Classical music, and related genres

Keakealani · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2007 4:27 am

I didn't see anything immediate that seemed to fit this topic, but sorry if it's a repeat.

Anywho.

I know I'm not the only person here who loves (possibly to an unhealthy degree) the wonders of classical music, and I know quite a bit about it as far as general themes of history, so I thought I'd start a discussion.

In general, I consider the classical "genre" as a blanket term for music that falls into (more or less) the following categories:

Renaissance polyphony (including Gregorian chant and plainchant) (approximately 13th - 17th century)
Baroque (approximately 1600 - 1750)
Classical (approximately 1750 - 1820)
Romantic (approximately 1820 - 1900)
20th century classical (obviously 20th century)

There are other smaller categories like impressionism (my personal favourite) and surrealism, and of course I would never leave those out, but I didn't feel like listing every kind of music, either.

So. Are you one of those classical purists who can't stand the transitions that happened after Romanticism and into the world wars?

Are you just totally turned off by classical music and think it's boring?

Like me, do you find that your eclectic sense of tonality (or sometimes atonality) can only be satisfied by a good round of Debussy and Whitacre?

I'm actually quite curious to hear the opinions of people who don't ordinarily listen to a lot of classical music - it's cool, not everyone has the same tastes...but I'm curious. Why not? Is it too boring, or just not edgy enough, or what? I've been a lifelong fan of the stuff, so I admit I just don't really get this newfangled stuff like rock (haha)

Anyway...go ahead and discuss!

DiscordantNote · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2007 5:41 am

I like it. It's a good thing to listen to when I have to calm down and concentrate on something. Also, being the music theory nut I am, I'll happily sit there and try to analyze the chord progressions and stuff.

However, I hate playing it. Most classical songs, with the exception of more contemporary/20th century works, does not hold my attention span long enough for me to enjoy producing it myself. Especially since most of my parts are akin to do-sol-do-sol...

Of course, being a bassoonist, my lack of enjoyment in playing it kinda works to my extreme disadvantage. At least there's such a thing as jazz bassoon...come to think of it, my interests in rock and jazz are probably why I prefer playing the more modern compositions. I'm sure some of those composers decide to try using the elements found in rock and jazz in their compositions, except with bowed strings and woodwinds in mind.

It also depends on the instruments featured. being a bassoonist, I tend to like songs that use lots and lots of bassoon (see Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring). I also like mallet percussion, specifically marimbas. Something about their sound pleases me, so anything written for them is probably something I'll listen to.

Keakealani · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2007 5:53 am

I'm a lot the same way. It's only natural to like music that features your own musical part if you play an instrument (or in my case, since I'm a singer I prefer music with choral parts). And definitely continuo instruments have the problem that people didn't figure out what to do with bass voices until around the mid-romantic period. My ex-boyfriend, who's a cellist, complains endlessly about how pointless playing Mozart is because it's the same four notes for the entire song. Don't even start on Pachelbel's canon...dread and misery for bassists, cellists, bassoonists, tubas, etc. everywhere. Likewise, I hate singing in a larger work where the chorus is on for two pages and then waiting around for the other 60 pages of the show.

Yup, I can kind of tell from your (very awesome) username that you're a music theory geek...I seem to be meeting more and more as I wander around, which makes me happy that I'm not alone. I do the same thing, especially with my earlier works like Palestrina and early Baroque, since those are pretty straightforward.

halfbakedbliss · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2007 1:51 pm

Debussy is the only Impressionist composer to write home about, he manages to be very childlike but beautiful at the same time. My two favorites would Puccini and Camille Saint-Saëns. Can't stand Philip Glass and the like but I am a fan of Arvo Pärt.

May · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2007 3:07 pm

My favorite genres would have to be Romantic and Classical. I'm a pianist, so I love playing any of the sonatas written by Mozart, Beethoven, or Schubert. Impressionism is also fantastic! Debussy is so much fun to play. I would enjoy playing Baroque music a lot more if it wasn't so difficult trying to memorize a four or five voice fugue of Bach's. I can't stand most of the 20th century music, like Philip Glass or John Cage....it drives me up the wall. My favorite 20th century composers would be Rachmaninoff and Hindemith. The bassoon sonata by Hindemith is awesome to play (well, for the pianist).

