Buying Western Classical Music
- Thread starter ajay124
- Start date
Kevian
New Member
ajay124
Well-Known Member
Musicians who create popular or folk music can do so with little or no knowledge of how to read or write musical notations.Some of them may be well versed in this art.But many work instinctively.They know from experience or practice,how to make music.Classical music is much more complex and requires written notations.
Some composers try out various ideas on a pian
thers may create music in their 'head'.Finally these ideas need to be committed to paper.A good composer would be able to 'hear' in his head the sound of music and musical instruments.Historically musical directions have been written in the Italian language.Popular Italian terms and their English meanings:Allegro Fast
Adagio Slow
Allegretto Fairly Fast
Agitato Agitated
Andante Walking Speed
Animato Lively,animated
Cantabile Flowing
Con Brio Spirited
Crescendo Growing louder
Diminuendo Growing softer
Expressivo Strongly expressed
Forte Loud
Fortissimo Very Loud
Glissando Sliding notes
Grazioso Gracefully
Grave Slow and ponderious
Largo Slow
Legato Smooth long notes
Lento Slow
Maestoso Majestic
Mezzo Forte Moderately loud
Mezzo Piano Moderately soft
Moderato Moderate speed
Molto Much
Non Troppo Not too much
Pianissimo Very soft
Piano Soft
Piu More
Pizzicato Plucking the string
Poco A little
Prestissimo Extremely fast
Presto Very Fast
Rallentando Slow down
Ritardando Becoming slower
Sostenuto Sustained
Sotto Voce Whispered
Staccato Short
Tremolo Trembling
Vivace Lively
Rondo Returning to the original theme.The main theme is called a 'refrain'.This may be followed by a contrasting theme called a 'digression' or an 'episode'.'Variation' is an embellishment of the original theme.
Salute/Cin Cin Cheers
Kevian
New Member
Thank you Ajay....ever since I have followed this thread as a bystander...I've been listening to some downloaded flacs of mozart, beethoven and vivaldi...and now I know which tempo I enjoy most which are Presto, Prestissimo and Allegro due to their heaviness and keeps my thoughts stick to the music....while with other slow and moderate paced tempos..I just get lost with some other worldly thoughts....my collection would look forward to include most on these lines.
As a side note..for some reason...I don't get tired or fatigued listening to this music along with carnatic instrumentals...which I feel when listening to rock, metal etc .....Thanks once again....
cheers.
Venkat
As a side note..for some reason...I don't get tired or fatigued listening to this music along with carnatic instrumentals...which I feel when listening to rock, metal etc .....Thanks once again....
cheers.
Venkat
ajay124
Well-Known Member
"As a side note..for some reason...I don't get tired or fatigued listening to this music along with carnatic instrumentals...which I feel when listening to rock, metal etc "
Venkus _Narelius
Perhaps you don't feel a sense of fatigue with Western Classical,Hindustani Classical or Carnatic Instrumental because they are various forms of music.And perhaps one feels fatigued after listening to Rock,Metal,Pop because ultimately they are various forms of noise.When we are young we enjoy noise.As we grow older and (hopefully wiser) we find peace and happiness with the sound of music or the sound of silence.
Merely my opinion.Fans of rock/metal will disagree.I too worshipped rock music for close to two decades.But no more.I revisit rock sometimes but cannot listen to more than one cd at a go.Beyond that my mind stops functioning or reacting to the 'music'.I become indifferent or worse irritated with the music.I begin to wonder what these guys are mooning,screaming or protesting about.Most of the angst laden hippies of 'my generation' have been 'adopted' by the establishment.They have grown old,contented and rich.How many of these 'dream merchants' followed or lived the dreams they sold to my generation?My ole favorite Bob Dylan's songs do not stir me anymore.Sometimes the words of his famous 60's and 70's songs,conjour interesting imagery but they don't seem to be addressing anything 'real'.They dwell in a no man's land.
Perhaps I have grown old and out of touch with popular music.But actually I feel like I am growing younger every year!
"Ah, but I was so much older then
Im younger than that now"...Dylan
I feel less weighted down with the travails and troubles of the world.Less weighted down by the need to compete with anyone.Less weighted down by the need for love,sex,romance or the entire paraphernalia of confusion,conflicts,pleasures and pains that barge into your life the moment you start a 'serious' conversation with a member of the fairer species
I have been unable to find a reason for why I was born or have lived in this world.In the time still remaining with me,I am only interested in looking inwards in order to find some answers.Listening to Western Classical music helps me in this search and also provides immense pleasure and a sense of peace.
