Whats your favourite classical music?

[Guest CLARENCE]

Adiemus by Karl Jenkins is one of my favourites.

Many years ago, on television, I remember a version of the Four Seasons by James Galway  never been able to find a recording since.

David.

[bbishop]

Referring to Bernard's comments about Bruckner.  He was completely apolitical and very religious.  He came to composing symphonies relatively late in life after hearing the music of Richard Wagner and conceived them as secular statements of his faith; indeed the 9th was dedicated to "Almighty God".    There is no reason to think that AB was anti-Semitic, his friends included Hemann Levi and Gustav Mahler, but his view of Judaism was influenced by his Catholic faith; he is recorded as asking a Jew: "Do you really believe that the Messiah has not yet come?".

 

Bill

[Jol Wilkinson]

Very little, other than some Britten, Tippet, Vaughan Williams and Elgar. Largely down to virtually exposure to any before I discovered blues/rock and folk/rock in the 70s which is what I still prefer.

[sir douglas]

i love classical but except with any vocals in latin because it sounds really poncy.

 

my favourites are:

- Holst's Mars & Jupiter

- The finale of Saint Saën's organ Symphony No. 3

- Elgar's Nimrod

- Wagner's Ride of the valkyries

 

theres also some game music that is amazing, one of the most well known is the Main theme from Final Fantasy, 7.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88_PGUa69aE

 

regards, Sam.

[C.A.T.Ford]

When I can't get my butt in gear, John Adams, short ride in a fast machine does the galvanising!

 

CAT

[Doncaster Green]

I've always wondered what defines "Classical Music", after all wasn't most of what we now consider classical the popular music of its day, albeit considerably less accessible for the average man - no radio, TV, etc and composers "retained" by wealthy patrons.   Me, I was put off classical music at school by a music master (master tells you how long ago I was at school) who seemed to believe there was no other music worth listening to than Mozart and would only use Mozart in class.   Unfortunately my O level syllabus included pieces by Britten, Elgar and Beethoven as well as Mozart - guess what he used!

 

Since then I have gradually come back to a liking for much classical music although I have to admit it has been through the use of classical music themes by artists like Keith Emerson (both Nice and ELP) and its use as film themes.   Most of the time I haven't a clue who wrote it or what its called, I just know I like to listen to it.   "You know, it's that one they used as the theme for "Saving Private Ryan" (or "2001" or "The Deerhunter")".

 

Having said all that I do have Elgar and RVW CDs in the car which I love listening to on a long drive.

 

Regards

 

John

[Gwiwer]

I've always wondered what defines "Classical Music", after all wasn't most of what we now consider classical the popular music of its day .........

 

 

To my mind it is the form and structure of the music.  To a certain but not definitive extent it is also the instruments normally used to perform that music.

 

In general terms I would consider the likes of the concerto, sonata, symphony and chorale to be "classical" no matter when they date from.  Forms and styles which include jazz, rock, pop and many of the more recent formats are not, to my mind, classical.

 

We could use the instrumentation to draw a line but where then does that leave the jazz saxophonist or the rockabilly bass player?  There was a step change in the popular music of the day when the electric guitar was invented but was this a part of a wider shift in music which had already given us jazz, swing and other "free form" styles earlier?  Was it cause or effect and did it drive or was it driven by the desire for something new, bright and upbeat after the war years? The four-way division into strings - woodwind - brass - percussion might go a long way to defining classical music but what of the many solo works?  

 

"Classical" has also had a time period ascribed to it by some with other terms applied to works composed before and after.  That for example places some of our popular works from this thread into "Early music".

 

We can debate for a long as we have breath without reaching a definitive conclusion.  We can hold the same debate with modern music when one asks "What is jazz?" or "Define rock music."  And fascinating debates they might prove to be too.

Edited February 27, 2015 by Gwiwer

[runs as required]

I've never understood the musical definition of 'classical'.

Architecturally it means something with recognisably derived features from the Greek and Roman orders.

In music does it just mean 'academic' like, say, you might study Eng. Lit?

dh

I asked the same question in post #90, page 4

There were some helpful answers - one of which stops classical at Mozart

regards

dh

 

edit typos

Edited February 27, 2015 by runs as required

[Doncaster Green]

I didn't realise my old music master was an RMwebber!

