SLH and Alessiana keep on posting cool youtube clips of classical music renditions in the PJ chat and i thought that although many people are relatively uneducated (as i am) regarding "serious" music, i'm sure there would be many worthwhile and unsuspected contributions from OB so here's mine:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=GchB9unYkOE&mode=related&search=

and please merge if this thread already exists

Mastaflatch, this is so sweet of you. And all music is "serious." It's just that everyone hears things a little differently.

i know - but it's what it's called (serious) when you ask for a grant...

I strongly disagree.

You're right! We all hear things the same. What is she thinking?

: P

Very cool clip. Thank you!

Allow me to clarify:


I strongly disagree.

But only cos it's the only way you'll

1) make any money
2) be able to buy or lease that incredifuckinginstrument

Grants are the only way : (

Classical music is back to it's roots of patronage.

all music is serious when you are insane.

: P

And all food tastes good when your diet consists of feces. If you look at things from an extreme relative standpoint, most adjectives can be cancelled out, and discussion becomes relatively pointless, relatively speaking.

Anyway, I've been listening to a fair amount of classical music the past few weeks. Not the standard stuff people think of. Mostly choral and piano arrangements. To be more specific, I have been listening to Chopin's piano works and various performances of the Westminster Cathedral Choir, Netherlands Chamber Choir, City of London Sinfoni, and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. My favorite right now is probably "Palestrina - Missa Papae Marcelli - Missa Brevis" by the first group mentioned.

couldn't be more standard stuff. although chopin is not classical.

I couldn't stop watching this for some reason

Bach can be hypnotic. Some of the series' works, the inventions, the dance suites are impossible to listen to once. There's just so much going on, and so much of it is written for solo keyboard. I don't know how he wrote as much as he did. I think he had like 12 children. And he actually spent time with them.

For the person who is listening to choral music. Lately, I've been listening to the Bach b minor mass. It is one of my very favorite choral works.

And I think that even music that isn't meant to be serious, as something like Mozart's Magic Flute wasn't meant to be serious, might inspire and make someone happy. The people who make it probably take it seriously.

back in my teens i loved Pachelbel's Kanon in D major (kinda pop classical music) conducted by herbert von karajan and i can't find that version anywhere now
what i like in it is the signature drama that karajan brings it - he's also my favorite beethoven conductor

I feel the same way. Such a subtle version, with the kind of restraint that most are lacking. I think we might have had a similar conversation about Eddie Vedder that caused Patrick Bateman to have a homicidal episode.

Here is the von Karajan version from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Albinoni-Adagio-P ... 925&sr=1-1

A very funny rant that has to do with Canon in D:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM

Von Karajan is a bit heavy and slow for my tastes these days, (thinking Beethoven of course). But who can argue with the Viennese strings? I used to love him more than anything, then I heard original instruments, smaller orchestras and faster tempos and was won over. But I'll take my Beethoven all the different ways.

That's HILARIOUS!

Neville Mariner, St. Martin-in-the Fields? Michael Tilson-Thomas? Daniel Barenboim?

As for von Karajan, a bit less nimble perhaps, but the drama inherent in those dynamics is still powerful. It is a challenge to start softly and build dynamics so relentlessly without showing-off those beautiful melodies from the get-go. Quite old-school, I guess, but if young people today could hear von Karajan live, classical music would be popular again.

My favorite conductor was Sir Georg Solti. Especially for Beethoven. And with the Chicago Symphony. I was lucky enough to hear Sir Georg conduct them many times.

No,

Gardiner! a must have set for a beethoven fan
Pinnock
Vanska! brash fun
Zinnman

I'm no different with Classical than I am with other music. I like the old stuff, but I like to be challenged to.


older i love von karajan, abbato, Boehm Solti, Ormandy

aach, i'm going to bed

For anyone interested in current classical music, John Corigliano is one of the more talented composers. He has transformed his score for the film "The Red Violin" into the Red Violin Concerto which was released on Sept. 4. It's a beautiful, epic work, and he is lucky to have Joshua Bell as his soloist. It has a grand classical style but feels completely modern. I love it. It features the Baltimore Symphony conducted by Marin Alsop. She isn't necessarily a popular figure, but she works well with more modern material like this.

For those who enjoy live music, this is a live recording, and has all of the excitement that goes along with that. Joshua Bell's tone is absolutely amazing. To sustain that through a live performance with the kind of virtuoso technique necessary is truly remarkable. I think that even people who don't like classical music will like this.