Jump to content
Objectivism Online Forum

Classical Music

Rate this topic


Dikaiosyne

Recommended Posts

This kind of hit me in a roundabout way.

First of all, I picked up Civilization 4 and it has been consuming vast portions of my time. My only complains so far is the lack of a "Philosophical/Industrial" Civ to flex my Objectivist muscles on, and that Alexander (the Macedonean) is the only leader the Greeks have to offer (Where is Perocles!).

One of the things this game has is a magnificent soundtrack, and when I reached the Industrial Era, it started playing Dvorak's New World Symphony and I remembered just how much I loved that piece of music, and has re-opened my thrist for classical music, in addition to the modern pop music I love so much.

So I was just wondering what some of the people on this board, who seem to have very good taste in everything else, favourite pieces of classical were. I know there is a "Favourite Music" Thread, but I was wondering specifically about that of a classical variety.

Mine:

The New World Symphony by Dvorak (as mentioned above)

Beethoven's 7th Symphony

Wagner's Die Walkurie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 65
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Beethoven's 7th Symphony

Also, mine! The 7th (A Major) is my favorite work by my favorite composer. It spans the extreme ranges of emotion: from the heights of glorious triumph, down to the depths of tragic despair, then back to the damn near unbelievable glory & thunder of the triumphant finale. Wow.

Beethoven is the master craftsman.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Prelude from Die Miestersinger von Nurnberg-Wagner

2nd Symphony-Rachmaninoff

8th Symphony-Dvorak

Six Suites for Unaccompanied cello-Bach

Marche Slav-Tchaikovsky

I play cello, so I particularly enjoy the six suites. The mix of beauty and technical difficulty is quite incredible, especially in the 5th and 6th.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Beethoven's Fifth (Cliche, but it just IS that good)

Stravinsky, "Rite of Spring" (Particularly the second movement)

Vivaldi, "The 4 Seasons" (Winter still gives me chills < no pun intended)

Holst, "The Planets" (I always liked the motion of Mars)

Grieg, "In the Hall of the Mountain King" (It's funny that just a simple repeated line could be so INTERESTING)

There's more, but I struggle to think of them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haydn in general, but esp. the Cello and Violin Concertos

Vivaldi, Four Seasons along with some of his other Violin Concertos

Smetana, Moldov

Dvorak, New World Symphony

Beethoven, 7th Symphony (can't beat the second movement!)

Saint-Saens, Violin Concerto #3 (esp. the 3rd movement)

Elgar, Serenade for Strings in E minor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:o Seems I've been mistaken about that for a while! Hmmm, now I have to check out Greig and see what else he's done... Thanks!

I've always considered Grieg to be a kind of "junior-league Tchaikovsky". Which is NOT an insult! :) In my estimation, I consider it a compliment! If you check out "Anitra's Dance" (another of the "Peer Gynt" tunes) you can hear the influence. Also, the A Minor Piano Concerto main theme! That's why I linked that specific disc: it's a decent "Greatest Hits" introduction for those unfamiliar with Grieg's music. You're welcome!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Beethoven's Fifth Piano Concerto (The Emporer Concerto)

Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D Major

Shostakovich's "Festive Overture"

Copland's "Appalachian Spring"

Bizet's First Symphony

For those who are unaware, you can sign up on "Listen Rhapsody" and stream 25 free tracks per month, no obligations of any kind. A good way to sample music.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pachebel's Canon in D was my first favorite.

Bach's Cello Suite no. 1 (prelude) was currently featured in Master and Commander. Love it!

Strauss's "Emperor's Waltz" always makes me dance.

Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Trumpets in C Major is lively and upbeat.

Respighi's "Pines of Rome" is wonderfully majestic.

Handel's "Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" is a very quick and light piece.

Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" paints a wonderful story.

Stravinsky's Firebird suite is also a favorite of mine.

And the possibly-authored-by Jeremiah Clarke, "Trumpet Voluntary" is positively regal and still quite cheery.

Also cello suites (my favorite instrument followed closely by brass) and just about everything by Bach that's not exclusively on the organ (the Brandenburg Concerto's (no. 3 esp) come to mind)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Beethoven's 9th, 7th and 6th Symphonies + Piano Concertos (plus just about anything else)

Bach Brandenburg Concertos

Mozart #40, Eine Kleine Nach Music

Mendelsson A midsummer nights dream

Vivaldi 4 Seasons (Spring)

Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture

Edited by NAS
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Grieg, "In the Hall of the Mountain King" (It's funny that just a simple repeated line could be so INTERESTING)

Indeed... have you listened to Maurice Ravel's "Bolero"? The same melody is relentlessly repeated, over and over, with harmonics and orchestration providing variety and color. It opens with a (barely audible) snare drum and flute, and finishes with the entire orchestra a blazin' away full-bore-- all under perfect control by the tempo and the still-repeating snare drum. A masterfully constructed piece.

And a few favorites:

Beethoven's 9th (in no other art or endevor has any man come so close to representing true, exalted Joy)

Dvorak's "New World" and "Serenade for Strings"

Holst's "The Planets," esp. Mars and Neptune

Saint-Saens' "Danse Bacchanale"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Indeed... have you listened to Maurice Ravel's "Bolero"? The same melody is relentlessly repeated, over and over, with harmonics and orchestration providing variety and color. It opens with a (barely audible) snare drum and flute, and finishes with the entire orchestra a blazin' away full-bore-- all under perfect control by the tempo and the still-repeating snare drum. A masterfully constructed piece.

Despite the relatively easy rhythm, it's actually considered one of the hardest drum parts ever. The ability to raise dynamics so slowly and with perfect tempo is a feat not many can achieve.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

In alphabetical order (straight from my iTunes playlist)

Alexander Glazunov - Symphony No. 4 in Eb Major, String Quartet No. 5

Anton Bruckner - Symphony No. 4 in Eb Major

Antonín Dvořák - Symphony No. 9 in e minor, Cello Concerto, Romance in f minor

Claude Debussy - Prélude à l'áprès-midi d'un faune, La mer

Dmitri Shostakovich - Festive Overture

Edward Elgar - Cello Concerto, Enigma Variations

Gerald Finzi - Cello Concerto, Clarinet Concerto

Gustav Holst - The Planets

Howard Hanson - Symphony No. 2

Igor Stravinsky - The Firebird

Ludwig van Beethoven - Syphony No. 6 in F Major

Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov - Scheherazade

Ottorino Respighi - The Fountains of Rome, The Pines of Rome

Samuel Barber - Adagio for Strings, Overture to The School for Scandal, First Essay for Orchestra, Violin Concerto

Sergei Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 2

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Requiem

Currently, I'm getting into a lot of British music. Listening to a lot of Elgar, Vaughn-Williams, Howells, and Finzi. All great stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...