate. 
Of course the sonatas are masterpieces filled with every variety of emotion.
The late sonatas seem to me to be the most cerebral with number 30 being my favorite.


----------



## Arbre




----------



## josh23

funnynihilist said:


> Of course the sonatas are masterpieces filled with every variety of emotion.
> The late sonatas seem to me to be the most cerebral with number 30 being my favorite.


Some of my favourite works (I have Gilels and Barenboim), and 30 is my favourite as well! A sublime, profound, transcendent piece.


----------



## josh23

Next week I'm heading up to Sydney for a few days to see the great Brazilian pianist Nelson Freire in two concerts. The programs are:

#1 @ the Sydney Opera House

Beethoven Coriolan Overture
Schumann Piano Concerto

Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2

Sydney Symphony Orchestra, cond. Marcelo Lehninger.

#2 @ Sydney City Recital Hall

Bach/Siloti Organ Prelude BWV 535
Bach/Busoni Chorale Preludes BWV's 639 and 667
Bach/Hess Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 31, Op. 110

Debussy Children's Corner
Chopin Piano Sonata No. 3

Can't wait!


----------



## funnynihilist

josh23 said:


> Next week I'm heading up to Sydney for a few days to see the great Brazilian pianist Nelson Freire in two concerts. The programs are:
> 
> #1 @ the Sydney Opera House
> 
> Beethoven Coriolan Overture
> Schumann Piano Concerto
> 
> Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2
> 
> Sydney Symphony Orchestra, cond. Marcelo Lehninger.
> 
> #2 @ Sydney City Recital Hall
> 
> Bach/Siloti Organ Prelude BWV 535
> Bach/Busoni Chorale Preludes BWV's 639 and 667
> Bach/Hess Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
> Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 31, Op. 110
> 
> Debussy Children's Corner
> Chopin Piano Sonata No. 3
> 
> Can't wait!


That sounds like it will be very good! I hope you enjoy it.


----------



## Barakiel

Is crossover stuff allowed in here I wonder? :con I hope so, 'cause Secret Chiefs 3 has these wonderful recordings of Saint-Saens and Sousa that even purists have to respect, even when there's traces of heavy metal guitar or theatre organ.


----------



## doe deer

had to sing the Allegretto part in an exam when i was in music school, still one of my favourites.





favourite.


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## josh23

Hadn't been able to listen to any of my (many) new CD's lately for various reasons...until now. Today I listened to this recording of Berio's Sinfonia and loved it:

(in 5 movements)


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## josh23

Listened to the 1969 Davis recording of Berlioz' _Les Troyens_ today. Magnificent performance of what might be my favourite opera. The work goes for four hours, but here are some excerpts that I love:


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## Arbre




----------



## Mc Borg




----------



## Arbre

I've been listening to this recently, and it has been stuck in my head when I'm not listening to it.


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## Arbre




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## josh23




----------



## josh23




----------



## josh23




----------



## josh23




----------



## relm1

That Ligeti piece is great. Also like the Requiem.


----------



## kombustible

i really love this one


----------



## Schmetterling

Jean Sibelius - _Symphony nº 2_


----------



## josh23

relm1 said:


> That Ligeti piece is great. Also like the Requiem.


The Requiem is awe-inspiring!


----------



## josh23




----------



## relm1

I was at the US premiere of this work...Scriabin's Mysterium. Make sure you don't listen to the whole work because the composer wrote it to end the universe.





Not kidding. He was a mystic and believed this music would usher in the end of days and that his work would usher "cataclysmic opuses to end the world and its present race of men."
http://dangerousminds.net/comments/scriabins_mysterium_music_to_destroy_the_universe

Musically speaking, it is very interesting in how it represents a mystical period of Russian metaphysical history and cacophonous sonority.


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## josh23

This is my favourite Ligeti work so far:


----------



## josh23




----------



## Mc Borg




----------



## feels

I was in an event in elementary school where we would hear a tiny piece of different compositions and then write down the composer/title. I mostly just listened to this one over and over. One of the best things ever.


----------



## josh23

feels said:


> I was in an event in elementary school where we would hear a tiny piece of different compositions and then write down the composer/title. I mostly just listened to this one over and over. One of the best things ever.


Hadn't heard this before. Great stuff!


----------



## josh23




----------



## Overdrive




----------



## Overdrive




----------



## Arbre




----------



## Max Seigel

Currently playing Symphony 6 in E Major by C.P.E. Bach in my orchestra. I think it's a very beautiful piece.


----------



## ljubo




----------



## ljubo




----------



## ljubo




----------



## josh23

Wild indeed. I'm sure his mum appreciated the dedication.


----------



## josh23

Complete opposite to yesterdays.


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## josh23




----------



## ShadowOne




----------



## josh23




----------



## cosmicslop

I listened to this almost everynight for the past two weeks. Sleep like a baby.


----------



## Overdrive




----------



## Arbre

I've been getting into Schoenberg.


----------



## softly

jascha heifetz // sibelius violin concerto in d minor

one of the greatest violinists of all time


----------



## softly

also some absolutely lovely baroque


----------



## josh23

Great stuff in the posts above.


----------



## Arbre




----------



## josh23




----------



## BrokeTech

softly said:


> also some absolutely lovely baroque


This is so good, thanks!


----------



## softly

some schubes


----------



## Arbre




----------



## josh23




----------



## Arbre

This John Cage piece may not qualify as classical music, but it's one of my favourites by him.


----------



## josh23




----------



## josh23

Arbre said:


> This John Cage piece may not qualify as classical music, but it's one of my favourites by him.


Great stuff. I'd call it classical but perhaps I'm not educated enough to know. It sounds to me to be heavily influenced by eastern and perhaps African musics: however many composers of the 20th-21st centuries drew influence from such. Classical is such a problematic term honestly.


----------



## josh23




----------



## Arbre

josh23 said:


> Great stuff. I'd call it classical but perhaps I'm not educated enough to know. It sounds to me to be heavily influenced by eastern and perhaps African musics: however many composers of the 20th-21st centuries drew influence from such. Classical is such a problematic term honestly.


I was wondering if it would be considered too experimental.


----------



## sprinter

some Dunaevsky


----------



## josh23

Arbre said:


> I was wondering if it would be considered too experimental.


To me one of the qualities that 'classical' music is most remarkable for is its degree of experimentation, especially so in the 20th century. I see the Cage work as no more experimental (probably far less so) as, say, what _Le sacre du printemps_ was in its time (and many other examples). The kind of extension that the Cage work represents is by no means atypical I think. I think it's just one of the many directions 'modern' classical went. Most definitions that attempt to go into detail about what classical music is include among its subgenres the 'experimental' and the 'high modern,' and I would suggest that if a composer who has a background that is to a large extent classical and writes experimental music that doesn't use the idioms of other genres to the point where those aspects are of primary importance, I would say it is classical. Stockhausen, Xenakis, Cage etc are all, from what I've seen, generally considered to be classical.

That all being said, I still think the moniker is problematic and the lines can often be blurred. At the end of the day it's all music but I think that, for the purposes of this thread, the Cage and many works that take things much further ought to find their home here :smile2:

Edit: I just realised the movement you posted, which is from the one Beethoven Sonata I learnt before I gave up the piano. Great piece!


----------



## josh23




----------



## Arbre

josh23 said:


> To me one of the qualities that 'classical' music is most remarkable for is its degree of experimentation, especially so in the 20th century. I see the Cage work as no more experimental (probably far less so) as, say, what _Le sacre du printemps_ was in its time (and many other examples). The kind of extension that the Cage work represents is by no means atypical I think. I think it's just one of the many directions 'modern' classical went. Most definitions that attempt to go into detail about what classical music is include among its subgenres the 'experimental' and the 'high modern,' and I would suggest that if a composer who has a background that is to a large extent classical and writes experimental music that doesn't use the idioms of other genres to the point where those aspects are of primary importance, I would say it is classical. Stockhausen, Xenakis, Cage etc are all, from what I've seen, generally considered to be classical.
> 
> That all being said, I still think the moniker is problematic and the lines can often be blurred. At the end of the day it's all music but I think that, for the purposes of this thread, the Cage and many works that take things much further ought to find their home here :smile2:
> 
> Edit: I just realised the movement you posted, which is from the one Beethoven Sonata I learnt before I gave up the piano. Great piece!


I completely agree, classical music can be very experimental. I guess I didn't use the correct word there. I was thinking that Cage piece didn't really sound like classical to me. John Cage seems like someone who would make you question that, and I like that about him.

Do you know other composers who are like Cage and Schoenberg and didn't create your typical classical music? Stockhausen and Xenakis have similarities to Cage? I don't think I've heard them before.


----------



## josh23

Arbre said:


> I completely agree, classical music can be very experimental. I guess I didn't use the correct word there. I was thinking that Cage piece didn't really sound like classical to me. John Cage seems like someone who would make you question that, and I like that about him.
> 
> Do you know other composers who are like Cage and Schoenberg and didn't create your typical classical music? Stockhausen and Xenakis have similarities to Cage? I don't think I've heard them before.


Of course, different people have different views about what classical is. Cage didn't only seem like someone who would make you question that, but make you question what music is overall :smile2: He was definitely unique but, again, many composers are.

Xenakis and Stockhausen are (only) two examples of what is generally considered to be high-modern or experimental classical. Their outputs are both rather varied but Xenakis experimented with electronics, creating music for certain spaces, creating compositions with a heavy use of mathematic structuring etc; Stockhausen also experimented with electronics and creating music for spaces, while also experimenting with controlled chance and serialism. They are definitely very different to Cage but they are two other examples of a high degree of experimentation in 20th century classical music.

I am no expert in their music at all and don't really know much of it (yet) but I find what I've heard to be very intriguing. An example from each that I've enjoyed:


----------



## josh23




----------



## 8888

I really like this violin piece:


----------



## Arbre

josh23 said:


> Of course, different people have different views about what classical is. Cage didn't only seem like someone who would make you question that, but make you question what music is overall :smile2: He was definitely unique but, again, many composers are.
> 
> Xenakis and Stockhausen are (only) two examples of what is generally considered to be high-modern or experimental classical. Their outputs are both rather varied but Xenakis experimented with electronics, creating music for certain spaces, creating compositions with a heavy use of mathematic structuring etc; Stockhausen also experimented with electronics and creating music for spaces, while also experimenting with controlled chance and serialism. They are definitely very different to Cage but they are two other examples of a high degree of experimentation in 20th century classical music.
> 
> I am no expert in their music at all and don't really know much of it (yet) but I find what I've heard to be very intriguing. An example from each that I've enjoyed:


That's why I've liked Cage's work for such a long time. Thanks for those two pieces, I'm going to listen to them now.


----------



## Hollo




----------



## josh23




----------



## Arbre

Listened to Xenakis and Stockhausen yesterday. @josh23 Thanks for mentioning them, I'm looking for music like this.


----------



## josh23

Arbre said:


> Listened to Xenakis and Stockhausen yesterday. @josh23 Thanks for mentioning them, I'm looking for music like this.


Again I've hardly listened to much music from these guys and their contemporaries, and for better/worse I'm a CD-centric listener: any exploring you do will take you further than I can offer. Some noted contemporaries of these guys are Boulez, Penderecki (although I feel he's not what you're looking for), Berio (I listened to a CD of his piano music recently) and Ligeti (among many others I'm sure), but I feel exploring Xenakis and Stockhausen (that piano work you linked was wonderful) might have more yield for you (I might be wrong).


----------



## josh23




----------



## Hollo




----------



## Arbre

josh23 said:


> Again I've hardly listened to much music from these guys and their contemporaries, and for better/worse I'm a CD-centric listener: any exploring you do will take you further than I can offer. Some noted contemporaries of these guys are Boulez, Penderecki (although I feel he's not what you're looking for), Berio (I listened to a CD of his piano music recently) and Ligeti (among many others I'm sure), but I feel exploring Xenakis and Stockhausen (that piano work you linked was wonderful) might have more yield for you (I might be wrong).


I'm going to listen to those composers. Someone recommended Boulez to me before.


----------



## Hollo




----------



## Arbre




----------



## josh23

Arbre said:


>


I listened to these just the other day, along with the transcriptions of them he later made for orchestra (Etudes for Orchestra). Great stuff!


----------



## josh23




----------



## Arbre

josh23 said:


> I listened to these just the other day, along with the transcriptions of them he later made for orchestra (Etudes for Orchestra). Great stuff!


I like those three pieces a lot. I need to listen to Stravinsky more.


----------



## josh23

Arbre said:


> I like those three pieces a lot. I need to listen to Stravinsky more.


I've started getting into Stravinsky a lot the last year or so. His music is _addictive_, and his output is so varied. So fresh, always surprising, and subsequent listens always alerts you to another layer.


