Classical music!

[serpentspass]

Hello everyone!

I've been telling myself to be more active on here, so I thought I'd start a new topic! I did a quick search and found nothing like this, so I'm just gonna give it a shot.

I'd just like to point out that by "classical music" I mean most orchestral/choir music. I realise this isn't really correct, but it was the easiest way to get my point across without having to list every genre of orchestral/choir music.

Anyway, I've always liked classical music, and I have quite a lot of friends who do so as well, but I really want to get to know more people who like classical music, and start a conversation about it. I'd love to discuss eras, instruments, composers, musicians, conductors, etc. I didn't exacrly intend to make this a "who else likes" post, but it basically is. I just hope this will be a bit less bland and a bit more in depth, I guess.

So, without further ado, here are my favourites (at the moment, at least). My favourite era is the Romantic era. I play the French horn, so that's obviously my favourite instrument. I don't have a favourite composer at the moment. My favourite conductor will always be Gustavo Dudamel. I'm absolutely obsessed with Libera Boy's Choir at the moment, seriously, you should check them out!

[Klingon]

I too enjoy classical music fairly often. though I prefer orchestral music when listening to it. my favorite kind is still metal, but on occasion classical music is very enjoyable to me too. and it has a way of helping me concentrate and focus where the metal doesn't.

[March Hare]

I love orchestral and choir music, especially from the Baroque period. I used to play the oboe in a chamber orchestra, and we would perform pieces from lesser known composers from roughly between 1600 and 1800. One of my all-time favourites was the Symphony in c-minor by Joseph Martin Krauss. WONDERFUL music.

[Elektra]

@serpentspass If you play the Horn and are into Romantic, check the beginning of Brahms' second piano concerto

[serpentspass]

13 hours ago, Kurn'la said:

I too enjoy classical music fairly often. though I prefer orchestral music when listening to it. my favorite kind is still metal, but on occasion classical music is very enjoyable to me too. and it has a way of helping me concentrate and focus where the metal doesn't.

Same here. I like metal too, but it can get kind of distracting. Though, if I know a !piece of classical music very well, I'll focus on all the different parts instead of whatever it is I'm supposed to be doing😅

13 hours ago, March Hare said:

I love orchestral and choir music, especially from the Baroque period. I used to play the oboe in a chamber orchestra, and we would perform pieces from lesser known composers from roughly between 1600 and 1800. One of my all-time favourites was the Symphony in c-minor by Joseph Martin Krauss. WONDERFUL music.

Yesss I love Baroque, there's always so many details to make listening to it more interesting. The oboe is such a beautiful instrument as well, do you still play it? I listened to the symphony, it's so good! The way the different layers are built up in the first few minutes is simply brilliant.

11 hours ago, Elektra said:

@serpentspass If you play the Horn and are into Romantic, check the beginning of Brahms' second piano concerto

Wow, thank you for introducing me to it! It's so incredibly beautiful. The horn in combination with the low notes of the piano, I'm in love haha. I ended up listening to all of it, and I also really enjoy the end of the second movement. To be honest, I just love every part where you can clearly hear the horns!

[Zed]

Thanks for starting this thread. I could talk about my love for classical music all day. I play the piano and have sung in many choirs over the years, from chamber-style right up to large choruses that perform oratorios with symphony orchestras. I've also played violin, trumpet and handbells  (not particularly well, mind you, lol) off and on over the years and enjoy composing music when I have a moment or two (and of course an inspiration). Not sure if I have a favourite period but do have many favourite pieces of music which I'm happy to share.

In no particular order then:

1. Beethoven -- Symphony No. 7 (particularly the 4th movement)
2. Beethoven -- Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor)
3. Haydn -- Symphony No. 88, fourth movement (I think this about the most joyous piece of music I've ever heard)
4. Mahler -- Symphony No. 8
5. Mendelssohn -- Elijah 
6. Faure -- Requiem
7. Durufle -- Requiem
8. Mozart -- Requiem
9. Brahms -- A German Requiem
10. Brahms -- Rhapsodie No. 2 in G minor
11. Poulenc -- Gloria
12. Rachmaninov -- Vespers
13. Rachmaninov -- Variations on a Theme by Paganini (especially the famous No. 18)
14. Borodin -- from Prince Igor -- Polovtsian Dances
15. Bach -- B Minor Mass
16. Stravinsky -- The Rite of Spring
17. Gershwin -- Piano Concerto in F
18. Handel -- Messiah
19. Schubert -- Erlkonig
20. Puccini -- Tosca
21. Offenbach -- from Tales of Hoffmann -- Bacharolle
22. Raminsh -- Magnificat

I could go on and on but I'll spare you. Can you tell I like this topic?

Take care,

Zed

[March Hare]

On 7/23/2018 at 12:29 AM, Zed said:

Brahms -- A German Requiem

Oo oo I sang soprano in that once (in the choir, but I think I actually like that better than being a soloist) That one is SO uplifting and euphoria-inducing.

[Zed]

T'is indeed, March Hare. Have sung both the baritone and tenor parts in that one. The tenor part is beautiful but also crazy, with very little time to breathe between phrases, lol.

Take care,

Zed

[beijoseternura]

The first classical song which comes up to my mind is

'Torna o bella' or also called 'Torna o bella al tuo consorte' by Gluck from the  opera 'Orfeo ed Euridice'.

I really love plot / the whole story behind this aria - thank you for sharing this thread. 

[serpentspass]

@Zed I'm sorry for not replying sooner. I'm on vacation so I don't have time to listen to the pieces at the moment (my parents like to cram in as many activities as possible during our vacations), but I'll definitely listen to all of the pieces when I'm back home!

@beijoseternura I'll listen to that one! My favourite opera is L'elisir d'amore. I've played it with the youth orchestra I'm in and it's really funny and catchy.

[beijoseternura]

hello @serpentspass which compositions are also very beautiful, are the 'nocturni' by Mozart. Do you listened to them before? Number 4 'Più non si trovano' and number 5 'Ecco quel fiero istante' are my favourite ones - I remembered that later.

I send you the version of 'torna o bella al tuo consorte' which I like most. When I was younger, we sang this aria with our choir. I also like Orfeos last aria 'Che farò senza Euridice?' - he sings it when Euridice died in his arms.. Do you know the plot of the opera? Take care.

 

 

[Heathcliff]

I know very little about classical music at all.

However, two things I like are the popular works of Copland, and also Grieg's Peer Gynt. This is hardly obscure intellectual stuff! But if you haven't listened to either of these I would say, give them a go.

I tried to listen to some opera too, but didn't get far. But I do like Carmen (I listen to the entry of the bullfighters in Act 4 and I get chills).

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwin5v716czcAhXLIsAKHWNuCM4QtwIwAHoECAsQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D2Tu4H1VnAgw&usg=AOvVaw0EfGUAUywjLbk3zRe3s0yY

Oh, and I do like the Motzart horn concerto I first heard on a childhood tape of Fantastic Mr Fox- I think because it's to do with fox hunting (tan tivvy, tan tivvy!)

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi0m9vg6MzcAhXGDcAKHcE-DiYQwqsBMAF6BAgGEAc&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DL_TrR2uH3T4&usg=AOvVaw2LHCftLF-5pZKrKD6u2Ym_