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  1. #31
    @hibs.net private member Mibbes Aye's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Caversham Green View Post
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    If you wonder what the term "Wagnerian" means ..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTM7E4-DN0o

    (Play it loud!)
    I would echo that and offer up a couple of other Wagner pieces as truly epitomising what he was about.

    Either the Prelude or Liebestod from 'Tristan und Isolde' pretty much encapsulates Wagner and his approach. Easily findable on most sites.

    As a starter however, if you haven't heard of Wagner before, you will almost certainly have heard the "Ride of the Valkyries"

    Link here and as Cav Green says, play it loud
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  3. #32
    Quote Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye View Post
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    Your Gianni Schicchi link was one that I would have posted as befitting of a 'beautiful track'

    My turn to be accused of overblown romantic guff - - I'm a sucker for 'Mi chiamano Mimi' and 'O soave fanciulla' from La Boheme and hide no shame in admitting to a fondness for 'Un bel di vedremo' from Madama Butterfly

    I'm a big Puccini fan and would rather listen/see his work than Verdi, for example, notwithstanding the quality of what Verdi wrote. Tosca is outstanding and like so many of Puccini's works it tells a tale that is essentially an eternal truth and is therefore easily translatable into different settings and eras - a truly timeless story.

    My favourite however is La Fanciulla Del West, sadly under-performed nowadays. Some of the duets are sublime and the mostly male arias are sumptious. It's a shame the opera isn't performed more often, I believe it was Puccini's favourite of all his compositions.
    I'm with you re Puccini - goosebumps every time I hear 'O Soave Faniculla' and I was thinking about linking 'Un Bel Di Vedremo' on my previous post. I actually think Turandot is probably his weakest opera despite having his best-known aria in it - a happy ending, what's that all about? For the last few years around Christmas time there's been an excellent performance of Tosca on the telly with Jonas Kaufmann, Bryn Terfel and Angela Gheorghiu in the lead roles. Keep an eye out if you haven't already seen it.

    On your other posts, I thought there would be more mention of film music on this thread. As Sylar says the Lord of the Rings Trilogy is terrific. I'd add Ennio Morricone to his list of composers (not necessarily the spaghetti western stuff, although I quite like that too). Also the Godfather main and love themes and Dunbar's theme from Dances With Wolves (done with bagpipes here- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgZxdVJH8fc).

    On Wagner, I like his music a lot, but I've never managed to watch one of his operas all the way through - they do seem rather hard work to me.

  4. #33
    @hibs.net private member Lancs Harp's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Just Alf View Post
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    Also.. Related to the thread... I remember when Classic FM started up... When driving in heavy traffic I always switched over to it..... Made me a better driver.... Peace man!


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    Same for me mate.

    My favourite, Verdi the King of Italian Opera, but listen to his overtures, you'll recognise a few from tv ads like Stella Artois.

  5. #34
    Testimonial Due Colr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Caversham Green View Post
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    Following on from the Beautiful Tracks thread, I thought of a few classical pieces that would fit the bill, but that thread went in a different direction, and anyway classical music is such a broad category I think it deserves a thread of its own. So, if you have a favourite classical tune or composer or if you've heard a piece on TV or films that you don't know the name of, post it up on here. Extra points if it's quite obscure.

    The description 'classical' can be fairly loose - anything from opera (Bizet's Pearl Fishers duet holds a special place in my heart), film (Schindler's List) or even video games (the sig from Fallout 3 and the piano version in 4 are favourites of mine) is fine.

    To kick off, the first one I thought of for the Beautiful Tracks thread was The Gadfly Romance by Shostakovich (try the second movement of his second piano concerto too) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0Xfyn0-YhU
    Don’t know if you will include opera or if that’s a seperate thread.

    I find Bach’s cello concertoes the most relaxing and focusing music. Quells pre-exam stress or is just as good if you trying to get to sleep.

    Barber’s Adagio for Strings is also good.

    Use Mahler to wake you up a bit.