Venkus _Narelius
Perhaps you don't feel a sense of fatigue with Western Classical,Hindustani Classical or Carnatic Instrumental because they are various forms of music.And perhaps one feels fatigued after listening to Rock,Metal,Pop because ultimately they are various forms of noise.When we are young we enjoy noise.As we grow older and (hopefully wiser) we find peace and happiness with the sound of music or the sound of silence.
Merely my opinion.Fans of rock/metal will disagree.I too worshipped rock music for close to two decades.But no more.I revisit rock sometimes but cannot listen to more than one cd at a go.Beyond that my mind stops functioning or reacting to the 'music'.I become indifferent or worse irritated with the music.I begin to wonder what these guys are mooning,screaming or protesting about.Most of the angst laden hippies of 'my generation' have been 'adopted' by the establishment.They have grown old,contented and rich.How many of these 'dream merchants' followed or lived the dreams they sold to my generation?My ole favorite Bob Dylan's songs do not stir me anymore.Sometimes the words of his famous 60's and 70's songs,conjour interesting imagery but they don't seem to be addressing anything 'real'.They dwell in a no man's land.
Perhaps I have grown old and out of touch with popular music.But actually I feel like I am growing younger every year!
"Ah, but I was so much older then
Im younger than that now"...Dylan
I feel less weighted down with the travails and troubles of the world.Less weighted down by the need to compete with anyone.Less weighted down by the need for love,sex,romance or the entire paraphernalia of confusion,conflicts,pleasures and pains that barge into your life the moment you start a 'serious' conversation with a member of the fairer species
I have been unable to find a reason for why I was born or have lived in this world.In the time still remaining with me,I am only interested in looking inwards in order to find some answers.Listening to Western Classical music helps me in this search and also provides immense pleasure and a sense of peace.
Last edited:
Kevian
New Member
hmm..Janma Rahasya...thats a deep introspective thought bugging me too ever since I've attended AOL by SriSri Ravishankar 3 yrs ago in NJ....and I am not alone in this quest
hyeah:ajay124
Well-Known Member
THE MIGHTY HANDFUL!
The romantic nationalist period from 1850-1900 gave birth to ??????? ????? in Russia.This term refers to a coterie of five composers who created classical music using native Russian sounds rather than imitating European music.They incorporated Caucasian and Cossack song and dance forms into their music.Their music blended European and Oriental themes and sounds.
The Russian Five/The Mighty Handful met in Saint Petersburg.Led by the didactic and influential Mili Balakirev the other four composers were Modest Mussorgski,Rimski Korsakov,Alexander Borodin and Cesar Cui.Geographically big nations tend to produce big sounding music while nations with less space produce more intimate music (true?false?).
The music of the mighty handful is a mighty tsunami of sound.Meant to be heard LIVE from a big orchestra.The next best alternative is a big room,a powerful amp and 'mighty' towers that can truly evoke a 'mighty' storm'.A lot of big sounding music from popular genre's ultimately descends into noise and confusion.But the best works of the Russian Five sound bigger and better with every session!
Fancy a journey into the heart of Mother Russia?Cheaper and faster than an Aeroflot flight.Longer and grander than a Trans Siberian train ride
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mussorgsky...6C/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1302740165&sr=8-10
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Essential-...61KO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302740262&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rimsky-Kor...=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1302740309&sr=1-1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Balakirev-...=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1302740399&sr=1-1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/César-Cui-...=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1302740425&sr=1-3
YouTube - In the Steppes of Central Asia - Borodin - Mongolia
The romantic nationalist period from 1850-1900 gave birth to ??????? ????? in Russia.This term refers to a coterie of five composers who created classical music using native Russian sounds rather than imitating European music.They incorporated Caucasian and Cossack song and dance forms into their music.Their music blended European and Oriental themes and sounds.
The Russian Five/The Mighty Handful met in Saint Petersburg.Led by the didactic and influential Mili Balakirev the other four composers were Modest Mussorgski,Rimski Korsakov,Alexander Borodin and Cesar Cui.Geographically big nations tend to produce big sounding music while nations with less space produce more intimate music (true?false?).
The music of the mighty handful is a mighty tsunami of sound.Meant to be heard LIVE from a big orchestra.The next best alternative is a big room,a powerful amp and 'mighty' towers that can truly evoke a 'mighty' storm'.A lot of big sounding music from popular genre's ultimately descends into noise and confusion.But the best works of the Russian Five sound bigger and better with every session!
