Does anyone here listen to classical music?

[Dalek Caan]

Only two songs I listen to. Overture 1812 by Tchaikovsky and Flight of the Valkyrie.

 

[darthzew]

I am a die-hard fan or Sergei Rachmaninov. Besides him, I also very much enjoy Chopin.

 

[Stall]

You should listen to this. The Punch Brothers are an alternative bluegrass band but they are a group full of very talented and educated (musically) guys. They did this version of a segment of the Brandenburg concerto and I was amazed at how well they did. These guys are awesome. I'd check out their album Punch if you like this. The lead singer/mandolinist (Chris Thile, who is often looked upon as a god on Earth by the mandolin and bluegrass community) wrote a four movement piece called "The Blind Leading The Blind" on that album that is just unbelievably good.

Anyway (and try to overlook their banter at the beginning. And I'm pretty sure Chris gets the history of the piece wrong. I think they're a little drunk, honestly. They are a bluegrass band, after all)...

What a wonderful rendition! Thanks for sharing! There are a lot of people who get offended at that sort of thing, believe it or not, but I personally love to see people play Bach and other of the great masters in a more contemporary setting.

His history of the piece is mostly correct, I think. Bach did write the pieces in an attempt to get the attentions of some royalty in Brandenburg (I think to try to get a job as court composer), but it unfortunately didn't go as Bach hoped.

 

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

I have all of Beethoven's symphonies on my Ipod. Am I too mainstream for you guys?

Fucking mainstream. You just don't get this do you? Just sign the fucking petition and go back to your office swivel chair and your bubble of naive optimism.

OT: I do, but not a lot. After Spotify changed it's rules on free playtime, I stopped listening to music as much. I do enjoy listening to a bit of classical music, however I only have one rule:

It must be calming

Unless she's hot.

 

[SckizoBoy]

And some trivia for you: Georg Philip Telemann is actually considered the most prolific composer out there, at least to my knowledge. Many of the Baroque composers were incredibly prolific. I think it's mainly tied to the church being a composer's main employer during that period, but I could be wrong.

Oddly, the church(es) didn't really employ musicians except as choirmasters and organists. It was the noble courts that took up a great deal of musicians, and they had larger churches that were sort of subservient to them. That's why there was an almost equal amount of secular and religious work. Anyway, much agreement on Bach, I don't think anything conveys grandeur better than the Passacaglia & Fugue in C-minor (original organ, not orchestral), because of the way that the single line of melody builds up in six lines. Magnitude is no longer an applicable word in this context! XD

Never! Give me obscure, 18th century Czech, Italian, and English composers, or give me death!

On second thought, just give me the composers, then go away. ;P


PS: That Bugs Bunny bit is awesome. I've seen that a thousand times, and I never got it. Thank you for being informative. I salute you!

Yah, love that cartoon, can't find it on Youtube, though, which sucks. Corny Concerto was funny too, though not as much as Rhapsody Rabbit, shooting the cougher at the start, absolute genius (and the Guitar Boogie on the Piano, whoever arranged that deserves a fucking Oscar)!

 

[spielberg11]

Of course I do, I don't have much fancy for the generic garbage that is pumped out these days, so I prefer the old classics. No particular favourite composers, but I am partial to the old 'Ode To Joy', 'The Ride of the Valkyries' and the fantastic 'Also Sprach Zarathustra'. Best music to wake up to in the morning.

 

[the_honey_badger]

Yeah, I do, but only when revising.

It helps soothe me and keep me focused.

I only really know a few pieces of classical music, the majority of them being pieces from movies, e.g. LOTR, Star Wars, Harry Potter etc. Basically John Williams and Danny Elfman

 

[-Dragmire-]

this is my current favorite.
J.S.Bach - Piano Concerto No.1 in D minor BWV 1052 Mvt 1

 

[DustyDrB]

What a wonderful rendition! Thanks for sharing! There are a lot of people who get offended at that sort of thing, believe it or not, but I personally love to see people play Bach and other of the great masters in a more contemporary setting.

His history of the piece is mostly correct, I think. Bach did write the pieces in an attempt to get the attentions of some royalty in Brandenburg (I think to try to get a job as court composer), but it unfortunately didn't go as Bach hoped.

