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What is your favorite piece of classical music? (1 Viewer)

Speaking of Berlioz, one of my noteworthy 2019 releases is Jean Francois Heisser's arrangement of Berlioz' Symphony Fantastique for two pianos.  He and another pianist perform it on a 1920s contraption that is basically two grand pianos stuffed inside a giant cabinet.

The melodies are all there and they capture the spirit of the piece without some of the musical colors of the larger ensemble.  But it's all done to a different scale.  It's kind of like a model train compared to a life size locomotive but who doesn't like model trains.

https://open.spotify.com/album/74Ttokuvxivm9bw5iTFO0j?si=iXqQCamfThKVfQlhSNrHBQ

 
Eephus said:
Speaking of Berlioz, one of my noteworthy 2019 releases is Jean Francois Heisser's arrangement of Berlioz' Symphony Fantastique for two pianos.  He and another pianist perform it on a 1920s contraption that is basically two grand pianos stuffed inside a giant cabinet.

The melodies are all there and they capture the spirit of the piece without some of the musical colors of the larger ensemble.  But it's all done to a different scale.  It's kind of like a model train compared to a life size locomotive but who doesn't like model trains.

https://open.spotify.com/album/74Ttokuvxivm9bw5iTFO0j?si=iXqQCamfThKVfQlhSNrHBQ
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I did hear that. It’s cool but the piece doesn’t work nearly as well without the bombast. 

 
Ilov80s said:
I did hear that. It’s cool but the piece doesn’t work nearly as well without the bombast. 
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Theophrastus (Paracelsus) Bombastus may, or may not agree:

Destruction perfects that which is good; for the good cannot appear on account of that which conceals it. The good is least good whilst it is thus concealed. The concealment must be removed so that the good may be able freely to appear in its own brightness. For example, the mountain, the sand, the earth, or the stone in which a metal has grown is such a concealment. Each one of the visible metals is a concealment of the other six metals. 

Very nice piece, Eephus - I'm listening now. 🙂

 
Ilov80s said:
His music is very relatable to modern times: drugs, unrequited loved, executions, witches 
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Berlioz wrote Symphonie Fantastique for a woman he'd only seen perform as Ophelia in Hamlet.  She was Irish and Berlioz didn't speak English.  He still he was so obsessed with he that she became his muse in absentia.  She didn't hear the piece until a couple of years after its premiere but they married shortly thereafter.   And that my friends is panache.

 
gianmarco said:
Khachaturian -- Adagio from Spartacus

Forgot that we are playing this as well.  Just after the 6 minute mark is magical. 

I'll see if I can grab a couple recordings tonight at rehearsal and post them here if anyone is interested.
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Haven’t heard that name in a minute. One of the best concerts of my life was a performance of his violin concerto. It was as virtuoso performance as I’ve ever seen. Plus emotions were high as the DSO guest conductor was from Lyon and it was the weekend of the Paris terror attack. They opened with an impromptu performance of Le Marseillaise. The crowd was in tears- most moving rendition I had heard since Casablanca.

 
Ilov80s said:
Haven’t heard that name in a minute. One of the best concerts of my life was a performance of his violin concerto. It was as virtuoso performance as I’ve ever seen. Plus emotions were high as the DSO guest conductor was from Lyon and it was the weekend of the Paris terror attack. They opened with an impromptu performance of Le Marseillaise. The crowd was in tears- most moving rendition I had heard since Casablanca.
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Speaking of which, this concert is also featuring a young soloist who won the annual solo competition that plays with us for the final concert.  He's playing a violin concerto I hadn't heard before and it's beautiful.  He does a pretty amazing job with it too.

Vieuxtemps Violin Concerto #5

 
I have an extra ticket for the SF Symphony tonight.  A Wagner piece from Parsifal, Beethoven piano concerto #4, Mozart #31 "Paris" and a short symphony by Samuel Barber.

We were given a pair late but Mrs Eephus already had plans to see some band called the Death Valley Girls :headbang:

 
huh... my spotify daily mixes are almost exclusively guitar/garage/post, with the occasional 80s new wave hits (if the wife uses my account) or current pop (if the kids do)... but because I spent a morning listening to Bach the other day, I have an entire playlist of just classical (and other eras) piano music today! Poulenc, Bach, Chopin, Debussy, Brahms, Saint-Saens... kind of all over the place, but that's great. 

 
I played the french horn for about seven years as a kid.  I was second chair all-city in the Milwaukee school system in 8th grade but shortly afterwards got braces on my teeth.  Bleeding gums were a major disincentive to practice and I guess I found cooler things to do.  But I still love the sound of the instrument.

