Favourite Classical Music, Opera And Instrumental

[motorway]

Gioachino Rossini --"Wagner has wonderful moments, and dreadful quarters of an hour"

Yes but those moments

Tannhäuser (full title Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg / Tannhäuser and the Singers' Contest at Wartburg) is an opera in three acts, music and text by Richard Wagner, based on the two German legends of Tannhäuser and the song contest at Wartburg. The story centres on the struggle between sacred and profane love, and redemption through love.

Motorway

 

[Julia]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

Ah, the overture which I used to play over and over, was the cause of my most expensive speeding ticket many years ago.

I was driving home on a Sunday from Dunedin to Christchurch, lunchtime, roads almost empty through a small Otago town. Tannhauser blasting forth loudly. Very familiar with the road, didn't notice speed creeping up.

Eventually noticed in rear vision mirror flashing red and blue lights behind me. Pulled over and turned down the sound.

Cop was apopleptic with rage, said he had had the siren going while following me for nearly 10 kms! Explained about the music. He was entirely unsympathetic. Apparently I was doing 160kms and he considered this through undulating road to be dangerous driving and booked me accordingly.

Escaped loss of licence but it was very expensive.

I always remember this when I hear this wonderful music.

 

[motorway]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

Your suggestion
gave me the idea for this thread ( and lets not forget Ballet too )

Yes you feel like you could do anything
after listening to this

Invade Russia for instance

Merry Christmas Julia
I am finally off to The Family Get Together :xmaswave

Motorway

 

[pixel]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

Welcome, Julia, to the "Club of Wagner-Victims"

My dear old German Lit teacher used to ply us bunch of post-war teenagers with the lyrics of the Master Singers, underpinning what he considered exquisite mastery of momentous mysticism, by hammering away on the Steinway - at a time when we were discovering Elvis (and girls, but that's a different story.)
Not surprisingly, it took me several decades to overcome my "induced coma" and allergy to anything Wagnerian. Meanwhile, there are some pieces - mainly instrumental - that I can listen to, even enjoy, e.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGU1P6lBW6Q

If only he had written like Verdi! "La Traviata" even made me take on Italian, so I could understand what the excitement was all about. In Germany, foreign-language operas are usually performed in - usually dreadful - German translations, inflicted upon the unsuspecting public by "lyricists" that would today write prose for Mills & Boon.
(I shouldn't have bothered: the original La Traviata lyrics is just about as soppy and pathetic, it only sounds better when sung in Italian. But then, almost anything does )

Two of my favourites opera pieces are from La Traviata:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEpDDG-ybCY and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4cSVnqGmOc&feature=related

But if I have to nominate my absolute favourite Instrumental opus, it has to be Beethoven's opus 61.

 

[wayneL]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

I've posted this before in the other thread:

From I Capuleti e i Montecchi - Anna Netrebko and Elina Garanca



...and speaking of La Traviata

 

[Julia]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

Your suggestion
gave me the idea for this thread ( and lets not forget Ballet too )

Yes you feel like you could do anything
after listening to this

This raises the question of why we listen to classical music, what it offers us?
For me, it's a bit like reading books, in that I choose the music according to mood.
If I'm anxious and stressed, the pure orderliness of Mozart is perfect, but if I want to complement a sense of storminess, you just can't beat the Russians for passion, pure emotion and sadness intertwined with joy, e.g. Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos II and III.

I know very little about opera, dislike La Traviata for probably not very good reasons. The standout for me is the duet from "The Pearl Fishers".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdb94HbyRko

But if I have to nominate my absolute favourite Instrumental opus, it has to be Beethoven's opus 61.

I'm listening to this now. It's interesting. Doesn't touch me, despite being impressive.

I'd be interested to hear from others about why you choose the music you do and what it represents to you. Does it complement mood, or allay it?

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

I particularly like Handel's Messiah, Beethoven's 9th and Stairway to Heaven.

gg

 

[Vicki]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

This raises the question of why we listen to classical music, what it offers us?
For me, it's a bit like reading books, in that I choose the music according to mood.
If I'm anxious and stressed, the pure orderliness of Mozart is perfect, but if I want to complement a sense of storminess, you just can't beat the Russians for passion, pure emotion and sadness intertwined with joy, e.g. Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos II and III.

I know very little about opera, dislike La Traviata for probably not very good reasons. The standout for me is the duet from "The Pearl Fishers".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdb94HbyRko


I'm listening to this now. It's interesting. Doesn't touch me, despite being impressive.

I'd be interested to hear from others about why you choose the music you do and what it represents to you. Does it complement mood, or allay it?

That was a very knowledgable post Julia.

