Follow The Leader: Episode 15: Classical Music Anyone?
Martinex1: The floor is yours! So grab a mop and an idea and get this conversation started! Cheers!
20 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I have no idea how this will be received but here goes...discuss classical music. Do you listen to it ? Do you have any favorite pieces ? Is it elitist ? The "elite" are condemned these days (usually by those who are themselves part of the elite) so should we burn down the opera houses ? Discuss anything about classical music.
Until about 20 years ago I was totally clueless about classical music but I started listening to BBC Radio 3 which is a station totally dedicated to classical music, opera etc. I learned that the term "classical music" really only applies to a period from about 1750 to 1830 but nowadays it means everything from medieval plainchant to Gershwin and Phillip Glass in the modern era. My favorite era is the baroque including such composers as Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach. My all-time favorite piece of classical music is Handel's "Music for The Royal Fireworks" suite written to celebrate the end of the Thirty Years War in 1748. And Christmas doesn't feel like Christmas if I don't hear Handel's oratorio "Messiah" on the radio. When I was a kid classical music pieces appeared in TV adverts for products such as Old Spice aftershave (Orff's "O Fortuna"), Cadbury's Fruit & Nut chocolate ("The Nutcracker"), Hovis bread ("The New World Symphony" by Dvorak) and Hamlet cigars (Bach's "Air On The G String").
There need to be more Warner Brothers cartoons so that more people can be exposed to classical music! Who's first experience with opera and classical music came from cartoons? From "The Barber of Seville" to "The William Tell Overture" to Brahm, Strauss, Wagner, and Tchaikovsky - all of my knowledge and liking of classical music seems to stem from Bugs Bunny and the gang. Is that lowbrow?
I've played 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desire' at church many times, typically with a pianist accompanying me. I was told early on it's a great finger-picking exercise -> yep, it sure is...
Trying to learn some other Bach now, like 'Minuet in G Major' and a few others. Just fairly easy classical guitar pieces to whittle away on a Sunday morning out on my balcony with coffee...., just to welcome the morning.
I have a lot of Vivaldi, Bach and Boccherini shortcuts on YouTube, I just play 'em during the workday..., my huge leafy plants love it.
Colin, that 'Air On the G String' always reminds of the Yellow Submarine album where George Martin uses a snippet of it's opening on his instrumental side. :)
Of course, there's a link between opera and comics - in 1980 The Mighty Thor #295-299 featured an adaptation of Wagner's Ring Of The Nibelung. It was part of a larger story involving The Celestials but it's the "Ring Cycle" issues that I fondly remember as I was absolutely enthralled by the story. They came out at exactly the same time as the Dark Phoenix saga so for several months in 1980 The Mighty Thor and Uncanny X-Men were must-haves as far as I was concerned !
My father loved classical music, and played it frequently (either on his console stereo,or on his piano). It was fascinating to listen and watch him play. He had a fondness for Debussey , particularly "Clair de Lune ".
So between him, and the effect of countless Warner Bros. cartoons (yes, Marti, they were hugely influential), I heard quite a bit of it. In college, I took a class in "Music Appreciation " which exposed me to much more I'd not heard. Now classical cd's often accompany our bedtime reading. The puppy seems to like it as well...
Favorites include: Stravinsky-"Rite of Spring" Dvorzak- "New World Symphony" Tchaikovsky-"Nutcracker" Holst-"Planet Symphony"
I don't listen to classical music at home, but seeing it live is fantastic. There's a richness to the sound with all the instruments, and a genius to many of the composers. I like the effortless lightness of Mozart, and the storminess of Beethoven. When I've been to the symphony, there's a musical guest in the spotlight, like a violin player or acoustic guitarist, and it's wonderful to hear their individual talent played off against the whole symphony.
Haven't been to an opera yet.
