Mozart's Requiem is one of my favorite pieces. Its a powerful, uplifting, and down-right awesome piece of music. The Magic Flute, also by Mozart, is an incredible opera. The overture, probably the most famous part of this piece, has always amazed me. Its my definitive piece for what the human (female) voice is capable of. Whoever mentioned the Marriage of Figaro (also Mozart) was right on the money. Don Giovanni, Idomeneo: King of Crete (both of which I saw at the Houston Grand Opera and if you haven't been, you seriously ought to....HGO is a fantastic company) and Il Seraglio are all excellent operas. I'm a Mozart freak, if you hadn't noticed the pattern. If you want a fantastic movie that offers some great opinion and experience of his music, watch Amadeus. Although it incorrectly labels Antonio Salieri as responsible for Mozarts death, its a great flick. F. Murray Abraham does a great job as Salieri. Tm Hulce's Mozart is great as well. Get the directors cut. And good speakers are a must. I love Mozart. In fact, I need an addtion to my signature....
is it even the most famous movement in that paragraph? maybe the first 8 notes, but i would think ode to joy is more famous overall. certainly seem to here it more. plus, since Die Hard has been on hbo lately, i've been listening to it and remembering how great it is. i still don't see how you compose something like that when you're deaf. just amazing. i believe that would be "beef. it's what's for dinner." and fast or not and repetitive or not, canon in D is still great. and the electric guitar version that one guy does might be even better than the original.
I've heard there are musical geniuses who sees msuic and can even smell it. Kanye West supposedly can "see" music and there was a documented case of a woman who could "smell" it. dunno if Beethoven had either of these, but that's rpetty cool
I've known folks with 'perfect pitch,' one of whom could 'see' notes in the form of colors. Very cool, and very weird. I've also read that this ability is congruent with mild forms of autism, though no one I knew was autistic.
Francis - there have actually been a decent amount of composers/musicians who have been all or partially deaf. What helped Beethoven was his early Classical training. Classical music is very ordered, mathematic, and symmetrical. As such he had a logical foundation. By the time his hearing was completely gone (either right before or right after the 5th, if memory serves, he was so well entrenched that he knew what the music should do. hotballa - Beethoven actually had to work evry hard on his music. He was constantly making changes and tearing up his papers (I have seen his original "manuscripts" and they are insane. Additionally he wrote on every wall and surface in his house because he was manic. He was consumed by music but it also was a struggle. Mozart, on the other hand - beautiful penmanship, no mistakes, definition of grace. Additionally, he composed every instrument the whole way through before going to the next. He could see it all together pretty much instantly. lynus - actually it is often the more severe autistics who are musical savants. The more mild autistics are never so advanced because their brain is closer to normal. PS - you find Mozart's Requiem uplifting? All the death and poor wretched souls make you happy? Certainly his darkest work. I love it until it moves to Sussmayr's completion. It is not fair to have a mere mortal finish such a work. As such, it is always disjointed for me. Wonderful, but also tragic.
Nice. Some of my favorites. Sishir, do you like Handel's Water Music? Which reminds me, Handel's Messiah may (or may not) fit the original request. It does for me.
Can anyone tell me what is the name of the song played during "Faustus" in Tombstone? EDIT: Ah, crap... I just found it... "Le Danse Macabre" What about MOVIE THEMES? I enjoy listening to most of the Williams stuff.
Anyone saying Canon D is not in the category hasn't heard this version, or ones like it... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owAj5LiXG5w
Thanks? I don't understand why it was soothing... Cohen - we had a dog growing up and as soon as you put in Water Music he was howling away. That, more than any other piece, would send him into the howling zone.
Uh...is that a good thing? I think I prefer the unadulterated vrersion of Water Music. Where did your parents get their love for classical music?
It was hilarious at first but, as you can imagine, got old very fast. It ended up where we would put him in the back yard if we wanted to listen to it. He might still howl but we couldn't hear it with the volume cranked up. Interesting to think about. It is mostly my father, though. He definitely got a love for music from his father. My dad mostly grew up in a small Texas town where my grandfather was THE doctor. So he wasn't home much. He also didn't really show love or emotion. But he loved music so that was their big bonding thing. Once he bought a stereo kit and let my dad help him put it together. I seriously think that was the best moment of his childhood. But my dad didn't want to be small town so he worked very hard to improve himself before he went to college - he lost any trace of an accent, expanded his vocabulary greatly, (obviously his parents were educated but this was about standing out even more I guess), and studied music. By the time my parents married they had no choice but to be immersed - go to the theater, opera, symphony, etc. My mother had not been exposed muche before but grew to appreciate it. They lived in London and as a professional my father had friends in the music department who would conduct for various Houston theaters and organizations. So we got to see a lot for free. I was about 8 before I heard any contemporary (at that time - Beatles and 50's music were all I had really heard to that point) rock music. It sounded like mush to me at first. Ah...memory lane.
Because it contained nothing for me to be upset about or find questionable in content, approach or description .. and therefore.. I was relaxed reading it. Which is an emotional/physical state I rarely feel when music is brought up in a "discussion".. I just like when music is talked about accurately, appreciatively, informatively and perceptively. I'm not sure if this helps you understand..
That is very kind of you to say - I really appreciate that and do understand what you meant now. Unfortunately I just noticed that my post was riddled with typos. Booo! What is your music background?
Thanks. Great story. My Dad could play just about any instrument and studied music in school. When driving to work with him as a kid (in construction, of all things) he would make me guess the composer on the radio. I very much appreciate the introduction my parents gave us to Classical music and shows. My wwife and I are now doing the same for our kids.
My music background is certaintly not as rich as yours and your family. None of my family members, and this is going as far back as three generations, had any special draw to or bond with music. Chock-full of blue-collar workers and short lived educations. Not exactly inspired people.. So, my undying love-affair with music sticks out like a sore thumb.. I'm mostly a devoted guitarist of 7yrs, and student with lofty aspirations (I'll leave it at that.. would get to involved. ). Acoustic guitar, Classical guitar , and of course electric (which I also use to play classical music..). Amateur pianist, which I keep at, to improve. I absolutely adore the piano as an instrument.. I just have a very deep, personal, imaginative, romantic, passionate love for music that constantly teeters on the brink of obssession. I am utterly devoted to music. The people I most envily admire are opera singers and concert pianists. Because I would've loved to've been either.
Just curious. Often when I feel like Brandenburg Concertos I'll grab Water Music if I find it first. Different, but somehow similar for me, although I like Chamber Music alot and if you don't you prob wouldn't associate the two at all.