    Personally, I go for opera, though.

  6. #35
    Testimonial Due Colr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Just Alf View Post
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    That bit of opera in Shawshank Redemption gives me goose bumps!

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    Mozart “Marriage of Figaro” I think. ENO are doing it later next year. Might go.

  7. #36
    Quote Originally Posted by Colr View Post
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    Don’t know if you will include opera or if that’s a seperate thread.

    I find Bach’s cello concertoes the most relaxing and focusing music. Quells pre-exam stress or is just as good if you trying to get to sleep.

    Barber’s Adagio for Strings is also good.

    Use Mahler to wake you up a bit.

    Personally, I go for opera, though.
    Opera's fine for this thread (it's already been mentioned a few times) - in fact pretty much anything goes.

    Here's another of my favourites - Scheherezade by Rimsky-Korsakov. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQNymNaTr-Y

    It's a representation of the Arabian Nights tales - the solo violin represents Scheherezade and the threatening brass is her captor. I love the way the tone of the two motifs changes over the course of the piece.

  8. #37
    @hibs.net private member Jim44's Avatar
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    Pachelbel’s Canon. - https://youtu.be/s3RRQypEf4I Goosebump time.
    Last edited by Jim44; 26-11-2017 at 12:07 AM.

  9. #38
    @hibs.net private member Mibbes Aye's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Colr View Post
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    Don’t know if you will include opera or if that’s a seperate thread.

    I find Bach’s cello concertoes the most relaxing and focusing music. Quells pre-exam stress or is just as good if you trying to get to sleep.

    Barber’s Adagio for Strings is also good.

    Use Mahler to wake you up a bit.

    Personally, I go for opera, though.
    I find Bach is great background music when thinking is required. There's something about his style and use of counterpoint that seems to fit perfectly - the structure of his composition can be complicated but essentially always works towards a resolution.

    I listen to opera mostly when driving - through work I often have three or four-hour drives, so an opera fits perfectly. I find I don't really notice the recitative and then perk up when the arias kick in
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  10. #39
    @hibs.net private member Mibbes Aye's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Caversham Green View Post
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    Opera's fine for this thread (it's already been mentioned a few times) - in fact pretty much anything goes.

    Here's another of my favourites - Scheherezade by Rimsky-Korsakov. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQNymNaTr-Y

    It's a representation of the Arabian Nights tales - the solo violin represents Scheherezade and the threatening brass is her captor. I love the way the tone of the two motifs changes over the course of the piece.
    Scheherezade is fantastic and sublimely orchestrated. I very much like Sadko too, his opera, which also draws on legend and the mystery of the Orient.

    Rimsky-Korsakov and the other four Russian composers who made up 'The Mighty Handful' are perhaps the most under-valued composers in the classical canon, IMO. They get mentioned in passing, as part of the Romantic nationalist trend in the second half of the nineteenth century but that overlooks their innovation and uniqueness in how they treated melody and harmony. Add to that the impact they had on the Russians who followed - we're only talking Stravinsky, Shostakovich and Prokofiev - plus, their influence on Debussy and Ravel.

    Rimsky-Korsakov especially, but also Mussorgsky and Borodin and to a lesser extent, Balakirev - they deserve far more acclaim than they receive.
    Last edited by Mibbes Aye; 25-11-2017 at 11:09 PM.
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  11. #40
    Left by mutual consent! Peevemor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Geo_1875 View Post
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    I see the theme from The Lone Ranger was mentioned earlier. I'm surprised nobody has brought up the Hamlet advert yet.
    Or Hovis.

    Or Old Spice

  12. #41
    Left by mutual consent! Peevemor's Avatar
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    Iain Anderson used to have an afternoon programme on Radio Scotland - Mr Anderson's Fine Tunes. It was half and half traditional and classical/orchestral music and was a great way to discover things that you wouldn't ordinarily listen to.

    We had the radio on at work all the time and everyone used to moan when I insisted on turning over to Iain Anderson every day. However, one day I got back to the office after a meeting at about 4ish and they'd put it on themselves.

