How sexy is classical music?

[Coyote]

I love Russian music...a window into the Russian soul. The Red Army Chorus is from the Soviet era, but what magnificent voices and vocal control The Volga Boatman...

 

[Tilly]

Not classical, so sorry, but Pergolesis Stabat Mater is sublime, here's a snippet:

 

[Lucy Hamilton]

Nobody ever cares about classical music. It seems you can't use it to get a girl. It goes even in a geek category, I guess. But I made an experiment, and I decided to play to my classmates the Chopin's Barcarolle. Guess what they all liked it, and one of the girls who I didn't think would ever look my direction, decided to go out with me. So, here is the question, why only my piano teacher hammers about practicing classical, and nobody else cares?

Hey Picaro

I know not everyone on this thread will like this, but if you like Contemporary Classical, or what is officially termed Neoclassical, here's two more composers performing their own compositions. I'm a huge fan of Neoclassical.

The first is Ólafur Arnalds, he's a Neoclassical composer from Mosfellsbær, Iceland, it's about 20 minutes from Reykjavík.

Ólafur Arnalds "Kinesthesia I"



The second is Nils Økland, he's a Neoclassical composer from Norway. He plays a Hardingfele - Hardanger fiddle - a traditional Norwegian violin with usually eight or sometimes nine strings, as opposed to a regular violin which has four strings. The Hardingfele dates from 1651, first made in Hardanger, Norway.

Nils Økland "Horisont"



Hardingfele are very ornate, beautiful works of art:

On this picture, you can see the eight strings:

Also on this picture, you can see the eight strings:

 

[Sunni Man]

 

[Lucy Hamilton]

Thanks Sunni Man, although she's not performing a Classical piece of music....it illustrates the Hardingfele in action, so to speak.

 

[Sunni Man]

And don't forget the iconic national music instrument of Sweden......the "nyckelharpa"....(nickel-harp-a). .......

 

[Lucy Hamilton]

I love Russian music...a window into the Russian soul. The Red Army Chorus is from the Soviet era, but what magnificent voices and vocal control The Volga Boatman...

My second favourite opera EVAH, is Gaetano Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor", he wrote this in 1835, and it's based upon the Sir Walter Scott novel "The Bride of Lammermoor". I've been obsessed with this opera since I was a child.

The opera had it's première on the 26th September 1835 at Teatro San Carlo in Naples.

There are some exceptionally chronic sound recordings of Maria Callas, who essentially WAS Lucia. The acknowledged best sound recording is that of the performance of the opera during January-February 1953, recorded on and off during a six day period at Teatro Comunale in Florence....with the great Conductor Tullio Serafin.

This is from Act II, Scene 2...."Quando rapito in estasi", predominantly Maria Callas as Lucia, with the addition of the Mezzo-Soprano Anna Maria Canali as Alisa....it's from the above-mentioned 1953 Teatro Comunale performance:

 

[Lucy Hamilton]

I love Russian music...a window into the Russian soul. The Red Army Chorus is from the Soviet era, but what magnificent voices and vocal control The Volga Boatman...

I recommend you buy this Coyote, this is the best recording of this exceptionally wonderful opera. Naxos has the best recording, EMI Classics released another one and it was a terrible sound recording, which was very surprising as EMI Classics are usually pristine.

http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.110131-32

Giuseppe Di Stefano, one of the three absolutely great Tenors of the 20th Century, the other two being Enrico Caruso and Beniamino Gigli.

Giuseppe Di Stefano died in 2008, here's his Obituary from the UK Guardian:

Obituary: Opera singer Giuseppe di Stefano, 1921-2008

 

[Alex.]

Piano Sonate op.13 pathetique 2nd mov - l.v.beethoven.wmv



Billy Joel captures the passion and depth for his sultry composition This Night

 

[Lucy Hamilton]

Not classical, so sorry, but Pergolesis Stabat Mater is sublime, here's a snippet:

So Tilly I thought I'd post some piano stuff, also to get you away from Frédéric Chopin for a moment

I thought something from the Czech Romantic Composer Bedřich Smetana.

