Classical Music

[Mozart]

I'm a big on Classical music, and I thought I'd create this thread to share news, opinions, and history of classical music.

For starters, lets all name our favorite composers :), John Williams included!

[Ayrun]

ehm....
If J. Williams is included, why isn't he in the poll ?

[Mozart]

Well, because he isnt usually counted among the famed four:p. Sorry! but you dont have to use to the poll to tell who is your fav, just post! So, is John Williams your favorite?;) he's still my favorite film composer, but not my favorite composer of all. But he is what started me out on the road to classical craze;).

[Finn]

I'm going to be home proud here, and say Sibelius.

[Mozart]

I love Sibelius! I have his second symphony (along with "Finlandia" of course), conducted by Yoel Levi. One of the best recordings out there of that work.
I just bought another work by another Scandinavian composer, Carl Nielsen, who is Danish. The opera's name is "Saul & David", its not excellant, but its good...
Geez, here I am rambling to you guys like I expect you to know all about scandinavian composers already...

[Ayrun]

Originally posted by Mozart
Well, because he isnt usually counted among the famed four:p .

Now you mention it; my remark was kind of stupid. Sorry...

This isn't really my territory... classical music…

But Williams is good :)

.... for a 'film composer'. ;)

[Finn]

Originally posted by Mozart
Geez, here I am rambling to you guys like I expect you to know all about scandinavian composers already...
It's okay. Someone not from Scandinavia mite be interested as well. ;)

Finlandia... that piece was close to be the National Anthem of Finland. The bigwigs of that time, however, picked German composer Fredrick Pacius' (who was a great Finn-lover) anthem dedicated to Finns known as "Our Land". (The rumors go that this guy based this piece of works on some German beer drinking song. Tell me if you can confirm this.)

[Mozart]

I'm afraid not, about the drinking song...But I do remember reading about 'Finlandia' coming close to the National Anthem. It would have been the perfect one! it has all the patriotic and heroic colors of an anthem...maybe a bit long, but they'd probably cut it a bit...eek! thats a terrible thought.

[Mozart]

Originally posted by Renderking Fisk
I think I have most of Sibelius' work. So I guess I'll vote for him, too.
Wonderful!


To tell you the truth, my favorite composer is NOT Mozart (he's second), its Hector Berlioz. But I already used Berlioz as my name for another message board, so I thought I'd go down the list...

A Berlioz site of my own is in the works.
www.hectorberlioz.org

and I'm sure if you searched him on google, there would not be a shortage of links;)...he's quite a popular composers now, though after his death in 1869, he died down in the repoirtoire. But in the 1960's, he made a big comeback with the help conductors like of Sir Colin Davis, Charles Munch and Pierre Boulez. The Audience of Berlioz increases yearly...I myself am responsible for part of this. I've been working my butt off writing articles about him, telling people about him in conversations...etc.
If you're interested in finding some of his music, I suggest you start with "Symphonie Fantastique".
Vive Berlioz!

[Pale Horse]

Beethovan was deaf. That makes him pretty special, to me.

[vaxer]

I like J.S Bach a lot. I also like H.Berlioz but that's because he comes from the region of France I lived in during ten years, I don't really know much about him and his music though (It's a shame, I know).

[Finn]

Originally posted by Pale Horse
Beethovan was deaf. That makes him pretty special, to me. Not the whole time on his composing career.

Ren... if anything, I like your taste of music.

[Luckylighter]

Wow, interesting thread. I've always liked Wagner, especially the overture from "The Flying Dutchmen."

But, I also enjoy Hector Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique."

[Katarn07]

Williams is my favorite composer just because most of the movies I love he does the score and it is usually stunningly beautiful. Even the films I don't like (Harry Potter) has an awesome soundtrack.

Out of the ones you listed, I chose Bach just for Fugue in D. Awesome music :D I like all the options save for the last one. I don't know much of his work. Is he considered classical? I thought he fell into the romantic period....

Oh! Who wrote the 'Planets' music? I love those peices. They're awesome.

[Ben Friend of Indy]

Those were by Gustav Holst. I haven't heard the complete compositions, but I have heard the "Bringer of Jollitity" I think it's called. What is it. I heard it on the classic radio station here, and I liked it.