    I was ever so proud...

  13. #42
    Left by mutual consent! Peevemor's Avatar
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    As far as contemporary stuff goes, I really like Michael Nyman with the Cook, the Thief, etc. being a favourite - though I have to be in the right frame of mind to listen to it.

  14. #43
    @hibs.net private member snooky's Avatar
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    I remember about 25 years ago getting a cassette tape out the library to listen to on my bus journey to and from work. I was new to the classics and picked the "1812 Overture" only because I recognised the name from somewhere.
    All went well till I stepped off the bus and the canons went off. I hit the pavement thinking there was an explosion. Didn't help that I was wearing earphones. I suspect the folk on the bus thought "WTF?".

  15. #44
    @hibs.net private member Mibbes Aye's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peevemor View Post
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    As far as contemporary stuff goes, I really like Michael Nyman with the Cook, the Thief, etc. being a favourite - though I have to be in the right frame of mind to listen to it.
    Michael Nyman is great.

    Of contemporary cinematic types, I like Clint Mansell. His piece 'Lux Aeterna' from the film Requiem For A Dream will be recognised by most. It's been used loads since then, in various TV programmes and I think it was adapted for the LOTR trilogy.
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  16. #45
    Quote Originally Posted by Peevemor View Post
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    Or Hovis.

    Or Old Spice
    For those who don't already know:

    The Lone Ranger - part of Rossini's William Tell Overture (much more rewarding if you listen to the whole thing)
    Hamlet - Bach's Air on the G String
    Hovis - Second movement of Dvorak's Ninth Symphony "From the New World".
    Old Spice - O Fortuna from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana.

  17. #46
    Quote Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye View Post
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    Michael Nyman is great.

    Of contemporary cinematic types, I like Clint Mansell. His piece 'Lux Aeterna' from the film Requiem For A Dream will be recognised by most. It's been used loads since then, in various TV programmes and I think it was adapted for the LOTR trilogy.
    Reading FC used to play Lux Aeterna before their games while showing iconic moments from their Championship winning season on the big screen. I have to say it worked really well.

    For contemporary composers I'll give a shout for Karl Jenkins - the Benedictus from The Armed Man is pretty special. The rest of it's not bad either.

  18. #47
    Testimonial Due Colr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye View Post
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    I would echo that and offer up a couple of other Wagner pieces as truly epitomising what he was about.

    Either the Prelude or Liebestod from 'Tristan und Isolde' pretty much encapsulates Wagner and his approach. Easily findable on most sites.

    As a starter however, if you haven't heard of Wagner before, you will almost certainly have heard the "Ride of the Valkyries"

    Link here and as Cav Green says, play it loud
    I love Wagner’s music but the stories are absolute rot. If you like Tolkein and Game of Thrones they might appeal. Tristan and Isolde is good as a tale, though.

    I went to see it last year at the ENO with the sets designed by Anish Kapoor and it was very good. Bit too radical for some who didn’t like the intepretive staging but if you can believe that the fair and beautiful Isolde and the young warrior Tristan are the size of hippos then you should be able to believe a triangular partition is a boat!

  19. #48
    @hibs.net private member Mibbes Aye's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Colr View Post
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    I love Wagner’s music but the stories are absolute rot. If you like Tolkein and Game of Thrones they might appeal. Tristan and Isolde is good as a tale, though.

    I went to see it last year at the ENO with the sets designed by Anish Kapoor and it was very good. Bit too radical for some who didn’t like the intepretive staging but if you can believe that the fair and beautiful Isolde and the young warrior Tristan are the size of hippos then you should be able to believe a triangular partition is a boat!


    Wagner's music can be sublime but it does tend to be set to stories from ''Dungeons and Dragons" or "The Tales of King Arthur". I think the setting is tricky, as you've highlighted. Puccini is timeless - you can stage Tosca, La Boheme, Madama Butterfly and pose them in almost any society at any time as the plots are universal, they're essentially about the relationship between men and women.