This is his "Concert Etude, Op. 17 in G-sharp minor, B. 119", this is it's actual title....it's also known by it's programmatic/work title "On the Seashore" or sometimes "At The Sea".

Bedřich Smetana composed this piece in 1861.

I've chosen a wonderful performance of this from Leif Ove Andsnes, he's Norwegian, from Karmøy in Rogaland fylke which is in Western Norway. He's known mainly for his performances of Beethoven and Grieg and he's won many Classical awards, including six Gramophone Awards, the most prestigious classical music award in the world, so yes he's very good:

Bedřich Smetana "Concert Etude, Op. 17 in G-sharp minor, B. 119"

 

[Tilly]

Thank you, Lucy. I haven't listened to Smetana before. It's beautiful

 

[Sunni Man]

Many people do not realize that some forms of Hindu Classical music involves the use of the traditional european violin.

British soldiers brought the violin to India in the early 1800's and the Indian people quickly adapted it into their style of playing.

The violin is played sitting down and tuned differently. But otherwise, it's the exact same instrument used in any western orchestra.

Personally, I find the music to be quite beautiful and mesmerizing. .......

 

[rcfieldz]

I don't have the right clothes.

 

[Lucy Hamilton]

I don't have the right clothes.

Huh? Who said anyone had to be wearing clothes?

 

[Lucy Hamilton]

Nobody ever cares about classical music. It seems you can't use it to get a girl. It goes even in a geek category, I guess. But I made an experiment, and I decided to play to my classmates the Chopin's Barcarolle. Guess what they all liked it, and one of the girls who I didn't think would ever look my direction, decided to go out with me. So, here is the question, why only my piano teacher hammers about practicing classical, and nobody else cares?

C.P.E. Bach, easily my second favourite Bach, after his father J.S. Bach.

I've chosen C.P.E. Bach's "Symphony In E-flat major Wq. 183/82", he composed this in 1760.

This performance is from The Orchestra of The Age of Enlightenment and it's Conducted by Gustav Leonhardt.



Here is a beautiful painting by Adolph Friedrich von Menzel, painted in 1852, it's title:

"Flötenkonzert Friedrichs des Großen in Sanssouci" (Flute Concert with Frederick the Great in Sanssouci)

It depicts Friedrich der Große playing the flute, whilst C.P.E. Bach is at the keyboard....Schloß Sanssouci was the Summer Palace of Friedrich der Große, it's now a museum to honour him.

Schloß Sanssouci, it's in the Rococo style and was designed and built between 1745-1747 by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including it's extensive gardens.

The manner in which Schloß Sanssouci is built, this makes it difficult to post a few pictures of it, you don't get the full effect of the place, so I've linked a range of pictures from Google, these include pictures of it's majestic interior:

schloß sanssouci - Google Search

Edited to add comment.

 

[Sunni Man]

Awesome in every respect.......

 

[rcfieldz]

 

[Tilly]

My hubby is currently learning Rach 3.
Waiting for the breakdown

 

[Lucy Hamilton]

Nobody ever cares about classical music. It seems you can't use it to get a girl. It goes even in a geek category, I guess. But I made an experiment, and I decided to play to my classmates the Chopin's Barcarolle. Guess what they all liked it, and one of the girls who I didn't think would ever look my direction, decided to go out with me. So, here is the question, why only my piano teacher hammers about practicing classical, and nobody else cares?

W. A. Mozart "Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K.466"

Mozart composed this in 1785, it was first performed at Mehlgrube Casino, Wien with Mozart himself at the piano. The below that I post is the full Concerto at 29 minutes.

The performance is from L'Orchestre de Paris, the Conductor is André Vandernoot and the soloist is Éric Heidsieck.

L'Orchestre de Paris was formed in 1967, prior to this from 1828-1967 they were known as L'Orchestre de la Société des concerts du Conservatoire.

 

[Lucy Hamilton]

My hubby is currently learning Rach 3.
Waiting for the breakdown

I think you'll very much like the W. A. Mozart "Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K.466" that I just posted.