Fancy a journey into the heart of Mother Russia?Cheaper and faster than an Aeroflot flight.Longer and grander than a Trans Siberian train ride
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mussorgsky...6C/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1302740165&sr=8-10
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Essential-...61KO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302740262&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rimsky-Kor...=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1302740309&sr=1-1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Balakirev-...=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1302740399&sr=1-1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/César-Cui-...=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1302740425&sr=1-3
YouTube - In the Steppes of Central Asia - Borodin - Mongolia
ajay124
Well-Known Member
DATE:MAY 29 1913
VENUE
ARIS THEATRE DES CHAMPS ELYSEEYS
The premier of Igor Stravinsky's ballet The Rites Of Spring/Le Sacre Du Printemps is generally considered the most important date in twentieth century western classical music.
"Trouble began with the playing of the first notes, in the ultrahigh register of the bassoon, as the renowned composer Camille Saint-Saens conspicuously walked out, complaining loudly of the misuse of the instrument. Soon other protests became so loud that the dancers could barely hear their cues. Fights broke out in the audience. Thus Modernism arrived in music, its calling card delivered by the 30-year-old Russian composer Igor Stravinsky.
-Philip Glass
Igor Stravinsky was a Russian composer inspired by "The Mighty Handful" who composed some of the greatest music of our times,such as,PETRUSHKA,THE FIREBIRD,THE RAKES PROGRESS.The idea for THE RITES OF SPRING was originally given to Stravinsky by the painter Nicholas Roerich who spent the last years of his life in the Kulu valley of Himachal Pradesh.In a radical departure from the frivolous 'high society' themes that ballet audiences were used to,Stravinsky composed a work of pagan rituals where a young girl, who is to be sacrificed by the elders, dances herself to death.The music had a violent,driving,jungle rhythm.The audience hissed and booed in bewilderment.A riot broke out in the intermission which was quelled by the police and the performance carried on.This was music which had never been heard before in any concert hall of the western world.The 'revolution' which The Rites Of Spring started has permeated so deeply into western classical and popular music,that it would be impossible to list all the subsequent music which it inspired and helped give birth to.
Pierre Boulez is probably the best known conductor of twentieth century classical music.His Stravinsky recordings are absolutely essential listening.
Amazon.com: Boulez Conducts Stravinsky: Boulez, Stravinsky: Music
Amazon.com: Pierre Boulez Edition - Stravinsky: Rite Of Spring, Petrouchka / New York PO, Cleveland Orchestra: Igor Stravinsky, Pierre Boulez, Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic: Music
YouTube - P. Boulez on Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFKRKPVUxGg&feature=related
YouTube - Pierre Boulez conducts Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring (Part 2, b)
VENUE
ARIS THEATRE DES CHAMPS ELYSEEYSThe premier of Igor Stravinsky's ballet The Rites Of Spring/Le Sacre Du Printemps is generally considered the most important date in twentieth century western classical music.
"Trouble began with the playing of the first notes, in the ultrahigh register of the bassoon, as the renowned composer Camille Saint-Saens conspicuously walked out, complaining loudly of the misuse of the instrument. Soon other protests became so loud that the dancers could barely hear their cues. Fights broke out in the audience. Thus Modernism arrived in music, its calling card delivered by the 30-year-old Russian composer Igor Stravinsky.
-Philip Glass
Igor Stravinsky was a Russian composer inspired by "The Mighty Handful" who composed some of the greatest music of our times,such as,PETRUSHKA,THE FIREBIRD,THE RAKES PROGRESS.The idea for THE RITES OF SPRING was originally given to Stravinsky by the painter Nicholas Roerich who spent the last years of his life in the Kulu valley of Himachal Pradesh.In a radical departure from the frivolous 'high society' themes that ballet audiences were used to,Stravinsky composed a work of pagan rituals where a young girl, who is to be sacrificed by the elders, dances herself to death.The music had a violent,driving,jungle rhythm.The audience hissed and booed in bewilderment.A riot broke out in the intermission which was quelled by the police and the performance carried on.This was music which had never been heard before in any concert hall of the western world.The 'revolution' which The Rites Of Spring started has permeated so deeply into western classical and popular music,that it would be impossible to list all the subsequent music which it inspired and helped give birth to.
Pierre Boulez is probably the best known conductor of twentieth century classical music.His Stravinsky recordings are absolutely essential listening.