    With Verdi, it's almost but not quite the same - while his Shakespearean operas also speak to universal truths, his historical operas are understandably less so. His classics - Rigole​tto, La Traviata and Il Trovatore waver more towards the dynamics that Puccini explores, without being quite as close to the human experience, there's a bit more fabrication and embroiderment.

    As far as Verdi goes, my favourite opera is Simon Boccanegra, the arias are fantastic. But while we are talking Verdi, if anyone hasn't heard it then his Requiem is one of the most dramatic pieces of music around.

    Appreciate not everyone will be familiar with the musical setting of the Mass. For several hundred years, the Mass i.e. the main ritual in Catholicism has been set to music, and the Requiem (which is a Mass for the dead) has particularly been at the forefront. Some of the most exquisite pieces in the classical canon are Masses and Requiems - Palestrina wrote several, Bach's Mass in B Minor and the Requiem Masses by Mozart, Faure and Durufle are simply must-haves or must-downloads.

    Verdi's Requiem is different in that it is almost more like an opera - sections like the 'Dies Irae' in particular. I'm not actually that big a fan of Mozart, I find it a bit too clinical, but his and Verdi's Requiems simply speak to the soul, albeit in different fashions.
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  20. #49
    @hibs.net private member Sylar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim44 View Post
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    Pachelbel’s Canon. - https://youtu.be/s3RRQypEf4I Goosebump time.
    My most hated classical piece! If you've never seen it, check out the video that's on Youtube by a comedic musician highlighting how widespread Canon is in pop/rock music. Once heard, cannot be unheard...anywhere.

    I find myself listening to a lot of contemporary classical music in the form of video game soundtracks this past week. Currently enjoying Jeremy Soule's soundtrack to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - it's gorgeous.
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  21. #50
    @hibs.net private member Mibbes Aye's Avatar
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    Not much about the relationship between classical and Christmas so far, so I thought I'd throw this in.

    I'm particularly fond of modal scales outwith the ones that have been dominant in most music ever since somewhere in the 17th century.

    The aforementioned Ralph Vaughan Williams, one of my favourite composers,was a particular fan too and reinterpreted a lot of of early English music (by early I mean 16th century) into pieces for orchestra, or often smaller ensembles. The reinterpretations were a mixture of 16th century religious choral music (Thomas Tallis primarily) and English folksong, which were written in those different modal scales.

    What appears to be one such piece is the hauntingly beautiful 'Herefordshire Carol' - the date of the original folk carol can't be established but it gives a flavour of what those modal progressions sound like:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inpyd6fP1HA



    The other absolute favourite of mine is 'God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen' - again, undated, but probably 16th century in origin. It's the last verse that does it for me in particular. The basses and tenors (the mens' voices) sing the verse, while the sopranos and altos (the boys' voices) perform this wonderful choral descant over the top - spine-tingling stuff:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcXhyFA8BwQ



    Just to give a taster of Thomas Tallis (not a Christmas carol though!):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cQoE4yb7NM



    Finally, having given all these a recent listen, it struck me that I recognised something in them that related to a previous post!

    I had commended Sibelius's 2nd Symphony, particularly the second movement - written at the very start of the 20th century, it nevertheless has several parts that reflect the less obvious modes. It's a bit Christmassy because when the high woodwinds come in, it's the soundtrack of driving in the dark, in snow to me :

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uONK9yUyRq0
    Last edited by Mibbes Aye; 13-12-2017 at 06:22 PM.
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  22. #51
    @hibs.net private member Mibbes Aye's Avatar
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    I should add that I was going to try and explain the theory of modes in more detail as it helps to understand why the music sounds the way it does, but I soon realised my ambition exceeded my rather hazy and tenuous memory of Higher Music too long ago.

    I sort of vaguely understand it but have no idea how to explain it in simple terms other than when you hear something in a different mode, you just know straight away - it just sounds different in its entirety. Essentially the gaps in pitch between the notes in a scale are different for every mode, but I think there's more to it than that.

