Classical Music - the final frontier

Willie Bee · 07-29-09, 10:54 AM

I listen to classical all the time, Mud. Make sure and check out Smetana's Moldau if you get the chance, one of my favorite pieces of music ever in any genre. Have a bunch of Copland and Haydn in my collection as well.

Mudcat · 07-29-09, 10:57 AM

Currently listening to a CD with

Brahms - Hungarian Dances
Dvorak - Slavonic Dances

Not my favorite but it's okay.

This is probably the most recognizable piece to the general public as I believe it was used in Bugs Bunny:

ABEHONEST · 07-29-09, 11:48 AM

MISSISSIPPI MUDCAT,I read you like a 10 cent novel !

Mudcat's do not listen to Classic Music, unless .....probably trying to horn in on the new Lady,ALICCEGORRRENTZ , are you?
That is my Lady !
Until she tells me no,she's all mine !
So you stay your Elvis and your Hillbilly music,understand ?

Mudcat · 07-29-09, 12:21 PM

Should I know what that means? Just don't fukk with me. Think of me as Leopold.

slimmdiggity · 07-29-09, 12:39 PM

Originally posted by Mudcat

Should I know what that means? Just don't fukk with me. Think of me as Leopold.

Love that cartoon!

Mudcat · 09-15-09, 08:45 AM

Beethoven piano sonatas. That's where it's at.

Sam Odom · 09-15-09, 08:49 AM

Chamber Music! Is so relaxing

Matt Rain · 09-15-09, 08:54 AM

I don't listen to a ton of classical music, but I do enjoy listening/watching solo guitarists playing classical shit, like this:

Mudcat · 09-15-09, 10:17 AM

He's got some skillz I guess but can he wail on Southern Man?

Matt Rain · 09-15-09, 10:49 AM

That's a girl Mud.

I'm pretty sure she could Canadian-rock with the best of them if you locked her up in a room for a month with a beat-up Yamaha steel-string and a pile of CDs.

Mudcat · 09-15-09, 11:46 AM

Whoops. Sorry young chickie.

Give her a few more years and she'll probably be another Asian classical-music-playin' hot tamale like Midori.

Mudcat · 09-15-09, 11:57 AM

Gotta say though, I may have been wrong about the Beethoven Sonatas. Some of them are a little too beautiful - which of course is good in general - but it makes them a bit distracting when working.

I want to learn how to play this one, which should be within my skillz.

RogueScholar · 09-15-09, 12:01 PM

I've been listening to a lot of classical music like Muddy, when you're handicapping and running numbers in your head it's handy to have something to tickle your ears without taking over your brain. Mostly I try to queue up pieces from the Baroque period, it seems to impart the most mental energy through listening. Bach's Brandenburg Concertos are by far my favorite. I remember back in college someone told me that the genius of the counterpoint actually aligns the hemispheres of the brain. It's probably just a myth, but they remind me of a time when my mind was sharp and my wit ascerbic, and I like that.

Mudcat · 09-15-09, 01:27 PM

I am shooting some pool with my CD guy tonight and am going to ask him about the Brandenburg Concertos. I am somewhat familiar with them and know they are very intricate and beautiful - it would remain to be seen how they work for me as ambient music while working - but no harm in trying.

Do you play any classical on the piano RS? I'm guessing you could handle Moonlight Sonata.

RogueScholar · 09-15-09, 01:44 PM

I know a few pieces, Moonlight being one of them and a few Schuberts and Brahms to round out the classical repetoire, but I don't think I could play any of them these days without sight-reading along. Classical music requires some sort of fidelity to the composer's vision, and I honestly suck at that. I wouldn't mind looking into playing some of Bach's fugues on the organ, though, I think those might really be fun.

I most enjoy playing when I get to improvise around a chord pattern, rather than actually playing a tune. That's why I'm spending a lot more time with my Yamaha in organ mode, just filling in the chord wall for some of my favorite tunes. I'm gonna see if I can't develop some serious chops on a good digital organ and get back in a band, a lot of groups need a good pop organist and don't even realize it.

Mudcat · 09-15-09, 02:49 PM

To back up and be precise, when I talked about Moonlight Sonata being within my grasp, I was only talking about the first movement. Not on the best piano-playing day of my life was I going to be doing this:

I am more at an After the Goldrush level than that kind of fingers-gone-wild action.

Anyway that was very cool what you were saying about getting a band. Good luck with that.

Mudcat · 09-21-09, 10:13 AM

Tchaikovsky Symphony #3 this morning.

