Opera/Classical Music.

[Paul6754]

When it comes to Classical music most people think of Mozart and Bethoven but there are many, many different composers and styles from Baroque to the modern day atonal stuff. My first love is soul music but about 25 years ago I was introduced to opera/classical music and I've grown to love it, especially music from the romantic era, Mahler, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Richard Strauss, Puccini, Schostakovich etc. Anyone else listen.

[The Wonder of You]

Classical yes, opera no! Cannot understand italian so means nothing to me. Always enjoyed classical, even from a young age and have grown more into it as I have aged.

[Paul6754]

As someone who originates from Kidsgrove and a former pupil of Clough Hall College o' Knowledge, I don't understand Italian or any other language other than 'broad potteries'. However, some of the tunes/melodies in opera are just amazing and the music itself just gets to you, Nessun Dorma from Puccini's Turandot or Song to the Moon from Dvorak's Rusalka are amazing pieces of music, a little knowledge of the plot of the opera or a quick read of the libretto can help.

[mr burslem]

I've always been involved in music (playing, singing, writing - rock/pop stuff), but recently went along to the Victoria Hall to two classical concerts: Philharmonia, and BBC Philharmonic. I wasn't sure I'd 'get it', but I did.

And I've always been moved by Bach and Vaughan Williams: the first in the same way some Beach Boys tracks reach me, and the second because of the English folk roots.

You'd probably love a book called 'An Equal Music', by Vikram Seth, about a love affair between two musicians. It's often in charity shops too!

[Paul6754]

I've always been involved in music (playing, singing, writing - rock/pop stuff), but recently went along to the Victoria Hall to two classical concerts: Philharmonia, and BBC Philharmonic. I wasn't sure I'd 'get it', but I did.

And I've always been moved by Bach and Vaughan Williams: the first in the same way some Beach Boys tracks reach me, and the second because of the English folk roots.

You'd probably love a book called 'An Equal Music', by Vikram Seth, about a love affair between two musicians. It's often in charity shops too!

 

I like some Vaughan Williams, Sea Symphony and The Lark Ascending, but haven't heard much Bach. Will look out for the book.

[Burt]

without sounding completely pompous or whatever, I seem to be able to connect to piano more than playing guitar. guitar is my first instrument and I love it, but nothing beats sitting down and playing through chopin's nocturnes, or some Liszt/Rachmaninov/Debussy. I'm definitely more into the romantic era, touching on Beethoven and some earlier classical. but I HATE Bach/Mozart. it's all technical exercises written for teaching and the musicality isn't there. plus learning fugue in Ab for an exam was a traumatic experience. like a bit of modern stuff too in moderation.

[Burt]

not to mention the neoclassicism in contemporary music - faith no more using tchaikovsky, muse using Rachmaninov etc.

[Paul6754]

without sounding completely pompous or whatever, I seem to be able to connect to piano more than playing guitar. guitar is my first instrument and I love it, but nothing beats sitting down and playing through chopin's nocturnes, or some Liszt/Rachmaninov/Debussy. I'm definitely more into the romantic era, touching on Beethoven and some earlier classical. but I HATE Bach/Mozart. it's all technical exercises written for teaching and the musicality isn't there. plus learning fugue in Ab for an exam was a traumatic experience. like a bit of modern stuff too in moderation.

 

Mozart doesn't do it for me either although I've not listened to much of his music, it just doesn't grab me the same way as Mahler, Tchaikovsky or Rachmaninov etc. The modern minimalist stuff is difficult to listen to, often there are no tunes. I've heard some of John Adams stuff and it sounds disjointed to me. Recently bought a second hand piano and tried to teach myself from youtube, jeepers its tough.

[Valiant62]

I've bin gooin t' Bridgewater with ma lady t' try 'n get into it with mixed results.

Heard this though and thought I was finally getting there.

Sibelius, Finnish geezer - ow rate.

[Paul6754]

I've bin gooin t' Bridgewater with ma lady t' try 'n get into it with mixed results.

Heard this though and thought I was finally getting there.

Sibelius, Finnish geezer - ow rate.

 

Not heard that piece before, good though.

 

Also try "Finlandia" or the "Karelia Suite" by Sibelius both incredible, powerful pieces of music phenomenal when seen live, the latter was used ages ago as the theme music for "What the Papers Say". Sibelius Symphony No 5 is good also.

 

Finlandia -

Karelia suite -

[Burt]

Sibelius is a bit kiddy, no? Always sounds like he's trying too hard to me.

[Howjy04]

Not heard that piece before, good though.

 

Also try "Finlandia" or the "Karelia Suite" by Sibelius both incredible, powerful pieces of music phenomenal when seen live, the latter was used ages ago as the theme music for "What the Papers Say". Sibelius Symphony No 5 is good also.

 

Finlandia -

Karelia suite -

 

Paul6754,treat yourself to The Nice( Keith Emerson) playing "Karelia Suite".One or two versions on youtube.Any opera lovers ,save your money and get over to Torre del Lago for the Puccini Festival normally July and August.

[Paul6754]

Take a look at this, IMO, the greatest introduction to a piece of any music ever written. The power and sheer beauty of the piece is breathtaking, the first 10 mins or so should make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.

 

[ArtyTheValiant]

Really like listening to Il Divo, Andrea Bocellii, Katherine Jenkins, Patrizio Buane. Recently seen Andre Rieu on HD tv through 7.1 Digital Sound and to say the sound and vision was breathtaking :)

[points-with-bone]

The thang about classical music is it tends to get seen as 'old' music from an earlier age, but there's lots of good new classical music, generally refered to as 'neo-classical', around these days. For some weird reason a lot of this comes out of Iceland with composers/players like Olafur Arnalds, Johann Johansson, Nils Frahm and Hildur Gottasdottir to name but a few. A lot of neo-classical music actually encompases electronics and found-sound sampling too, which gives it that little contemporary edge.

 

On a different classical music note, one of the most interesting composers ever was from Stoke-on-Trent. Dude by the name of Havegal Brian whose most famous composition 'The Gothic' requires the greatest number of musicians for any piece of music. It takes something like 3 orchestras, 5 choirs etc to perform and not surprisingly isn't performed that often

 

Points-with-Bone