Choon of the Day

[luka]

yeah i still really really hate the sound of classical but im not sure i want to change that just yet. maybe in 20 years time if im still about

[sadmanbarty]

[Corpsey]

Speaking of which, what would be your advice to get me into classical music? What was your way in? Was there something that made it click for you?

I was learning the piano from when I was about 10 which obviously helped a lot (none of my friends are into classical). I got into classical music more heavily when I was a teenager and presumably massive mood swings helped me to identify with romantic era music (Chopin particularly). This was at the same time as developing an obsession with rap music, then later punk and (shudder) indie. Through all the vicissitudes of taste I've gone through classical music has been the constant, although my preference for composers has changed - lately it's been a lot of Scarlatti and Mozart piano music, whereas once it was all Chopin and Rachmaninoff.

The first Chopin piece I remember hearing was this:



The beauty of the melody (which in those days probably made me well up), the gathering fury of the mid section and then the even more beautiful transition back to the original theme.

Actually, one of the first classical pieces I really went nuts for was the Bach Toccata and Fugue (below) that was in 'Fantasia' (orchestrated). 'Fantasia' was probably the thing that most sold me on classical music at that age.



Another piece that really blew my mind was this:



As far as introductions go, I'd say just listen to bits and pieces by the major composers and see what takes your fancy (if anything). Interestingly enough, some stuff that is probably considered less accessible (modernist music, e.g.) might appeal more to you as a fan of jazz. Debussy would be an ideal starting point for a jazz fan:





Although this might be too literal an introduction, Leonard Bernstein's lecture on Beethoven's 'Eroica' symphony is very interesting and accessible:



Speaking of Beethoven, his symphonies are so thrilling I can't imagine even classical-phobics getting bored by them. Try 5 and 7:





I've saved classical pieces I like/love on one big playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/user/111800...dzgVyXXQHArObA

[Corpsey]

This is an excerpt from a book by the New Yorker critic Alex Ross. He's writing about why he hates the term 'classical music' and how that whole dusty stiff culture of posh white conservatism took over and imprisoned the music in amber:

https://www.popmatters.com/131910-li...496128963.html

[droid]

Make a youtube playlist will ya Corpsey?

[sadmanbarty]

That's brilliant corpse, I skimmed through the chopin and debussy which sounded excellent. I'll have a proper listen later.

[Leo]

on a related note, i initially had little interest in seeing "amadeus" but loved it when i did. mozart was both a genius and a wild man, like the jerry lee lewis of his time.

[Corpsey]

Recently saw the play 'Amadeus' at the NT, it was really good. I loved the film, too - another formative influence on my taste.

It's worth pointing out, however, that Shaffer's play probably distorted both Mozart and Salieri for the sake of a good story: https://www.theguardian.com/film/200...s-reel-history

My COTD is the moog-synth version of Purcell 'Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary', which I can only find on Youtube in its filmic form:

[Corpsey]

Listening back to the bach concerto I posted I wonder if any grime producers were into chamber music?

Those rapid intricate string patterns...

[CrowleyHead]

Corpse.

No.

[Corpsey]

Corpse.

No.

I'm running with this now - Bach invented grime

That post was supposed to be a semi joke btw although reading it back it looks horribly earnest



Never knew I wanted to hear Flava Flav do a British accent before

[sadmanbarty]

Another english accent one.



corpse, can you recommend any more solo piano bits? also, is there any spanish classical music you'd recommend?

[luka]

[Corpsey]

Here's a 2 for 1



This is the only Spanish classical music I know. He also either wrote for guitar or has been adapted for it.

Piano music

Continuing the jazzy theme, I think you might like :

Debussy: images, preludes





Chopin - my first love. The four Ballades, the Barcarolle, Nocturnes, Preludes, Scherzos, Impromptus, Mazurkas, Polonaises.





Schubert - the impromptus, piano sonatas (esp. late sonatas e.g. b flat minor sonata below)





Beethoven: piano concertos (esp 4 and 5), piano sonatas- some sonatas to look for would include 'moonlight', 'hammerklavier', 'pathetique', 'apassionata' (below), 'waldstein' and the late sonatas (an example of below).





Liszt: bit of a blind spot for me, other than for 'la campanella' and some of the hungarian rhapsodies





Rachmaninoff: preludes, piano concertos (esp. 2)



Scarlatti: wrote hundreds of sonatas, the below record collects some great ones



Bach: the goldberg variations (glenn gould's performance is the most famous/controversial), the well tempered clavier (48 preludes and fugues), the art of the fugue





Mozart: piano sonatas and concertos (esp number 20 onwards)

[Corpsey]

Talk about a thread derailment - no more now I promise