Nice.

20Four7 · 09-21-09, 04:15 PM

Mud:

Go buy the soundtrack the original Star Wars..... No lyrics and i'll pump you up during your number crunching..... works for me anyways.

Mudcat · 09-22-09, 08:23 AM

That is an interesting suggestion. John Williams. Unfortunately, although there is some nice music in there in its own right, I'm not sure I could separate it in my mind from the movies. I think I would feel like I was stuck in the middle of a giant slab of pop culture cheese.

Anyway I don't own it so it's Schubert today.

shhhhh22 · 09-22-09, 08:42 AM

I too love classical music. I have stacks of scores laying around all over the place, and follow along whenever possible... If you like instrumental pieces and not just full orchestra one of my favorite CD's to listen to is the Canadian Brass playing the 4 seasons. Get the actual Vivaldi violin score and follow along.

I swear to God these guys are AMAZING. Note for freaking note. It is unbelievable to watch the 1st violin part and hear the Soprano trumpet wail along... it's beautiful.

Obviously, following with the score is optional... but just listen to it. I just can't say enough about it.

Whatever you choose enjoy!

Matt Rain · 09-22-09, 08:47 AM

Y'all just made me pull out Zappa's The Yellow Shark. Obviously not "classical" music, but there's some powerful orchestral stuff on there.

Mudcat · 09-22-09, 09:27 AM

Originally posted by shhhhh22

I too love classical music. I have stacks of scores laying around all over the place, and follow along whenever possible... If you like instrumental pieces and not just full orchestra one of my favorite CD's to listen to is the Canadian Brass playing the 4 seasons. Get the actual Vivaldi violin score and follow along.

I swear to God these guys are AMAZING. Note for freaking note. It is unbelievable to watch the 1st violin part and hear the Soprano trumpet wail along... it's beautiful.

Obviously, following with the score is optional... but just listen to it. I just can't say enough about it.

Whatever you choose enjoy!

I used to have something by the Canadian Brass. On vinyl. I think my gramma got it for me and I was too young to appreciate it. I just figured it was some out-of-touch thing that grammas get for grandkids. I wish I had it now. But I broke up my vinyl collection and got rid of my record player a couple years back so it is gone.

Anyway, good suggestions. I am just building my classical collection from scratch and I know I like that Vivaldi so I should get it in one form or another.

Mudcat · 10-14-09, 08:58 AM

If there is a lovelier piece of music than Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody, I don't know what it is. Plus they used it on Bugs Bunny/Roadrunner which only adds to its luster.

Willie Bee · 10-14-09, 10:37 AM

Nice stuff Mud, but I'm still partial to Smetana. In the old 'stranded on a deserted island with just 10 songs to listen to over and over and over' scenario, this would be one of them. Close your eyes while listening to it and I swear you will get the felling you are taking a trip down the Vltava River.

Mudcat · 10-20-09, 09:19 AM

Yes I was going to mention that a friend sent me an MP3 of Moldau which I requested on your recommendation. Beautiful.

Listening to Mozart right now. That young fella had some skillz. I suppose if there is any classical music that might fall into the category of over-played, it would be Mozart. But the guy was freaking good.

Mudcat · 11-30-09, 02:17 PM

Just listening to Vivaldi's Four Seasons and this loud obnoxious leaf vacuuming truck drove by outside making a racket and disturbing everything.

But then I got to thinking how that truck is a modern day symbol of the changing of the seasons - which is completely harmonious with Vivaldi's theme. There was a poetic connectedness to the whole incident. Kind of wonderful in its way.

But mainly obnoxious.

Masu485 · 11-30-09, 02:36 PM

i love classical music, but the streaming site i used to listen to it (beethoven.com) uses way too much bandwidth for me. im just a fledgling though, and have only been listening to it for a year.

i know now why people say mozart was the best composer ever. his symphony 40 and 25 are two of my favorites along with his requiem. vivaldi's 4 seasons as well. toreador from carmen is so full with energy. also enjoy the operas stuff from verdi especially.

so far i am just familiar with the 'popular' compositions.

Mudcat · 12-01-09, 11:53 AM

I am not much different Masu. I have always been familiar with certain 'popular' compositions but only started to get more in-depth in the last 6 months or so, since I expanded my spreadsheet work.

Some stuff I listen to several times and I just don't connect with it (Mahler) but other stuff sinks in and before you know it, I am air conducting during certain powerful movements.

Overall it has enriched my life a lot.