Amazon.com: Boulez Conducts Stravinsky: Boulez, Stravinsky: Music
Amazon.com: Pierre Boulez Edition - Stravinsky: Rite Of Spring, Petrouchka / New York PO, Cleveland Orchestra: Igor Stravinsky, Pierre Boulez, Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic: Music
YouTube - P. Boulez on Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFKRKPVUxGg&feature=related
YouTube - Pierre Boulez conducts Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring (Part 2, b)
Last edited:
I picked up this recording of the tour of the New York Philharmonic to India in 1984 (I think?). This is Zubin Mehta directing the New York Phil on Musorgsky. Yes, the sound is big! The dynamics are near silent to thunderous (the one aspect of classical I find annoying since my pre-amp doesn't have a remote).
A quick lookup on the 'net says this is valued at $76. So I got it real cheap.
ajay124
Well-Known Member
Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition/Night At Bald Mountain is extremely popular with audiences,orchestra's and radio DJ's.I used to be surprised and exasperated,because the Maestro/Worldspace DJ-Judy Gruber used to give an enormous amount of radio time to the modern composers.In those days my knowledge of classical music was limited to the Baroque,Classical and Romantic period.I used to feel that Bach,Beethoven,Mozart,Haydn and Schubert are the be-all and end-all of classical music.Judy Gruber was a great DJ.The best I have ever heard on a radio.My wife and I learnt a lot from her.
My wife is a radio person and because of her we got into Worldspace almost at it's inception.In those days Worldspace was 'free' and my Hitachi receiver used to be playing 24x7x365.We could not sleep at night without Maestro playing at low volume in the dark.The Hitachi receiver has now fallen silent but will always remain a treasured family heirloom
I am learning the ropes of western classical, mainly thanks to cheap LPs I pick up every now and then. It's gonna be a long, but fruitful and enjoyable learning curve for me, as I did not grow up on classical. My staple was rock, and a light smattering of pop. Clascical LPs are most invariably better maintained than LPs of other genres. Less played? I can't say, but most still have even their inner sleeves and are usually dust and grime free. I guess owners were more loving of their classical records than owners of other genres. Just yesterday, I picked up a handful of classical records, and all were in immaculate condition, including a two-LP boxed set of Chopin by a Russian conductor.
I used to listen a lot to radio long ago - I can't stand the gibberish on the air now. And to think that I work for a radio network! My top favourite ever radio jockey was Shernaz Dinshaw of Radio Midday (in the days when they used to run a 2-hour morning slot in AIR Mumbai). Cyrus Broacha, before he made it big on TV, used to host a very early morning show on Radio Star and he was immensely listenable. Another Radio Midday jock called Blase used to play eclectic world music. But Shernaz Dinshaw's interviews of celebs used to be a treat to listen to. I especially remember her interview of Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. Very enchanting from both participants.
Joshua
ajay124
Well-Known Member
Joshua
The ESSENTIAL qualities that a DJ should have are
an entrancing voice
a good sense of humour
an encyclopedic knowledge of the genre of music being aired
a great passion for music
Most of the current DJ's are actually PJ's! Poor Jerks whose only distinguishing quality is their boundless ignorance of all things musical.
The ESSENTIAL qualities that a DJ should have are
an entrancing voice
a good sense of humour
an encyclopedic knowledge of the genre of music being aired
a great passion for music
Most of the current DJ's are actually PJ's! Poor Jerks whose only distinguishing quality is their boundless ignorance of all things musical.
ajay124
Well-Known Member
A jetsetting superstar in Classical music?.Not very common. Perhaps the man who currently qualifies for this label is VALERY GERGIEV.
From an article in The Independent:
Baton charge: Valery Gergiev on being the world’s most prolific maestro - Features, Classical - The Independent
"It's official: Valery Gergiev is the busiest conductor on Earth. Last month, statistics from the classical-music website Bachtrack confirmed this to a public that wasn't particularly surprised: Gergiev has long been notorious for a schedule that might slaughter a less resilient soul. One concertgoer commented that the site's proffered number for Gergiev's performances last year, 88, was incomplete; the true figure was probably closer to 130. That averages one every 2.8 days. No wonder orchestras are said to wonder whether he will materialise in time for rehearsals, or even for concerts.
In Amsterdam, the morning after performing Shostakovich's Symphony No 15 at the Concertgebouw with his beloved Mariinsky Orchestra, Gergiev does materialise on time, looking somewhat worn. Those powerful eyes are showing their sizeable whites, and the dusky voice is 20 per cent tone to 80 per cent gravel. Directing the Russian composer's devastating last symphony, the maestro, 57, has once again pushed himself to the limit.
How does he feel about being the planet's busiest conductor? "Accused of being?" Gergiev half-jokes (he isn't one for excessive laughter). Then he adds more quietly: "Or recognised as? Let's put it more dangerously. I can be accused of doing too much: correct. But I cannot be accused of doing too much with too many orchestras. I focus on the main relationships in my life."