----------



## Arbre

josh23 said:


> I've started getting into Stravinsky a lot the last year or so. His music is _addictive_, and his output is so varied. So fresh, always surprising, and subsequent listens always alerts you to another layer.


I think that sums up Stravinsky.

Philip Glass is a great composer, I'll post some of his work too.






@*josh23* If you're a fan of Glass' work, you should check out the movie Koyaanisqatsi, which he did the soundtrack for.


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## Hollo

This is magic, Debussy performing this himself. My parents owned an old Victrola cabinet that played Berliner discs and they would play random ones from a hoard of composers, ethnic folk, and odds and ends from the 10s to the 20s whenever we had guests over. This is a favorite


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## Arbre

@Hollo I'm liking the pieces you're posting.


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## josh23

Arbre said:


> @*josh23* If you're a fan of Glass' work, you should check out the movie Koyaanisqatsi, which he did the soundtrack for.


Thanks, I'll add that to the to-watch list :smile2:


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## josh23

Hollo said:


> This is magic, Debussy performing this himself. My parents owned an old Victrola cabinet that played Berliner discs and they would play random ones from a hoard of composers, ethnic folk, and odds and ends from the 10s to the 20s whenever we had guests over. This is a favorite


Magic indeed!


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## Hollo

Arbre said:


> @Hollo I'm liking the pieces you're posting.


Thanks! Yours and @josh23's posts are really educational. Fantastic thread





(Played by Garrick Ohlsson)


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## Arbre




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## josh23




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## HiddenFathoms




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## Arbre




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## Hollo




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## josh23




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## HiddenFathoms




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## josh23




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## Arbre

Bela Bartok is one of my favourite composers.


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## josh23

Arbre said:


> Bela Bartok is one of my favourite composers.


I also like Bartok quite a bit from what I've heard.

Stand outs so far:


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## bad baby

^that's a fantastic concerto. the other pieces gave me kind of an ... uneasy feeling, it's hard to articulate, but you have to be in a certain mood for bartok.

this is my favourite:






and on the subject of geza anda, this movement is just the bee's knees:


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## yeswedreamaboutyoufloyd




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## josh23




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## josh23

bad baby said:


> ^that's a fantastic concerto. the other pieces gave me kind of an ... uneasy feeling, it's hard to articulate, but you have to be in a certain mood for bartok.


Yeah Bartok is definitely a rather 'heavy' composer, very dissonant and angular. Some of the pieces he wrote near the end of his life are much more mellow however. Then there's stuff like the Folk Dances you linked: I was listening to them just the other day. Great music!


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## Hollo

bad baby said:


>


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## Overdrive




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## bad baby

@josh23 oh, that's interesting. I don't know much about his life but he seemed to have fallen into obscurity/hardship later in life, so I would've figured it would've translated into more 'heaviness' in his works, kinda like a Goyaesque Black Period or something.
For me Bartók hits that sweet spot between classical music in the conventional sense and the more dissonant 'modern classical' stuff. And some of his pieces sound like precursors to jazz music, like the first and fourth of the Bulgarian Dances:






@Hollo And the contemporary interpreters who have introduced these composers to a wider audience. I quite like no.32 as well. And this one:






For some reason it reminded me of this:


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## Arbre

bad baby said:


> For me Bartók hits that sweet spot between classical music in the conventional sense and the more dissonant 'modern classical' stuff. And some of his pieces sound like precursors to jazz music, like the first and fourth of the Bulgarian Dances:


That's a reason why I like Bartok. I think he's somewhere in-between someone like Chopin or Mozart and someone a bit more modern like John Cage. Stravinsky is like that too. That's what I've thought while listening to them, anyway.


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## bad baby

Arbre said:


> That's a reason why I like Bartok. I think he's somewhere in-between someone like Chopin or Mozart and someone a bit more modern like John Cage. Stravinsky is like that too. That's what I've thought while listening to them, anyway.


I haven't listened to very much Cage or Stravinsky; honestly just cannot find an entry point into their works. For me I think a large part of that 'in-between' quality you mentioned comes from Bartok's folk sensibilities - like, his sound is more earthy/regional than, say, Liszt, but at the same time compared to composers whom I tend to think of as being traditionally 'folk-influenced' (Prokofiev, Grieg, Dvorak, Smetana), he's much more heavy and hardcore. Which probably explains why it took me so long to finally get into him.

Modern classical music has always seemed to me like it would take a lot of understanding of the theory and philosophy behind it to appreciate, because you have to know what to listen for. Like, I can't picture a layman just sitting down to one of Alban Berg's piano sonatas and actually _liking_ what they hear. Bartok does a lot of things with rhythms and imagery. I was listening to 'Out of Doors' yesterday, and those few opening bars are like a hook. I might have posted to this or an earlier thread before, but Scriabin is one of my favourite composers, and his soundscapes are absolutely phenomenal; to me these other aspects of the music (or whatever you call them, as you can probably tell, I'm not very musically trained) have much more impact than the harmonies.

Aaaaaanyway. Too much blab, not enough music. I posted another Janacek piece earlier, but this string quartet (inspired by Tolstoy who was in turn inspired by Beethoven) brings out so much emotion:






And I've just discovered Toru Takemitsu's Requiem for Strings. Some of his music is a bit too 'out there' for me - not, like, John Cage-level out there, but still out there. This one, though, is so deeply moving.


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## Arbre

bad baby said:


> I haven't listened to very much Cage or Stravinsky; honestly just cannot find an entry point into their works. For me I think a large part of that 'in-between' quality you mentioned comes from Bartok's folk sensibilities - like, his sound is more earthy/regional than, say, Liszt, but at the same time compared to composers whom I tend to think of as being traditionally 'folk-influenced' (Prokofiev, Grieg, Dvorak, Smetana), he's much more heavy and hardcore. Which probably explains why it took me so long to finally get into him.
> 
> Modern classical music has always seemed to me like it would take a lot of understanding of the theory and philosophy behind it to appreciate, because you have to know what to listen for. Like, I can't picture a layman just sitting down to one of Alban Berg's piano sonatas and actually _liking_ what they hear. Bartok does a lot of things with rhythms and imagery. I was listening to 'Out of Doors' yesterday, and those few opening bars are like a hook. I might have posted to this or an earlier thread before, but Scriabin is one of my favourite composers, and his soundscapes are absolutely phenomenal; to me these other aspects of the music (or whatever you call them, as you can probably tell, I'm not very musically trained) have much more impact than the harmonies.


This and this are Cage pieces that sound more conventional. But those don't completely represent him. This might be my favourite piece of his, although I'm not sure if I could pick a favourite of his. Do you know Stravinsky's Firebird?

I've been listening to Bartok's Out of Doors quite a bit lately. I like it, and it always seems to come up when I have my music playlist on shuffle.

I'm not musically trained (I mostly just know a little about guitar really) but I do enjoy listening to some more modern composers like John Cage and Iannis Xenakis. I like to listen to more experimental music in other genres too like this band for example. I should try learning about music theory and philosophy some time, though. There are music theory lectures and MOOCs.


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## Arbre

A more conventional John Cage piece.





I like to hear composers play their music. It's a shame there aren't more recordings. People in the comments section for this talked about whether this is an actual recording of Debussy playing or if it's a piano roll.


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## josh23

bad baby said:


> oh, that's interesting. I don't know much about his life but he seemed to have fallen into obscurity/hardship later in life, so I would've figured it would've translated into more 'heaviness' in his works, kinda like a Goyaesque Black Period or something.
> For me Bartók hits that sweet spot between classical music in the conventional sense and the more dissonant 'modern classical' stuff. And some of his pieces sound like precursors to jazz music, like the first and fourth of the Bulgarian Dances:
> 
> [


From what I've heard (and I haven't heard all of his late music) his late period is a lot less 'heavy.' It is, however, often very poignant. The third piano concerto is a good example of of music that is more mellow and less bitingly dissonant (being said, it is still very clearly Bartok), and the middle movement especially is a great example of the emotional expression in his late period:






I still have a ways to go with music like this but it certainly sounds a lot better now than it did, say, a year ago. Exposure helps a lot.

Of course, there are varying degrees. I found Boulez' Second Piano Sonata, for example, to be much more difficult. The serialist procedures with only the limited timbre of the piano to get my ears into is still largely incomprehensible for me (which suggests that while I get enjoyment out of Le Marteau I'm most certainly not comprehending the sequences of notes very well, but rather just the shimmering instrumental texture (although it is not serialist to the same strict degree)). Something like that may require me to engage in a lot of training to understand: then again, Arbre listed the work above which suggests he got enjoyment out of it. Different for every person :smile2:

Also, Scriabin is great! A shame he died as early as he did, as it is with many composers.


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## josh23

bad baby said:


> I haven't listened to very much Cage or Stravinsky; honestly just cannot find an entry point into their works.


I definitely recommend Stravinsky (and Cage, but I've been loving Stravinsky lately): what have you heard? The thing with him is he wrote in so many different styles that there's probably some of it for everyone :b Of course, it still always has that 'Stravinsky sound.'


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## josh23




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## josh23




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## bad baby

@Arbre

One of those videos has a picture of (I assume) Cage, and it freaked me out a little because of how much he looks like my previous manager, lol.

But anyway. His 'conventional' pieces sound vaguely familiar to me - or maybe I'm just confusing him with somebody else like Arvo Part. And to be honest that's kind of ...bland for me. Probably due to a personal preference for some element of unpredictability. I just discovered his Music of Changes, which is apparently modelled on the philosophy of the i-ching. Not very well-versed in this stuff but from what I understand, it's supposed to be a completely randomly generated collection of notes (which ironically forbids the pianist from improvising) devoid of all traces of the composer.

I've listened to about half of the 44 minutes, and it's actually sort of interesting to observe the occasional ornamentations and melodies (or rather, sequences that resemble melodies) arising from the WTFness. Almost as if my brain is trying to latch onto these little snippets and parse the music into something meaningful, which probably defies the original intention of the composer. I don't know. But I feel like I'm becoming more receptive (or at least less averse) to this type of thing.

@josh23

Nothing in that Boulez you linked really 'popped' at me, but I suppose he's one name to keep in mind, should I feel like venturing into uncharted territory again at some later point. Also came across this beauty:






Wonder if Schoenberg wrote more pieces like this; I would be tempted to seek them out.

As for Stravinsky, I've heard some of his symphonies, and of course Rite of Spring, which like Holst's Planets is held in such high regard I feel like I should at least find out what the fuss is all about. And, uhhh ... is it terrible if I zoned out a few minutes into Firebird, lol? For some reason I just can't get into his use of chromatics.

And you know I was just thinking about this the other day - that so many of these composers, Mozart, Schubert, Chopin, etc. died so young, but it doesn't feel like they did because they left behind this massive body of great work that probably would've taken somebody else like 80 years to write. It's probably best that Scriabin died when he did, I mean, if he'd managed to finish Mysterium, the world might have ended right then and there 

...I have Firebird on the in the background as I'm typing this, and about 12 minutes in ... hmm, I'm starting to feel the vibe (!!!) ... oh no wait 17 mins and it's gone again. Damnit!


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## josh23

bad baby said:


> @josh23
> 
> Nothing in that Boulez you linked really 'popped' at me, but I suppose he's one name to keep in mind, should I feel like venturing into uncharted territory again at some later point. Also came across this beauty:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wonder if Schoenberg wrote more pieces like this; I would be tempted to seek them out.
> 
> As for Stravinsky, I've heard some of his symphonies, and of course Rite of Spring, which like Holst's Planets is held in such high regard I feel like I should at least find out what the fuss is all about. And, uhhh ... is it terrible if I zoned out a few minutes into Firebird, lol? For some reason I just can't get into his use of chromatics.
> 
> And you know I was just thinking about this the other day - that so many of these composers, Mozart, Schubert, Chopin, etc. died so young, but it doesn't feel like they did because they left behind this massive body of great work that probably would've taken somebody else like 80 years to write. It's probably best that Scriabin died when he did, I mean, if he'd managed to finish Mysterium, the world might have ended right then and there
> 
> ...I have Firebird on the in the background as I'm typing this, and about 12 minutes in ... hmm, I'm starting to feel the vibe (!!!) ... oh no wait 17 mins and it's gone again. Damnit!


The piece you linked from Schoenberg is one of the works from his early period, which is characterised by a tonal, late romantic aesthetic influenced by Brahms, Wagner, Richard Strauss. Other notable works from this period are the symphonic poem _Pelleas und Melisande_ and the cantata _Gurre-Lieder_. I haven't listened to these works myself but they are quite highly regarded, especially the the latter.

