Classical Music

[Saddle bum]

There's mound of good stuff I enjoy, so it's hard to put them in order. However...............

Schubert's Great Symphony (No9)
Beethoven's 7th Symphony
Most of Elgar
Bruckner, Brahms, Sibelius.
Etc...

Not....
Mahler, Piano music

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Or there's always Frank Zappa.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Has anybody mentione Gorecki?

 

[Cubist]

Gorecki?

Bless you!

 

[slowmotion]

Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No 2.
Parts of it are unbearably poignant.

 

[Fiona N]

Carl Neilsen, any of his symphonies but the 3rd 'Espansiva' is an updated Sibelius (except I belive he's Danish). If you like Sibelius, Saint Saens' Organ Symphony is a great work, and when the organ launches it, it can rock the rafters.

Hayden's 'Creation' - sung in English, you can hear the words and it's just a lovely oratorio (i.e. soloists + a choir, basically). Handel's oratorios (The Messiah being the best known but there are quite a few others) are great music. Bach is, of course, famous for his choral works and the St Matthew and St John Passions are particularly lovely works.

If you like vocal/choral music, I'd look out for anything recorded by Harry Christophers and 'The Sixteen' - they do a fabulous job on anything but especially Bird, Tallis etc., as recommended by Globalti, I think. And the countertenor, Andreas Scholl - if Jeff Buckley singing Hallelujah sends shivers down your spine, then Andreas Scholl is worth spending time with as he's as far from boring basses as you can get. In some Vivaldi songs he sounds like he's laughing with joy while he sings. He does a superb job with Bach too. Impossible to be down listening to him.

 

[slowmotion]

Beethoven Symphony Number Three. If you can find a recording, Karl Bohm and the Vienna Philharmonic (1972?)
Do yourself a favour actually, get all nine of them.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Mahler's 1st.
It was meant to be a musical parody lampooning all the pompousness of the age, but it is great, especially the last movement.

I first came across it as it was the background music to the film 'Diamond Were Forever' (circa 1987), a film about the North British Loco works in Glasgow (Springburn), and there is quite the most fantastic sequence at the end filmed from the air with some steam locos all 'racing' each other in Australia, including the NBL built 'City Of Melbourne', and it plays the last 3.10 or so minutes of it, it but I cannot find it on Youtube, because, of course, all that comes up are films for Diamonds Are Forever, some sort of spy film I am led to believe, but if you can find it, WATCH IT!!

The 'Diamonds Were Forever' title refers to the diamond shaped builder's plates NBL locos had and it mainly covers the locos sent for export, including those sent to Paraguay, South Africa and Australia, loaded onto the boats in Glasgow by the Iconic Finneston Crane. The locos were driven through the streets to the boats and it must have been quite some spectacle!!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Ralph Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending,

Aaaarrrggghhh!! there's always one - quite frankly it bores the pants off me, even more so because everyone always goes on about it as if it is the best thing since sliced bread (which it's not).

Others in no particular order - Holst's Planets Suite ;

Although I hated it at first, I have grown to love 'Saturn', and my other favourite is 'Neptune' with those voices, Oooohhhh!!

Mars and Jupiter are just too obvious, good as they are.

Sibelius Finlandia, Peer Gyny & Holberg Suites.

Anything by Sibelius gets my vote, and as for Peer Gynt, after seeing the Joanna Lumley film about the Northern Lights, every time I hear 'Solveig's Song', that is what I think of, the 'Tricky Lady'.

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

....But avoid Benedictus, it might be on just about every TV programe going, but it is as dull as ditch water!! - what the **** was the man thinking!!??
I heard it recently on Classic FM, and quite frankly, I was ready to slit my wrists by the end of it just to make it stop!

In short, all it does it simply repeat the same vomit inducing tune over and over and and OVER again!

 

[threebikesmcginty]

No mention of Richard Clayderman or Liberace yet?

 

[GM]

Here's one of my fav's. Short, but nice.

[media]
]View: http://youtu.be/7OvsVSWB4TI[/media]

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

I do not listen to it that much but when I do I really like Chopin.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I've always had a soft spot for Bartok.

Bartok was my archenemy in Music O-Level *shudder*

 

[Fab Foodie]

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.

^^^^^ This.
Also, check-out the Naxos CD brand, hugely affordable recordings by some lesser-known orchestras from around Europe. Not bought a duff one yet and they do some great compilations for silly money so you can afford the occasional punt.

Finally, check-out local orchestras and Choral Socs for concerts, often good value for a few hours civilisee entertainment. This Saturday I shall be listening to Mrs FF warbllng away sweetly through Elgar's 'The Kingdom' plus a full Symphony from the Orchestra, not bad for a tenner.

 

[feckless]

Handel, Handel and a bit more Handel.

Start with Zadok (already mentioned), if only for that moment when the whole choir comes in.

Next, spend a bit of time with Gloria, not too challenging but a fine in-between moment.

The for the main course, give yourself a few hours to enjoy a decent Messiah. Personally, I'd recommend this one from John Eliot Gardiner. As far as I'm concerned, quite the most exquisite piece of music ever written, even if I don't care for the religious tat.

After that you can work through the irascible old German's operas. Soloman will be familiar and Xerxes is just brilliant.

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