Another composer that I like (although he may be considered more "orchestral" than "classical") is Leroy Anderson. He made some great music from (I believe) the 30's to the 60's. He did light pieces, and composed "Sleigh Ride", and other perhaps less popular pieces such as "The Typewriter", "Belle of the Ball", and "Fiddle Faddle." I really enjoy his music. He's one of my favorites.

And now a question: Why do classical buffs look down their noses at film score? Is it like indie and underground rockers frowning on even good rock that happens to be mainstream? If so, could you elaborate? I just don't understand how such good music could be looked on with such disdain.

[Miss Ravenwood]

I think it has to be Beethoven but I totally dig Tchaikovsky too. I also like Chopin.

[Strider]

Beethoven's 5th is one of my favorite pieces of music.

[monkey]

I'm sorry to see my favorite, Tchaikovsky, in last place (why do I seem to always support the underdog?).

"Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies". I love that piece. I wrote a solo guitar arrangement for that back in the 70's. I was going to send it to my favorite guitar player, Ritchie Blackmore, but never got around to it. I stumbled across it the other day when I was cleaning out my closet.

I also love "In the Hall of the Mountain King".

And Finn, as far as Scandinavians go....well, my favorite Scandinavian of all time, and one of my top guitar heroes, is that incomparable genius himself........Yngvie Malmsteen.

Not all of the brilliant composers are dead guys.

[Finn]

<small>A Swede... *shivers*</small>

Heh heh, just kidding. Malmsteen is quite good, I like him too... there's not much guys with a really big-star look here in up north.

[vaxer]

I'm also a big fan of Paganini. What he did is incredible (specially the capriccis) I wonder if there's anything harder to play then the music he wrote (maybe "The devil's trill" from Tartini).

[Mozart]

Originally posted by Luckylighter
Wow, interesting thread. I've always liked Wagner, especially the overture from "The Flying Dutchmen."

But, I also enjoy Hector Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique."
Wonderful!!!! I love the fantastique...but in many ways, 'Harold in Italy' (his second symphony) is closer to me...
What recording of the Fantastique do you have?


And now a question: Why do classical buffs look down their noses at film score? Is it like indie and underground rockers frowning on even good rock that happens to be mainstream? If so, could you elaborate? I just don't understand how such good music could be looked on with such disdain.

Yes its sad that most classical buffs do look down their noses towards film scores...but I feel there is a good reason, however priggish...film scores these days (BACK THEN they werent looked down upon...Shostakovich and Prokofiev wrote music for films, and another of my favorite composers Wolfgang Korngold was a film composer-he wrote the score for Robin Hood with Flynn!)..anyways, film scores these days tend to be sappy, repetitious, and in general, Stupid and Boring. I hate to say it, but the last few scores of John Williams (after Saving Private Ryan) were rather mediocre...he just doesnt have the fire and brimestone that he use to...
So, I look down upon most film scores these days (LotR scores always excepted.)

[Mozart]

Originally posted by vaxer
I'm also a big fan of Paganini. What he did is incredible (specially the capriccis) I wonder if there's anything harder to play then the music he wrote (maybe "The devil's trill" from Tartini).
Paganin commisioned 'Harold in Italy' from Berlioz, with a large virtuoso viola role...but it wasnt challenging enough for him. But he did love it, and gave Berlioz a large sum of money for it. He also gave Berlioz his guitar...

[Mozart]

Originally posted by monkey
I'm sorry to see my favorite, Tchaikovsky, in last place (why do I seem to always support the underdog?).

"Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies". I love that piece. I wrote a solo guitar arrangement for that back in the 70's. I was going to send it to my favorite guitar player, Ritchie Blackmore, but never got around to it. I stumbled across it the other day when I was cleaning out my closet.

I also love "In the Hall of the Mountain King".

And Finn, as far as Scandinavians go....well, my favorite Scandinavian of all time, and one of my top guitar heroes, is that incomparable genius himself........Yngvie Malmsteen.

Not all of the brilliant composers are dead guys.
Tchaikovsky was my first Favorite. I am guilty of hating him further on in my musical journey...but recently I re-listened to the 1812 overture, and found it had not lost its magnificence. So, these days, I am re-discovering Tchaikovsky:)

[Chattar Lal]

Beethoven is the greatest composer and man who has ever lived. He wrote his greatest music when he was completely deaf. Richard Strauss is my second favourite composer...