It's interesting that you mention that about the Firebird as, now that I think about it, I had the exact same reaction on my first couple of listens to it. I found the Rite enjoyable but quite a difficult listen...they both clicked after a few listens but even now they aren't the Stravinsky works that I find myself frequently returning to: works which all come from his Neoclassical period (Neobaroque would probably describe it better), such as: Apollo (Stravinsky at his most lyrical, almost sounding like a more restrained Tchaikovsky), Pulcinella (using melodies from the Baroque composer Pergolesi, but emerging as very cleary 'Stravinskian', especially from the 'Scherzino' on), and the Symphony of Psalms. I'm only scratching the surface of his output but I am loving what I've heard (and come to think of it these pieces, especially the latter two, also took a few listens). I linked these works below but don't feel pressured to listen to them: I just put them there so that if you did decide to there would be decent recordings 

Yes it is quite interesting; also interesting is that VERY few of the great composers that I can think of who lived a long while longer than these guys had outputs of a comparable quality at the age of their deaths. Makes you wonder...Haha I find Mysterium to be a real shame: how would Scriabin react when it _didn't_ destroy the world.


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## josh23

As for a little standout in my listening:


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## Arbre

@bad baby I like Music of Changes. Can't believe I didn't have it on my classical music playlist already. A couple of days ago I was reading a book and it mentioned that Bach has around 1100 pieces of music, and those are just the ones that have survived to this day. Bach lived to 65, but I still thought it was impressive that someone could create that much music. You don't really like Stravinsky's work? He's starting to become one of my favourite composers. Here are more shorter pieces by him if you ever feel like listening to him. 

Three Pieces for String Quartet

Tango

Concertino for String Quartet

Piano Etude; Op. 7, No. 4

Piano Sonata


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## unemployment simulator




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## HiddenFathoms

@josh23 i enjoy hearing you expound on music. i notice in your op one of my most loved pieces is mentioned:






would you wish to delve into it? NO WORRIES if you don't feel like it


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## Arbre

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/765651.Silence

I only recently found out about this book written by John Cage. I'm looking forward to reading it.


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## josh23

HiddenFathoms said:


> @josh23 i enjoy hearing you expound on music. i notice in your op one of my most loved pieces is mentioned:
> would you wish to delve into it? NO WORRIES if you don't feel like it


I'm glad you do :smile2: However I would qualify that by saying that I don't believe I deserve much respect regarding the content of my posts in this thread: I'm hardly musically trained and while I can (sometimes) refer to a style a work is in or a technique it makes use of, that's usually because I know _of_ the styles/techniques instead of knowing much _about_ them.

With that in mind, along with the fact that I favour listening to a wide range of music at this point rather than really diving in-depth to specific pieces (to try and get a view of the forest before admiring the trees: the start of a long process in discovering music), expounding on the _Isle of the Dead_ -which I haven't listed to in awhile- will probably not prove to be very revelatory.

All I can say are very superficial things about it, and that it's one of the trees I have 'marked on my map' as a beginning of the next 'stage,' as it were. I love that irresistible, distinctly Russian gloom; the use of the _Dies Irae_; the sense of drama and mystery as the music builds and subsides; the magnificent use of the 5/8 rhythm in depicting the motion of the water/the oars: overall, basically how it sounds :b I tend not to think too much (yet, perhaps: perhaps it will come with greater immersion) about what music is trying to depict, instead favouring the simple aural qualities: I don't have a story/philosophical thoughts in my head when listening to music like this that I (or sometimes the composer) concocted out of the supplied context, except really obvious 'onomatopoeic' and pictorial ones like the aforementioned waves/oars. I have heard two recordings of it (the one you linked and the one I did), and I much prefer the one that I did (although a work like this can hardly be rendered un-enjoyable by any recording). Have you heard it?


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## josh23

Arbre said:


> https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/765651.Silence
> 
> I only recently found out about this book written by John Cage. I'm looking forward to reading it.


I've had that book lying around my house for awhile but still haven't read it. Will rectify that shortly if my mental laziness has a day off. Report any interesting ideas when you do read it :smile2:


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## josh23




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## Arbre




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## HiddenFathoms

josh23 said:


> With that in mind, along with the fact that I favour listening to a wide range of music at this point rather than really diving in-depth to specific pieces *(to try and get a view of the forest before admiring the trees: the start of a long process in discovering music),* expounding on the _Isle of the Dead_ -which I haven't listed to in awhile- will probably not prove to be very revelatory.
> 
> All I can say are very superficial things about it, and that it's* one of the trees I have 'marked on my map' as a beginning of the next 'stage,' as it were.* I love that irresistible, distinctly Russian gloom; the use of the _Dies Irae_; the sense of drama and mystery as the music builds and subsides; the magnificent use of the 5/8 rhythm in depicting the motion of the water/the oars: overall, basically how it sounds :b I tend not to think too much (yet, perhaps: perhaps it will come with greater immersion) about what music is trying to depict, instead favouring the simple aural qualities: I don't have a story/philosophical thoughts in my head when listening to music like this that I (or sometimes the composer) concocted out of the supplied context, except really obvious 'onomatopoeic' and pictorial ones like the aforementioned waves/oars. I have heard two recordings of it (the one you linked and the one I did), and I much prefer the one that I did (although a work like this can hardly be rendered un-enjoyable by any recording). Have you heard it?


no worries! i was mostly asking due to the 'appreciation' that shines through in your words and less for professional know-how (smiles). thanks for honouring me with the level of reply you provided!

YES! i love the gloom also and i had picked up on that musical onomatopoeia but didn't know the effect was accomplished with 5/8 rhythm.

i wish i could listen to music as you do. potential choreography...back story and unbidden thematic slides naturally flood my mind when listening to this kind of music and it is sometimes more difficult to _isolate_ the audio from the visual.

i hadn't realized they were different versions when i wrote. i am listening/comparing/processing now. i prefer the version you left as well but it is too early for me to be able to explain the "why" of it precisely.

i appreciated the practical symbolism of the bold. it's interesting that you marked that song as a tree previously. just like tree rings can aid in determining the passing of time, i value that music can mark or speak to _where _we were/are in the stream of things.


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## bad baby

@Arbre and @josh23 I haven't got around to listening to all of your links, which is kind of ironic considering we were talking about these composers' massive outputs, while here I can't even find the time to listen to a fraction of them, if that.

Part of it may also be because Stravinsky (or Cage for that matter) is not one of the names that came up in my early music education - I never established any sort of familiarity with his works or his life, so he's never appealed to me as much as some of the others. 
Not sure if that's the reason, but I feel almost 'nostalgic' with certain composers, as if their music calls to mind memories that I haven't personally lived through:






The parts from Apollo do sound more to my liking, as does the opening to Orpheus - there's a kind of deep mystical quality to it, but then around 3 minutes in it reverts back to becoming distinctively 'Stravinskian' and I'm, like, wondering wtf just happened:






Around 8 or 9 minutes in the more sombre tone reminds me a little of the aria from Dido and Aeneas:






So much sadness in such a short piece. I've always thought it just incredible how many of these operatic tragedies are so private and seemingly unjustified in nature, and yet they evoke such universal human emotion and pathos.


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## josh23

HiddenFathoms said:


> no worries! i was mostly asking due to the 'appreciation' that shines through in your words and less for professional know-how (smiles). thanks for honouring me with the level of reply you provided!
> 
> YES! i love the gloom also and i had picked up on that musical onomatopoeia but didn't know the effect was accomplished with 5/8 rhythm.
> 
> i wish i could listen to music as you do. potential choreography...back story and unbidden thematic slides naturally flood my mind when listening to this kind of music and it is sometimes more difficult to _isolate_ the audio from the visual.
> 
> i hadn't realized they were different versions when i wrote. i am listening/comparing/processing now. i prefer the version you left as well but it is too early for me to be able to explain the "why" of it precisely.
> 
> i appreciated the practical symbolism of the bold. it's interesting that you marked that song as a tree previously. just like tree rings can aid in determining the passing of time, i value that music can mark or speak to _where _we were/are in the stream of things.


Good, good: appreciation I certainly have.

Don't get me wrong, the whole 'sailing towards death' (I mean he uses the _Dies Irae_, traditionally associated with death), as a metaphor for life (with different episodes depicted but indelibly entwined with the grand scheme) is certainly compelling. I just think that any thoughts I have during the work takes concentration away from what I consider to be most important, so I try to limit that in favour of trying to hear it all, letting it speak for itself. After a work like this I may contemplate, but it has generally spoken well enough (or perhaps I'm just mentally lazy!). Of course if the way you listen to music amplifies it for you then more power to ya (although you may only perceive it as an amplification; same for me but in the opposite way).

I can't really explain why (based on what I remember) except for the simple impression that the Ashkenazy recording is far more vivid and immediate: very effective in this work.

"Just like tree rings can aid in determining the passing of time, i value that music can mark or speak to _where _we were/are in the stream of things."

Very good point and very well expressed :smile2: Along with this I'd say there's certainly music out there to mark or speak to pretty much anywhere we can find ourselves (if it's practical or possible to hear it where we find ourselves!).


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## josh23

bad baby said:


> I haven't got around to listening to all of your links, which is kind of ironic considering we were talking about these composers' massive outputs, while here I can't even find the time to listen to a fraction of them, if that.
> 
> Part of it may also be because Stravinsky (or Cage for that matter) is not one of the names that came up in my early music education - I never established any sort of familiarity with his works or his life, so he's never appealed to me as much as some of the others.
> Not sure if that's the reason, but I feel almost 'nostalgic' with certain composers, as if their music calls to mind memories that I haven't personally lived through:
> 
> The parts from Apollo do sound more to my liking, as does the opening to Orpheus - there's a kind of deep mystical quality to it, but then around 3 minutes in it reverts back to becoming distinctively 'Stravinskian' and I'm, like, wondering wtf just happened:
> 
> Around 8 or 9 minutes in the more sombre tone reminds me a little of the aria from Dido and Aeneas:
> 
> So much sadness in such a short piece. I've always thought it just incredible how many of these operatic tragedies are so private and seemingly unjustified in nature, and yet they evoke such universal human emotion and pathos.


Stravinsky is definitely unique and because of that not for everyone - but he's always going to be there to come back to and try again with :smile2:

Glad you mentioned Orpheus: been listening to it lately. As usual, first listen yielded little except the mesmerising opening and the part around 14 mins in and on. After four listens it all seemed great: but it's certainly very Stravinsky in its relatively objective and detached manner.

It really is incredible, as you say. I would listen to the part you linked but my ears have been aching lately (due to music) and I had a burst of Tinnitus. After looking it up I fear I may have damaged them over the years without knowing it. I hope this isn't the start of a downward slope for me and my ability to listen to/appreciate music, but some resources paint a fairly bleak picture :frown2: I don't know what I'd do without it. Many times I've only barely gotten through because of it. After only two days of avoiding it to give my ears a break (and having them ache when I put music on softly for even a few seconds) I'm feeling rather dejected and full of consternation.


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## HiddenFathoms

feel like there are strains of modern hip hop beat rhythms here? is that crazy? it's ALL about the diminuendo 








josh23 said:


> Good, good: appreciation I certainly have.
> 
> After a work like this I may contemplate, but it has generally spoken well enough (or perhaps I'm just mentally lazy!). Of course if the way you listen to music amplifies it for you then more power to ya (although you may only perceive it as an amplification; same for me but in the opposite way).


haha. good!

oh i don't wish to listen to music in this way at all. it doesn't amplify, it takes away. but the dance choreography or images just flood in and i have never found a way to make them stop or construct a mental dam.



josh23 said:


> Very good point and very well expressed :smile2: Along with this I'd say there's certainly music out there to mark or speak to pretty much anywhere we can find ourselves (if it's practical or possible to hear it where we find ourselves!).


thanks. i agree wholeheartedly with your point. music transports as effectively as smells can provide an instant travel port back to childhood. as re: your parenthesis...it's funny how awareness of these sorts of things sometimes only comes...down the road.


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## bad baby

@josh23 Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that! Do you typically use headphones or speakers? In any case, it's better to do without music for a while than to risk any sort of permanent damage. But if it's possible, it's always better to see a specialist about this instead of doing your own research, if you haven't done so already.

I've noticed my hearing has become slightly duller than when I was a kid. Oftentimes when I talk to someone soft-spoken in a public setting, it feels like I'm reading lips or something lol. I wonder if it's the effect of using in-ear headphones over the years. But anyway, hang in there!


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## Arbre




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## Arbre

Here's a more interesting interpretation of Mozart's Rondo Alla Turca.