 

Joking aside, thanks to that teacher I am basically musically illiterate, but " I knows what I likes".   Gwiwer's post I found very informative (how do you tick two boxes?) but I wouldn't be able to tell one form from another without being told it was a concerto or a symphony or an opera and then would get even more confused when what is really a piece of pop music is described as a Rock "Opera".

 

However, on the basis of I know what I like, I would add to Elgar and RVW various pieces rather than composers, e.g "1812", some of the Planets and big organ pieces (influence of Emerson again?) - I love the sound of a BIG organ, be it Church, cinema or electronic.

 

Regards

 

John

[Talltim]

To my mind it is the form and structure of the music.  To a certain but not definitive extent it is also the instruments normally used to perform that music.

 

In general terms I would consider the likes of the concerto, sonata, symphony and chorale to be "classical" no matter when they date from.  Forms and styles which include jazz, rock, pop and many of the more recent formats are not, to my mind, classical.

 

We could use the instrumentation to draw a line but where then does that leave the jazz saxophonist or the rockabilly bass player?  There was a step change in the popular music of the day when the electric guitar was invented but was this a part of a wider shift in music which had already given us jazz, swing and other "free form" styles earlier?  Was it cause or effect and did it drive or was it driven by the desire for something new, bright and upbeat after the war years? The four-way division into strings - woodwind - brass - percussion might go a long way to defining classical music but what of the many solo works?  

 

And then some 'classical' music doesn't feature instruments at all, just the human voice.

[Jock67B]

Has anyone mentioned 'Carmina Burana' by Carl Orff ?

Hi Doncaster Green, as I believe I probably said when I first joined in this thread - I was lucky enough to have a superb master of wine whose opening lesson was that 'the best wine in the world, is the wine you like best in the world!' And I truly believe that that philosophy applies to music of any kind. The use of 'classical' music in film scores, and certainly in advertisements, has gone a long way to popularise the genre. So too has sporting event title music such as 'Nessun Dorma' and 'Faure's Pavane' with football and Ravel's 'Bolero' with Torvill and Dean. From adverts, British Airways sold lots of copies of 'The Flower Song' from 'Lakme' by Delibes!

Long may it continue,

Kind regards,

Jock.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Jock67B

[runs as required]

........The use of 'classical' music in .......sporting event title music such as 'Nessun Dorma' and 'Faure's requiem' with football and Ravel's 'Bolero' with Torvill and Dean........Long may it continue,

A few year's back (via my son's IP law work) I realised I was sitting opposite Murray Walker at a Silverstone lunch; I found him a wonderful conversationalist.

We were both very pleased when I was able to recall an alltime favourite quote from his dad Graham Walker while broadcasting a BBC commentary on a Manx TT race in the Duke/Hartle era.

Unusually for a Walker he'd stopped talking so we all we heard was a clutch of 'double knocker' Nortons blast past.

 

"Beethoven never wrote music like that!" Graham Walker declared.

Classical that is.

dh

[PGC]

Has anyone mentioned 'Carmina Burana' by Carl Orff ?

Hi Doncaster Green, as I believe I probably said when I first joined in this thread - I was lucky enough to have a superb master of wine whose opening lesson was that 'the best wine in the world, is the wine you like best in the world!' And I truly believe that that philosophy applies to music of any kind. The use of 'classical' music in film scores, and certainly in advertisements, has gone a long way to popularise the genre. So too has sporting event title music such as 'Nessun Dorma' and 'Faure's requiem' with football and Ravel's 'Bolero' with Torvill and Dean. From adverts, British Airways sold lots of copies of 'The Flower Song' from 'Lakme' by Delibes!

Long may it continue,

Kind regards,

Jock.

 

Sorry to be so picky, but it was Faure's Pavane and not the Requiem.

 

Don't know the answer to the classical question, but just want to say that I had a day out with the domestic Goddess today and as we were driving, had St Matthew Passion playing (she's singing it in a few weeks time). Wonderful stuff,driving through the Essex countryside with JSB's best playing while the sun's shining.

