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I've found Halley's 5th concerto!

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Sergio

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This is the most inspirational piece of music i have ever heard. A theme for heroes, strength, discovery: the first plane flight, first skyscraper, the theme of promethius. You may have heard it too:

Click the "HQ" button for better quality, it's worth it. The entire score from this movie was great, far better than the movie itself.

Edited by Sergio
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It's nice but extremely repetitive and really lacks any sort of dramatic narrative. For me I'd say something like this comes closer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vlci-kCEaKE Antonin Dvorak's 9th symphony: From The New World (it was written in New York)

This is the most inspirational piece of music i have ever heard. A theme for heroes, strength, discovery: the first plane flight, first skyscraper, the theme of promethius. You may have heard it too:

Click the "HQ" button for better quality, it's worth it. The entire score from this movie was great, far better than the movie itself.

Edited by kainscalia
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This is the most inspirational piece of music i have ever heard. A theme for heroes, strength, discovery: the first plane flight, first skyscraper, the theme of promethius. You may have heard it too:

This is one of the most generic sounding pieces of orchestration I've ever heard. I could name half a dozen movies with a score similar to this.

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Guest Erik Martinsen

In terms of epic movie music, this is probably my favorite—though it's not as impressive in poor YouTube quality, of course. It's very dynamic, and goes through several different "parts" (I forget the proper term for it).

This one is a close second. For some reason it makes me think of Ronald Reagan though—the GOP must have used it in an ad at some point.

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It's nice but extremely repetitive and really lacks any sort of dramatic narrative. For me I'd say something like this comes closer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vlci-kCEaKE Antonin Dvorak's 9th symphony: From The New World (it was written in New York)

I agree. Its a great song and I believe it fits the movie. But good god, can you imagine trying to whistle that? With the constant dadadadaada.

Edited by Rearden_Steel
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This is the most inspirational piece of music i have ever heard. A theme for heroes, strength, discovery: the first plane flight, first skyscraper, the theme of promethius. You may have heard it too:

Click the "HQ" button for better quality, it's worth it. The entire score from this movie was great, far better than the movie itself.

I'm glad I was multitasking while loading and listening to this clip, or I'd want those 3+ minutes of my life back. *Utterly* generic.

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Not sure if I mentioned this before as I often think of posting something and then regret it at the last minute and don't...

I don't know about Halley's 5th, but I always imagine the end of the Atlas Shrugged film with John Galt drawing the dollar, a special effect making it glow gold for a while and then fade to black and closing credits of the film with this song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJXH3p_qwh4

I'm sure they didn't intend the interpretation I am giving it, but it fits. Ayn Rand knew what she was doing.

And no, I'm not joining the church of John Galt or whatever it's called. :)

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Good mention of Bruch there. I love Bruch, but you are right: his works are performed so seldom, it is easy to forget he is there in the wings, holding some truly gorgeous music.

Dvorak's fits very well in this context.

I don't understand though why Max Bruch is never mentioned at all. I just adore his violin concerto.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC0-lpmZ-6w

Sadly, it's hard to find a decent versions of the other movements :/

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Dvorak's 9th is my favorite symphony. I think it is totally wrong for the 5th concerto by Halley. First of all, it's orchestral. Halley was a pianist. But that's a bit moot. I think it's musically wrong as well. The music, in my mind, matches the theme of discovery and colonizing. I actually have pictorial narratives in my mind for pretty much the whole symphony...so of course I'm biased. I think there's too much tension in movements 1 and 3, too much hearth and home in movement 2, and too much brass in movement 4 (hahahaha)...

However, I would love a chance to look at the symphony in a new way. If someone could describe to me what about it matches the theme of rising above, of breaking free from burden, of celebrating the highest in man, let me know!

(Actually it just occurred to me that discovering a new world is in a way "breaking free" from the old, and one of man's greatest features is the will to explore and discover...but it still seems different from the nature of the 5th concerto to me. It's breaking free in a different respect.)

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However, I would love a chance to look at the symphony in a new way. If someone could describe to me what about it matches the theme of rising above, of breaking free from burden, of celebrating the highest in man, let me know!

I can help a little.

Music doesn't ever convey themes as concrete as the ones you suggest, it is impossible. Music invokes an emotional response, and the emotions it invokes are associated with the themes you suggested. (The same emotions you would feel experiencing those things).

For example, a concerto on "summer" wouldn't convey summer, it would convey the emotions associated with summer, and the listener may or may not make the same connection between emotion and concrete.

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I agree. It depends on a person's musical context, for what emotions a piece of music evokes, and it depends on a person's whole life, for what images fit those emotions.

What I'm looking for are thoughts from a person who does think Dvorak's 9th fits Halley's 5th--a description of how/why it fits for them, personally.

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If you want something that might match the concerto format- even though it doesn't really- try Beethoven's Choral Fantasia for Piano and Orchestra and Chorus.

(partn 1)

(part 2)

(3)

It is often discarded as nothing more than a preparation of Beethoven for his 9th symphony, but it's sublime and ebullient. You don't get any more heroic than this without going for the 9th.

Edited by kainscalia
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  • 2 weeks later...
This is the most inspirational piece of music i have ever heard. A theme for heroes, strength, discovery: the first plane flight, first skyscraper, the theme of promethius. You may have heard it too:

Click the "HQ" button for better quality, it's worth it. The entire score from this movie was great, far better than the movie itself.

I'm going to have to give that one to Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Trumpets. Specifically part 3, but parts 1 and 2 are essential to see the whole picture. They make it soar like an exultation of larks.

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I'm going to have to give that one to Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Trumpets. Specifically part 3, but parts 1 and 2 are essential to see the whole picture. They make it soar like an exultation of larks.

Pick up "The Lark Ascending" by Ralph Vaughan Williams for violin and orchestra, I think you might enjoy it.

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