    I suspect Peevemor would probably do a far better job
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  23. #52
    @hibs.net private member Mibbes Aye's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Caversham Green View Post
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    Opera's fine for this thread (it's already been mentioned a few times) - in fact pretty much anything goes.

    Here's another of my favourites - Scheherezade by Rimsky-Korsakov. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQNymNaTr-Y

    It's a representation of the Arabian Nights tales - the solo violin represents Scheherezade and the threatening brass is her captor. I love the way the tone of the two motifs changes over the course of the piece.
    If we are talking opera, I'll throw John Adams into the mix. He's an American composer, maybe in his seventies now, who wrote music in a very particular style - it's Marmite, I suspect you either like it or you don't, but you recognise it straight away.

    Possibly his best opera was Nixon in China, a view on the-then groundbreaking visit of President Richard Nixon to China in 1972, a huge shift in power relations during the throes of the Cold War.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4us9pD3PB0

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzAUyt_LYlU
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  24. #53
    Quote Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye View Post
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    I'm not actually that big a fan of Mozart, I find it a bit too clinical,
    Picking out just this bit, I think Mozart's music was very much 'of its time'. Given they were near contemporaries, a comparison with Beethoven's stuff shows how much passion and movement LvB put into his music, and just how much of a shock he must have been at the time.



    Quote Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye View Post
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    Not much about the relationship between classical and Christmas so far, so I thought I'd throw this in.

    I'm particularly fond of modal scales outwith the ones that have been dominant in most music ever since somewhere in the 17th century.

    The aforementioned Ralph Vaughan Williams, one of my favourite composers,was a particular fan too and reinterpreted a lot of of early English music (by early I mean 16th century) into pieces for orchestra, or often smaller ensembles. The reinterpretations were a mixture of 16th century religious choral music (Thomas Tallis primarily) and English folksong, which were written in those different modal scales.

    What appears to be one such piece is the hauntingly beautiful 'Herefordshire Carol' - the date of the original folk carol can't be established but it gives a flavour of what those modal progressions sound like:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inpyd6fP1HA



    The other absolute favourite of mine is 'God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen' - again, undated, but probably 16th century in origin. It's the last verse that does it for me in particular. The basses and tenors (the mens' voices) sing the verse, while the sopranos and altos (the boys' voices) perform this wonderful choral descant over the top - spine-tingling stuff:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcXhyFA8BwQ



    Just to give a taster of Thomas Tallis (not a Christmas carol though!):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cQoE4yb7NM



    Finally, having given all these a recent listen, it struck me that I recognised something in them that related to a previous post!

    I had commended Sibelius's 2nd Symphony, particularly the second movement - written at the very start of the 20th century, it nevertheless has several parts that reflect the less obvious modes. It's a bit Christmassy because when the high woodwinds come in, it's the soundtrack of driving in the dark, in snow to me :

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uONK9yUyRq0
    Can't talk about Christmas music without mentioning Prokofiev's troika from Lieutenant Kije - ably borrowed by Greg lake for one of my favourite Christmas singles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GUzJ7fQBtg

    Quote Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye View Post
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    I should add that I was going to try and explain the theory of modes in more detail as it helps to understand why the music sounds the way it does, but I soon realised my ambition exceeded my rather hazy and tenuous memory of Higher Music too long ago.

    I sort of vaguely understand it but have no idea how to explain it in simple terms other than when you hear something in a different mode, you just know straight away - it just sounds different in its entirety. Essentially the gaps in pitch between the notes in a scale are different for every mode, but I think there's more to it than that.

    I suspect Peevemor would probably do a far better job
    I'm not sure if it's exactly what you mean (I'm not technically minded as far as music is concerned), but 'Valse Triste' by Sibelius is a real conflict of moods - the generally happy waltz timing done in a key that give a sad feel to it.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye View Post
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    If we are talking opera, I'll throw John Adams into the mix. He's an American composer, maybe in his seventies now, who wrote music in a very particular style - it's Marmite, I suspect you either like it or you don't, but you recognise it straight away.

