Thread: your classical music list.

Classical music is one of many areas of music that is pending further investigation. I've investigated to some extent, but not to any great degree. I think i'll just list a few composers that have stood out for me....

Beethoven
Olivier Messiaen
Gyorgy Ligeti
John Zorn
Edgard Varese
Gabrielle Faure
Stephen Hartke
Henry Cowell
John Cage
John Adams

I think my favourites though, at the moment, would have to be Edgard Varese and Beethoven. Beethoven's Symphonies are just magnificent and Edgard Varese is like nothing else on the face of the earth.

My favorites:

Stravinsky
Bartok
Prokofiev
Shostakovich
Tchaikovsky
Panufnik
Ives
Penderecki
Lutaslawski
Debussy
Satie

Bach is of course mandatory, but Mozart is overrated.

a few of my favourites

Samuel Barber's Adagio For Strings

"Albinoni's Adagio"

Vivaldi's Four Seasons (of course)

Baroque period in General.

Also sprach Zarathustra, opening movement - Strauss

New World Symphony, movement one - Dvorak

Fifth Symphony, finale - Tchaikovsky (just a small part, alas, and not my favorite version)

Eight symphony, ending of first movement - Mahler (it's not the best interpretation out there, though).

Originally Posted by CryoDragoon

Also sprach Zarathustra, opening movement - Strauss

Great piece, but too few people know the whole thing. The opening two minutes are obscenely famous, but there's 20 more minutes of greatness following. If you like R. Strauss, also check out Ein Heldenleben, Don Juan, Don Quixote, and Till Eulenspiegel's Lustige Striche. All fantastic!

New World Symphony, movement one - Dvorak

A great work that sadly I have heard too many times for one lifetime. We used to play this a lot in the orchestra I was part of.

Fifth Symphony, finale - Tchaikovsky (just a small part, alas, and not my favorite version)

One of the all-time great symphonies, though the finale is the least interesting movement to me. Make sure you listen to the other three! Also check out his 4th and 6th symphonies.

Eight symphony, ending of first movement - Mahler (it's not the best interpretation out there, though).

Not as familiar with the eighth, but I do enjoy a bit of Mahler from time to time.

By what you've listed, I can practically guarantee you would love the Prokofiev 5th and Shostakovich 5th symphonies. Also probably Sibelius 1st and Carl Nielsen 5th.

I seem to remember enjoying what i've heard from Shostakovich's string quartets. I've wanted to get into his symphonies, but haven't been impressed by what i've heard, and i can't remember what i did hear. Could you recommend me something from him, skysaw?

To add to my list i'll mentioned Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition". Very enjoyable, especially the third piece in the suite - "Il vecchio castello".

My favorite Shostakovich symphonies are the 1st, 5th, 9th, 10th, and 15th. The most famous is the 5th, and it's maybe my favorite. The 10th and 15th start getting very modern sounding.

He's a bit of an acquired taste, but if you like the quartets, you should already be hooked. Do you know the quartet #15? I think it's the last thing he wrote. It's in six movements, all marked Adagio. You really have to be in the right mood for that one!

I can't actually remember what i've heard of the quartets, it was quite a while ago that i gave them a brief listen. I just remember liking whatever it was i heard quite a bit. Then i just kind of forgot about him. Thanks for the recommendations though, i'll certainly give him a bit more time as soon as i can.

Chopin
Strauski
and have you heard the composer called Wyman? There's one song from him that I like called Silvery waves.

Adagio For Strings - now there is an awesome piece!

Originally Posted by Adam

Adagio For Strings - now there is an awesome piece!

who's it by? and what's the number?

here's another good bach one. sinfonia to cantata bwv29:

Adagio For Strings is by Samuel Barber. It's from his first string quartet.

very moving piece ardent!!!

Beethoven's String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132
Movement 3: "Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen an die Gottheit, in der lydischen Tonart"
(Holy Song of Thanksgiving by a Convalescent to the Divinity, in the Lydian Mode)


I only dabble, but Beethoven is definitely my favorite.

Just discovered this little gem.