The reason I didn't entitle this thread "classical music" is that it is a misleading term. Technically speaking, "classical music" is just one period in the realm of western art music.
Disclaimer out of the way, let me tell you how much I love this man's music: Arvo Part (b. 1935, Paide, Estonia) I love it a lot. I will ramble about his music here a lot.
Man, what a tough question. I'm a Part fanatic (I've got to learn to do the umlaut.) I would suggest the following: I got to see the group on this CD perform his Te Deum, it was the single best performance of western art music I've ever heard. This is a good mix of stuff. A symphony, a triple concerto for two violins and prepared piano and some shorter pieces.
This is the first CD of his I ever purchased...it is still one of my favorites. This one is exquisite.
This is a two disc set of purely choral music sung in Church Slavonic. Awesome stuff. His Miserere and Sarah Was 90 Years Old are two of the most powerful pieces of music I've ever heard.
The ideas on this recording are phenomenal. He just composed some very short passages for solo piano and some for piano/violin and some for piano/cello and just told the performers to improvise. An incredible recording of startlingly simplicity and beauty. His setting of the Passion according to St. John. This particular recording is an incredible performance, but it is annoying that a 60+ minute piece isn't indexed into multiple tracks.
Listening to this a lot lately. I've always been kind of a 20th century music kind of guy, but this was cheap, so I figured I'd see why people are so nuts for the classics. Suprisingly, I've really been enjoying it. I've only made it through the first two symphonies, but they've been awesome, particularly the first one.
Mind if I make some recommendations? My tastes are decidedly Romantic and early 20th century, but you might find something you like. Seeing as you're listening to Mendelssohn, look for his Octet for Strings. A real tour de force, especially the scherzo and the finale. Listen for the many motifs taken from Handel's Hallelujah Chorus in the last movement, some are obvious but you have to listen carefully to find others. Borodin's symphonies and string quartets are definitely worth listening to, as is Khachaturian's Violin Concerto. Also, if you can find it, Leonard Bernstein's Dialogues for jazz combo and orchestra.
Not at all. That's part of the reason I started this thread. Any classical music thread in the other forum slips too much, but I figured it could find a home in my personal forum. There are a few other classical music fans on BS, and I'm just hoping they notice it's here. looking forward to it. I've got Khachaturians violin concerto. I'm a huge Khachaturian fan and think he's vastly underrated. There are several excellent Armenian composers out there. BTW, Russians tend to be my favorite (not confusing Armenians and Russians, you just mentioned one of each ) It took me a while to get into Bernstein. I was always making fun of him for West Side Story, but once I heard Serenade and On the Waterfron I was convinced of his genius.
Great thread! Bernstein's "Chichester Psalms" is really good. I love Tchaikovsky's "Serenade for Strings." I enjoy just about everything I've ever heard by Poulenc. The list could go on and on. I should give it some more thought and then post again later.
Re: Great thread! I've always wanted to check out Chichester Psalms, but have never picked it up for some reason. I've seen some great orchestras do Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings, I've seen the Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra of Boston do it as well as Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra of Germany do it. I haven't heard too much Poulenc, but I like what I've heard. I saw his Gloria performed a few years back and it was awesome.
Listening to this today. What a fine recording. I particularly enjoy the String Quartet no. 3 "Mishima," written about Japanese author Yukio Mishima.
I don't advocate stealing, so I'm not going to tell you to steal it...but you should buy this: How can't you love a piece of music written for six marimbas. Simply irresistable.
You should also do all in your power to obtain this CD: This version in particular should be had. The others are okay, but this one includes Chinese musican Wu Man, whose pipa solos add so much to the piece.
I'm trying to decide which show(s) I should trek out to Aspen for this summer. I've never heard Joshua Bell or Gil Shaham perform live, so I'm leaning toward one of those two. Any other recommendations would be appreciated, especially as I'm far more familiar with soloists than I am with ensembles and conductors.
I've seen Gil Shaham twice and he is incredible. I would definately go see him. Is he performing with an orchestra or with a pianist? I saw him once with Akira Eguchi, and that was the best recital I've ever seen. They did an incredibley varied program: Bach, Bartok, Beethoven, Strauss, Bizet Another time, I saw him with a guitarist and they did a bunch of Schubert & Paganini and it was pretty boring (the material, not the playing.) I just found the Shaham program. That looks quite strong. I almost saw Bell earlier this year, but ended up having to give my tickets away. I heard the show was awesome though.