I like beethovens 5th symphony...or [score music to Stanley Cubrics' 2001 a space odessy].

Forgive my ignorance, If I've named the wrong composer.

Vicki

 

[motorway]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

Must have Melody
Must have Poignancy
Something ineffable

Full of Emotion
I must be moved


Pietro Mascagni: Cavalleria rusticana - Intermezzo





Motorway

 

[chrislp]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

Early classical are my favourite. Bach, Mozart, etc.

I enjoy the music from that period but the Romantic period onwards bar a few is dull as ditch water to me.

Don't understand the hype with Beethoven & Mahler specifically,

No offence to anybody but I don't get it.

Personal favourite Love winds & the whole piece is great.


Opera




Never heard anything more beautiful

 

[chrislp]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

I'd be interested to hear from others about why you choose the music you do and what it represents to you. Does it complement mood, or allay it?

Enjoy your posts Julia; hope you enjoy my take.

Was a fan of metal as a teen & I've never been into classical until the last couple of years. I'm 28 & fed up with popular music. It only seems to get worse IMO.

Unfortunately good metal died in the 90's & nothing has taken my interest since a family member joined a major Orchestra & I watched the movie Amadeus.

Have loved the classical era since.

 

[pixel]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

This raises the question of why we listen to classical music, what it offers us?

I'd be interested to hear from others about why you choose the music you do and what it represents to you. Does it complement mood, or allay it?

Good question, Julia;

To me, it's a little bit of both: When I'm in a mellow mood, Massenet's Meditation, Mascagni (nice choice, motorway) can complement it; or I can revel in Mendelssohn's slow movement of the e minor concerto. When I'm feeling blue, I may not need to get any "bluer", so I may pick the Eroica or Mars from Holst's Planets to pull me out of it; or "Libiamo" - to simply remind me there's more to life than feeling blue.
In addition, the older I get, the more memories come back when I hear a particular piece. Most are from very early in my life, when I discovered a new piece either by attempting to play it or listening to one in particularly interesting company.

Leaves the question: Why op.61?
The first LP I owned was this live recording of Yehudi Menuhin and the Berlin Philharmonic; I still have it, but it's been played so often that the scratches have scratches on them. Glad I discovered the very recording on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dT87LHqfwA
... years later, I attempted to play it myself ... still have the sheet music
which automatically led me to compare it to all the violin concertos that had been created before; it's almost as if Beethoven had singlehandedly "invented" a new genre of violin music. Similar to one d-minor double concerto (by whom else but JSB) almost a century before, it retains the basic form of a concerto, but transcends the "template" in so many ways that IMHO no other piece of music has innovated since.
His successors did recognise this achievement - as many of them created their own versions of a D major violin concerto: Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Sibelius are the better known ones. While they're certainly considered "great", they lack the innovation that op 61 possesses in abundance.

 

[Julia]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

I like beethovens 5th symphony...or [score music to Stanley Cubrics' 2001 a space odessy].

Forgive my ignorance, If I've named the wrong composer.

Vicki

Not ignorance, Vicki, just a mix up about what music went with which film.
2001 (which I've never seen actually: hate sci fi) used Strauss.

The Beethoven you're probably thinking of was from the 9th symphony and featured in "A Clockwork Orange"
This was the brilliance of Kubrick, i.e. his capacity to highlight what he was saying by the extreme juxtaposition of the music with e.g. the hideous violence on the screen.

That's how I see it, but I might be wrong. Perhaps he was rather offering the suggestion that Alex was, in his obscene violence, experiencing 'joy' and he's epitomising this with Beethoven's "Ode to Joy"?

Must have Melody
Must have Poignancy
Something ineffable

Full of Emotion
I must be moved

I'd agree here for most of the time, but not if I'm seeking to quell emotions.
As I mentioned before, that's when Mozart, (see chrisl's Concerto K29) below restores a sense of proportion and calmness.

I remember some time ago having this discussion with someone who strongly disagreed about this, and felt Mozart was one of the more passionate composers.
I suppose we all hear music differently.

Pietro Mascagni: Cavalleria rusticana - Intermezzo

Ah, this is something which for me comes into that very long list of music which is familiar but which I couldn't identify.
So lovely. Will seek it out.

Early classical are my favourite. Bach, Mozart, etc.

I enjoy the music from that period but the Romantic period onwards bar a few is dull as ditch water to me.

Don't understand the hype with Beethoven & Mahler specifically,

I've always avoided Mahler but recently have thought my ignorance about it might be precluding an additional source of enjoyment.
If anyone has a recommendation for a good starting point, I'd appreciate it.

Beethoven: probably many people's introduction to classical music, especially the 5th symphony. I like it occasionally.