And in a 2009 film directed by Allan Miller:
YouTube - YOU CANNOT START WITHOUT ME - Valery Gergiev - Maestro Trailer
From an article in The Independent:
Baton charge: Valery Gergiev on being the world’s most prolific maestro - Features, Classical - The Independent
"It's official: Valery Gergiev is the busiest conductor on Earth. Last month, statistics from the classical-music website Bachtrack confirmed this to a public that wasn't particularly surprised: Gergiev has long been notorious for a schedule that might slaughter a less resilient soul. One concertgoer commented that the site's proffered number for Gergiev's performances last year, 88, was incomplete; the true figure was probably closer to 130. That averages one every 2.8 days. No wonder orchestras are said to wonder whether he will materialise in time for rehearsals, or even for concerts.
In Amsterdam, the morning after performing Shostakovich's Symphony No 15 at the Concertgebouw with his beloved Mariinsky Orchestra, Gergiev does materialise on time, looking somewhat worn. Those powerful eyes are showing their sizeable whites, and the dusky voice is 20 per cent tone to 80 per cent gravel. Directing the Russian composer's devastating last symphony, the maestro, 57, has once again pushed himself to the limit.
How does he feel about being the planet's busiest conductor? "Accused of being?" Gergiev half-jokes (he isn't one for excessive laughter). Then he adds more quietly: "Or recognised as? Let's put it more dangerously. I can be accused of doing too much: correct. But I cannot be accused of doing too much with too many orchestras. I focus on the main relationships in my life."
And in a 2009 film directed by Allan Miller:
YouTube - YOU CANNOT START WITHOUT ME - Valery Gergiev - Maestro Trailer
ajay124
Well-Known Member
Bottled in India, Cabernet Sauvignon from Luca. A veggie delite from Subway. George Frideric Handel's Concerto Grassi gently wafting through the transfigured night. Peace.
ajay124
Well-Known Member
The 10 most eternal and popular works of western classical music? You could make 10 or 100 lists and still not get it right! But I will attempt one. One post at a time.
MOONLIGHT SONATA
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
YouTube - Moonlight Sonata
MOONLIGHT SONATA
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
YouTube - Moonlight Sonata
sivasarjun
Active Member
Thanks Ajay for the Stravinsky Boulez video.I am in the process ofdiscovering Stravinsky myself.
Great thread this.Really appreciate it.
Great thread this.Really appreciate it.
ajay124
Well-Known Member
Sivasarjun
If you want to hear some remarkable music, and also discover the influences which led up to Shostakovich,Bela Bartok and Stravinsky, then you should also add Modest Mussorgsky,Rimski Korsakov,Mili Balakirev,Cesar Cui and Alexander Borodin to your library.Personally I believe that by blending classical European traditions with music from the Orient, these composers created something truly monumental!
Essential Listening:
Mussorgsky: Pictures At An Exhibition,Night On Bald Mountain
Rimski Korsakov: Capricio Espagnol,Scheherazade
Alexander Borodin:In The Steppes Of Central Asia,Polovstian Dances,String Quartets
Mili Balakirev:Tamara,Islamey,King Lear,Symphony 1,2,3.
Cesar Cui: Feast In The Time Of Plague,The Captain's Daughter
YouTube - A Night On Bare Mountain/Mussorgsky/Leibowitz
ajay124
Well-Known Member
The 10 most eternal and popular works of western classical music?
SYMPHONY NO.25
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
YouTube - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Symphony No. 25 in G minor
SYMPHONY NO.25
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
YouTube - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Symphony No. 25 in G minor
ajay124
Well-Known Member
The 10 most eternal and popular works of western classical music?
AIR ON THE G STRING
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
YouTube - Bach - Air on the G string
AIR ON THE G STRING
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
YouTube - Bach - Air on the G string
ajay124
Well-Known Member
Internet Radio Stations suggestions, for listening to western classical music on a Mac, PC or a Squeezebox.
Abacus FM ( dedicated stations for Bach, Mozart and Beethoven )
BBC Radio 3
Classical Archives
Sky.FM Mostly Classical
Azur Classique
Adagio FM
Radio Bach
Radio Mozart
Beethoven Radio
Abacus FM ( dedicated stations for Bach, Mozart and Beethoven )
BBC Radio 3
Classical Archives
Sky.FM Mostly Classical
Azur Classique
Adagio FM
Radio Bach
Radio Mozart
Beethoven Radio
Check out our special offers on Stereo Package & Bundles for all budget types.
