Classical Music II

[hectorberlioz]

I ought to throw you in prison. Not keen on Berlioz?! I'll teach ya...

Anyways, if you mean Dvorak, Smetana and Janacek, I do love their music already . Bohuslav Martinu is the next great Czech composer after them, though obviously he had his training in France and lived for an extended time in the U.S.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

I said "Slavic", because I had something a bit broader in mind: the Russians, as well as the Czechs. Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff, yum! (Prokofiev icky, though)

[hectorberlioz]

Oh yes, all those Russian guys. I'm more of a Shostakovich guy though, more than a Tchaikovsky guy. Rachmaninov is awesome. Try his "Vespers" and "The Bells."

Prokofiev can be "icky" and he can also be lyrical. Just depends on what work of his you listen to. So if you tell me, I can point you to something of his completely different.

(I personally don't find anything by Prokofiev to be "icky")

[Gwaimir Windgem]

I'm afraid I don't know Shostakovich; was he romantic, or 20th century? What's a good starter for him?

[hectorberlioz]

Soviet composer, 1906-1975. You know, now that you've asked I hesitate to say. I'm so immmersed in his music at this point that I'm afraid to recommend my favorite works by him. But you're a big boy, and you can handle the toughhness (not really that tough, it just has to do with getting used to his style).

Lighter streak:
Festive Overture
Piano Concerto No.1 (or No.2 for that matter)
Symphony No.1
Symphony No.9
Symphony No.15

Darker Streak:
Symphony No.4
Symphony No.5
Symphony No.7
Symphony No.8
Symphony No.10
Symphony No.11
Symphony No.13 (w/chorus and baritone soloist)
Opera: Lady Macbeth
any of the String Quartets

UPDATE: That's too much to handle. Here's the one CD that gets people started on Shosty's music: http://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich-S...1989246&sr=1-1

[trolls' bane]

Originally Posted by hectorberlioz

Soviet composer, 1906-1975. You know, now that you've asked I hesitate to say. I'm so immmersed in his music at this point that I'm afraid to recommend my favorite works by him. But you're a big boy, and you can handle the toughhness (not really that tough, it just has to do with getting used to his style).

Lighter streak:
Festive Overture
Piano Concerto No.1 (or No.2 for that matter)
Symphony No.1
Symphony No.9
Symphony No.15

Darker Streak:
Symphony No.4
Symphony No.5
Symphony No.7
Symphony No.8
Symphony No.10
Symphony No.11
Symphony No.13 (w/chorus and baritone soloist)
Opera: Lady Macbeth
any of the String Quartets

UPDATE: That's too much to handle. Here's the one CD that gets people started on Shosty's music: http://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich-S...1989246&sr=1-1

Shosty's 9th is part of his lighter streak!?

[hectorberlioz]

Well, it has two "sad" movements, but Leonard Bernstein explained that even those had hidden humor. So...

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Tess, can you recommend any good opera DVDs with Jaroussky?

[hectorberlioz]

I see what this is about now, Gwai. Deferring to Tessar as the expert now!. Criminality I say! Criminality!

[Glóin the Dark]

Originally Posted by hectorberlioz

Here's the one CD that gets people started on Shosty's music: http://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich-S...1989246&sr=1-1

His Symphonies Nos 10 and 11 are also fairly accessible to newcomers. Number 11 is almost like a film score, which makes it quite easy to get into, while number 10 is immensely popular among concertgoers and, I would say, straddles the Lighter Streak / Darker Streak divide (not that I wish to spoil the ending for anyone).

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally Posted by hectorberlioz

I see what this is about now, Gwai. Deferring to Tessar as the expert now!. Criminality I say! Criminality!

Well, he IS the one who's actually studying music.

But seriously, he and I share a fondness for Jaroussky; I'm currently looking into getting opera DVDs, so he's the natural person to ask.

[hectorberlioz]

Originally Posted by Glóin the Dark

His Symphonies Nos 10 and 11 are also fairly accessible to newcomers. Number 11 is almost like a film score, which makes it quite easy to get into, while number 10 is immensely popular among concertgoers and, I would say, straddles the Lighter Streak / Darker Streak divide (not that I wish to spoil the ending for anyone).

I agree about No.11. It's the one I've been listening to the most, recently. Rostropovich and the LSO. I didn't think No.10 was quite as acessible. It took me a few times to get through it while paying attention. I actually am a big fan of No.13, which has a very impressive choral element.

{Welcome to Entmoot, by the way}

[Gwaimir Windgem]

My job right now is to transfer old LP's onto a CD format, so I'm spending a lot of time enjoying music. I grabbed a set of Early Twentieth Century composers, and enjoyed some nice Bartok, Schoenberg, Webern, and Stravinsky today. Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm" Variations are awesome.

[hectorberlioz]

You enjoyed Schoenberg and Webern? Hey, more power to you. I haven't gotten arounf to buying any of their music, though I've sampled it. I like Schoenberg, but the Webern is obviously a tougher nut to crack.

Bartok, on the other hand, is among my favorites.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Bartok rules! I want to find more stuff by him, now.

[hectorberlioz]

Have you heard the Miraculous Mandarin ballet? Very good stuff. Also the Music for Strings/Percussion/Celesta. And, of course, the Concerto for Orchestra.

[trolls' bane]

Originally Posted by Glóin the Dark

His Symphonies Nos 10 and 11 are also fairly accessible to newcomers. Number 11 is almost like a film score, which makes it quite easy to get into, while number 10 is immensely popular among concertgoers and, I would say, straddles the Lighter Streak / Darker Streak divide (not that I wish to spoil the ending for anyone).

Welcome to Entmoot, Comrade.

[hectorberlioz]

TB, wake up pal. I'm trying to IM ya!

[trolls' bane]

Originally Posted by hectorberlioz

TB, wake up pal. I'm trying to IM ya!

I told ya! I'm talking to my mom for the first time in months! :P

[Glóin the Dark]

Originally Posted by hectorberlioz

I didn't think No.10 was quite as acessible. It took me a few times to get through it while paying attention. I actually am a big fan of No.13, which has a very impressive choral element.

{Welcome to Entmoot, by the way}

Thanks for the welcome, Hector. I suspect much of the difficulty with No. 10 is that it begins with a long, slow, austere and gloomy first movement, which may be difficult to digest. I always found the remaining three movements easy to get to grips with (and very crowd-pleasing), though. I think I had an advantage in that the first time I heard the symphony (in a BBC Radio broadcast of a Proms performance) it was preceded by an interval programme explaining the coded musical references, especially the mysterious "Elmira" motif which dominates the third movement...

Originally Posted by hectorberlioz

I like Schoenberg, but the Webern is obviously a tougher nut to crack.

You should try Webern's Symphony, if you haven't already. It lasts less than ten minutes, but it's an exquisitely crafted gem - I defy even the most fervent anti-serialist to deny that it sounds, at the very least, quite agreeable!

Originally Posted by trolls' bane

Welcome to Entmoot, Comrade.

Glad to be here, Comrade!