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Post by Carlton the Barbarian on May 3, 2006 14:35:44 GMT -8
That would be me. People will talk about random films which I haven't even seen and sometimes haven't even heard the music to, but I still come right out with the comment, "Oh, yeah, I've heard of that -- so-and-so did the score!" Let me guess what happens next. It turns into a game of "Oh, my God, let's see how many film/composers assignments he knows...
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Post by Jockolantern on May 8, 2006 16:27:47 GMT -8
There is so much to talk about with classical music. Think about Tchaikovsky and his 6th Symphony. He knew he was going to die so his last movement depicted that and he ended it in nothing. Heh, it impressed me. Tom Reminds me of Shostakovich's "death bed" composition, the Sonata for Viola and Piano. Absolutely striking work of immediate poignancy and overwhelming emotion. I love everything I've heard (and performed) by the man, but that is easily one of my very favorites of all his works. To anyone who has not heard it, I would highly recommend it. . . I heard it performed live by my immensely talented piano professor and our department's equally talented viola prof. and was blown away by it. Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 (already covered..it's just the most straight-forwardly awesome all around, scherzo of #9 aside...in some moods I prefer #6 overall though) It's probably because I'm a music major and have heard it so many times, but 5 has just really started to sit very poorly with me. His 3rd and 7th Symphonies are far better, in my opinion, and contain a great deal more expression. Wow. . . I've not known a single person (besides myself) till now that views the 6th as their favorite. Seems like everyone prefers 2 and 5 the most. Mind you, I adore each and everyone one of his Symphonies (my favorites of all time in the symphonic realm), but 6 is just. . . jaw-droppingly amazing. Everything you said is absolutely true. . . unbelievable personal depth in the work, exquisite themes, and one of the most astounding final movements I've ever heard. I'd highly recommend the Riccardo Chailly recording if you haven't heard it. . . or Benjamin Zander's. Both are amazingly good and accurately representative of the work. I also find Philip Glass' Symphonies to be very palatable and intuitive, not to mention the fabulous symphonies of Samuel Barber (the first is a knockout-- glorious themes, tight continuity, and gorgeously altered romanticism). In the larger orchestral realm, I recently discovered a 20th century composer named Isang Yun, whose music is positively wonderful. His Gong-hu for Harp and Strings is understated, yet completely sublime and his solo oboe work, 'Piri', is one of the most powerful pieces of single-line instrumental music I've yet to hear. Sayonara! Jockolantern
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Post by Carlton the Barbarian on May 8, 2006 17:45:47 GMT -8
Mahler: Symphony No. 6 (this is his most personal and tragic, but also most beautiful -- no overbearing choir, very few of his typical random tangents ie. circus music, then church music, then folk music -- one of his more traditional symphonies with the typical four movements and maybe his most beautiful slow movement) So Mahler's Sixth is more personal and tragic than his 9th. I'll have to check it out. Btw, did you hear Bantock's Celtic Symphony yet? -Carlton
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Post by Yavar Moradi on May 9, 2006 7:17:19 GMT -8
Reminds me of Shostakovich's "death bed" composition, the Sonata for Viola and Piano. Absolutely striking work of immediate poignancy and overwhelming emotion. I love everything I've heard (and performed) by the man, but that is easily one of my very favorites of all his works. To anyone who has not heard it, I would highly recommend it. . . I heard it performed live by my immensely talented piano professor and our department's equally talented viola prof. and was blown away by it. You've got me interested. I don't agree. I really do think it's because you've heard it too much. Hearing it too much hurts a lot of music for me. I remember the magic that Star Wars used to hold for me, and even though I still consider it an amazing score, I don't listen to it that much -- the main title in particular I'm just *tired* of! To breathe life into your love for the 5th, I recommend you pick up the Carlos Kleiber recording, or, if you've already got that one, get the Benjamin Zander, where he takes it at Beethoven's *exact* tempo markings (ie. really fast) -- it sounds completely new and different and amazing! As for the other symphonies, I like his 3rd almost as much but can't agree on the 7th, which I find a tad overrated (I don't consider 5 overrated but I do consider it a little more overplayed than 7). Parts of it are AMAZING, like the second movement, and the second part of the first movement (after it gets past the rather boring introduction). But while the last two movements are nice and all, they don't do a lot for me and seem more...well trite isn't exactly the word but they don't have the substance of earlier stuff. They just seem like nice dance music, whereas the first two movement, while clearly dance music as well, seem to transcend that. Both of those are great in their own way, but they have a lot of what I call "down time" compared to the 6th, which has much more drive and unity of purpose. You need Zander's Beethoven 5 if you don't have it. I haven't heard either of those two recordings. I've heard an expert one by Michael Tilson Thomas, but my favorite is a *budget* recording which is a *live* performance (it sounds AMAZING for a live performance) by the Netherlands Philharmonic under Hartmut Haenchen. I gave it as a gift to my best friend in college (Mahler is his absolute favorite composer and he's a big classical music nut like I am, though not as much into the obscure stuff) and it's his favorite recording of the piece as well; in fact, I think with it I convinced him that the 6th is actually Mahler's best. As powerful as that recording is, though, it was topped a couple months ago by a performance I witnessed live in concert by the Houston Symphony under Hans Graf. They knocked it out of the park. It was by far their best performance all year (and believe me, that's saying something -- this orchestra is moving up, up, up and I'm sad to leave it just when they're getting Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Sarah Chang, Yefim Bronfman, Hilary Hahn -- for Korngold's Violin Concerto!, and Lang Lang in next season). I am not exaggerating just because I work for them at the moment, and I'm not exaggerating just because I heard it live -- this was truly amazing and I'd wish you'd been there so you'd know. Most of his music just bores the hell out of me so I'm a bit wary to try those. All Samuel Barber is magic, period. I love his symphonies (and cello concerto) but I like his violin concerto the most. It's the *only* piece that manages to be fairly *happy* in tone yet manage to be as beautiful and profound as all the amazing melancholy music out there -- such as Rozsa's love themes. Before I heard Barber's violin concerto (with my favorite living violinist, Joshua Bell, as soloist), I thought it was a simple fact that the most beautiful music was sad and meleancholy (ie. Adagio for Strings). Someone else I'll have to investigate. He doesn't have a loyal fan base to create a web site with sound samples I could check out like raff.org, does he? Yavar