Asturias on guitar gives me chills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inBKFMB-yPg
Classical music is not my 'go to' but I do enjoy minimalism and avant-garde (especially Morton Feldman and Gavin Bryars)
My city used to hold what were styled 'Quiet Nights In' during which performers would play with ideas of peace and solitude in sound, sometimes to a near-absurd level. I liked the sense of challenge intrinsic to those sessions.
I do think the umbrella of what's considered "classical" has necessarily and correctly expanded very far beyond that limited body of music by 18th & 19th century old European composers (well, and some not-so old at the time, sure). 'Cause what else are you gonna call well-known composers like Phillip Glass or Aaron Copland. Or Leonard Bernstein-- whose instrumental sequences from West Side Story are a staple on classical channels? Or well-known film composers, like John Williams, or Danny Elfman, or Hans Zimmer?
I'm not a classical buff or anything, but I do circulate around to those channels pretty regularly. ALTHOUGH-- I kind of don't equate opera with classical music. . . I think they are very, very different listening experiences. Opera. . . mostly bores me insensate when I'm listening to it. I can get reasonably involved with watching it if the performers are creating sufficient internal life-- and usually the sets are astonishing-- but it's not a love at all. And to be fair, a darned lot of "modern" composition borders on un-listenable to me because of this seemingly active, purposeful and pretentious trend towards a-tonal, a-melodic composition. So that, if a composer accidentally lets a catchy melody or tune string itself together in his piece somewhere, he or she is subject to instant scorn and derision by his or her peers. . . (that may sound like an exaggeration, but I've overheard conversations along these lines by young music composition majors who, of course, know everything there is to be learned already about the craft. . . heh. . . kids today.)
Perhaps a topic for another day could be: rock bands with orchestras. Procol Harum were the first to hit gold status with a live symphony orchestra album, recorded in my hometown in 1971. Here's Conquistador (starts at :47 after a chat with audience) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPlf09nVgWk
Colin - what an excellent subject! I have some personal favorites like Beethoven's Ninth, Brahms Hungarian dances, and Listz 's Hungarian Rhapsody!
Also, since the middle of last year, I have been listening more and more to classical music on the radio to avoid listening to the news or the talkshow programs. I feel much better in my day to day life! Chicago's classical music station on the radio still has the announcer read the news personally as well as read all the commercials it's a nice throwback to an earlier age.
Actually I do think it's possible to like both tuneful and a-tonal music. The two aren't mutually exclusive. Just like it's possible to enjoy both Casper the Friendly Ghost and From Hell. They are just different experiences.
But I agree, pretension simply to achieve a sense of superiority is not good.
Has anybody seen "Lisztomania" the 1975 Ken Russell film about Franz Liszt starring Roger Daltrey as Liszt with Ringo Starr as the Pope and Rick Wakeman (Yes) as Thor? It was released the same year as "Tommy." It seems Lisztomania was a real cultural phenomena centuries ago - the first Justin Bieber I guess - go figure.
Great comments about movie scores above. I would say Elmer Bernstein's score to "To Kill a Mockingbird" is great. That was 1962 but something I would classify as classical - what else would it be? Many films use classical music to great impact - the one front of mind would be "Apocalypse Now" and the "Ride of the Valkyries" sequence.
And another great example of classical music in film is "Also Sprach Zarathustra" by Richard Strauss, used in '2001: A Space Odyssey' of course. It is so strongly associated with '2001' that it seems almost written specially for the film. Thanks for all the comments - I spent several hours this morning wondering whether or not to suggest this topic. And a correction in my second comment - the Thirty Years War ended in 1648 not 1748. Handel's "Music For The Royal Fireworks" was actually celebrating the end of the War Of The Austrian Succession...d'oh !
Colin J- ah, you needn't have worried! Great topic. And good point about "Zarathustra". I hear that piece, and can only visualize a spinning space station...
20 comments:
I have no idea how this will be received but here goes...discuss classical music. Do you listen to it ? Do you have any favorite pieces ? Is it elitist ? The "elite" are condemned these days (usually by those who are themselves part of the elite) so should we burn down the opera houses ? Discuss anything about classical music.