I would avoid the program of Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg with the Assad Brothers. They're awesome guitar players, but she's kind of stiff in my opinion, especially since they're playing Gypsy music. ==================== This one looks quite strong. Zinman is a great conductor and Lang Lang is a fantastic pianist. July 3rd. 6:00 PM Aspen Chamber Symphony ($54.00) Benedict Music Tent David Zinman, conductor Lang Lang, piano GEORGE TSONTAKIS: Perpetual Angelus CHOPIN: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, op. 11 SCHUMANN: Symphony No. 4 in D minor, op. 120 ================ This one could be really cool. The erhu is an amazing instrument. July 6 4:00 PM Special Event in Harris Concert Hall ($48.00) Harris Concert Hall Lang Lang, piano Guo-ren Lang, erhu SCHUMANN: Variations on the Name "Abegg," op. 1 HAYDN: Piano Sonata in C major, Hob. XVI/50 SCHUBERT: Fantasy in C major, D. 760, op. 15, "Wanderer Fantasy" Traditional Chinese Songs CHOPIN: Nocturne in D-flat major, op. 27, no. 2 LISZT: Reminiscences of Don Juan, LW A80 ================= This one looks quite cool. Also, the first piece is by a composer from Birmingham, Charles Norman Mason. He's a professor at Birmingham Southern. July 7 6:00 PM Chamber Music ($32.00) Benedict Music Tent Proteus Sydney Hodkinson, conductor Sylvia Rosenberg, violin Anton Nel, piano Renata Arado, violin Alexander Kerr, violin John Graham, viola Michael Mermagen, cello Ann Schein, piano CHARLES NORMAN MASON: Hradcanska (Proteus) PIERRE BOULEZ: Dérive I (Hodkinson, Proteus) BARTOK: Violin Sonata No. 1, BB 84 (Rosenberg, Nel) SHOSTAKOVICH: Piano Quintet in G minor, op. 57 (Arado, Kerr, Graham, Mermagen, Schein) more recommendations to follow...
I can't recommend this one enough. Tan Dun's Ghost Opera is incredible. I've got the CD of it. Wu Man is an amazing performer. I promoted a concert by her in Birmingham. Chen Yi writes some interesting music and I love Philip Glass. This one is adventurous, but I think you'll enjoy it if you have an open mind. July 10 7:30 PM An Evening with Cho-Liang Lin ($45.00) Benedict Music Tent Please note special time. Cho-Liang Lin, violin Wu Man, pipa Michael Shih, violin Ori Kam, viola Kristina Cooper, cello Anton Nel, piano Jonathan Haas, percussion CHEN YI: Ning for Pipa, Violin, and Cello PHILIP GLASS: Sound of a Voice (World Premiere) FRANGHIZ ALI-ZADEH: Sabah (Morning, Tomorrow, and Something in the Future) (World Premiere)
July 24 6:00 PM An Evening with the Emerson String Quartet ($45.00) Benedict Music Tent Emerson String Quartet SMETANA: String Quartet No. 1 in E minor, "From My Life" JANACEK: String Quartet No. 1 after L.N. Tolstoy: The Kreutzer Sonata MENDELSSOHN: String Quartet in D major, op. 44, no. 1 This should be excellent. Great program and the Emerson Quartet is fanstastic.
July 25 6:00 PM Aspen Chamber Symphony ($54.00) Benedict Music Tent James Conlon, conductor Midori, violin SMETANA: Overture and Three Dances from The Bartered Bride SCHULHOFF: Symphony No. 5 DVORAK: Violin Concerto in A minor, B. 96/108, op. 53 Midori is amazing and Conlon is excellent. The Bartered Bride overture is such fun music. Don't know about schuloff, but anything by Dvorak is a winner for me.
July 27 8:00 PM A Recital by the International Sejong Soloists ($36.00) Harris Concert Hall Hyo Kang, artistic director Ole Akahoshi, cello GRIEG: Norwegian Melodies, op. 63 KRZYSTOF PENDERECKI: Sinfonietta for Strings HAYDN: Cello Concerto in C major, Hob. VIIb/5 DVORAK: Serenade in E major, B. 52, op. 22 I'd love to hear Penderecki performed live.
August 2 4:00 PM Chamber Music ($32.00) Harris Concert Hall Paul Kantor, violin Jennifer John, violin American Brass Quintet Jennifer Ringo, soprano Robert Woolfrey, clarinet Murry Sidlin, conductor Paul Sperry, tenor Proteus Luis Gascon, saxophone Louis Ranger, trumpet Euclid Quartet PROKOFIEV: Sonata for Two Violins in C major, op. 56 (Kantor, John) GEORGE WALKER: Music for Brass, Sacred and Profane (American Brass Quintet) OSVALDO GOLIJOV: Lua descolorida (Ringo, Euclid Quartet) OSVALDO GOLIJOV: How Slow the Wind (Ringo, Woolfrey, Euclid Quartet) OSVALDO GOLIJOV: Lullaby and Doina (Ringo, Woolfrey, Euclid Quartet) WALTON: Facade I don't know any of the performers, but everything I've heard by Osvaldo Golijov is amazing. He's an Argentinian composer.