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Post by Yavar Moradi on May 9, 2006 7:18:33 GMT -8
So Mahler's Sixth is more personal and tragic than his 9th. I'll have to check it out. Btw, did you hear Bantock's Celtic Symphony yet? -Carlton No, sorry. But I will. Didn't you used to refer to it as Bartok's Celtic Symphony and get me all confused? Yavar
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Post by Yavar Moradi on May 9, 2006 7:24:37 GMT -8
By the way, here's that Haenchen Mahler 6 recording at Amazon. It's not availabe for purchase there any more (even through Marketplace Sellers), but you probably can find it at classical music stores for reasonably cheap. I bought my copy at the USC Bookstore. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000001VI8/qid=1147188006/sr=1-11/ref=sr_1_11/102-0769070-5072124?s=classical&v=glance&n=5174There are 6 reviews though, which is why I'm providing the link. They seem to agree that there are other better-recorded performances, but this is one of the best conducted. There's even an Amazon top 500 reviewer who contributes. Yavar
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Post by Jockolantern on May 9, 2006 10:34:22 GMT -8
You've got me interested. There are plenty of recordings. Just check Amazon.com. . . I honestly don't know which recordings are the best; you'll have to rely on the reviews for that, I suppose. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001AGOOA/qid=1147198938/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/002-2970947-7495257?s=classical&v=glance&n=5174I'll look into the Zander recording. . . I love the way he conducts. He even goes so far with his Mahler 6 recording as to include both versions of the final movement. . . one with all three hammer blows, and one with just the two in the final Mahler revision. Precisely. His 9th is probably my second favorite. The first movement is purely transcendent and undeniably gorgeous. That is quite the stellar lineup for the Houston Symphony!! Holy crap, I wish I could be down there for those guests (albeit I've already seen a couple of them in solo performances. . . but with an orchestra?! Mmmmmmmmm . I liked most of what I heard in the Netherlands Philharmonic 'Mahler 6' sound samples, albeit I prefer the first two movements much slower than the tempos that conductor takes them. . . that's one reason I prefer the Chailly. He takes the tragedy of the work to the extreme by slowing down the first two movements and making them even more intense and less frenetic. I can only imagine what the 6th sounds like live though. . . *shudders* Wow. I'm truly jealous that you got to hear such a stellar performance of it in person! That's certainly one of my major goals in life, to see that symphony performed in person, and I'll achieve it yet. . . even if I have to conduct it myself. His Violin Concerto is wonderful, but I'm partial to his Piano Concerto. . . maybe it's just that I'm a pianist, but it's a great work that burns with all kinds of dramatic angst and flurried passion. www.yun-gesellschaft.de/e/index.htmNo sound clips, but a complete discography to get you started in looking for his music. One of my music major friends e-mailed this society about the lack of his music being in circulation, as far as the recordings are concerned, and received four of them in the mail. . . for free. So. . . Try your luck there, if you wish. Sayonara! Jockolantern
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Post by Carlton the Barbarian on May 10, 2006 12:25:15 GMT -8
Just for the heck of it, here are my favorite symphonies from various big names: Hey, I just notice that you overlooked Schubert? -CG
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Post by Carlton the Barbarian on May 10, 2006 12:28:30 GMT -8
So Mahler's Sixth is more personal and tragic than his 9th. I'll have to check it out. Btw, did you hear Bantock's Celtic Symphony yet? -Carlton No, sorry. But I will. Didn't you used to refer to it as Bartok's Celtic Symphony and get me all confused? Yavar Hey, what can I say. My fingers like Bartók... Are you going to do a "string quartet" list next? -CG
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Post by Yavar Moradi on May 10, 2006 12:29:01 GMT -8
Hey, I just notice that you overlooked Schubert? -CG Nope. I quote: "Saint-Saens and Schubert: I'm really only sufficiently familiar with two for each of them so I'm not going to select one yet." I want to become more famliar with Schubert's symphonic output before I presume to select a favorite. Yavar
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Post by Armin on May 10, 2006 12:40:23 GMT -8
Schubert is rubbish. Great song writing though!
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Post by Yavar Moradi on May 10, 2006 13:49:14 GMT -8
Schubert is rubbish. Great song writing though! Rubbish? Kinda harsh, wot? I always thought of him as a lighter Beethoven. Yavar
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Post by Armin on May 11, 2006 11:34:11 GMT -8
A lighter Beethoven. Never heard that one. I guess his string writing is nice, but he did the worst horn parts ever.
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Post by Carlton the Barbarian on May 11, 2006 12:34:59 GMT -8
A lighter Beethoven. Never heard that one. I guess his string writing is nice, but he did the worst horn parts ever. His string writing is more than nice. It's incredible. You don't like his quartets and his famous quintet... His songs aren't bad either. -CG
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Post by Armin on May 11, 2006 12:40:06 GMT -8
We are talking symphonies here. Everything else he did great.
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