There are lots of great horn parts in classical music although unfortunately there's not a wealth of concertos that feature horn soloists.  Mozart wrote four horn concertos that are probably the most performed compositions for horn.  One problem is pieces up to the mid 19th century were written for and performed on the natural (valveless) horn which limited the palette for the composer. 

Valved instruments opened up new chromatic possibilities on the horn.  Richard Strauss wrote two horn concertos that are worth a listen.  His countryman Paul Hindemith composed a horn concerto specially for the British horn virtuoso Dennis Brain in the 1950s.  Sixty years after Brain's death in a car accident at age 36, he remains the most famous master of the instrument.  He lived in the era of radio and LP records so his exquisite pure tone can still be heard in glorious mono.

Richard Strauss - Horn Concerto No. 1 Op. 11 (Dennis Brain)

Felix Kleiser is a 28 year old German musician who was born without arms.  He plays the instrument using his left foot.  It's quite remarkable to watch his toes move on the valve levers.  Kleiser is unable to use hand-stopping, one of the traditional techniques of changing the position of the player's hand in the horn's bell to dampen the sound.

WA Mozart - Horn Concerto No.1 KV 412 (Felix Kleiser)

 
Eephus said:
I played the french horn for about seven years as a kid.  I was second chair all-city in the Milwaukee school system in 8th grade but shortly afterwards got braces on my teeth.  Bleeding gums were a major disincentive to practice and I guess I found cooler things to do.  But I still love the sound of the instrument.

There are lots of great horn parts in classical music although unfortunately there's not a wealth of concertos that feature horn soloists.  Mozart wrote four horn concertos that are probably the most performed compositions for horn.  One problem is pieces up to the mid 19th century were written for and performed on the natural (valveless) horn which limited the palette for the composer. 

Valved instruments opened up new chromatic possibilities on the horn.  Richard Strauss wrote two horn concertos that are worth a listen.  His countryman Paul Hindemith composed a horn concerto specially for the British horn virtuoso Dennis Brain in the 1950s.  Sixty years after Brain's death in a car accident at age 36, he remains the most famous master of the instrument.  He lived in the era of radio and LP records so his exquisite pure tone can still be heard in glorious mono.

Richard Strauss - Horn Concerto No. 1 Op. 11 (Dennis Brain)

Felix Kleiser is a 28 year old German musician who was born without arms.  He plays the instrument using his left foot.  It's quite remarkable to watch his toes move on the valve levers.  Kleiser is unable to use hand-stopping, one of the traditional techniques of changing the position of the player's hand in the horn's bell to dampen the sound.

WA Mozart - Horn Concerto No.1 KV 412 (Felix Kleiser)
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I am listening now.

As for the story and break down of the horn - wow - I love.

I had heard about the palette options b4, but I never knew how it related to the valve (or lack thereof). 

The music is great so far.

Thnx.

 
put this in the concerts thread... forgive for the double post:

(pre-concert)

I've mentioned that Floppinho was accepted this year for 6th grade to a k-12 school that is the only individually taught, classical music-centric public school in the country... or something. they have grade recitals twice a year- all individual performances as the school is set up that way, not for ensembles. I think floppinho is on drums (not a kit) and marimba. the piano and violin kids are ridonculously good- like, already touring and playing places good. looking forward to it. and because percussion is only introduced in middle school, most of the kids- who are clearly super competitive with each other in the same instrument- seem to actually enjoy hearing something new. 

(post-concert)

floppinho's 6th grade recital was insane- it's mindbottling how talented these kids are at 11.

floppinho did a couple of vic furth preludes on drums (not a kit). some other highlights:

Concert Etude- C Mostras- for violin

Carmen Fantasy: 1.Allegro, 2.Moderato- P de Sarasate- for violin

Prelude and Allegro a la Pugnani- Kreisler/Ginzberg- for piano

Prelude in c minor, op 23, rondo- Rachmaninoff- for piano

I genuinely felt like I was sitting in a concert hall at lincoln center hearing professionals instead of in a makeshift lunch-room/ gym listening to kids. I'm blown away that my kid somehow is a part of all of this and goes to this school.

 
I've been thinking too much about the armless horn player.  There are very few instruments that can be played without two hands--strings and woodwinds would be extremely difficult.  Jerry Lee Lewis has played piano with his feet but unless you have extraordinarily long toes, many chords couldn't be played.