Glad you enjoyed it. I'm not surprised at all that people would get offended. I've seen plenty of those types of reactions while viewing different takes on classical pieces (especially during the Spoleto Festival here in Charleston). I understand that way of viewing things, but I obviously don't subscribe to it. The people who attempt a different style on such classics almost always have a profound respect for the original work, and would be dismayed if they appear unappreciative.

And I'm glad Chris got the history right. I don't always know what to think of what he says. He lives on a different world, both in terms of his talent and his state of mind.

 

[billygoverton]

literally made an account to contribute to this thread. I haven't seen Tchaikovsky mentioned once, but there's some great stuff in here.

more importantly, what about all of the fantastic contemporaries?
Nico Muhly, Philip Glass, Nils Frahm, Max Richter, Olafur Arnalds, Ludivico Einaudi!
so much modern talent.

 

[frizzlebyte]

Never! Give me obscure, 18th century Czech, Italian, and English composers, or give me death!

On second thought, just give me the composers, then go away. ;P


PS: That Bugs Bunny bit is awesome. I've seen that a thousand times, and I never got it. Thank you for being informative. I salute you!

So you are a Prokofiev fan?

Actually, I was referring to Jan Dismas Zelenka. Remember, 18th century = 1700s. Prokofiev lived from the late 19th century (1800s) to the mid-20th century (1900s).

But yeah, he's good, but I'm not as fond of Classical and Romantic period music as I am the Baroque period, so I'm not as knowledgeable about those years.

 

[Gaderael]

I enjoy listening to it on CBC Radio 2, but I wouldn't really be able to list off many pieces besides Moonlight Sonata and the most commonly known ones.

 

[AlAaraaf74]

literally made an account to contribute to this thread. I haven't seen Tchaikovsky mentioned once, but there's some great stuff in here.

more importantly, what about all of the fantastic contemporaries?
Nico Muhly, Philip Glass, Nils Frahm, Max Richter, Olafur Arnalds, Ludivico Einaudi!
so much modern talent.

Just to add to your list of contemporaries, Wojciech Kilar has composed great pieces of music, both for movies and just classical. My favorite piece by him is his Angelus.

 

[Blaster395]

Everything by Gustav Holst is awesome.

 

[JaceArveduin]

It really depends, I'm going to say I probably do not, though I do love the.. orchestral(?) music that goes with the LotR movies and games and the Pirates of the Caribbean music.

 

[Blaster395]

It really depends, I'm going to say I probably do not, though I do love the.. orchestral(?) music that goes with the LotR movies and games and the Pirates of the Caribbean music.

You should look for other works by Hanz Zimmer.

 

[billygoverton]

ooops, Tchaikovsky on the other page.
I don't know if anobody on this website buys vinyl, but classical records are always DIIIRT cheap. It's a great way to get into collecting/ expanding musical horizons. All without illegally downloading!

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

Never! Give me obscure, 18th century Czech, Italian, and English composers, or give me death!

On second thought, just give me the composers, then go away. ;P


PS: That Bugs Bunny bit is awesome. I've seen that a thousand times, and I never got it. Thank you for being informative. I salute you!

So you are a Prokofiev fan?

Actually, I was referring to Jan Dismas Zelenka. Remember, 18th century = 1700s. Prokofiev lived from the late 19th century (1800s) to the mid-20th century (1900s).

But yeah, he's good, but I'm not as fond of Classical and Romantic period music as I am the Baroque period, so I'm not as knowledgeable about those years.

I was going for the obscure composers, but Zelenka works too. I'm actually surprised he isn't more popular, but considering who was around at the time it's no wonder why not a whole lot of people have heard of him.

Baroque is a personal favorite with Romantic being a close second, love me some Tchaikovsky.

 

[JemothSkarii]

"I like Chopin myself"
"I don't play Chopin"
"If I die, would you play Chopin in rememberance of me?"
...In all honesty though, I love Chopin...if only I wasn't stuck in Eternal Sonata

 

[billygoverton]

Just to add to your list of contemporaries, Wojciech Kilar has composed great pieces of music, both for movies and just classical. My favorite piece by him is his Angelus.

AH! wikipedia informs me he was responsible for the gorgeous (not-chopin) works in The Pianist.

love that movie, as unbearably tragic as it is.