Let the Games Begin: The Classical Music Draft, Part I

[Sachsen]

I've sung in a few choirs, and my most "spiritual" or moving experiences have come as a participant rather than as a passive listener. Rehearsal is usually better for this than the actual performance - when I'm usually a nervous wreck, making sure I don't screw up. But at rehearsal, when you can relax, and just let the music flow through you... and especially when you work and work at a piece and then all of a sudden, YOU GET IT... and the harmony and perfection of it washes over you like waves on a beach... THAT'S the feeling that makes you realize the power that music can have.

I've had to stop singing on an occasion or two, to get ahold of myself.

I would love to mention the work that "got me" the most, but as it's on my list for a future pick, you'll just have to wait. :)

[sanariot]

Wow!

I'm still in this?...I thought I blew my chance when I logged on 5 minutes too late yesterday.

My second round pick is Sibelius' "Valse Triste"

[Panfilo]

A question to concert-goers:

Are you moved to tears during live performances?

Wait till the Mexican board hears about this Haole.

:D :p ;)

[Norsk Troll]

So Michael K.'s clock expired at 11:30 pm, and I saw NGV, who comes after him, on at 11:10 pm, but then he signed off without waiting 20 more minutes to pick?

Sbry - nice pick, breaking Sibelius' cherry in the draft.

[Sachsen]

So Michael K.'s clock expired at 11:30 pm, and I saw NGV, who comes after him, on at 11:10 pm, but then he signed off without waiting 20 more minutes to pick?

Sbry - nice pick, breaking Sibelius' cherry in the draft.

I sent NGV a PM while he was on. Hopefully he'll pick before morning...

[Norsk Troll]

and my most "spiritual" or moving experiences have come as a participant rather than as a passive listener. For me, there was always a sense of necessary control while being a participant, so losing control for me comes more while in the audience - though I have to say it comes even easier for pieces that I played before. It's as if the emotions I had to force into the music as a performer can instead be let loose bodily as an observer.

[Sachsen]

Wow!

I'm still in this?...I thought I blew my chance when I logged on 5 minutes too late yesterday.

My second round pick is Sibelius' "Valse Triste"

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Sibelius. He's definitely on my short list.

I have a fantastic performance of Valse Triste in my iTunes library, played on a pipe organ, but I can't find out who the performer is. It's a great one, though!

[Haole]

Wait till the Mexican board hears about this Haole.

:D :p ;)


Haha.

Seriously, I get into music.

I gotta whole lot of times I remember when I just got caught up in the moment and let it go....like 2 a.m. in the morning, I've had a few drinks and it's a warm summer nite on Cozumel and the mariachis are just jamming in the square...I see those kind of experiences as the "real" thing in this world we live in.

[sanariot]

Sbry - nice pick, breaking Sibelius' cherry in the draft.

I'd have done it a lot earlier, trust me....(private joke between me and sachsen.) :D

Thanks for the kudos!

[Panfilo]

Haha.

Seriously, I get into music.

I gotta whole lot of times I remember when I just got caught up in the moment and let it go....like 2 a.m. in the morning, I've had a few drinks and it's a warm summer nite on Cozumel and the mariachis are just jamming in the square...I see those kind of experiences as the "real" thing in this world we live in.

I haven't gotten it from classical music.

But I get you.

Listening to Chente while heartbroken.

Thats deep.

[Haole]

I've sung in a few choirs, and my most "spiritual" or moving experiences have come as a participant rather than as a passive listener. Rehearsal is usually better for this than the actual performance - when I'm usually a nervous wreck, making sure I don't screw up. But at rehearsal, when you can relax, and just let the music flow through you... and especially when you work and work at a piece and then all of a sudden, YOU GET IT... and the harmony and perfection of it washes over you like waves on a beach... THAT'S the feeling that makes you realize the power that music can have.

I've had to stop singing on an occasion or two, to get ahold of myself.

I would love to mention the work that "got me" the most, but as it's on my list for a future pick, you'll just have to wait. :)

In college we worked from Sept thru May on one piece in our chorus class that was mandatory for all the music majors. Usually, the piece was done in May with piano but, no, one year they went for the whole production - full orchestra. I had never sung in anything like this before and had no idea what it's like to perform with 50 instruments as well.

The chorus practiced w/o orchestra up until the last week before the performance and even then it was in a large classroom with only about 2-3 players from each section.

Performance night comes and I walk into the back of the hall and hear this humm and buzz of the orchestra and my legs go nearly limp. When the concert starts and, the swell of sound from 100 voices and full orchestra hits, I'm completly out of it and can't even remember what to do for a minute or two. I'm not even sure if it mattered if I sang well or not....the whole piece seemed like an other-worldly spectacle that I just happened to be in the middle of like some dream.

