Favorite classical music piece, or movement

[ponfed]

I'm well versed in and appreciate most music genres. Some I love, some I appreciate for what it is, but I'm not a judgy type. But tonight I wanna talk classical.

I say that because talking classical music can seem pretentious or elitist and I don't want to appear as such. It's just another genre of music that has it's own history, customs, cannon etc.

So I'm completely hung up tonight on the 1st movement of Brahms 4th symphony.

I think right now it's my favorite piece of classical music (I realise it's a Romantic piece but you know...)

This Bernstein version for example kicks ass.

What's your favorite? Any period, any style. Doesn't have to be western/European either. Any fans of Indian, Chinese or Japanese classical or historical art music, or of any other culture, are welcome to chime in.

Cheers

[pgwdaddy]

Camille Saint-Saens Symphony No 3, Poco Adagio.

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[ChampagneInHand]

Beethoven, especially “Moonlight Sonata,” and Pachabel’s Canon in D are a couple of my favorites but so many others. Mozart’s Operas, Symphonies, Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries”, Vivaldi “The Four Seasons,” Rachmaninov, music from various Opera’s like Carmen.

 

There are literally gobs if great classical pieces. I love strings, just plain piano, brass movements.

 

But I also love everything from Jazz, Blues, 80s-90s alternative, punk, heavy metal and classic rock and even old time Western stuff from the outlaw cowboys long gone minus Willie Nelson.

 

 

If you haven’t listen to the guys from “2 Cellos” they make great stuff. Their rendition of AC/DCs “Thunderstruck,” is amazing.

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[ponfed]

1 hour ago, pgwdaddy said:

Camille Saint-Saens Symphony No 3, Poco Adagio.
 

 

 

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One of my goals is to hear it live in a hall with a solid, big ol' pipe organ. When that Cmaj kicks in on the organ later it's supposed to be bowel loosening.....

 

Edit: Dear Lord is that second movement kicking my a%&! Good pull!

[hoyopr]

 

Music is...

[Markspring1978]

This one is under my skin at the moment. 

 

[Colt45]

Couldn't name an absolute favorite, but first thing that comes to mind are the Bartók String Quartets.

[ponfed]

23 hours ago, Markspring1978 said:

This one is under my skin at the moment. 

 

I don`t think I had ever heard this one all the way through... when the whole orchestra picks up the minor key theme in the middle... that`s something else.

It's like Perlman introduces it, passes it to Yo-Yo Ma and BOOOM the orchestra picks it up. 

Great pick

 

(is that Kent Nagano?)

[Islandboy]

La Boheme. 

I was raised on what’s known as “classic rock” - Led Zep, Black Sabbath, Stones, Elton John, Yes, Journey - but cut my teeth on the early stuff (pre Steve Perry, etc). When the connection to classical music was clear.

Saw the movie “Demolition Man" , loved it, including the sound track. La Boheme rocks! I’m officially an old dude.

   

[Markspring1978]

8 hours ago, ponfed said:

I don`t think I had ever heard this one all the way through... when the whole orchestra picks up the minor key theme in the middle... that`s something else.

It's like Perlman introduces it, passes it to Yo-Yo Ma and BOOOM the orchestra picks it up. 

Great pick

 

(is that Kent Nagano?)

Yes, the minor bridge is so evocative. It’s a sublime expression of a spectrum of human emotions. 

I think the conductor is Seiji Ozawa, but not 100% sure. 

[ponfed]

On 11/18/2018 at 11:14 AM, Markspring1978 said:

Yes, the minor bridge is so evocative. It’s a sublime expression of a spectrum of human emotions. 

I think the conductor is Seiji Ozawa, but not 100% sure. 

I found it on Spotify and it is indeed Ozawa.

And on Spotify the sound is so much better. I was wrong though.

The minor key theme is introduced by the cello, passes it to the violin, then back to the cello and they both sorta riff on it and then that goddamn orchestra kicks in, ending in a dramatic finale with the drums and horns.....them gently goes back to the charming little tune at the head. 

I don't know a lot of Dvorak, thanks for this. I whistled that all weekend. It's interesting how its structured almost like a pop song, or a jazz tune and it's easily analyzed as such. 

I wanted to share something else.

 

The magnificent Polonaise Héroique by Chopin. Horowitz is reaally old in this performance. He actually fudges a few things here and there. But the old genius has so much élan, and soul and panache in his playing. It's still one of my favorite performance.

 

 

Edited November 20, 2018 by ponfed
To add content

[Markspring1978]

1 hour ago, ponfed said:

I found it on Spotify and it is indeed Ozawa.

And on Spotify the sound is so much better. I was wrong though.

The minor key theme is introduced by the cello, passes it to the violin, then back to the cello and they both sorta riff on it and then that goddamn orchestra kicks in, ending in a dramatic finale with the drums and horns.....them gently goes back to the charming little tune at the head. 

I don't know a lot of Dvorak, thanks for this. I whistled that all weekend. It's interesting how its structured almost like a pop song, or a jazz tune and it's easily analyzed as such. 

I wanted to share something else.

 

The magnificent Polonaise Héroique by Chopin. Horowitz is reaally old in this performance. He actually fudges a few things here and there. But the old genius has so much élan, and soul and panache in his playing. It's still one of my favorite performance.

 

 

The Chopin is classic, good call. 

Here’s another good Dvorak for ya, when Tanja comes in with the violin, it’s magic. And thanks for sharing that you found Humoresque on Spotify, I’ve tried to find a better recording of that on iTunes, but never found it. 

 

[Ken Gargett]

On 11/17/2018 at 12:46 PM, ponfed said:

I'm well versed in and appreciate most music genres. Some I love, some I appreciate for what it is, but I'm not a judgy type. But tonight I wanna talk classical.

I say that because talking classical music can seem pretentious or elitist and I don't want to appear as such. It's just another genre of music that has it's own history, customs, cannon etc.

So I'm completely hung up tonight on the 1st movement of Brahms 4th symphony.

funny you mention brahms. i had to speak at the annual cullens international chardonnay event in marg river on the weekend and told a story involving a brahms piece. would lose something in writing. will try and remember to tell it next video if i remember. not very long (the story - no idea about the music). 

[ponfed]

50 minutes ago, Ken Gargett said:

try and remember to tell it next video if i remember. not very long (the story - no idea about the music). 

Please do! Brahms is an interesting composer.  There's a lot of stories going around about him.

He supposedly played piano in bawdy houses and cabarets in his youth. 

The story goes that it influenced his sense of rhythm, the use of 2 over 3 and such, because he played a lot of popular and folk songs. It's very much apocryphal.

The thing with Clara Schumann however.....

[Ken Gargett]

1 minute ago, ponfed said:

Please do! Brahms is an interesting composer.  There's a lot of stories going around about him.

He supposedly played piano in bawdy houses and cabarets in his youth. 

The story goes that it influenced his sense of rhythm, the use of 2 over 3 and such, because he played a lot of popular and folk songs. It's very much apocryphal.

The thing with Clara Schumann however.....

it would be fair to say that brahms, and other composers, play a more peripheral role in my story than yours. 

[ponfed]

35 minutes ago, Ken Gargett said:

it would be fair to say that brahms, and other composers, play a more peripheral role in my story than yours. 

Sorry I get carried away ?.

Still, do tell the story in the next video.