This leaves us with brass.  I think the horn is the best among valved instruments because its valve levers have less travel than piston valved instruments like the trumpet.  The trombone might be easier than the french horn.  There are a bunch of videos of people playing the 'bone with their feet.

This guy plays guitar without arms.

 
Eephus said:
I've been thinking too much about the armless horn player.  There are very few instruments that can be played without two hands--strings and woodwinds would be extremely difficult.  Jerry Lee Lewis has played piano with his feet but unless you have extraordinarily long toes, many chords couldn't be played.

This leaves us with brass.  I think the horn is the best among valved instruments because its valve levers have less travel than piston valved instruments like the trumpet.  The trombone might be easier than the french horn.  There are a bunch of videos of people playing the 'bone with their feet.

This guy plays guitar without arms.
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That vid was amazing. I could not tell how he was playing the few chords that he did. I originally thought he was using a custom tuning to make it easier, but I don't know. I play a little guitar, but it is all self taught and I have never performed. I can't even play a single song. I just make up stuff to relax and have fun. So, I'm not sure how is doing it. It's amazing - and great.

 
Man of Constant Sorrow said:
That vid was amazing. I could not tell how he was playing the few chords that he did. I originally thought he was using a custom tuning to make it easier, but I don't know. I play a little guitar, but it is all self taught and I have never performed. I can't even play a single song. I just make up stuff to relax and have fun. So, I'm not sure how is doing it. It's amazing - and great.
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The video didn't have enough guitar playing

It could have used more hamburger eating as well.

 
Bryce Dessner of The National has a new classical album out on Deutsche Grammophon.  It's largely built around the dual pianos of the Labeque sisters Katia and Marielle.

The opening Concerto for Two Pianos was the highlight for me.  Dessner makes good use of the Orchestre de Paris delivering a more exuberant sound than the other more minimalist numbers.  He was recently named as a creative partner of the SF Symphony.  I'm interested to see what becomes of this relationship.

 
There's a new recording of Arvo Part choral music by the Dutch group Ensemble Le Nuove Musiche.  The a capella pieces highlight the similarities between Part's modern sounds and ancient Plainsong.  The long piece Stabat Mater with string accompaniment  is more up my alley.  The part where the voices come in after the intro is a good test for your sound system.

The American composer John Luther Adams works a similar vein of slowly resolving minimalism.  His new composition Become Desert is a companion to 2014's Become Ocean.  Both pieces were recorded with the Seattle Symphony.  His ambient landscapes have moments that can take your breath away although I'm sure some will find them boring. 

 
I've been on a Rachmaninoff roll lately.  I never rated him highly before, preferring his more avant garde Russian contemporaries Stravinsky and Shostakovitch.  It's easy to fall in love with Rachmaninoff's tunefulness and emotion.  His Piano Concerto #2 is very popular (especially with Eric Carmen) but I'm digging his 4th Piano Concerto where he was inspired by Gershwin who was trying to play like Rachmaninoff.

Rachmaninoff is a man out of time who was probably born 50 years too late, he's more akin to the Romantics that preceded him than the -isms that followed.  A 50 year head start would also have allowed him to avoid the Bolsheviks.

 
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Eephus said:
I've been on a Rachmaninoff roll lately.  I never rated him highly before, preferring his more avant garde Russian contemporaries Stravinsky and Shostakovitch.  It's easy to fall in love with Rachmaninoff's tunefulness and emotion.  His Piano Concerto #2 is very popular (especially with Eric Carmen) but I'm digging his 4th Piano Concerto where he was inspired by Gershwin who was trying to play like Rachmaninoff.

Rachmaninoff is a man out of time who was probably born 50 years too late, he's more akin to the Romantics that preceded him than the -isms that followed.  A 50 year head start would also have allowed him to avoid the Bolsheviks.
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Interesting to hear Gershwin's motifs and chordal thingies stoicized like that.

Never been on a Rachman roll  :headbang: , really, because i don't enjoy listening to concertos all that much (never been much of a concertgoer) and that's what he's known for. i'm usually in a mood for either piano or orchestral and find the combination fitful as a home listener. and the style of piano in those are, necessarily, more thumpy than i generally care for so i never pursued his solo work. I notice he has some preludes and such on the youtubes - i'll check em out

 
Eephus said:
Rachmaninoff is a man out of time who was probably born 50 years too late
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Reminds me of one of the best classical burns I ever read:

Beethoven's string quartets are masterpieces, but they were not well received at the time. Someone asked Beethoven what he thought about the criticism, and he said, "They're for another time."

 
jdoggydogg said:
Reminds me of one of the best classical burns I ever read:

Beethoven's string quartets are masterpieces, but they were not well received at the time. Someone asked Beethoven what he thought about the criticism, and he said, "They're for another time."
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There's a great new release featuring Beethoven's string quartet #13, Opus 130 by the Danish String Quartet.