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## josh23

bad baby said:


> @josh23 Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that! Do you typically use headphones or speakers? In any case, it's better to do without music for a while than to risk any sort of permanent damage. But if it's possible, it's always better to see a specialist about this instead of doing your own research, if you haven't done so already.
> 
> I've noticed my hearing has become slightly duller than when I was a kid. Oftentimes when I talk to someone soft-spoken in a public setting, it feels like I'm reading lips or something lol. I wonder if it's the effect of using in-ear headphones over the years. But anyway, hang in there!


I have to use headphones due to my living conditions, and when it happened my headphones were broken and so I was using the standard iPhone earphones in the meantime. Lesson learnt: these are apparently among the worst ways of listening to music if ear health is of any concern, especially if you don't know that this is the case.

Yeah that's what I'm doing: no music until I am sure about the best way to go about it. Better safe than sorry.

I'd advise you to also attempt to discover where you ears are at this point in time/any danger they might be in if you have noticed that about your hearing. It seems to me, based on my research and an initial visit to a GP, that it is a much greater issue than this generation of earphone users/amplified music realise. Whether you do or don't, all the best!


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## scarpia

Arbre said:


> Here's a more interesting interpretation of Mozart's Rondo


Arcadi Volodos' paraphrase on Mozart's "Turkish" Rondo is amazing. I heard pianist pianist Claire Huangci play it at a concert years ago. Here's the stunning Yuja Wang:






And here's Turkish composer Fazil Say's jazz/stride paraphrase that I heard last year with Claire Huangci playing:


----------



## Arbre

@scarpia Thanks for posting those. That piece was one of the first classical pieces I enjoyed way back when I was a teenager, so it has a kind of special meaning to me.


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## Arbre




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## Arbre




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## yeswedreamaboutyoufloyd




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## Arbre




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## Arbre




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## funnynihilist

Always glad to see this thread pop up!
I've been listening to Prokofiev Piano Sonatas lately.
John Adams, and some other modern music.
Recently picked up a CD of Mozart violin concertos(Oistrakh) for $1.50 at a local thrift store and looking forward to getting around to hearing that since I've never heard Oistrakh play Mozart before.


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## Arbre




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## Arbre




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## josh23

Back, after a few weeks with no music. I'm suffering from mild hyperacusis and have shelled out some money on an appointment with an audiologist, to make sure I go about it the right way. A couple of days ago I started listening to music again on far superior audio equipment as compared to before, but am starting slow: generally gentle music at low volumes.


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## funnynihilist

Sorry to hear about your plight.
Hope things get better soon!


----------



## scarpia

My cable company has a classical music channel. They play some pretty interesting stuff.

I know a lot of obscure composers, but not Edward Burlingame Hill. Now I do. Thank you Comcast.


----------



## crimsonpetal

Erik Satie's Gymnopedie No. 1


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## josh23

funnynihilist said:


> Sorry to hear about your plight.
> Hope things get better soon!


Thanks :smile2:

Glad to see you posting again in this thread! Hope you've been well.

Which Adams works, and which Prokofiev sonatas are you most drawn to? I don't know too much of their music but they are both of interest to me.


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## josh23




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## funnynihilist

josh23 said:


> Thanks :smile2:
> 
> Glad to see you posting again in this thread! Hope you've been well.
> 
> Which Adams works, and which Prokofiev sonatas are you most drawn to? I don't know too much of their music but they are both of interest to me.


Thanks!

The Adams is the CD:

Adams: Gnarly Buttons; John's Book Of Alleged Dances

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000006E4G/

Good music but best taken in small doses.

And the Prokofiev:

Prokofiev: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1,4 &6

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000028MG

Excellent music and playing. Prokofiev's music always strikes me as being a bit thorny but that is what gives these sonatas some added punch.


----------



## josh23

funnynihilist said:


> Thanks!
> 
> The Adams is the CD:
> 
> Adams: Gnarly Buttons; John's Book Of Alleged Dances
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000006E4G/
> 
> Good music but best taken in small doses.
> 
> And the Prokofiev:
> 
> Prokofiev: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1,4 &6
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000028MG
> 
> Excellent music and playing. Prokofiev's music always strikes me as being a bit thorny but that is what gives these sonatas some added punch.


I also have a single CD of Adams, containing the Chamber Symphony and the Grand Pianola Music: very enjoyable. I like that in these works (and a couple others I've heard) he doesn't give into the 'dichotomies of style' and tends to find a nice middle ground between hardcore minimalism and more conventional development; between 'high' and 'low' art; between the avant-garde and the reactionary. There is, of course, considerable merit and importance to the sides that his music takes that middle ground between: but a bridge like this is certainly important regarding the current state of things...

Prokofiev seems to be another example (to a lesser extent) of this. I plan to look into the 6th and 8th piano sonatas (I know the 7th but not these), as I'll be seeing them live next year. Do you like his Piano Concertos? I have the famous ones (2 and 3) and find them marvelous. Don't have much more (yet) of his considerable output. Tis fitting that your CD is with Bronfman on the keys as he was the performer in my first exposure to Prokofiev (PC # 2).


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## Arbre

@josh23 Hope your appointment goes well and that you'll be OK.


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## funnynihilist

josh23 said:


> I also have a single CD of Adams, containing the Chamber Symphony and the Grand Pianola Music: very enjoyable. I like that in these works (and a couple others I've heard) he doesn't give into the 'dichotomies of style' and tends to find a nice middle ground between hardcore minimalism and more conventional development; between 'high' and 'low' art; between the avant-garde and the reactionary. There is, of course, considerable merit and importance to the sides that his music takes that middle ground between: but a bridge like this is certainly important regarding the current state of things...
> 
> Prokofiev seems to be another example (to a lesser extent) of this. I plan to look into the 6th and 8th piano sonatas (I know the 7th but not these), as I'll be seeing them live next year. Do you like his Piano Concertos? I have the famous ones (2 and 3) and find them marvelous. Don't have much more (yet) of his considerable output. Tis fitting that your CD is with Bronfman on the keys as he was the performer in my first exposure to Prokofiev (PC # 2).


Very good analysis of Adams. It does seem as though he bridges a gap. There had been some post-modern music that is way too academic. Adams keeps it real. Though I heard a piece of his music on the radio earlier this year that was dreadful. Very dry. Can't remember what it was. I like some his orchestral pieces quite a bit especially "The Chairman Dances". It has a Philip Glass feel to it but more organic.

I haven't dove into the Prokofiev piano concertos too deeply yet though I do have Bronfman/Mehta 1,3 &5
And also Richter in the 5th and Argerich playing the 1st and 3rd.
Just haven't had time to listen to these much in depth but you have inspired me to do so this evening!
Listening to the Richter 5th right now and I have to say that Richter's aggressive playing is well suited to this music.


----------



## josh23

Arbre said:


> @josh23 Hope your appointment goes well and that you'll be OK.


Thanks mate: my appointment is tomorrow. I'll report anything noteworthy back to this thread 



funnynihilist said:


> Very good analysis of Adams. It does seem as though he bridges a gap. There had been some post-modern music that is way too academic. Adams keeps it real. Though I heard a piece of his music on the radio earlier this year that was dreadful. Very dry. Can't remember what it was. I like some his orchestral pieces quite a bit especially "The Chairman Dances". It has a Philip Glass feel to it but more organic.
> 
> I haven't dove into the Prokofiev piano concertos too deeply yet though I do have Bronfman/Mehta 1,3 &5
> And also Richter in the 5th and Argerich playing the 1st and 3rd.
> Just haven't had time to listen to these much in depth but you have inspired me to do so this evening!
> Listening to the Richter 5th right now and I have to say that Richter's aggressive playing is well suited to this music.


I personally only know the 2nd and 3rd Prok concertos: although I have seen an awesome video on youtube of him pounding away though a certain section of the fifth:






Pretty epic.

As for the third, it's pretty good and I especially like the final movement: just so overwhelmingly kinetic at certain points. Do give the 2nd a try at some point: the first movement has to be heard to be believed.


----------



## funnynihilist

josh23 said:


> Thanks mate: my appointment is tomorrow. I'll report anything noteworthy back to this thread
> 
> I personally only know the 2nd and 3rd Prok concertos: although I have seen an awesome video on youtube of him pounding away though a certain section of the fifth:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pretty epic.
> 
> As for the third, it's pretty good and I especially like the final movement: just so overwhelmingly kinetic at certain points. Do give the 2nd a try at some point: the first movement has to be heard to be believed.


Good ol' Richter! Someone once said "Richter doesn't just play the piano, he throws a piano leg at you"(or something like that). 
Point being that he plays with incredible passion.
Speaking of Richter have you ever heard his legendary Sofia recital?




Terrible sound but incredible piano playing.
Thanks for the tip about the 2nd, I will certainly give it a try!


----------



## Arbre




----------



## josh23

funnynihilist said:


> Good ol' Richter! Someone once said "Richter doesn't just play the piano, he throws a piano leg at you"(or something like that).
> Point being that he plays with incredible passion.
> Speaking of Richter have you ever heard his legendary Sofia recital?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Terrible sound but incredible piano playing.
> Thanks for the tip about the 2nd, I will certainly give it a try!


Sorry for the late reply I somehow completely missed this post.

I haven't heard this recital, but that Rachmaninoff you linked is certainly amazing playing. Really affecting swelling and surging, and masterful play with rhythm and dynamics...

I really do need to listen to more Richter: I only have two CD's of his: the Chopin one I mentioned awhile ago and one with him playing the Debussy Estampes and three Preludes, Prokofiev's 8th Piano Sonata, and Scriabin's 5th. I haven't even listened to the latter yet...

I will get right on that after my present preoccupation, which is going through my recordings of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas (Gilels and Barenboim). I haven't listened to these for awhile...too long, really. The early-mid ones are really good (the Appassionata has always been a favourite), but the late ones are truly miraculous and unique, despite how many followed in his footsteps. Some of my very favourite music...

Hope my suggestion for Prok #2 was a beneficial one!


----------



## Deaf Mute

Omg, I just recently discovered one of her piano trios (I only knew Robert's, and really loved his slow movement too) and I love the Andante... the beginning is so melancholic and becomes tragic when the cello enters... I wanna play it now! :eek


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## That Random Guy

*Beethoven*

Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13, Sonata Pathétique, II. Adagio cantabile﻿:


----------



## funnynihilist

josh23 said:


> Sorry for the late reply I somehow completely missed this post.
> 
> I haven't heard this recital, but that Rachmaninoff you linked is certainly amazing playing. Really affecting swelling and surging, and masterful play with rhythm and dynamics...
> 
> I really do need to listen to more Richter: I only have two CD's of his: the Chopin one I mentioned awhile ago and one with him playing the Debussy Estampes and three Preludes, Prokofiev's 8th Piano Sonata, and Scriabin's 5th. I haven't even listened to the latter yet...
> 
> I will get right on that after my present preoccupation, which is going through my recordings of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas (Gilels and Barenboim). I haven't listened to these for awhile...too long, really. The early-mid ones are really good (the Appassionata has always been a favourite), but the late ones are truly miraculous and unique, despite how many followed in his footsteps. Some of my very favourite music...
> 
> Hope my suggestion for Prok #2 was a beneficial one!


Yes, I like the late ones the best. Always been partial to number 30. In fact, I can play a good portion of the first movement in my mind since I've heard it so much.
Kempff is still my go to performer for the sonatas. At least as far as performers who did the whole cycle.
Which reminds me, kempff did two recordings of the complete sonatas. An early one in mono and a stereo one in the 60s. I only have stereo one and I need to hunt down that early one.
But back to the late sonatas, I always find them to be more relaxed. Someone also once referred to them as "cerebral".


----------



## josh23

funnynihilist said:


> Yes, I like the late ones the best. Always been partial to number 30. In fact, I can play a good portion of the first movement in my mind since I've heard it so much.
> Kempff is still my go to performer for the sonatas. At least as far as performers who did the whole cycle.
> Which reminds me, kempff did two recordings of the complete sonatas. An early one in mono and a stereo one in the 60s. I only have stereo one and I need to hunt down that early one.
> But back to the late sonatas, I always find them to be more relaxed. Someone also once referred to them as "cerebral".


30 is my favourite also: music doesn't get much better than the last few minutes. I haven't quite absorbed 28 and 29 but I like the former and find parts of the latter to be awe-inspiring. Just need a bit more time. It's far easier to get into the relatively short and concise 30 and 31 (I almost like 31 as much), but I feel as if I will exalt the Hammerklavier to the same degree in time. I like Op. 111 but not as much, despite its reputation.