 

Phil

Edited February 27, 2015 by PGC

[Claude_Dreyfus]

So too has sporting event title music such as 'Nessun Dorma' and 'Faure's requiem' with football...

Apparently Nessun Dorma was the suggestion of the football commentator Gerald Sinstadt.

[wombatofludham]

I remember wincing when the Daily Mirror described "Nessun Dorma" as "The World Cup xxxx theme" when referring to the piece in another context.  Having a deep seated hatred of football, and dumbing down, it was like dragging a rusty nail down a blackboard for me.  On the other hand if it introduced classical music to a group of people who probably would normally avoid it like the plague, I suppose we can forgive the Mirror for renaming the piece...

[melmerby]

Has anyone mentioned 'Carmina Burana' by Carl Orff ?

 

Kind regards,

Jock.

How about the original Carmina Burana, before Carl Orff "modernised" it?

 

Keith

 

EDIT this is one I haven't got myself.

Just letting everyone know there is an "early" version available

Edited February 27, 2015 by melmerby

[melmerby]

 

 

  big organ pieces (influence of Emerson again?) - I love the sound of a BIG organ, be it Church, cinema or electronic.

 

Regards

 

John

Have you heard such things as "Litanies" By Alain:

 

 

Or the "Sortie" by Lefebre-Wely:

(played on a theatre organ!)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igHZxvS2g5A

 

Both very French in style, so different to JSB.

 

Keith

 

And that is definitely a "BIG" organ Marie-Clair Alain is playing!!!

For the best French Organ music look out for items played on a "Cavaille-Coll" organ the definitive French Organ builder

Edited February 27, 2015 by melmerby

[PGC]

Have you heard such things as "Litanies" By Alain:

 

 

Or the "Sortie" by Lefebre-Wely

 

Both very French in style, so different to JSB.

 

Keith

 

And that is definitely a "big" organ Marie Alain is playing!!!

 

If you like big organ music, try searching on YouTube for Daniel Roth. He is the titular (or head) organist of St. Sulpice in Paris, and one of (I reckon he is) the best organists in the world. The clips I like most are the ones where David Briggs (who was, at the time of the recording, Director of Music at Gloucester cathedral) plays improvisations while Daniel Roth watches on. Both are masters of the art of improvisation at the highest level, and their appreciation of each others art is wonderful.

 

The organ at St. Suplice is stunning. It is attributed to Aristide Cavaille-Coll who was the most noted French organ builder of the late 19th century. With the St. Suplice organ, he took what was already an extremely good organ (built by Henri Clicquot, a noted 18th century French organ builder who also built the organs at Notre Dame and several other French cathedrals) and built what is possibly one of the greatest organs of the world. Under the care Daniel Roth, the St. Suplice organ is as built by Cavaille-Coll and sounds simply stunning.

 

In addition to the big French organs, there are many recordings on YouTube of stunning organs throughout the world, but in reality the only way to listen to these organs is in the flesh. On the weekend of Valentine's Day, I led my choir in the services at Exeter cathedral with their newly rebuilt organ. On the Saturday, James, our organist (as in James Davy, Director of Music at Chelmsford cathedral) played Cathedrales by Louis Vierne. You can hear a recording of the piece on this link (but it's not James playing it!). Having heard this played at Exeter on their organ, all I can say is, the recording's impressive, but you should hear the real thing!

 

Phil

[28XX]

Classical music was omnipresent through my childhood.  It is inextricably linked to my parents, dad in particular, and this has had the effect of putting me off it until very recently.  The change in our relationship, him needing me rather than the other way around, may be part of this process.

 

So very much a novice at this, Elgar, (local lad), RVW, Britten.  Can't stand opera.  Still grates.  Chacun a son gout.

[PGC]

How about the original Carmina Burana, before Carl Orff "modernised" it?

 

Keith

 

EDIT this is one I haven't got myself.

Just letting everyone know there is an "early" version available

 

Many years ago, I sang two concerts in Paris with London Symphony chorus. The first was a performance of Mendelssohn's Elijah (now there's a great piece - has any Mendelssohn been mentioned on this thread, yet? If not, shame! Symphony 3, the Italian - brilliant and there's so much more) in a concert hall while the second was Carmina Burana in a church. Knowing the meaning of Carmina Burana (if you don't know the meaning, it's all about the circle of life, including young men getting drunk then deflowering virgins etc and was written by 16th C monks - nudge, nudge, say no more!) , we were surprised that we were allowed to perform it in a church.