Music is some powerful medicine.

[Sachsen]

In college we worked from Sept thru May on one piece in our chorus class that was mandatory for all the music majors. Usually, the piece was done in May with piano but, no, one year they went for the whole production - full orchestra. I had never sung in anything like this before and had no idea what it's like to perform with 50 instruments as well.

The chorus practiced w/o orchestra up until the last week before the performance and even then it was in a large classroom with only about 2-3 players from each section.

Performance night comes and I walk into the back of the hall and hear this humm and buzz of the orchestra and my legs go nearly limp. When the concert starts and, the swell of sound from 100 voices and full orchestra hits, I'm completly out of it and can't even remember what to do for a minute or two. I'm not even sure if it mattered if I sang well or not....the whole piece seemed like an other-worldly spectacle that I just happened to be in the middle of like some dream.

Music is some powerful medicine.

I'm with ya all the way! My favorite piece I ever took part in included a 50-60 member combined community-college choir, with a 40-50 piece college orchestra, and a children's choir made up of about 30 middle school girls! I had the same feelings you did...

[YankHibee]

Haha.

Seriously, I get into music.

I gotta whole lot of times I remember when I just got caught up in the moment and let it go....like 2 a.m. in the morning, I've had a few drinks and it's a warm summer nite on Cozumel and the mariachis are just jamming in the square...I see those kind of experiences as the "real" thing in this world we live in.

Those were mushrooms floating in your tequila.

[NGV]

I probably could have let this one slip until a later round - but with a film guy or two plus a self-described Prokofiev fan being among the other drafters, I couldn't take the risk of waiting.

For my third pick I take Alexander Nevsky (the film score) by Sergei Prokofiev.

http://www.deutsches-filminstitut.de/goeast_2003/pics_2003/medium_200/newsky_02_me.jpg

http://filmsociety.wellington.net.nz/db/images/Alexander2.jpg

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/d/d5/275px-Nevsky2.jpg

It's a thrilling piece, possibly the greatest film score of all time. Prokofiev later reworked it into a cantata. The star of the show is the awesome "Song of Alexander Nevsky" that appears early on, but there's much more to come: the menacing chant of the Teutonic Knights, the rousing "Arise, Ye Russian People," the dramatic crescendo of the "Battle on the Ice," and the mournful and fierce lament of "The Field of the Dead,"among other high points.

I had the opportunity to watch this played live by the Philadelphia Orchestra alongside a screening of the movie a while back. The film still has some powerful and memorable images, but is a bit dated (as you might expect). The music remains as good as the day it was written.

[Sachsen]

YankHibee is on the clock, and Michael K. can post at any time.

[scottinkc]

Would you like some cheese with your whine? ;)

http://www.laurawerlin.com/images/cheesewine/cheeseandwine.jpg

That cheese looks moldy.

As far as concerts moving me to tears, I've never experienced it in an orchestral concert, but often during operas. Several years ago I performed in a production of "Children of Eden" (it's musical theatre, right, so I can mention it?) and had considerable trouble making it thru the end of Act I and the end of the show because I was so close to crying. The end of certain operas, and not even necessarily ones where people die, bring me close to tears. More often in orchestral concerts I get this wave of exhileration that will sweep over me. I get all goose-bumpy and flushed and just a general feeling that music is the greatest thing ever in the history of ... well ... ever.

[DoctorD]

Listening to first year violin students always brings me to tears.

[Norsk Troll]

Panfilo is on the clock until 12:42 am, Thursday morning. YankHibee and Michael K. are overdue.

Can we please get rid of the draft order now and just start picking once per day? Does anyone think this is going to improve the longer it goes on?

[YankHibee]

Alright, alright, I'll take the Winterreise cycle by Schubert.
http://www.gopera.com/winterreise/

[Panfilo]

"I only know two tunes. One is "Claire de lune" and the other isn't."

I could had sworn someone had taken it. But I was wrong.


Suite Bergamasque- Claude Debussy

Yes all of you have heard "Claire de Lune" and we all know all brilliant it is.
I think it is the most relaxing piece of work ever created. But thats just me.

However, people tend to overlook the other 3 pieces.

Most people I have encountered thought that "Claire de Lune" was a single piece. They had no idea it was part of the Suite Bergamasque!!!

How can the "Menuet" be forgotten? Vastly underrated.
"The Prelude" and "Passapied" are great pieces even though, they are not as great as the other two. How could they?

My recording

mmm don't really have a favorite

Pascal Roge has a good rendition of the work. Should check it out.