I agree with the more relaxed idea. I'd say the difference is that the music is less rhetorical: it's like in the earlier music he is expressing something that he thinks he 'knows,' it's more unequivocally expressive in an external sense, while in the late works he's exploring what he himself isn't entirely sure of. The texture is often more conversational and ambiguous, streams of thought trying to find something. The middle movement of the Hammerklavier especially strikes me as almost stream of conciousness. Of course, being Beethoven, he subjects this searching quality to very tight formal procedures which always resolve these musings in such powerful and original ways. Perhaps some of the earlier works are the visceral experience, while the later ones are the inward journey toward acceptance and transcendence of that experience and its repercussions.

Or, of course, maybe it's all just purely musical exploration. "Some say this is Napoleon, some Hitler, some Mussolini. Bah! For me it is simply allegro con brio."

Now for thread duty, I've decided I generally prefer Gilels to Barenboim, so that's what I'll generally be linking :b


----------



## josh23

Deaf Mute said:


> Omg, I just recently discovered one of her piano trios (I only knew Robert's, and really loved his slow movement too) and I love the Andante... the beginning is so melancholic and becomes tragic when the cello enters... I wanna play it now! :eek


A warm welcome to both you and Clara to the thread :b Clara was extremely talented and one can only wonder what she would have accomplished if the times were a bit different as far as the place of women in society.

"I once believed that I possessed creative talent, but I have given up this idea; a woman must not desire to compose-there has never yet been one able to do it. Should I expect to be the one?"

And, from Robert:

"Clara has composed a series of small pieces, which show a musical and tender ingenuity such as she has never attained before. But to have children, and a husband who is always living in the realm of imagination, does not go together with composing. She cannot work at it regularly, and I am often disturbed to think how many profound ideas are lost because she cannot work them out."


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## josh23

That Random Guy said:


> Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13, Sonata Pathétique, II. Adagio cantabile﻿:


A beautiful movement. Have you heard the rest of the work? If not, I recommend it!


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## Arbre

Indian classical


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## funnynihilist

josh23 said:


> 30 is my favourite also: music doesn't get much better than the last few minutes. I haven't quite absorbed 28 and 29 but I like the former and find parts of the latter to be awe-inspiring. Just need a bit more time. It's far easier to get into the relatively short and concise 30 and 31 (I almost like 31 as much), but I feel as if I will exalt the Hammerklavier to the same degree in time. I like Op. 111 but not as much, despite its reputation.
> 
> I agree with the more relaxed idea. I'd say the difference is that the music is less rhetorical: it's like in the earlier music he is expressing something that he thinks he 'knows,' it's more unequivocally expressive in an external sense, while in the late works he's exploring what he himself isn't entirely sure of. The texture is often more conversational and ambiguous, streams of thought trying to find something. The middle movement of the Hammerklavier especially strikes me as almost stream of conciousness. Of course, being Beethoven, he subjects this searching quality to very tight formal procedures which always resolve these musings in such powerful and original ways. Perhaps some of the earlier works are the visceral experience, while the later ones are the inward journey toward acceptance and transcendence of that experience and its repercussions.
> 
> Or, of course, maybe it's all just purely musical exploration. "Some say this is Napoleon, some Hitler, some Mussolini. Bah! For me it is simply allegro con brio."
> 
> Now for thread duty, I've decided I generally prefer Gilels to Barenboim, so that's what I'll generally be linking :b


A very eloquently put analysis there, Josh!
I was listening to the 32nd last night and, although it my be my own mind transposing ideas on to Beethoven, I think I can detect a certain "world weariness" in that last sonata. Especially in the second movement.
Which seems ironic given that Beethoven's final symphony was themed on joy.
I've also been listening to the violin sonatas with Suk/Panenka lately which I find slightly more difficult to digest than the piano sonatas but still very good.


----------



## That Random Guy

*!*



josh23 said:


> A beautiful movement. Have you heard the rest of the work? If not, I recommend it!


I have not as of yet, but I'll definitely be getting into it soon. :grin2:


----------



## josh23

funnynihilist said:


> A very eloquently put analysis there, Josh!
> I was listening to the 32nd last night and, although it my be my own mind transposing ideas on to Beethoven, I think I can detect a certain "world weariness" in that last sonata. Especially in the second movement.
> Which seems ironic given that Beethoven's final symphony was themed on joy.
> I've also been listening to the violin sonatas with Suk/Panenka lately which I find slightly more difficult to digest than the piano sonatas but still very good.


I listened to Op. 111 today and I would have to agree, and then it seems to yearn for religious transcendence which is something I can't really connect with. Still very beautiful: I liked it more today than I usually do but still prefer 109/110. Despite the retrospective joy theme I think the 9th is similar to 111 (and many other works by the composer) in its outline of struggle to transcendence, although here it takes on a more human aspect.

I haven't heard the violin sonatas: indeed I haven't heard much from Beethoven other than the Piano Sonatas, Symphonies and Piano Concertos. Not even the string quartets! All in due time though.


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## josh23




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## Arbre




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## josh23

One of those works where Beethoven goes full genius mode...


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## Arbre

I never listened to Bach much before. I would listen to Glenn Gould play his pieces, but very rarely. In the past year or two I've really been getting into his music.


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## josh23

Tied as my current favourite Beethoven with Op. 109, and therefore one of my favourite works. This wasn't the case for awhile but this one has really grown on me, and I don't understand what I missed when I wasn't a huge fan.


----------



## josh23

But if I really had to choose one...


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## josh23

Went to a concert last night at the Sydney Opera House, including:

Sibelius Scene with Cranes

Brett Dean Fire Music

Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3

Brett Dean conducting, Piers Lane on the piano for the latter.

Loved it of course in spite of a few reservations, reservations that aren't worth expressing when all those involved are so dedicated to their craft. One I can express though is this: the acoustics at the opera house are, relatively speaking, quite dreadful. Still, had a great time.

Here is the Dean work, composed in 2011:






Good stuff, with sounds transmitted from various places around the hall as well as the stage in an attempt to give the impression of 'no escape.'


----------



## josh23

Got a new CD a couple of days ago of a set of 26 'meditations on Eric Satie' by the Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin, with Tamara Anna Cislowska on the keys. I hadn't heard any of her music but had recently read a few articles on her and this CD was selling very well. I honestly didn't expect to enjoy the CD too much with its minimalistic music and descriptive titles, but I found myself rather impressed. True, 76 minutes of quiet, often quite repetitive music can and did get rather monotonous and the movements seemed rather uneven in inspiration, but I found quite a bit of it to be wonderfully poignant. I will check out more of her music, starting with another CD of her piano music that I decided to withhold from buying until I knew more. I am also very thankful for Anna Cislowkas unceasing championing of Australian composers and her playing is always illuminating.

My two favourite movements:


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## Arbre

I like Gould's clear sound. He has one of my favourite sounds.


----------



## funnynihilist

josh23 said:


> Got a new CD a couple of days ago of a set of 26 'meditations on Eric Satie' by the Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin, with Tamara Anna Cislowska on the keys. I hadn't heard any of her music but had recently read a few articles on her and this CD was selling very well. I honestly didn't expect to enjoy the CD too much with its minimalistic music and descriptive titles, but I found myself rather enjoying it. True, 76 minutes of quiet, often quite repetitive music can and did get rather monotonous and the movements seemed rather uneven in inspiration, but I found quite a bit of it to be wonderfully poignant. I will check out more of her music, starting with another CD of her piano music that I decided to withhold from buying until I knew more. I am also very thankful for Anna Cislowkas unceasing championing of Australian composers and her playing is always illuminating.
> 
> My two favourite movements:


Very interesting concept! Thanks for mentioning this, Josh.
How do you feel about Satie himself? I like him in small doses. He was a very interesting man.


----------



## josh23

funnynihilist said:


> Very interesting concept! Thanks for mentioning this, Josh.
> How do you feel about Satie himself? I like him in small doses. He was a very interesting man.


I don't know much about him or his music. I have one CD titled 'Piano Dreams,' with Pascal Roge playing, that I haven't listened to in ages. I remember liking it, from the ubiquitous Gymnopedies/Gnossiennes to 'Je te Voux' and one of his Nocturnes; I also remember chuckling while listening to his Sonatine Bureaucratique with the score (with commentary by the composer, apparently something he does frequently). Overall he's a composer that I definitely have an interest in and will explore in due time, but haven't quite gotten to it yet. Looking at his catalogue of works there's a lot that looks intriguing: what are some of your favourites by him? He seems like one of the most interesting composers as far as his personality and ideas...


----------



## funnynihilist

josh23 said:


> I don't know much about him or his music. I have one CD titled 'Piano Dreams,' with Pascal Roge playing, that I haven't listened to in ages. I remember liking it, from the ubiquitous Gymnopedies/Gnossiennes to 'Je te Voux' and one of his Nocturnes; I also remember chuckling while listening to his Sonatine Bureaucratique with the score (with commentary by the composer, apparently something he does frequently). Overall he's a composer that I definitely have an interest in and will explore in due time, but haven't quite gotten to it yet. Looking at his catalogue of works there's a lot that looks intriguing: what are some of your favourites by him? He seems like one of the most interesting composers as far as his personality and ideas...


That's a good question Josh. Other than the Gymnopedies much of his music blends together for me into a whole. Lol.
I do have the Aldo Ciccolini set but I haven't listened to it for so long. 
I do remember there being moments of brilliance mixed with more grating po pieces.
This has inspired me to give my set another listen!
I also recently picked up a CD of Robert and Gaby Casadeus playing Morceaux en forme de poire but I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet.


----------



## josh23

Hadn't yet heard this wonderful recording: certainly one of the best I've heard.


----------



## josh23

funnynihilist said:


> That's a good question Josh. Other than the Gymnopedies much of his music blends together for me into a whole. Lol.
> I do have the Aldo Ciccolini set but I haven't listened to it for so long.
> I do remember there being moments of brilliance mixed with more grating po pieces.
> This has inspired me to give my set another listen!
> I also recently picked up a CD of Robert and Gaby Casadeus playing Morceaux en forme de poire but I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet.


Your impressions are similar to mine.

I love some of the titles of his works: the one you mentioned; Embryons desséchés ("Desiccated embryos"); Préludes flasques (pour un chien) - Flabby Preludes (For a Dog); Choses vues à droite et à gauche (sans lunettes) - Things Seen Right-to-Left (Without Glasses).

And performance directions such as: Like a nightingale with a toothache; Provide yourself with shrewdness; Open your head; In a very particular way; Moderately, I insist; Don't eat too much; With conviction and a rigorous sadness; With a healthy superiority; Do not cough; Go away.

What a guy.

Tell me what you think of your re-listen


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## Arbre

Some Franz Liszt. He's one of my favourite composers.


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## josh23

Arbre said:


> Some Franz Liszt. He's one of my favourite composers.


Great choices  Liszt is one of my favourites also: indeed he was my absolute favourite composer for a few years when I was starting out with classical music. Because of this I'm familiar with most of his (enormous) output. I have the 99CD box of his complete solo piano music along with probably 25 other CD's of his music, by far the most I have of any composer. He wrote a very large amount of fantastic music, along with being a great pianist, teacher, conductor, as well as a minor author, organist, philanthropist, and abbe. All in one life!


----------



## Arbre

josh23 said:


> Great choices  Liszt is one of my favourites also: indeed he was my absolute favourite composer for a few years when I was starting out with classical music. Because of this I'm familiar with most of his (enormous) output. I have the 99CD box of his complete solo piano music along with probably 25 other CD's of his music, by far the most I have of any composer. He wrote a very large amount of fantastic music, along with being a great pianist, teacher, conductor, as well as a minor author, organist, philanthropist, and abbe. All in one life!


He became one of my favourite composers when I first started listening to classical music. Back then I usually listened to pieces played on piano, and I liked his works played on piano. Who is your current favourite composer?


----------



## josh23

Arbre said:


> He became one of my favourite composers when I first started listening to classical music. Back then I usually listened to pieces played on piano, and I liked his works played on piano. Who is your current favourite composer?


Yep same for me: probably 95% of my listening was of piano music as that's how I got into classical: as a pianist. I don't think I have a current favourite but the composers I've enjoyed the most the last couple years or so are, in chronological order: Beethoven (especially for the late piano sonatas and the Appassionata); Berlioz (especially for his Requiem, Romeo et Juliette, La Damnation de Faust and lately Les Troyens); Liszt (especially for his Piano Sonata, Variations on Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, Annees de Pelerinage and certain songs (voice/piano)); Richard Strauss (especially for his Tod und Verklärung, Alpine Symphony, Metamorphosen and Four Last Songs); Stravinsky (especially for Le Sacre du printemps, Apollo, Pulcinella, Symphony of Psalms).

Then just below these are Chopin (various works, here and there), Schumann (Fantasy in C, Kreisleriana, Kinderszenen), Brahms (2nd Piano Concerto, some a capella choral works), Tchaikovsky (6th Symphony especially, but also the 5th Symphony), Debussy (Images (piano), Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, Nocturnes), Sibelius (Symphony No. 7, Tapiola, Lemminkäinen Suite), Rachmaninoff (Isle of the Dead, Symphonic Dances).