    Possibly his best opera was Nixon in China, a view on the-then groundbreaking visit of President Richard Nixon to China in 1972, a huge shift in power relations during the throes of the Cold War.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4us9pD3PB0

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzAUyt_LYlU
    From what I've heard of Adams he's very much like Marmite to me - can't make up my mind if I like it or not.

  25. #54
    @hibs.net private member Mibbes Aye's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Caversham Green View Post
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    Picking out just this bit, I think Mozart's music was very much 'of its time'. Given they were near contemporaries, a comparison with Beethoven's stuff shows how much passion and movement LvB put into his music, and just how much of a shock he must have been at the time.
    Yes, you're right.

    Mozart epitomised the Enlightenment. Beethoven did too in the earlier part of his career but evolved, as he started to channel that passion and emotion into his work and thus really represents the shift from Enlightenment to Romanticism.

    It's hard to imagine how powerful the impact of his music would have been - it was such a different time, and people's access to his music was obviously very different to today. It puts me in mind of the reaction when Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring premiered in Paris in 1913, with a near-riot in the audience. That's the power of ballet
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  26. #55
    @hibs.net private member Mibbes Aye's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sylar View Post
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    My most hated classical piece! If you've never seen it, check out the video that's on Youtube by a comedic musician highlighting how widespread Canon is in pop/rock music. Once heard, cannot be unheard...anywhere
    I first heard Pachelbel's Canon late on at primary school, possibly early secondary school. It was the theme music for an Australian TV drama series about their involvement in the Vietnam War, which featured Nicole Kidman before she was famous. I loved it then but within a couple of years got involved in music through youth orchestras etc and it became one of our set pieces and I grew to hate it!

    The problem with music is that it's hard not to eventually repeat the progressions, hence why there are so many lawsuits! Canon in D is a particular culprit though, with The Farm's 'All Together Now' being the worst miscreant IMO.
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  27. #56
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    Satie has always been a favourite of mine.

  28. #57
    Quote Originally Posted by Caversham Green View Post
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    I'm with you re Puccini - goosebumps every time I hear 'O Soave Faniculla' and I was thinking about linking 'Un Bel Di Vedremo' on my previous post. I actually think Turandot is probably his weakest opera despite having his best-known aria in it - a happy ending, what's that all about? For the last few years around Christmas time there's been an excellent performance of Tosca on the telly with Jonas Kaufmann, Bryn Terfel and Angela Gheorghiu in the lead roles. Keep an eye out if you haven't already seen it.

    On your other posts, I thought there would be more mention of film music on this thread. As Sylar says the Lord of the Rings Trilogy is terrific. I'd add Ennio Morricone to his list of composers (not necessarily the spaghetti western stuff, although I quite like that too). Also the Godfather main and love themes and Dunbar's theme from Dances With Wolves (done with bagpipes here- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgZxdVJH8fc).

    On Wagner, I like his music a lot, but I've never managed to watch one of his operas all the way through - they do seem rather hard work to me.
    I don't see Tosca in the listings this year, but there is a performance of La Boheme on Monday at 7.00pm - BBC 4.

  29. #58
    @hibs.net private member Mibbes Aye's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Caversham Green View Post
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    I don't see Tosca in the listings this year, but there is a performance of La Boheme on Monday at 7.00pm - BBC 4.
    Thanks for that - am away at in-laws on Christmas Day, but will record it, for later consumption!

    Another area this thread hasn't really touched upon yet is ballet. Personally I love the ballet, appreciate it's not to everyone's taste, but nevertheless it has produced some of the great orchestral scores.

    Arguably Tchaikovsky was/is the greatest, and for me Swan Lake is the epitome. Full-blown Romanticism and none the worse for it!

