Classical Music

[MossCommuter]

I must be getting long in the tooth.

Don't tell my Dad whatever you do but at the age of 42 I am finding myself listening to a bit more classical music than ever before. The sort of thing he used to tell me was "proper" music instead of the "jungle rhythms" that he always hated.

Now, I am not going to give him the satisfaction of admitting it to him so can any of you lot recommend anything?

I don't mind the genre (opera, religious, whatever) but I think it has to be vocal, choirs are especially good and I like the soaring soprano vibe but I get a bit bored of bickering tenors and grumpy basses.

Currently can't get enough of Pergolesi's "Stabat Mater" and Wesley's "Wash Me Throughly" is a banging tune, if that's any help.

Oh, and if it's available on Spotify that would be double-good.

 

[Night Train]

This is one of my favorites to listen to.
[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm2Q5bjO2z0[/media]


Otherwise I also listen to Mozart and Bach.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Beethoven's 9th is a good 'un. Also try Faure's Requiem, Rutter's Requeim and C.P.E. Bach's (the actual Bach's cousin, I think) flute concertos.
there's nowt wrong with a bit of classical. It mixes happily on my ipod with The Pixies, McLusky and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

 

[Aperitif]

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTh-KT0FxXs&feature=related[/media]
Milhaud

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related Verdi - singing!!!

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related Beethoven

Couple of others thrown in there... which always strike me as imaginitive pieces of music.

Always appreciative of any musician's ability to get a coordinated sound from their instruments, classical music, with the composer herding all those different things together and driving the music forward is impressive. Endless fun! And I agree that the power of a choir is something to move everyone.

 

[vernon]

Carl Orff

Carmina Burana

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEllLECo4OM[/media]


Carmina Catulli

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTCoJqf1Rkc[/media]

 

[Cubist]

Personal favourites are Gabrieli and Monteverdi. A lot of the early venetian choral genre are "hair on the back of your neck" time.

Try a bit of Gabrieli

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj6SEejkrnU

 

[ianrauk]

A nice bit of OOOMPH for you..

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-vQKZFF-9s&feature=related[/media]

 

[chillyuk]

Verdi's Requiem.

Handel's Zadok the Priest.

 

[srw]

Wesley's "Wash Me Throughly" is a banging tune

I just wanted to quote that - it's not the most obvious description of that little bit of the English choral tradition.

Radio 3 is your friend - just turn it on and listen. Learn what you like, what you don't like and what you couldn't care less about. The breakfast show is particularly good, and they've also got a heck of a lot on Listen Again, available online for a week after broadcast.

Based on what you've said you like, The Choir (Sunday evening) might be worth a listen, and also Choral Evensong (Wednesday and Sunday afternoons). The Early Music Show (Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes) often has choral and vocal items.

 

[ian turner]

Hmmm for bangin classical tunes how about Nero and the BBC Philharmonic perform a Dubstep symphony?

 

[TheBoyBilly]

Ralph Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending, Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis
Elgar - Cello Concerto
Bach's Brandenburg Concertos
John Taverner- Song for Athena(e)

Bill

 

[Globalti]

If you like Pergolesi you will probably like anything by Tallis, Byrd, Tavener (not the contemporary Tavener) Monteverdi, Palestrina, see if you can get a compilation CD of Renaissance music, something like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Easter-at-C...=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1307520686&sr=8-3

or this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sacred-Voic...1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1307520811&sr=8-3-fkmr0 this CD has Allegri's Miserere, which is one of the most powerful pieces of classical music ever composed, so powerful that it was actually banned by the Vatican and only got out when a certain young musical genius from Vienna heard it and wrote it down verbatim: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miserere_(Allegri) you will need a handkerchief when you listen to this piece!

Mozart's Requiem is a classic, in fact if you haven't see the film Amadeus it will give you a good insight into the life of the genius.

Check the web for Cecil Coles, Music from behind the lines, a truly poignant and beautiful collection from this young composer killed in the trenches: http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/al.asp?al=CDA67293

Sibelius's Finlandia is another beautiful classic, the most gorgeous and poignant passage from this was used for the hymn Be Still MY Soul and was the short-lived national anthem of the state of Biafra: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finlandia

Less well known is Viteslav Novak's Slovak Suite, absolutely stunning: http://www.amazon.com/Novak-Slovak-Suite-Vitezslav/dp/B0007MHAPE

 

[Bromptonaut]

Dvorak's Serenade for Strings - Marriner/Academy of St Martin in the Fields version on Decca is particulalry good.

Others in no particular order - Holst's Planets Suite ; Elgar Enigma variations and the Pomp & Circumstance Marches; Beethoven's 6th ('Flying Horses Music' from Fantasia); Sibelius Finlandia, Swan of Tuonela and 5th Symphony; Samuel Barber Adagio for Strings; Grieg, Peer Gyny & Holberg Suites.

 

[subaqua]

Classical doesn't have to be Old either.

Armed man a mass for peace by Karl jenkinfs is stunning ( most of Karl Jenkins work is great actually)

if you want a classic choir twist on stuff look out for anything from Voices from the Valley.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

The Berlioz Tedeum. `Nuff said