Until about 20 years ago I was totally clueless about classical music but I started listening to BBC Radio 3 which is a station totally dedicated to classical music, opera etc. I learned that the term "classical music" really only applies to a period from about 1750 to 1830 but nowadays it means everything from medieval plainchant to Gershwin and Phillip Glass in the modern era. My favorite era is the baroque including such composers as Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach. My all-time favorite piece of classical music is Handel's "Music for The Royal Fireworks" suite written to celebrate the end of the Thirty Years War in 1748. And Christmas doesn't feel like Christmas if I don't hear Handel's oratorio "Messiah" on the radio. When I was a kid classical music pieces appeared in TV adverts for products such as Old Spice aftershave (Orff's "O Fortuna"), Cadbury's Fruit & Nut chocolate ("The Nutcracker"), Hovis bread ("The New World Symphony" by Dvorak) and Hamlet cigars (Bach's "Air On The G String").
There need to be more Warner Brothers cartoons so that more people can be exposed to classical music! Who's first experience with opera and classical music came from cartoons? From "The Barber of Seville" to "The William Tell Overture" to Brahm, Strauss, Wagner, and Tchaikovsky - all of my knowledge and liking of classical music seems to stem from Bugs Bunny and the gang. Is that lowbrow?
I've played 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desire' at church many times, typically with a pianist accompanying me. I was told early on it's a great finger-picking exercise -> yep, it sure is...
Trying to learn some other Bach now, like 'Minuet in G Major' and a few others. Just fairly easy classical guitar pieces to whittle away on a Sunday morning out on my balcony with coffee...., just to welcome the morning.
I have a lot of Vivaldi, Bach and Boccherini shortcuts on YouTube, I just play 'em during the workday..., my huge leafy plants love it.
Colin, that 'Air On the G String' always reminds of the Yellow Submarine album where George Martin uses a snippet of it's opening on his instrumental side. :)
Of course, there's a link between opera and comics - in 1980 The Mighty Thor #295-299 featured an adaptation of Wagner's Ring Of The Nibelung. It was part of a larger story involving The Celestials but it's the "Ring Cycle" issues that I fondly remember as I was absolutely enthralled by the story. They came out at exactly the same time as the Dark Phoenix saga so for several months in 1980 The Mighty Thor and Uncanny X-Men were must-haves as far as I was concerned !
I don't hate classical music, but I don't listen to it. I suppose I'd say I am indifferent to it.
That being said, when I see classical music performed I am always impressed at all the parts and the talent required of the musicians.
Signing off in my ignorance,
Doug
My father loved classical music, and played it frequently (either on his console stereo,or on his piano). It was fascinating to listen and watch him play. He had a fondness for Debussey , particularly "Clair de Lune ".
So between him, and the effect of countless Warner Bros. cartoons (yes, Marti, they were hugely influential), I heard quite a bit of it. In college, I took a class in "Music Appreciation " which exposed me to much more I'd not heard. Now classical cd's often accompany our bedtime reading. The puppy seems to like it as well...
Favorites include:
Stravinsky-"Rite of Spring"
Dvorzak- "New World Symphony"
Tchaikovsky-"Nutcracker"
Holst-"Planet Symphony"
I don't listen to classical music at home, but seeing it live is fantastic. There's a richness to the sound with all the instruments, and a genius to many of the composers. I like the effortless lightness of Mozart, and the storminess of Beethoven. When I've been to the symphony, there's a musical guest in the spotlight, like a violin player or acoustic guitarist, and it's wonderful to hear their individual talent played off against the whole symphony.
Haven't been to an opera yet.
Asturias on guitar gives me chills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inBKFMB-yPg
Classical music is not my 'go to' but I do enjoy minimalism and avant-garde (especially Morton Feldman and Gavin Bryars)
My city used to hold what were styled 'Quiet Nights In' during which performers would play with ideas of peace and solitude in sound, sometimes to a near-absurd level. I liked the sense of challenge intrinsic to those sessions.