    Sky Arts are showing Graeme Murphy's choreography of it tomorrow morning (eight am so that's another one being recorded!). I've not seen his work before but I understand he has a contemporary take on it. As with the opera, this can be hit or miss. When it's recast the right way it can be spectacular, when it's not it's tortuous. Fingers crossed

    Sky Arts used to be two channels, one of which focused on classical, ballet, opera and art, while the other was more populist and would feature concerts by rock and pop artists. A couple of years ago Sky merged them and the focus since has been on the latter unfortunately. It's a real loss as the old Arts channel featured some fantastic stuff.
    Last edited by Mibbes Aye; 22-12-2017 at 11:02 PM.
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  30. #59
    Testimonial Due Prof. Shaggy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye View Post
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    Good thread. And I agree beauty takes many forms when there is such a broad and diverse range of classical music.

    For vocal or choral pieces, I will chip in with Allegri’s “Miserere” and Geoffrey Burgon’s “Nunc Dimittis”.

    I like Shostakovich a huge amount and there is a different kind of beauty to be found in his symphonic works. The first movement of his Tenth Symphony, especially as it builds roundabout halfway though is perhaps my favourite, but it’s also difficult to match the third movement of his Fifth. The piece as a whole has been interpreted in conflicting ways over the decades and I choose to interpret ithe third movement as a portrayal of the horror of Stalin’s persecution of the population.

    Final recommendation is something from the same time and also very ethereal, but completely different altogether - Vaughan Williams’ “Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus”. It’s simply sublime.
    It's topical to point out Shostakovich was a big football fan and wrote reports for the Soviet sports papers. He was quoted in an article in Time magazine in 1942 :-
    “The climax of joy is not when you’re through a new symphony, but when you are hoarse from shouting, with your hands stinging from clapping, your lips parched, and you sip your second glass of beer after you’ve fought for it with 90,000 other spectators to celebrate the victory of your favorite team.”

    His favourite was was then called Zenit Leningrad.

    I've become cautious of reading too much into the supposed political agenda of Shostakoch's music. The official interpretation of his tenth symphony is that is a epitaph following Stalin's death. It's not.
    For one thing, it was composed in 1951 when Stalin was very much alive (compare it with his 5th string quartet) and for another the music includes his musical initials - d, e flat, c and b - which always (that's ALWAYS!) indicates he's writing about personal matters.

  31. #60
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    This thread is a fantastic read and I'm finally going to spend 5 minutes and contribute.

    Firstly, I've been a bit of a hi-fi enthusiast for the last 35 years and I've slowly gotten into classical music. I now have a fairly sizable collection that I've gathered over the years. I still buy and sell vinyl as a hobby and attend auctions at least once a week. Classical music is ever so difficult to move on and I've ended up with hundreds of albums that have been part of job lots. I have a few favourites.

    Rossini's 'Barber of Seville' is an outstanding work and there's a 1948 recording by Tito Gobbi at Covent Garden that surpasses all other versions. Absolutely fantastic and if I had a time machine then I would pay good money to have been in attendance.

    I like the cello as an instrument and I'm currently getting increasingly admiring of Jacqueline du Pre. She and I are hitting the right chords. As an aside, I picked up a small job-lot of her works a few weeks ago and there was an unplayed 78 in the lot by her mentor, William Pleeth. It's an unplayed disc from 1944 and I can't find any mention of it on the web. I have it for sale on eBay but I'm sorely tempted to 'break the seal' and plop it on the turntable. Here's the listing: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112815234...84.m1555.l2649

    I also had the pleasure of seeing a Latvian soprano. Inesa Galante at a performance in London. It was at a small venue just off Kensington High Street and she blew me away. Her rendition of Ave Maria by Vavilov had me in tears. I might look it out shortly and give it another spin.

    Over the years I've been to some outstanding performances at the Royal Festival Hall. You can normally get tickets at reasonable prices for top-notch performers. The Barbican is another good venue with fantastic acoustics.
    Last edited by Sergey; 14-02-2018 at 08:41 PM.

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