What's your favorite piece of classical music?

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datalink7

Lifer
Jan 23, 2001
16,765
6
81
Vocalise by Rachmaninoff might be it. I heard it live by Perlman which was a real treat.
 

WelshBloke

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
33,551
11,699
136
I always had a thing for In the Hall of the Mountain King.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrIYT-MrVaI

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;)
 

Ayrahvon

Senior member
Aug 7, 2007
683
4
81
Vocalise by Rachmaninoff might be it. I heard it live by Perlman which was a real treat.

An amazing piece. I'm a musician, and I own a rather large 'classical' collection. Here are some pieces either from composers most people will not have heard of, or pieces from well known composers that people are not aware of!

First one:

Rachmaninoff Etudes-tableaux Op. 33: No. 5 in D minor played by Vladimir Ovchinnikov.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0QgIQqtL3k

It's an absolutely fantastic piece that is completely unrecognized by the general repertoire. Perhaps because the sheet music has it played mainly staccato and this is a morel lyrical interpretation. Listen to Ashkenazy's version, it sounds like ass in comparison, and he's a great pianist.

For someone a little more modern I'd recommend the great finn Einojuhani Rautavaara!

Rautavaara - Cantus Articus - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS9bOm3XHLE

His clarinet concerto is worth a listen as well, though I can't seem to find it on youtube.

Alkan - Symphony for solo piano. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJthyFmCraw

Alkan - Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 for piano only. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7n5w4SCCyw (Alkan wasn't really one for having an orchestra accompany him)

Scriabin - Piano Sonata No. 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emYTG80B2vU

Shostacovich - Jazz Suite No 2 - Waltz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmCnQDUSO4I

Beethoven Symphony No. 7 2nd movement - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBfKXHoSvDM

Sibelius - Symphony No. 3 2nd movement - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw14BMOiUBk

While Mahler was making massive symphonies with 1000 parts, his good friend Sibelius was making delicate intricate music with only two voices a part that creates a far more complex sound!

Enjoy!
 

OVerLoRDI

Diamond Member
Jan 22, 2006
5,490
4
81
I can't make up my mind between Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, (see sig) and Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake.

Beethoven's 9th is fantastic, although the vocal parts are somewhat polarizing. Having sang the finale of Beethoven's 9th in a choir, that piece holds a special place in my heart. I never had so much fun singing a big classical piece like this. It was way more fun to perform than Carmina Burana or Brahms's Requiem.
 

nanette1985

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 2005
4,209
2
0
Wrong forum. Too many noobs on this subject.

Head on over to some old-timer symphony forum for some good insights.

Hey! Some of us here hang out on those old-timer classical fora also. I don't always want good insights I got enough of that crap at the conservatory. I wanna hear opinions from the folks here - who can be very interesting.

My favorite at the moment is the 1812. Any symphony with cannons, chimes and a brass military band all going full out is the thing for me. And it's Tchaikovski - he knows his stuff.
 
Mar 10, 2005
14,647
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true story:
the other day i was listening to O Fortuna when i decided to get another cup of coffee. i put a spoonful of sugar in my cup, tilted the coffee pot, and it was...empty!

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