 

Happy memories!

 

Phil

 

There's 

[PGC]

Classical music was omnipresent through my childhood.  It is inextricably linked to my parents, dad in particular, and this has had the effect of putting me off it until very recently.  The change in our relationship, him needing me rather than the other way around, may be part of this process.

 

So very much a novice at this, Elgar, (local lad), RVW, Britten.  Can't stand opera.  Still grates.  Chacun a son gout.

 

It's very interesting the different way's that parentage have affected our listening. My parents knew nothing other than church and classical music, so it wasn't until I went to work that I started learning about Elton John etc., and I've been learning since.

 

To me, however, classical music has always been in my blood, I really couldn't imagine life without it, and for that I can only thank my parents.

 

Phil

[melmerby]

 written by 16th C monks - nudge, nudge, say no more!) , we were surprised that we were allowed to perform it in a church.

 

Happy memories!

 

Phil

 

There's 

I think you will find it is a lot earlier C12th - C13th

 

Keith

[melmerby]

If you like big organ music, try searching on YouTube for Daniel Roth. He is the titular (or head) organist of St. Sulpice in Paris, and one of (I reckon he is) the best organists in the world. The clips I like most are the ones where David Briggs (who was, at the time of the recording, Director of Music at Gloucester cathedral) plays improvisations while Daniel Roth watches on. Both are masters of the art of improvisation at the highest level, and their appreciation of each others art is wonderful.

 

The organ at St. Suplice is stunning. It is attributed to Aristide Cavaille-Coll who was the most noted French organ builder of the late 19th century. With the St. Suplice organ, he took what was already an extremely good organ (built by Henri Clicquot, a noted 18th century French organ builder who also built the organs at Notre Dame and several other French cathedrals) and built what is possibly one of the greatest organs of the world. Under the care Daniel Roth, the St. Suplice organ is as built by Cavaille-Coll and sounds simply stunning.

 

In addition to the big French organs, there are many recordings on YouTube of stunning organs throughout the world, but in reality the only way to listen to these organs is in the flesh. On the weekend of Valentine's Day, I led my choir in the services at Exeter cathedral with their newly rebuilt organ. On the Saturday, James, our organist (as in James Davy, Director of Music at Chelmsford cathedral) played Cathedrales by Louis Vierne. You can hear a recording of the piece on this link (but it's not James playing it!). Having heard this played at Exeter on their organ, all I can say is, the recording's impressive, but you should hear the real thing!

 

Phil

The Organ at La Madeleine is a Cavaille-Coll (1845) and that is what Lefebere-Wely who was organist 1847-58 played and composed on.

 

For something really stirring look out early Iberian organ music played on a proper "Spanish" organ with all those forward facing trompetta!!!

 

Keith

 

 

EDIT organs - organs - organs I love 'em

Daniel Roth:

Edited February 27, 2015 by melmerby

[Doncaster Green]

Provided I've got the mechanics of this right and I am quoting Melmerby's post from earlier, I like both pieces.   As you say, very French and decidedly not Bach, but I have to admit a preference for the St Sulpice organ, you can almost feel it reverberating around the church.   PGC earlier mentioned the organ at Exeter Cathedral and I have to say I was lucky enough to visit while an organist was practising recently, as I have been lucky with Wells, Salisbury and Bath Abbey, and I think what it is with organs for me is the way they seem to be a part of the building, sort of the original Surround Sound, even a little electronic Roland in small country church.   My mother was fond of '40's big band music and at her funeral a couple of years ago we had the organist play a selection of Miller and Dorsey and the way that little Roland filled the church was amazing.   Admittedly it did help that she was a pretty good keyboard player who also liked that era in music.

 

Regards

 

John

[Claude_Dreyfus]

It's Nielsen's 150th birthday this year, so be prepared for a lot of performances of his music.

 

Sibelius as well... Looking forward to the Proms this season!

 

Speaking of which, are there any other Prom attendees on here?