So very heavy on the Romanticism, but it is that way simply because that era was the one that drew me into classical in the first place and only lately have I been branching out to the other styles (and loving them).

How about you?


----------



## Arbre

josh23 said:


> Yep same for me: probably 95% of my listening was of piano music as that's how I got into classical: as a pianist. I don't think I have a current favourite but the composers I've enjoyed the most the last couple years or so are, in chronological order: Beethoven (especially for the late piano sonatas and the Appassionata); Berlioz (especially for his Requiem, Romeo et Juliette, La Damnation de Faust and lately Les Troyens); Liszt (especially for his Piano Sonata, Variations on Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, Annees de Pelerinage and certain songs (voice/piano)); Richard Strauss (especially for his Tod und Verklärung, Alpine Symphony, Metamorphosen and Four Last Songs); Stravinsky (especially for Le Sacre du printemps, Apollo, Pulcinella, Symphony of Psalms).
> 
> Then just below these are Chopin (various works, here and there), Schumann (Fantasy in C, Kreisleriana, Kinderszenen), Brahms (2nd Piano Concerto, some a capella choral works), Tchaikovsky (6th Symphony especially, but also the 5th Symphony), Debussy (Images (piano), Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, Nocturnes), Sibelius (Symphony No. 7, Tapiola, Lemminkäinen Suite), Rachmaninoff (Isle of the Dead, Symphonic Dances).
> 
> So very heavy on the Romanticism, but it is that way simply because that era was the one that drew me into classical in the first place and only lately have I been branching out to the other styles (and loving them).
> 
> How about you?


Out of those, I know Beethoven, Liszt, Strauss, Stravinsky, Chopin, Schumann, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Debussy. I like all of them. Don't know the others, but I've seen Rachmaninoff posted on classical music YouTube channels. Never listened to him, though.

I wouldn't be able to pick a single favourite either. Right now I like John Cage, Bela Bartok, Schoenberg, and Stravinsky the most. But I also love Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, Satie, etc. I've always loved the romantic period too, and also classical from the 20th century. Now I've been getting more into more experimental classical like Cage (I always liked his work before though) and Xenakis.


----------



## josh23

Arbre said:


> Out of those, I know Beethoven, Liszt, Strauss, Stravinsky, Chopin, Schumann, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Debussy. I like all of them. Don't know the others, but I've seen Rachmaninoff posted on classical music YouTube channels. Never listened to him, though.
> 
> I wouldn't be able to pick a single favourite either. Right now I like John Cage, Bela Bartok, Schoenberg, and Stravinsky the most. But I also love Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, Satie, etc. I've always loved the romantic period too, and also classical from the 20th century. Now I've been getting more into more experimental classical like Cage (I always liked his work before though) and Xenakis.


I think if you like Tchaikovsky, Liszt and Strauss then Rachmaninoff could be to your liking, but not necessarily: he really wears his gloomy heart on his sleeve in a way that isn't for everyone. All very well made though...

Good stuff  I'm glad you took to the Xenakis recommendation. Of those at the top for you (other than Stravinsky) I'm most familiar with Bartok by far (but still not that much). I listened to some of his piano music a couple of days ago (Out of doors, Burlesques, book 6 of Mikrokosmos, Hungarian Peasant Songs, the Suite (all with Tiberghien) and first two Piano Concertos (Pollini/Abbado): great music. Especially enjoyed Out of doors. I like pretty much everything I've heard from him but can't call him a favourite yet.

Speaking of Rachmaninoff, today I listened to his first Piano Sonata (which seemed to be a real find but I need to assimilate it more) and his Op. 32 preludes both for the first time in full (although I knew excerpts of the latter), both played magnificently (especially the Sonata) by Santiago Rodriguez. My favourite piece of the day was this one:


----------



## Arbre

josh23 said:


> I think if you like Tchaikovsky, Liszt and Strauss then Rachmaninoff could be to your liking, but not necessarily: he really wears his gloomy heart on his sleeve in a way that isn't for everyone. All very well made though...
> 
> Good stuff  I'm glad you took to the Xenakis recommendation. Of those at the top for you (other than Stravinsky) I'm most familiar with Bartok by far (but still not that much). I listened to some of his piano music a couple of days ago (Out of doors, Burlesques, book 6 of Mikrokosmos, Hungarian Peasant Songs, the Suite (all with Tiberghien) and first two Piano Concertos (Pollini/Abbado): great music. Especially enjoyed Out of doors. I like pretty much everything I've heard from him but can't call him a favourite yet.
> 
> Speaking of Rachmaninoff, today I listened to his first Piano Sonata (which seemed to be a real find but I need to assimilate it more) and his Op. 32 preludes both for the first time in full (although I knew excerpts of the latter), both played magnificently (especially the Sonata) by Santiago Rodriguez. My favourite piece of the day was this one:


I'll listen to this Rachmaninoff piece and will look up more of his work. If his music is gloomy, I might like that.

I did like Xenakis quite a bit. I still have to listen to more of the other composers you recommended a while back.

Bartok's String Quartet No. 4 is my favourite of his:


----------



## josh23

Arbre said:


> I'll listen to this Rachmaninoff piece and will look up more of his work. If his music is gloomy, I might like that.


My saying he really wears his 'gloomy heart on his sleeve' was perhaps a bit misleading the way I left it. Yes his music often contains a lot of melancholy/gloom but many of his major works strive to overcome this and succeed in doing so. It's also more multi-dimensional than suggested and he wrote works of fairly diverse moods/characters, but one thing that's very consistent is that he's one of the most subjective composers. As he said, "I compose music because I must give expression to my feelings, just as I talk because I must give utterance to my thoughts." Anyway, I don't really need to explain it because the music will do the talking if you decide to partake :b

Edit: Just listened to the Bartok quartet. Wow, really quite amazing music. Thanks!


----------



## Arbre

@josh23 I liked that Rachmaninoff piece you posted, so I'll have to listen to his music now. Glad you liked that Bartok quartet.


----------



## Rococo

I'm a devout enthusiast of classical music, I used to play the piano and write music (I'm planning on starting again), and I met one of my best classical music friends here on this site a little over 3 years ago.


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## josh23

Arbre said:


> @josh23 I liked that Rachmaninoff piece you posted, so I'll have to listen to his music now. Glad you liked that Bartok quartet.


Glad to hear it :smile2:

Just so happens that this focus on Rachmaninoff is coinciding with me listening to his piano music. I listened to his two sets of Etudes Tableaux today, played by Lugansky, and I feel as if these are my favourite of his piano works. Two examples:


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## josh23

Rococo said:


> I'm a devout enthusiast of classical music, I used to play the piano and write music (I'm planning on starting again), and I met one of my best classical music friends here on this site a little over 3 years ago.


Welcome, great to have you here  Who/what are your favourite composers/works? Cool that you used to play the piano (and write music, but I can't really relate to that :b) as I did myself, unsure if I'll get back into it though...


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## josh23




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## Arbre

@josh23 I listened to those three Rachmaninoff pieces you posted and liked them. He might be another composer I like.


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## Rococo

josh23 said:


> Welcome, great to have you here  Who/what are your favourite composers/works? Cool that you used to play the piano (and write music, but I can't really relate to that :b) as I did myself, unsure if I'll get back into it though...


I started really liking baroque keyboard music, partially under the influence of my friend from this site....I feel especially drawn to Couperin as well as Rameau, Purcell, J.S. Bach, Buxtehude........before that, Ravel and Wagner were two of my favorites. But I really love the Mexican composers like Chavez, Revueltas and Arturo Marquez. William Walton's another favorite of mine.

Fun fact, I saw Nikolai Lugansky perform once.


----------



## josh23

Rococo said:


> I started really liking baroque keyboard music, partially under the influence of my friend from this site....I feel especially drawn to Couperin as well as Rameau, Purcell, J.S. Bach, Buxtehude........before that, Ravel and Wagner were two of my favorites. But I really love the Mexican composers like Chavez, Revueltas and Arturo Marquez. William Walton's another favorite of mine.
> 
> Fun fact, I saw Nikolai Lugansky perform once.


Well be sure to post some of these works, as this thread is rather light on anything before the 1800s/music by Mexican composers! I plan to look further into the Baroque period myself (and the medieval/renaissance). Over 1000 years of music and I've hardly looked into anything before (and around) Bach...Rather silly.

Ah fantastic. What did he play? The Etudes Tableaux recording I mentioned was the first time I heard him play and I was very impressed. Do you go to concerts often?


----------



## josh23

Arbre said:


> @josh23 I listened to those three Rachmaninoff pieces you posted and liked them. He might be another composer I like.


Glad to hear it


----------



## Rococo

josh23 said:


> Well be sure to post some of these works, as this thread is rather light on anything before the 1800s/music by Mexican composers! I plan to look further into the Baroque period myself (and the medieval/renaissance). Over 1000 years of music and I've hardly looked into anything before (and around) Bach...Rather silly.
> 
> Ah fantastic. What did he play? The Etudes Tableaux recording I mentioned was the first time I heard him play and I was very impressed. Do you go to concerts often?


I know he played Rachmaninov and I think it was either some of his preludes or etudes. The recital was in a banquet hall in a huge, fancy hotel near where I lived and there was a kitchen with people working in it adjacent....in the silence in between two pieces I heard something CRASH on the floor of the kitchen and some guy working in there shout "EVERY f$&kin' DAY!!"


----------



## josh23

Rococo said:


> I know he played Rachmaninov and I think it was either some of his preludes or etudes. The recital was in a banquet hall in a huge, fancy hotel near where I lived and there was a kitchen with people working in it adjacent....in the silence in between two pieces I heard something CRASH on the floor of the kitchen and some guy working in there shout "EVERY f$&kin' DAY!!"


:clap well humour is not something Rachmaninoff's music has much of so I guess that's quite ideal


----------



## Rococo

Here are some 'essentials' according to my taste:






Landowska is largely to credit with that I have had a surge of interest in baroque music. I really did not like Bach much previously, but her playing has been an awakening. The colorful deluxe-style harpsichord she uses really brings the music to life in my view, with its awesome variation of sound. This is her playing Rameau.






Sensemaya by Revueltas is probably my single favorite piece and I think Salonen did a really good version. I think it's a great musical idiom that Revueltas wrote in for this piece.


----------



## josh23

Rococo said:


> Here are some 'essentials' according to my taste:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Landowska is largely to credit with that I have had a surge of interest in baroque music. I really did not like Bach much previously, but her playing has been an awakening. The colorful deluxe-style harpsichord she uses really brings the music to life in my view, with its awesome variation of sound. This is her playing Rameau.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sensemaya by Revueltas is probably my single favorite piece and I think Salonen did a really good version. I think it's a great musical idiom that Revueltas wrote in for this piece.


An error occured so I can't watch the videos, and as I'm quoting this I realise why: when you click on the youtube icon you only put the number after 'watch?v' in rather than the whole link, so for the first one it will be [ youtube ] -c5rM!kxrXM [ youtube] (without spaces). 
I did the same thing when I was starting out on here at. I'll do them below.

Listening to the Rameau my first impression was: I've never heard a harpsichord sound like that! Almost Organ like, very interesting. Highly enjoyable music and excellent playing. I remember an acquaintance of mine insisting (to anyone that would listen) that Rameau was at _least_ the equivalent of Bach, and so he was going to be one of the first composers I explored when I looked further into Baroque music. This was a good start :smile2:

I'd never heard anything at all by Revueltas but I enjoyed this work for its rhythmic and dramatic qualities -can definitely hear the influence of The Rite of Spring- and its buildup of intensity. Great stuff!


----------



## Rococo

josh23 said:


> An error occured so I can't watch the videos, and as I'm quoting this I realise why: when you click on the youtube icon you only put the number after 'watch?v' in rather than the whole link, so for the first one it will be [ youtube ] -c5rM!kxrXM [ youtube] (without spaces).
> I did the same thing when I was starting out on here at. I'll do them below.
> 
> Listening to the Rameau my first impression was: I've never heard a harpsichord sound like that! Almost Organ like, very interesting. Highly enjoyable music and excellent playing. I remember an acquaintance of mine insisting (to anyone that would listen) that Rameau was at _least_ the equivalent of Bach, and so he was going to be one of the first composers I explored when I looked further into Baroque music. This was a good start :smile2:
> 
> I'd never heard anything at all by Revueltas but I enjoyed this work for its rhythmic and dramatic qualities -can definitely hear the influence of The Rite of Spring- and its buildup of intensity. Great stuff!


Thanks regarding youtube, I'll try to make it work next time.

