Inspired by ima's thread on songs, if there was only one classical piece that you could pick and listen to for the rest of your life, what would it be? My pick would be Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, the Ravel orchestrated version.
Bach's "St. Matthew Passion", Brahm's "Deutsches Requiem", Gabriel Fauré's "Requiem in D minor" (notice I lean towards the choral side of things) are all winners. But if I had to pick only one piece to listen to for the rest of my life...I know it's cliche, but I really love Beethoven's 9th symphony. The 4th movement never fails to stir the soul. Honorable mention goes to Orff's "Carmina Burana", just because it's so much fun to sing.
I would have to go with Orpheus' rendition of The Four Seasons, featuring Gil Shaham. Pure sublime magic, and all done without a conductor.
^^ Better than I.... no O' Fortuna? I do like that piece though My favorite suite to listen to is Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty... and not just because they used part of it in the cartoon
I'd probablye pick the Nutcracker suite because of its versatility, it's use of melody.... overall, it's a very well-balanced suite of music. That doesn't mean it's my favorite piece of classical music, though. I have favorites that come from the Baroque styles (fugues) while others are from the Renaissance and Classical eras.
Probably some peice I seen on Bugs Bunny or Tom and Jerry back in the day Rocket River "SPEAR AND MAGIC HELMET!!!"
"I seen" all those, too, and agrees wichu, suh: <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wNG7qwu1SAg&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wNG7qwu1SAg&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> ^^This is one of my favorites! And how about: <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YrPDzH0AlpE&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YrPDzH0AlpE&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> "THROW THE BUM OUT!"
I would have to go with Smetana's Die Moldau. Just so beautiful and flowing. Takes me to a different place every time I hear it. Well, if we're using that as a guideline, I'd have to change mine to Copeland's Fanfare for the Common Man. SO much fun to play timpani on!
Beethoven Symphony 7 - Allegreto. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/733bnDTrO6Y&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/733bnDTrO6Y&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
"Adagio for Strings" -- Samuel Barber <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RRMz8fKkG2g&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RRMz8fKkG2g&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
I am going to interpret your usage of "piece" as an element of any kind of orchestration and not just full orchestras. Mahler 4, 2nd movement: <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/r86BBMrlUfc&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/r86BBMrlUfc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> But Mahler 5 is better overall...6 and 2 are good as well. And 1. Haha. Shostakovich, Cello Concerto No 1, Allegretto: <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JN7fkARwQdw&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JN7fkARwQdw&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pxLoq36LP-4&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pxLoq36LP-4&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Didn't even know this was out there. Just a taste of far and away the best interpretation of Four Seasons.
My favorite operas are Mozart's The Magic Flute, Don Giovanni, Il Seraglio, and Idomeneo. I've seen them all (except for Il Seraglio) at the Houston Grand Opera and they were and are outstanding. I'd about cut an arm off to see both Il Seraglio and the Marriage of Figaro. More Mozart favs: Symphony #25 in G Minor, Piano Concerto #22 In E Flat, and pretty much everything he ever did. And Mozart's Requiem Mass. I can't think of a more powerful piece of classical music than this. Imho, of course. And see my sig, which translates to "When the wicked are confounded and consigned to flames of woe, lift me up on the wings of the blessed." A few other favorites: -Chopin's Nocturne No. 2 in E flat -anything by Beethoven, particularly his 9th Symphony (Ode to Joy) -Giordani's Caro Mio Bene is freaking beautiful and I could listen to it over and over again -Carl Orff's Carmina Burana -Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody, which I'm sure most of you know from an old Tom and Jerry cartoon, is just freaking awesome. And countless others. I'll leave this here for now cuz I could be here all day.
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 (particularly the 2nd & 3rd movements). Currently: Schubert Piano Sonata in B-flat, D.960
Great music, and all featured in one of my favorite movies (Amadeus). My favorite Mozart compositions are his piano concertos, in particular his piano concertos no. 17 (especially the third movement) and no. 23. No. 20 is also great ... I've got a recording of Evgeny Kissin performing that one, with cadenzas written by Beethoven.
It seems so cliche to love Mozart so much but I can't help it; I just love his music so much. As far as I'm concerned, the world will never see such genius. I've about worn out my Amadeus DVDs and CDs. Great stuff and one of my favorite movies as well, even though it gives Salieri a really bad rap. Now I need to track down that Evgeny Kissin performance....
the finale to Act 1 of Puccini's Turandot, from Timur's entrance, through Liu's aria Signore, Ascolta!, Calaf's aria Non Piangere, Liu, and then the great sextet, w/ chorus, that closes the act. among others, the last 20 minutes or so of Act 2 of Le Nozze di Figaro, which is through composed, and about which Mozart gushes so effusively in the play/movie Amadeus. and someone above mentioned requiems, but unaccountable left out the greatest requiem of them all, Verdi's. The Offertorio is sublime, and my favorite individual section, and within the Offertorio, the Hostias (starts about 4:45 into the vid below), a joy to listen to, and sing: <object width="640" height="505"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/z5_dwWfe97g&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/z5_dwWfe97g&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="505"></embed></object>
numerous selections here aren't actually from the true "classical" period... so, I'll assume you meant the somewhat ignorant, all-encompassing usage of the term.. in which case.. my selection in ima's thread stands..