I do think the umbrella of what's considered "classical" has necessarily and correctly expanded very far beyond that limited body of music by 18th & 19th century old European composers (well, and some not-so old at the time, sure). 'Cause what else are you gonna call well-known composers like Phillip Glass or Aaron Copland. Or Leonard Bernstein-- whose instrumental sequences from West Side Story are a staple on classical channels? Or well-known film composers, like John Williams, or Danny Elfman, or Hans Zimmer?
I'm not a classical buff or anything, but I do circulate around to those channels pretty regularly. ALTHOUGH-- I kind of don't equate opera with classical music. . . I think they are very, very different listening experiences. Opera. . . mostly bores me insensate when I'm listening to it. I can get reasonably involved with watching it if the performers are creating sufficient internal life-- and usually the sets are astonishing-- but it's not a love at all. And to be fair, a darned lot of "modern" composition borders on un-listenable to me because of this seemingly active, purposeful and pretentious trend towards a-tonal, a-melodic composition. So that, if a composer accidentally lets a catchy melody or tune string itself together in his piece somewhere, he or she is subject to instant scorn and derision by his or her peers. . . (that may sound like an exaggeration, but I've overheard conversations along these lines by young music composition majors who, of course, know everything there is to be learned already about the craft. . . heh. . . kids today.)
HB
Perhaps a topic for another day could be: rock bands with orchestras. Procol Harum were the first to hit gold status with a live symphony orchestra album, recorded in my hometown in 1971. Here's Conquistador (starts at :47 after a chat with audience) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPlf09nVgWk
Colin - what an excellent subject! I have some personal favorites like Beethoven's Ninth, Brahms Hungarian dances, and Listz 's Hungarian Rhapsody!
Also, since the middle of last year, I have been listening more and more to classical music on the radio to avoid listening to the news or the talkshow programs. I feel much better in my day to day life! Chicago's classical music station on the radio still has the announcer read the news personally as well as read all the commercials it's a nice throwback to an earlier age.
Guilty as charged HB ;)
Actually I do think it's possible to like both tuneful and a-tonal music. The two aren't mutually exclusive. Just like it's possible to enjoy both Casper the Friendly Ghost and From Hell. They are just different experiences.
But I agree, pretension simply to achieve a sense of superiority is not good.
Can't stand it. Nuff said?
Has anybody seen "Lisztomania" the 1975 Ken Russell film about Franz Liszt starring Roger Daltrey as Liszt with Ringo Starr as the Pope and Rick Wakeman (Yes) as Thor? It was released the same year as "Tommy." It seems Lisztomania was a real cultural phenomena centuries ago - the first Justin Bieber I guess - go figure.
Great comments about movie scores above. I would say Elmer Bernstein's score to "To Kill a Mockingbird" is great. That was 1962 but something I would classify as classical - what else would it be? Many films use classical music to great impact - the one front of mind would be "Apocalypse Now" and the "Ride of the Valkyries" sequence.
And another great example of classical music in film is "Also Sprach Zarathustra" by Richard Strauss, used in '2001: A Space Odyssey' of course. It is so strongly associated with '2001' that it seems almost written specially for the film. Thanks for all the comments - I spent several hours this morning wondering whether or not to suggest this topic. And a correction in my second comment - the Thirty Years War ended in 1648 not 1748. Handel's "Music For The Royal Fireworks" was actually celebrating the end of the War Of The Austrian Succession...d'oh !
Garrett- good suggestion, rock bands with orchestra. Some great possibilities there. Moody Blues, anyone?
Colin J- ah, you needn't have worried! Great topic. And good point about "Zarathustra". I hear that piece, and can only visualize a spinning space station...
I'm a Wagner man myself.
And yeah, I don't care that Hitler liked him too.
It just makes my arm hairs stand up when I hear it.
M.P.
Post a Comment