I can't recommend enough Landowska's Bach, especially Well-Tempered Clavier, which I used to find very boring and dry....I still have preludes and fugues that I prefer over others in that work but before Landowska I barely liked any of it at all.

For Rameau.....this a minor suite isn't played on the same kind of harpsichord as Landowska but Scott Ross definitely had a great way of playing it. George Malcolm also plays it on a more colorful harpsichord like Landowska, but he doesn't take the repeats, which I find disappointing, because as Liszt said, "What is beautiful, must be repeated." It's a little long and I think I'd like it better on the more deluxe-style harpsichord but the performer here I think conveys the spirit of the music the best.






You might want to also check out Couperin. Here's George Malcolm who I mentioned earlier. The first 25 mins or so of this video are his B minor suite #8, which is one of his best IMO. He also plays the same Rameau as above later on in the video.






I think Couperin's music takes a totally different listening ability than Bach. Landowska described Couperin as being an indirect or 'subconscious' composer while Bach is more direct. I think Couperin's music is of great taste and elegance.

Here's a piece from Carlos Chavez that is worth listening to. This music is kind of similar in conception to Revueltas' but Chavez is a more restrained character. Warning: The piccolo on this piece goes high.


----------



## josh23

Rococo said:


> Thanks regarding youtube, I'll try to make it work next time.
> 
> I can't recommend enough Landowska's Bach, especially Well-Tempered Clavier, which I used to find very boring and dry....I still have preludes and fugues that I prefer over others in that work but before Landowska I barely liked any of it at all.
> 
> For Rameau.....this a minor suite isn't played on the same kind of harpsichord as Landowska but Scott Ross definitely had a great way of playing it. George Malcolm also plays it on a more colorful harpsichord like Landowska, but he doesn't take the repeats, which I find disappointing, because as Liszt said, "What is beautiful, must be repeated." It's a little long and I think I'd like it better on the more deluxe-style harpsichord but the performer here I think conveys the spirit of the music the best.
> 
> You might want to also check out Couperin. Here's George Malcolm who I mentioned earlier. The first 25 mins or so of this video are his B minor suite #8, which is one of his best IMO. He also plays the same Rameau as above later on in the video.
> 
> I think Couperin's music takes a totally different listening ability than Bach. Landowska described Couperin as being an indirect or 'subconscious' composer while Bach is more direct. I think Couperin's music is of great taste and elegance.
> 
> Here's a piece from Carlos Chavez that is worth listening to. This music is kind of similar in conception to Revueltas' but Chavez is a more restrained character. Warning: The piccolo on this piece goes high.


That Rameau suite was magnificent, perhaps the most I've ever enjoyed anything from the Baroque era. The elaborate ornamentation, the overt expressiveness (often quite melancholy), and the sheer dramatic sweep of some parts all makes it a very good entry for someone like me who loves Romantic era piano music. I listened to both recordings and definitely preferred the Haas, although it seems to me mainly a matter of taste. Malcolm's playing is 'cleaner' and much more moderate in ornamentation, which is fine, but I prefer Haas' more passionate approach.

I didn't like the Couperin quite as much, which isn't to say I didn't like it a lot -I did- it's just I LOVED the Rameau. With the Couperin it grew on me as I went along (I see what you mean about taking a different listening ability), and I'm sure repeated listening will be rewarded.

The Chavez work was very charming in its faux-privitism, managing to be both mellifluous and engaging at the same time. I do enjoy that sort of thing...

Thanks for all these!


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## josh23

I finally listened to my Richter CD with him playing Debussy, Scriabin and Prokofiev. Great playing throughout although the coughing/heavy breathing got a tad annoying. I need to get to know the Scriabin/Prokofiev works better, but I know the Debussy pieces quite well. He played one of my favourite -Pagodes- quite a bit slower than I'm used to but it was spellbinding all the same.


----------



## Rococo

josh23 said:


> That Rameau suite was magnificent, perhaps the most I've ever enjoyed anything from the Baroque era. The elaborate ornamentation, the overt expressiveness (often quite melancholy), and the sheer dramatic sweep of some parts all makes it a very good entry for someone like me who loves Romantic era piano music. I listened to both recordings and definitely preferred the Haas, although it seems to me mainly a matter of taste. Malcolm's playing is 'cleaner' and much more moderate in ornamentation, which is fine, but I prefer Haas' more passionate approach.
> 
> I didn't like the Couperin quite as much, which isn't to say I didn't like it a lot -I did- it's just I LOVED the Rameau. With the Couperin it grew on me as I went along (I see what you mean about taking a different listening ability), and I'm sure repeated listening will be rewarded.
> 
> The Chavez work was very charming in its faux-privitism, managing to be both mellifluous and engaging at the same time. I do enjoy that sort of thing...
> 
> Thanks for all these!





josh23 said:


> I finally listened to my Richter CD with him playing Debussy, Scriabin and Prokofiev. Great playing throughout although the coughing/heavy breathing got a tad annoying. I need to get to know the Scriabin/Prokofiev works better, but I know the Debussy pieces quite well. He played one of my favourite -Pagodes- quite a bit slower than I'm used to but it was spellbinding all the same.


I agree with your assessment of Haas/ Malcolm's playing of Rameau. I also really liked the Debussy piece.....I've heard it before but I never really 'listened' to it, as is often the case with me.....I usually find that I like Ravel a lot more than Debussy generally speaking but that piece felt just right.

Here are some more composers that I think people should know about:

I don't think this piece is the best introduction to his music but this is a really good performance:






I think William Walton is a composer of great brilliance, even though the opening movement of his 1st symphony might actually be better than this one in some ways, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to find a performance of it I liked on youtube (some of them seem to not quite have the gutsiness that is essential to Walton's music.) His marches all sound the same but that's a good thing because they're great.






Buxtehude is definitely much more than a mentor to Bach, but a composer of undeniable greatness. In many instances I probably prefer Buxtehude's music to Bach's, though some of that might just be Bach being drilled into everyone's mind to the point that a lot of it can sound mundane....perhaps that's why Buxtehude's music has so much character...it's similar to Bach but different enough that it doesn't have the same over-familiarity.


----------



## funnynihilist

josh23 said:


> I finally listened to my Richter CD with him playing Debussy, Scriabin and Prokofiev. Great playing throughout although the coughing/heavy breathing got a tad annoying. I need to get to know the Scriabin/Prokofiev works better, but I know the Debussy pieces quite well. He played one of my favourite -Pagodes- quite a bit slower than I'm used to but it was spellbinding all the same.


I read somewhere that Richter preferred to play in small venues and that is why his live recordings are marred with up close crowd noises.


----------



## josh23

Rococo said:


> I agree with your assessment of Haas/ Malcolm's playing of Rameau. I also really liked the Debussy piece.....I've heard it before but I never really 'listened' to it, as is often the case with me.....I usually find that I like Ravel a lot more than Debussy generally speaking but that piece felt just right.
> 
> Here are some more composers that I think people should know about:
> 
> I don't think this piece is the best introduction to his music but this is a really good performance:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think William Walton is a composer of great brilliance, even though the opening movement of his 1st symphony might actually be better than this one in some ways, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to find a performance of it I liked on youtube (some of them seem to not quite have the gutsiness that is essential to Walton's music.) His marches all sound the same but that's a good thing because they're great.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Buxtehude is definitely much more than a mentor to Bach, but a composer of undeniable greatness. In many instances I probably prefer Buxtehude's music to Bach's, though some of that might just be Bach being drilled into everyone's mind to the point that a lot of it can sound mundane....perhaps that's why Buxtehude's music has so much character...it's similar to Bach but different enough that it doesn't have the same over-familiarity.


Forgive me for my late reply, as I've had a lot on my mind the last few days and spent my time acting on my preoccupations...

I enjoyed that Walton piece, another composer I've heard nothing from. Very colourful music: 'brilliance' was a good choice of words. Yet another 20th composer to I need to explore  There are so many fantastic 20th century composers that it's hard to make room for them all...

The Buxtehude works struck me, on first impression, as being less elaborate than some of his contemporaries, but I don't mean this in a negative way: the music has a wonderful directness of expression. Beethoven's words about Handel come to mind: "Go to him to learn how to achieve great effects, by such simple means." I enjoyed all of the works from the video.


----------



## coeur_brise

Man, this is some advanced stuff. I just stick to the classics and since winter/Christmas is fast approaching.





That harp in the beginning.


----------



## Omni-slash

Only Liszt can shred with a piano. Ingenious contrast with his other work.


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## josh23

Siegfried said:


> Only Liszt can shred with a piano. Ingenious contrast with his other work.


I've always loved Totentanz. Have you heard his Dante Sonata? Another rather devilish work (Liszt has a few of them) (this isn't my favourite recording but it plays up some of these aspects).






Also, this is my favourite Totentanz performance (although I undoubtedly need to hear more):


----------



## Omni-slash

josh23 said:


> I've always loved Totentanz. Have you heard his Dante Sonata? Another rather devilish work (Liszt has a few of them) (this isn't my favourite recording but it plays up some of these aspects).
> 
> Also, this is my favourite Totentanz performance (although I undoubtedly need to hear more):


Certainly have. Liszt was a genius, thought I still prefer Shostakovich if I'm looking for that sinister vibe. Prokofiev is also good.


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## Rococo

I love Scythian Suite, I think it is the best Prokofiev, though I admit I am not a aficionado of prokofiev.


----------



## josh23

Siegfried said:


> Certainly have. Liszt was a genius, thought I still prefer Shostakovich if I'm looking for that sinister vibe. Prokofiev is also good.


Agreed. I find that 20th century composers (and 21st) are far better than the 19th at such things (for many reasons). Penderecki and Bartok also deserve a mention.


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## josh23

Was in Sydney the last few days, mainly in order to see two concerts. They were:

Shostakovich Cello Concerto #1
Shostakovich Symphony #8

SSO, Ashkenazy conducting, Daniel Muller-Schott the soloist in the concerto (at the Opera house)

Then Alexander Gavrylyuk at City Recital Hall, playing:

Bach/Busoni Toccata & Fugue in D Minor
Haydn Piano Sonata Hob.XVI:32
Chopin Etudes Op. 10 No's 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Scriabin Piano Sonata #5
Rachmaninoff Preludes Op. 23 No's 1, 5; Op. 32 No. 12
Rachmaninoff Piano Sonata No. 2 (1931 ver)

Encore: Rachmaninoff Vocalise (unsure whose arrangement...)

Both were good. Was the best I'd seen the SSO play and this is likely because I usually see them with guest conductors, while Ashkenazy was the principal from 2009-2013 and is a bit of a Shostakovich specialist. I'm not a huge fan of either work (I find the 8th runs out of steam following its magnificent first movement, making its length a problem (although this could just be my lack of a developed attention span), while I find the Cello Concerto to be merely 'pretty good'), but the performances were exceptional... 

The real treat was the piano recital. I've seen Gavrylyuk three times now and he has greatly impressed me every time with his impeccably controlled but exceptionally dramatic playing. Combine that with a great program that he obviously has a real affinity for and it all makes for a great night out. I also waited afterwards for him to sign my CD and shook his hand as he, grinning ear-to-ear, charmingly made my asinine compliments seem somewhat meaningful.


----------



## Arbre

I haven't seen Brahms posted much in this thread.


----------



## Overdrive




----------



## Eternal Solitude




----------



## Overdrive




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## Arbre




----------



## Arbre

I like this one.


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## Arbre




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## Arbre




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## Arbre




----------



## DruidAvenger

Nice thread. Thank-you. I'm a huge baroque fan, before any other genre music really. Albinoni, JS Bach, CPE Bach, Vivaldi, Telemann, Haydn, Handel....


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## josh23




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## funnynihilist

I find it interesting how any complete set of Bach's Cello Suites on vinyl is now worth decent money, sometimes into the thousands.

Edit: check out these prices!

https://www.popsike.com/php/m-quick...cr=&sortord=dprice&thumbs=&currsel=&pagenum=1


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## josh23




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## funnynihilist

Listened to Brahms piano quartet no 3 "Werther" last. Supposedly Brahms was deeply depressed when he wrote that piece and even made notes on the score that he sent to his publisher pointing that out.
If you like your classical on the dark side then give that a listen.


----------



## abiologicalblunder

Shostakovitch Strong Quartet No. 8. I'd post a link but can't do so just yet due to my low post count. I can't imagine a casual listener of classical music appreciating this dissonant masterpiece.


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## funnynihilist

abiologicalblunder said:


> Shostakovitch Strong Quartet No. 8. I'd post a link but can't do so just yet due to my low post count. I can't imagine a casual listener of classical music appreciating this dissonant masterpiece.


That is a good one! Now you've inspired me to go back and revisit Shosty's SQs. Its been a while.


