Does anyone here listen to classical music?

[infohippie]

I very much enjoy classical, of a great many varieties. I really like stuff that's heavy on strings, violin and cello sound so beautiful. I'm not particularly keen on classical piano, though - piano sounds fantastic in rock, but I find it kinda bland in classical.

Interesting opinion; I prefer piano over strings. No offence, but how do you find this bland?:

Hmm, that's a rather nice piece, actually, although I still very much prefer strings. I might just be biased because I'm trying to learn to play the cello. (At the ripe old age of 35!)
Have a look at this to hear how beautiful solo cello can be:

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

Hmm, that's a rather nice piece, actually, although I still very much prefer strings. I might just be biased because I'm trying to learn to play the cello. (At the ripe old age of 35!)
Have a look at this to hear how beautiful solo cello can be:

You should definitely check out some of Bach's cello suites if you wanna hear some awesome solos, like this:


I'm learning the cello too in my spare time and it's a tricky instrument, not as tricky as my little violin, but just enough.

EDIT: Awesome video by the way, looks like I know what I'm going to be downloading soon.

 

[JemothSkarii]

I felt I should post these two pieces as they are my favorite pieces by Chopin:

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

[skitzo van]

I do love classical music (even though it's an incredibly broad term), but not the likes of Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, or many other composers of those periods, mainly because I find the music absolutely dull and basic. The kind I listen to is mostly atonal/avant-garde/20th century people like Debussy, Ives, Stravinsky, Boulez, Bartok, and Zappa, I'm mainly attracted to rhythmically complex music that frequently uses dissonance. I've composed some music of that description, but I hope to write more and find an orchestra that'll play my weirdo music.

 

[j.alex]

is this post yours?

No, I dislike that writing style as well.

Music, in my experience and taste, absolutely (most of the time) has to strike a balance between both tension and release, and thematic placement in order to work most cohesively. What I'm saying is what this person identifies as cliche are merely the tools all musicians use in their compositions. This person is looking for the art in the wrong places with this particular composer. It's in the constant attention to texture and to constructing very clear, very easily digested music.

As they identified though, it's more the way he employs those techniques. It all sounds rather robotic and factory-produced. I don't hear any real feeling or true artistry in it. He uses cliches relentlessly though, far more than I could forgive in a composer who wants to step on the 'classical' stage - as you point out yourself, his music is designed to be very easily digested so nothing in it is intended to be surprising. It is not aimed at a serious classical music audience, more at your occassional Classic FM listener or the guy who has one CD of classical music from adverts sitting in his glovebox. Much of it can be more fairly judged as pop instrumental music, but I and many others are unable to take him seriously as a classical musician, especially considering the quality of his training.

the end of the post is stupid, pointless, and insulting. just because you don't find value in something, doesn't mean anybody who listens to it doesn't have taste. words like "artless" and "cliche" become meaningless when you are only using them to discount a style you don't like.

I can only answer for myself here, but it isn't the style I don't like. Perhaps I could compare it to the quasi-ambient music of Satie which I find infinitely more interesting and enchanting. I just find Einaudi's music insipid.

 

[j.alex]

I do love classical music (even though it's an incredibly broad term), but not the likes of Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, or many other composers of those periods, mainly because I find the music absolutely dull and basic.

I am a bit suspicious of anyone who considers Bach's music basic. And have you ever listened to Beethoven's Grosse Fuge (which, incidentally, Stravinsky said was his favourite piece of music of all time, and that it would 'sound contemporary forever')? Or the Hammerklavier Sonata, especially the final movement?

The kind I listen to is mostly atonal/avant-garde/20th century people like Debussy, Ives, Stravinsky, Boulez, Bartok, and Zappa, I'm mainly attracted to rhythmically complex music that frequently uses dissonance. I've composed some music of that description, but I hope to write more and find an orchestra that'll play my weirdo music.

Do you like Messiaen?

 

[Kieros]

I prefer classical music. And by "prefer", I mean "Listen exclusively to". Currently, I am listening to JC Bach/Casadesus Viola Concerto (as a Violist), but most classical pieces I enjoy.

 

[j.alex]

Sure. A few things I've listened to recently that I liked


Bach Brandenburg Concerto 3, 4, 5, especially 3

I love number 2. Wonderful ensemble of solo instruments.

Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture

Blergh. I don't understand why everyone loves this. I don't really like Tchaikovsky a great deal, but the Marche Slave is the most obvious piece to compare the 1812 with and I think that it's much better, even if it does at times feel a little too 'bangy' and not very artistic (which is an even bigger problem with the 1812 imo).

 

[dyre]

Sure. A few things I've listened to recently that I liked


Bach Brandenburg Concerto 3, 4, 5, especially 3

I love number 2. Wonderful ensemble of solo instruments.

Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture

Blergh. I don't understand why everyone loves this. I don't really like Tchaikovsky a great deal, but the Marche Slave is the most obvious piece to compare the 1812 with and I think that it's much better, even if it does at times feel a little too 'bangy' and not very artistic (which is an even bigger problem with the 1812 imo).

Oddly enough, I don't think I've ever listened to Brandenburg #2

Yup, 1812's very bangy, lots of brass and all that. Perhaps not artistic, but it's a fun piece to listen to, albeit an overmentioned one. Haven't heard the Marche Slave.

I like his Violin Concerto in D Major more than the 1812 thing though. Random fact: It was dedicated to the great Leopold Auer (you might have heard of him as Heifetz's teacher), who thought it was crap compared to Tchaikovsky's other works. I guess I just have bad taste!

 

[Continuity]

Yes I love classical music, which I first got interesting in via the Elite II soundtrack, Prokofiev still makes an impression in MIDI it seems ^^

I don't listen to as much as perhaps I ought given how much I do enjoy it, but like most things in my life music gives way to computer games.

As for what I like, well pretty much everything from the baroque, classical or romantic periods, but not so much the modern stuff. I prefer keyboard (piano, harpsichord etc) but also anything that takes my fancy.

I love Bach and Mozart, and also Beethoven if I'm in the right mood, a little Sibelius, Lots of Vivaldi, I especially like his Gloria, Max Bruch, Mendelssohn, Mussorgsky, Prokofiev... just picking stuff off my iphone playlist rly.
Listen to radio 3 occasionally and I often hear stuff that I like, but I never seem to get the details down so that I can buy it..

All fairly mainstream stuff i'm afraid, no hidden gems.

 

[MCrewdson001]

I personally go for Mozart and Beethoven however i respect all clasical musicians

 

[Pinkamena]

It's not like I'm a big fan of it, but I enjoy listening to it when I want to calm down. Usually I listen to electronic music, but classical also has an appeal to me.

 

[Bassik]

I'm a big fan or Richard Strauss, easily my favorite composer of all time.

EDIT: Oh... and ... ELO. I think it should count.

 

[Prince Regent]

Heh I just wanted to start a thread about this when I found that there was one only three days ago, imagine my suprise. But yeah I'm obviously a fan of classical, I especially like to listen to it late at night or early in the morning.

I am a bit ashamed of my very limmited knowlege of it though. I wish there was a classical 101 introduction so I'd know a little more about it.

Captcha: Fun by Foree

 

[F-dub]

Yup, love Classical.
Shostakovich's stringed quartet's, along with Brahm's are amazing. Mahler's 3rd and 8th symphonies are mindblowing. Mozart's Requiem in D minor, bliss at it's most utmost.