Never heard anything more beautiful

Yes, exquisitely beautiful. Another which is familiar but to which I couldn't have put a title.

Enjoy your posts Julia; hope you enjoy my take.

Can't go the Don Giovanni, chris, but love the Mozart.

Was a fan of metal as a teen & I've never been into classical until the last couple of years. I'm 28 & fed up with popular music. It only seems to get worse IMO.

Unfortunately good metal died in the 90's & nothing has taken my interest since a family member joined a major Orchestra & I watched the movie Amadeus.

Interesting. It was on ASF a few years ago that Duckman (where is Duckman these days?) suggested I needed to get to know a bit about metal and suggested Metallica's Black album. Perhaps to his surprise, I did buy it, and it has been played more times than he probably imagined, i.e. very often.

This goes to my earlier contention that music either supports or allays mood.

I don't want to divert the thread from the classical theme, but another CD I've just about worn out is the theme from "Taxi Driver". It's intensely moody, sensual and so conjures up every time the mood of the movie.


Pixel, I so envy your capacity to create music rather than just listen to it. I could once play the piano reasonably well but have quite lost the skill now.

 

[Buckfont]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

Hi Julia, just came across this thread and reading your post Mahler isnt a fav of yours. Hope that`s not Paul Keatings influence.

Symphonie Nr 1has been a favourite of mine since my early twenties even though I`m fundamentally a rocker it soothes my heart when I listen to it. No intellectualisation of music here, just what one likes. If you have yet to hear it, here is the first `movement.` on the record cover its in German. It says:- Satz: Langsam schleppend - Im Anfang sehr gemachlich. A translation from someone would be nice.

Hope you enjoy this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWASaebFhUA

 

[motorway]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

A lot of Classical Music is used in Films

so many recognize the music
and appreciate it but maybe not realize it's origin.

regarding Clock Work Orange this featured too


Henry Purcell. Music for the funeral of Queen Mary



motorway

 

[motorway]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

Tchaikovsky-The Nutcracker Suite for piano solo arranged by Pletnev




Sofiya Uryvayeva plays part 7 as an Encore



PART 7.Andante maestoso

motorway

 

[pixel]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

It says:- Satz: Langsam schleppend - Im Anfang sehr gemachlich. A translation from someone would be nice.

Hope you enjoy this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWASaebFhUA

Satz = sentence, in music: movement
langsam = slow[ly]
schleppend = dragging [along]
im Anfang = in the beginnig
sehr gemaechlich = very sluggish/ at a very leisurely pace; from "Gemach", which is the sleeping/ lounging quarters of your home, where you put your feet up and don't hurry

good choice, Buckfont.

PS: The theme he's working through has also been turned into a "folksy" song that describes the beauty of M's world in the (Alpine) region of Austria

 

[Julia]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

Hi Julia, just came across this thread and reading your post Mahler isnt a fav of yours. Hope that`s not Paul Keatings influence.

Symphonie Nr 1has been a favourite of mine since my early twenties even though I`m fundamentally a rocker it soothes my heart when I listen to it. No intellectualisation of music here, just what one likes. If you have yet to hear it, here is the first `movement.` on the record cover its in German. It says:- Satz: Langsam schleppend - Im Anfang sehr gemachlich. A translation from someone would be nice.

Hope you enjoy this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWASaebFhUA

Hi Buckfont,
Thank you. I've listened to the youtube above, and to be honest it doesn't get to me at all. Perhaps I need to be more familiar with it.

A few weeks ago I heard on the radio an excerpt from a Mahler symphony which was incredibly beautiful. It was in the middle of the night and I can't now remember which symphony. It was very gentle, sad and intensely emotional. I wish I'd noted what it was. Any idea what it may have been?

 

[Julia]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

Hi Julia, just came across this thread and reading your post Mahler isnt a fav of yours. Hope that`s not Paul Keatings influence.

If anything, his passion for Mahler sparked my interest.
I'm actually an admirer of Mr Keating, especially when compared with the lacklustre Labor leaders these days.

 

[pixel]

Re: Favorite Classical Music Opera And Instrumental

Hi Buckfont,
Thank you. I've listened to the youtube above, and to be honest it doesn't get to me at all. Perhaps I need to be more familiar with it.

A few weeks ago I heard on the radio an excerpt from a Mahler symphony which was incredibly beautiful. It was in the middle of the night and I can't now remember which symphony. It was very gentle, sad and intensely emotional. I wish I'd noted what it was. Any idea what it may have been?

Try #2, the Resurrection Symphony http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6idPaGqvV8

The early parts are somewhat pompous, but in the middle section, it has "its moments"