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## josh23




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## josh23




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## josh23




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## coeur_brise

Im getting into violin but as I listen to classical music more, i hesitate to jump in due to the techniques of every musician. That said, any violin music recommendation would be very much welcome.






Technicality A+. Dem harmonics tho!





I like this version. it's a lot dancy-er, if that's even a word.


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## Arbre




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## josh23




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## Arbre

One of my favourite Rachmaninoff pieces.


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## funnynihilist

This will cure your winter blues! Not!
But I do find it oddly comforting.
I go between Hotter and Fischer-Dieskau for this work with the Hotter being more somber and comforting and the Fischer-Dieskau being the more dramatic and desperate. 
It is 4 degrees F as I write this, there could not be more fitting music lol.


----------



## josh23

Arbre said:


> One of my favourite Rachmaninoff pieces.


Tis a good one. Very few composers got as much out of a piano as Rachmaninoff.



funnynihilist said:


> It is 4 degrees F as I write this, there could not be more fitting music lol.


Ouch :blank


----------



## Arbre

josh23 said:


> Tis a good one. Very few composers got as much out of a piano as Rachmaninoff.


I should have started listening to Rachmaninoff a long time ago.


----------



## Arbre

Some more Rachmaninoff.


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## funnynihilist

Dreamy, brooding, melancholic, almost resigned...


----------



## thinkstoomuch103

Thank goodness for this Thread!!

Intermezzo Cavalleria Rusticana..

Intermezzo Notre Dame 

Mozart's Requiem Lacrimosa


----------



## funnynihilist

https://i.imgur.com/VK0k3Nh.jpg

Recent thrift store find. Made in England. Recorded in Paris. Super heavy vinyl, beautiful jacket. I'm guessing this record is from the early 50s?
Have only listened to a few minutes of it but the collegium pro arte seems more than competent in these works.
It's also worth mentioning that finding chamber music from this period of vinyl history is kind of rare. Seems that the big symphonies are mainly what were being recorded at that time.


----------



## abiologicalblunder

Ravel - Daphnis et Chloe

The sheer beauty of this composition can't be overstated.


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## Arbre




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## Arbre




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## josh23




----------



## funnynihilist

Grimaud looks like she is ready to join the zombie apocalypse on the cover of this cd but this is a great piece of modern piano music.


----------



## A SAD Finn

Baroque and romantic music in particular. I love the pipe organ especially. Fortunate to live next to one of Finland's best concert halls. I saw Beethoven's 9th symphony there just before Christmas. That was pretty awesome!


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## Overdrive




----------



## asittingducky

I love all the Scriabin and Rachmaninoff on here! But I think we need to recognize some of the modern stuff too...


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## Arbre




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## Arbre




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## josh23




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## josh23




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## josh23




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## TheFather




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## josh23




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## josh23




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## funnynihilist

Some great Debussy by the master:


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## josh23




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## josh23




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## josh23




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## josh23




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## josh23




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## josh23




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## Tone

The Single Best is J.S. Bach with BWV #1053 the second concerto

Just listen to it 5, 10 and even 15 times if you can or do so over time w breaks or days and youll catch on to the groove and agree its the best in terms of grooving power. Perhaps there are other bests in other categories but this takes the cake in overall power and in keyboard concerto melody-line groove;; and i personally think its the best piece of music before 1900 overall, without a category.

*
I Implore you in TOOTHPASTE COLORED FONT:

Please remember the musical rule of the thumb, if something cannot play or stick in your head from memory and have not yet largely memorized the piece of music where you can play at least 60% of it in your head, then you cannot yet judge it or how much you like it,.

Music must be heard multiple times, especially complex music, for the brain to be able to lock on to the logic-groove. Once a good amount of it is memorized where it can replay in your head, then and only then will you know how good or mediocre it is. Listen multiple times and memorize...

ONLY 2:51 LONG RUNTIME !! !!

Note: almost all recordings of Bach performed in existence are bad & wrong, this is one of the few examples of bach rendered properly. 
*


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## Tone

Liszt H.R. #2 sounds like **** except for the rendition in Tom # Jerry Cat Concerto by Scott Bradley and how he changed the timing to sound proper and groovy with perfect logic. All other performances of it are unbearable and sound like ****,. yet no one ever mentions this on youtube, I question people's audio perception and they cant hear how horrible all renditions of it are except for the tom and jerry one. Its just god awful played the other way. Dont people have perfect pitch and can see all the color and texture of all sound with synaesthesia???


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## twitchy666

*I love it*

tried BBC Radio 3

many years ago, an alternative after getting bored of my usual electronic stuff, techno & Drum & Bass


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## twitchy666

*Weird relationship with YouTube*

any links sit the circling around forever, failing to connect.

I start from base one, a link from brother's Soul Wax. that opens up again. NEXT button has a history to playback my faves. does keep digging back thru my ambient stuff and more

some success with your classical plink-plonk piano stuff
keep bringing up a tailing sequence, but soon back to some matching my history, getting some fresh


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## josh23

Saw Nelson Freire for the second time in the fabulous Melbourne Recital Centre. He played:

Mozart Piano Sonata K. 331
Schumann Fantaisie Op. 17 (the 73 year old even managed the notoriously difficult ending to the second movement at a very acceptable tempo, seemingly without breaking a sweat!)

Interval

Chopin Impromptu No. 2, Op. 36
Chopin Ballade No. 3, Op. 47
Debussy La plus que lent L. 121
Debussy Golliwog's Cakewalk L. 113/6
Albeniz Iberia: Evocation
Albeniz Navarra

Encores

Albeniz/Godowski Tango
Grieg Wedding Day at Troldhaugen

Not as flashy as the pianists I saw most recently, but a magisterial artist with a magical tone, a keen sense of structure, and an appealing modesty to his playing.


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## Arbre

josh23 said:


> Saw Nelson Freire for the second time in the fabulous Melbourne Recital Centre. He played:
> 
> Mozart Piano Sonata K. 331
> Schumann Fantaisie Op. 17 (the 73 year old even managed the notoriously difficult ending to the second movement at a very acceptable tempo, seemingly without breaking a sweat!)
> 
> Interval
> 
> Chopin Impromptu No. 2, Op. 36
> Chopin Ballade No. 3, Op. 47
> Debussy La plus que lent L. 121
> Debussy Golliwog's Cakewalk L. 113/6
> Albeniz Iberia: Evocation
> Albeniz Navarra
> 
> Encores
> 
> Albeniz/Godowski Tango
> Grieg Wedding Day at Troldhaugen
> 
> Not as flashy as the pianists I saw most recently, but a magisterial artist with a magical tone, a keen sense of structure, and an appealing modesty to his playing.


I've never gone to see a pianist perform live before. It's something I would like to do one day ― I imagine it would be a nice experience.


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## josh23

Arbre said:


> I've never gone to see a pianist perform live before. It's something I would like to do one day ― I imagine it would be a nice experience.


Better than nice! I definitely recommend it. A great pianist in a hall with good acoustics: there's nothing like it.


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## funnynihilist




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## josh23




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## HiddenFathoms




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## abiologicalblunder

Adagio from Spartacus - Khachaturian


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## abiologicalblunder

Debussy - Nocturne


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## estse




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## josh23




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## Deviantmoon




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## josh23

Mozart was not a congenial composer for me, but the more I listen to him the more I like him. Been working through his music involving piano: the sonatas, the misc solo works, and now the concerti. Lots of great stuff.


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## josh23

Forgot how much I love this work. This is an excellent recording, and I'm always glad when conductors include the usually absent cornet in the second movement: really does make a difference.


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## NoLife93




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## funnynihilist

josh23 said:


> Mozart was not a congenial composer for me, but the more I listen to him the more I like him. Been working through his music involving piano: the sonatas, the misc solo works, and now the concerti. Lots of great stuff.


Took a little time for me to get comfortable with Mozart myself.
I really like the violin concertos especially.


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## NoLife93




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## josh23

funnynihilist said:


> Took a little time for me to get comfortable with Mozart myself.
> I really like the violin concertos especially.


I think it's actually a pretty common thing, despite his stature. I listened to four more works of his today and found them all wonderful.


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## josh23

Debussy is one of my very favourites...


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## josh23




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## funnynihilist

Not exactly classical but some icy piano music.


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## NoLife93




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## josh23




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## josh23




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## Overdrive

Evil Tamara


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## josh23

Saw the Melbourne Bach Choir and Orchestra at the Melbourne Recital Centre, playing:

Szymanowski Stabat Mater
Brahms German Requiem

Was superb, very good performances and we had great seats (and the hall has fabulous acoustics). My ears will need a few days to recover though...


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## josh23




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## funnynihilist

josh23 said:


> Saw the Melbourne Bach Choir and Orchestra at the Melbourne Recital Centre, playing:
> 
> Szymanowski Stabat Mater
> Brahms German Requiem
> 
> Was superb, very good performances and we had great seats (and the hall has fabulous acoustics). My ears will need a few days to recover though...


That is a very interesting program!

Have you listened to any of Szymanowski's chamber music?


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## Lonely Hobbit




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## josh23

funnynihilist said:


> That is a very interesting program!
> 
> Have you listened to any of Szymanowski's chamber music?


No I haven't yet. I've hardly heard any of his music in general, although I recently got a 4CD set by Simon Rattle that I'm looking forward to delving into. You a fan of his music?


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## funnynihilist

josh23 said:


> No I haven't yet. I've hardly heard any of his music in general, although I recently got a 4CD set by Simon Rattle that I'm looking forward to delving into. You a fan of his music?


Yes, especially the solo piano music like the Metopes and the Violin Sonata in D Minor.
Not too familiar with his symphonic works yet.
Is your box set the one with symphonies 3&4 and the violin concerto?


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## josh23

funnynihilist said:


> Yes, especially the solo piano music like the Metopes and the Violin Sonata in D Minor.
> Not too familiar with his symphonic works yet.
> Is your box set the one with symphonies 3&4 and the violin concerto?


Ya, this one: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2008/Oct08/Szymanowski_Rattle_5145762.htm

Based on the little I've heard so far it's a wonder he's not better known...


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## josh23




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## josh23




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## josh23

Great recording of this masterpiece even prefer it to Richter.


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## Arbre




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## josh23




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## josh23

Went to the two Metropolis New Music Festival concerts at the Robert Blackwood Hall. The focus was on the South Korean composer Unsuk Chin, who made the journey here (and took part in the pre-concert talks for both concerts). Chin is a former student of Ligeti and has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards for her works.

#1

Soloists
Clark Rundell conductor
Wu Wei sheng
Australian String Quartet

Program
Ligeti String Quartet No.1 Métamorphoses nocturnes
Chin Šu - Australian Premiere
Vincent Hood Yourself In Stars - world premiere 
Chin ParaMETAString

#2

Soloists
Clark Rundell conductor
Jennifer Koh violin
Allison Bell soprano

Program
Chin Rocaná - Australian premiere
Chin Puzzles and Games from Alice in Wonderland - Australian premiere
Ligeti Atmosphères
Chin Violin Concerto - Australian premiere

I got to know most of the music before the concerts, and became quite a big fan of her extremely colourful music. The first concert was fantastic; the second was enjoyable but disappointing. I actually preferred the program but either the performances or the acoustics (or both) were just off, and I didn't enjoy any of the works as much as I did on my recordings at home. It's such intricate music and is definitely not performance/acoustics proof. My favourite works of Chin's so far:


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## 0589471




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## josh23




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## Lonely Hobbit




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## josh23




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## josh23

Ashkenazy's orchestration: very good.


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## Takamei




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## Blue Dino




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## josh23




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## josh23




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## josh23




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## abiologicalblunder

Satie - Gnossienne no.4 <3


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## unemployment simulator

I wasn't sure if to put this in the chillout or classical thread. really nice, might have some fans here?


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## josh23

unemployment simulator said:


> I wasn't sure if to put this in the chillout or classical thread. really nice, might have some fans here?


Never heard of the guy but, listening to the first few minutes, the music is delicious! Will have to look into. Thanks!


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## Tomatmacka




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## funnynihilist




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## Overdrive




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## Persephone The Dread




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## josh23

Saw the Queensland Symphony Orchestra at QPAC, conducted by Guy Braunstein.

Wagner Good Friday Spell from Parsifal
Prokofiev Concerto No.2 (Denis Kozhukin)
Strauss, R. Also sprach Zarathustra 

Wonderful.


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## scarpia

Montreal Symphony ended the season with all 9 Beethoven symphonies in a week. I went to all 5 concerts - Beethoven overload!!


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## Overdrive




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## Overdrive




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## Overdrive

Blue Dino said:


>


Really....?


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## 0589471




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## Overdrive




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