Keakealani · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2007 7:58 pm

halfbakedbliss wrote:

Debussy is the only Impressionist composer to write home about, he manages to be very childlike but beautiful at the same time. My two favorites would Puccini and Camille Saint-Saëns. Can't stand Philip Glass and the like but I am a fan of Arvo Pärt.

Yes, I pretty much agree with this entire post. Although, I consider Fauré to be impressionist (sometimes, especially with some of his later vocal works) and I think he's quite worthy of note...

Saint-Saëns is a name that I know, but I don't know that much about his musical style, so I guess I can't make a terribly educated comment on it. All I know is that my local opera company is putting on his Romeo et Juliet and I'm very excited because I LOVE French opera.

May: you should play that bassoon sonata with DiscordantNote! xD

draconis · **Posted:** Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:08 pm

I am in no way a music geek, quite the opposite, really. I play the piano, and have been doing so for the past 8 years or so. I can't say I absolutely adore classical, but I find I do enjoy a lot of it. It's nice to take a break from all the contemporary music and listen to pieces without very many lyrics, if any at all. My violinist friend, on the other hand, can be said to nearly live on classical - it's rather odd, because her tastes include classical and heavy rock/metal, while avoiding quite a bit of the pop and softer rock. She's the source of nearly every classical piece I own.

Of course, I'm a bagpiper on the side, and am naturally partial to those - it's an acquired taste. Many people can't stand them, and neither could I initially, but I've grown to love my pipes and pipe music in general.

Byakuya San · **Posted:** Thu Jul 12, 2007 1:22 pm

halfbakedbliss wrote:

Debussy is the only Impressionist composer to write home about, he manages to be very childlike but beautiful at the same time.

Yep, yep! I played Jimbo's Lullaby for a piano recital once, so I know all about this.

He would have become my favorite composer in the genre...but then I heard Chopin's Fantaisie-Impromptu No. 66.

draconis wrote:

My violinist friend, on the other hand, can be said to nearly live on classical - it's rather odd, because her tastes include classical and heavy rock/metal, while avoiding quite a bit of the pop and softer rock

That sounds suspiciously a lot like my friend...*runs away from the scary similarities*

3lla · **Posted:** Sat Jul 21, 2007 12:00 am

i may not know all the eras and composers of classical music, but i do enjoy listening to any form of classical. My brother is the creative genius of the family so he could probably name everything as he paints a mural or makes a staue.
I do enjoy the older classical genre, and i also like many movie soundtracks, whether thay be filled with songs or classical compositions, i still enjoy it.

I have only now become hooked to listening to certain new age classical by the likes of Cirque Du Soleil. I find that their many songs can combine a voice and their compositions beautifully(eg. Aureus from Varekai, Atjmada from Quidam). I also enjoy how the Cirque add a spirit to the song, as they have to combine it with an act, whether it be on a german wheel or on the airiel straps(scuse my spelling), it stil has that reminiscent Cirque Du Soleil spirit about it.

halfbakedbliss · **Posted:** Wed Aug 08, 2007 3:08 am

ellamcumber wrote:

I have only now become hooked to listening to certain new age classical by the likes of Cirque Du Soleil. I find that their many songs can combine a voice and their compositions beautifully(eg. Aureus from Varekai, Atjmada from Quidam). I also enjoy how the Cirque add a spirit to the song, as they have to combine it with an act, whether it be on a german wheel or on the airiel straps(scuse my spelling), it stil has that reminiscent Cirque Du Soleil spirit about it.

I really liked their use of Jeux d'Eau, have you heard that one?

3lla · **Posted:** Thu Aug 09, 2007 1:56 am

halfbakedbliss wrote:

ellamcumber wrote:

I have only now become hooked to listening to certain new age classical by the likes of Cirque Du Soleil. I find that their many songs can combine a voice and their compositions beautifully(eg. Aureus from Varekai, Atjmada from Quidam). I also enjoy how the Cirque add a spirit to the song, as they have to combine it with an act, whether it be on a german wheel or on the airiel straps(scuse my spelling), it stil has that reminiscent Cirque Du Soleil spirit about it.

I really liked their use of Jeux d'Eau, have you heard that one?

I have heard that song.....i just cant remember what show it is from.......O?
i love songs like africa. The remixs are just as good too as they can add somewhat of a modern flair to it. I also enjoy other songs from the show varekai. I find that I can just listen to one song from the Cd and then I have to listen to the whole thing because i get hooked.

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