It's the second in a series of recordings on the ECM label linking Bach fugues, Beethoven's late quartets and modern chamber music (Alfred Schnittke’s String Quartet #3 from 1983 in this case).

 
Interesting Guardian article listing the 25 best classical music works of the 21st century   It includes some familiar names like Adams, Reich and Richter but a bunch of composers I'd never heard of before.  It's a bit opera-heavy for my tastes including two different takes on Hamlet (including their #1 "Let Me Tell You" by Hans Abrahamsen).

I've listened to a handful so far.  Haven't fallen in love but haven't hated anything either.

 
During the Corona virus shutdown, the mighty Berliner Philharmoniker has opened their website of recorded concerts for free access.  You have to give them your email to register but it's not one of those "give us your CC and we'll charge you if you forget to cancel" deals.

They're one of the top orchestras in the world and their large catalog of videos dates back to 1966

https://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/live

 
Eephus said:
During the Corona virus shutdown, the mighty Berliner Philharmoniker has opened their website of recorded concerts for free access.  You have to give them your email to register but it's not one of those "give us your CC and we'll charge you if you forget to cancel" deals.

They're one of the top orchestras in the world and their large catalog of videos dates back to 1966

https://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/live
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that's the Deutsche Grammophon orchestra, right? the Von Karajan DG Beethoven symphony box set (vinyl & CD) is one of the very few recordings that just holding makes me feel better. i dont give my email to nobody, but i might reconsider here

 
wikkidpissah said:
that's the Deutsche Grammophon orchestra, right? the Von Karajan DG Beethoven symphony box set (vinyl & CD) is one of the very few recordings that just holding makes me feel better. i dont give my email to nobody, but i might reconsider here
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The site has Beethoven cycles conducted by Von Karajan, Claudio Abbado and Simon Rattle

 
Jefferson the Caregiver said:
Is Rhapsody in Blue considered classical?   This is awesome but I'm at a basic level when it comes to anything remotely classical.

I try with other stuff but it doesn't stick very well.  Really want to love it and become immersed into it but it never happens.
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It’s blurring the line between jazz and classical. Fantastic piece. Do you like An American in Paris by Gershwin? It’s a similar style. 

 
Jefferson the Caregiver said:
Is Rhapsody in Blue considered classical?   This is awesome but I'm at a basic level when it comes to anything remotely classical.

I try with other stuff but it doesn't stick very well.  Really want to love it and become immersed into it but it never happens.
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If you like Rhapsody in Blue, take a listen to Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto #4.

Eephus said:
I've been on a Rachmaninoff roll lately.  I never rated him highly before, preferring his more avant garde Russian contemporaries Stravinsky and Shostakovitch.  It's easy to fall in love with Rachmaninoff's tunefulness and emotion.  His Piano Concerto #2 is very popular (especially with Eric Carmen) but I'm digging his 4th Piano Concerto where he was inspired by Gershwin who was trying to play like Rachmaninoff.

Rachmaninoff is a man out of time who was probably born 50 years too late, he's more akin to the Romantics that preceded him than the -isms that followed.  A 50 year head start would also have allowed him to avoid the Bolsheviks.
Click to expand...

 
last nite i watched the 1st ep of The Romanoffs (Matt Weiner's 1st series since Mad Men), in which 70s hottie Marte Keller is a leftover  Russian royal living a shabby existence in a palatial Paris apartment, attended by her impatient heir and a Muslim valet. just OK (and i hear each ep is a different, loosely connected story) but OHHHH! to listen to the melodic classics of the Romantic Era accompanying the high life in Paris is to feel like an aristocrat, even a sour####ed commie like me

 
wikkidpissah said:
last nite i watched the 1st ep of The Romanoffs (Matt Weiner's 1st series since Mad Men), in which 70s hottie Marte Keller is a leftover  Russian royal living a shabby existence in a palatial Paris apartment, attended by her impatient heir and a Muslim valet. just OK (and i hear each ep is a different, loosely connected story) but OHHHH! to listen to the melodic classics of the Romantic Era accompanying the high life in Paris is to feel like an aristocrat, even a sour####ed commie like me
Click to expand...
I think I made it through 1.5 episodes of that show  :bag:

 
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