Classical music greats - what should the rest of us hear? And by whom?

[Bordertangoman]

Peer Gynt Suite

Swan Lake by Prokoviev

Night on a Bare Mountain by Mussorsky

Arbos; Tabula Rasa; Arvo Part

Spem in Alium Thomas Tallis

Stravinsky's Rites of Spring

Philip Glass: Einstein on the Beach

Steve Reich: Drumming and Different Trains

On the Dominant Divide by ? whassisname

( just to show I know music that isnt AT)

[Lioness]

Peer Gynt Suite

Especially Solveig's Song and Death of Ase

[Bordertangoman]

Peer Gynt Suite

Especially Solveig's Song and Death of Ase

and The Hall of the Mountain King

da -da-da da da-da-da, da, da, da

[cornutt]

in time.... suggest some faves - but I am not a copeland fan.... unless you are watching cowboy movies that is

When Copeland's name is mentioned, everyone thinks of Appalacian Spring or Billy the Kid.  For a different side of Copeland, try to dig up a copy of the Third Symphony, Lincoln Portrait, or especially Music for the Theatre.

[cornutt]

What does everybody think of Pictures At an Exhibition?  I've heard the Mussorsky piano arrangement.  I've got a copy of the Cleveland Symphany performing the Ravel orchestral arrangment, and I once heard a performance of an orchestral arrangement by someone else (can't remember who).  And then I've also got the infamous Emerson, Lake & Palmer version.   

[QPO]

I am listening to it on You Tube...very grand :-)

[Medira]

For me, I'm partial to Tchaikovsky's ballet suites: The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake...

But then again, I started out as a classically trained ballet dancer.

see, I have a hard time with T's music - I have always strongly disliked the Nutcracker - seen it as a kid and adult several times and its just a jumble of people, noise, and a non-sensical story line.  The music certainly has its catchy bits but T is, well, unsatisfying.

Wait, I'm not done yet!

I love violin music (for obvious reasons).  The best violinist probably since Paganini (who was undoubtedly the genius since he revolutionized the instrument) was Heifetz.  So I have a few Heifetz CDs - and his playing is superlative - technically but it is harsh and hard - in everything except T.  It is gorgeous in his hands - and (IMO) the vehicle to his genius.  So now I'm divided on T.  On the one hand, he sounds like movie accompaniment music but on the other is ths richeness that I get from Heifetz.

OTOH (and its a big one) as dance music - if I could move to it - perhaps I would enjoy the rest of it much more.  Just never had a chance to try - but I do see why a ballet dancer would go bonkers for it - translated into movement....

I have no doubt that the draw to the music for me is because I have danced them...also, I have some fond childhood memories associated with The Nutcracker. 

[Lioness]

What does everybody think of Pictures At an Exhibition?  I've heard the Mussorsky piano arrangement.  I've got a copy of the Cleveland Symphany performing the Ravel orchestral arrangment, and I once heard a performance of an orchestral arrangement by someone else (can't remember who).  And then I've also got the infamous Emerson, Lake & Palmer version.  

The only Mussorsky I've heard is The Old Castle, from PaaE, and it was me playing it. Still, I quite like it.

[Bordertangoman]

John adams - that's it

[ZPomeroy]

bortkiewicz, blumenfeld, balakirev, bach, borrodin, chopin, czerny, copland, debussy, elgar, grieg, glinka, liszt lyapunov, mussorsky, moszkowski, pachabel, ponce, prokofiev, ravel, rachmaninoff, stravinsky, scriabin, and the list goes on

if you are looking for anything specific just ask

Zac

[Lioness]

Any particular pieces by any of them?

[elisedance]

bortkiewicz, blumenfeld, balakirev, bach, borrodin, chopin, czerny, copland, debussy, elgar, grieg, glinka, liszt lyapunov, mussorsky, moszkowski, pachabel, ponce, prokofiev, ravel, rachmaninoff, stravinsky, scriabin, and the list goes on

if you are looking for anything specific just ask

Zac

I like them better one at a time Z
More important, which do YOU like best?

[ZPomeroy]

sorry, i have a tendancy of doing that, i've played piano for 10 years!
some of my personal favourites which definately deserve a listen are:

Balakirev - Nocturne No.3
Chopin - Bercuse Op.57
Elgar - Cello Concerto, Piano Quartet/trios
Ravel - Miroirs Suite, La Valse,  Jeux Deau, Piano Trio
Rachmaninoff - Piano Concertos, Piano Quartet/Trios
Stravinsky - Firebird Suite
Scriabin - Etudes

Zac

[elisedance]

thanks - even better if you can find a version you recommend on utube we can listen to

[Bordertangoman]

thanks - even better if you can find a version you recommend on utube we can listen to

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qxh5VFin6r8