Classical Music

[Insomniac]

I'm starting to get more into Classical Music and figured there were some people on here who have a love and passion for it.

Do you have favorite orchestras/symphonies? I mean, so many orchestras/symphonies will perform classical music from composers who have long passed away (and obviously there are no original recordings of many pieces). Do you look for certain qualities. Are there obviously notable difference between different symphonies performing say Canon in D Major?

I'm sure I have a lot to learn. Any good places you guys would recommend so I don't sound like an idiot asking questions? Thanks!

[trish]

I was looking into learning more about it too last month, but only found this site. (http://www.classicalarchives.com/appreciate.html) I wasn't really comfortable with it and didn't find anyhting else in my search. Maybe you'll find it a little more helpful. You'll have to sign up for some free features, but you can read the composer bios without signing up.

[cameraman]

For Pachelbel's Canon you have about a quarter million choices. Everybody and their dog has recorded it. It is a short piece so it is always found in compilation disks.

This is an all around good disk that I can recommend without reservation.
Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Pachelbel-Mozart-kleine-Nachtmusik-Albinoni/dp/B0000040VQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1204421210&sr=1-4)

Now if you want what is as close to what is believed to be the original version of a piece you can always look to the Academy of Ancient Music. They record using original instruments and as close to original arrangements as they can determine. We must have over a hundred AAM recordings. This is their version of the Canon.
Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Pachelbels-Canon·Handel·Vivaldi·Gluck-Hogwood-Antonio-Vivialdi/dp/B000004CX7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1204421656&sr=1-1)

This brings me to one of my greatest peeves about the mp3. Classical music sounds terrible when compressed in iTunes fashion. No other type of music suffers more from compression. I won't buy classical mp3s. I have ripped our collection to the hard drive but I use VBR set for the highest quality or Ogg Vorbis at the highest quality levels. I still buy CDs although I may be the only person left on the planet who does.

[Insomniac]

I was looking into learning more about it too last month, but only found this site. (http://www.classicalarchives.com/appreciate.html) I wasn't really comfortable with it and didn't find anyhting else in my search. Maybe you'll find it a little more helpful. You'll have to sign up for some free features, but you can read the composer bios without signing up.

Two sites I have come across are:

http://www.musopen.com/ - Classical Music recordings free to download.
http://www.kickassclassical.com/ - They have information/links about "popular" Classical Music.

[Boatdesigner]

There are two of us buying cd's! If I want an mp3 for my portable mp3 player, I rip them from the cd's. I do listen to mp3's in my office though as it is convenient. After I rip them, I save them on the hard drive and play them through the computer. I have my sound card connected to an ancient JVC receiver and a pair of JBL bookshelf speakers. Needless to say, I can blast you out of my little 10 x 12 office! I don't listen to much classical though, so can't recommend any music.

[cameraman]

There can be huge differences between various recordings of the same piece. As to which to buy, well that can be very hard to figure out. After you have listened for a while you begin to get a feel for it. I've come to dislike Leonard Bernstein's take on just about anything, other people love him...

Your local library is an excellent way to figure out your tastes without spending a penny.

[Insomniac]

For Pachelbel's Canon you have about a quarter million choices. Everybody and their dog has recorded it. It is a short piece so it is always found in compilation disks.

This is an all around good disk that I can recommend without reservation.
Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Pachelbel-Mozart-kleine-Nachtmusik-Albinoni/dp/B0000040VQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1204421210&sr=1-4)

Now if you want what is as close to what is believed to be the original version of a piece you can always look to the Academy of Ancient Music. They record using original instruments and as close to original arrangements as they can determine. We must have over a hundred AAM recordings. This is their version of the Canon.
Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Pachelbels-Canon·Handel·Vivaldi·Gluck-Hogwood-Antonio-Vivialdi/dp/B000004CX7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1204421656&sr=1-1)

This brings me to one of my greatest peeves about the mp3. Classical music sounds terrible when compressed in iTunes fashion. No other type of music suffers more from compression. I won't buy classical mp3s. I have ripped our collection to the hard drive but I use VBR set for the highest quality or Ogg Vorbis at the highest quality levels. I still buy CDs although I may be the only person left on the planet who does.

Thanks for the links. That's why I used Canon as an example. ;) I just wondered if people bought CDs based on the orchestra that performed it (because maybe some orchestras do a better job than others) or if there are some that are better for say Mozart while others are better for Vivaldi.

I planned to buy CDs and use FLAC/Apple Lossless to encode them to be sure not to lose anything.

[Insomniac]

Your local library is an excellent way to figure out your tastes without spending a penny.

Excellent idea! Wish I'd thought of it today (it was a nice day today).

[opinionated ow]

[classically trained pianist] i really, really like Grieg-The Peer Gynt Suite is magic. I love the Beethoven Pathetique Sonata. [/classically trained pianist]

[eiregosod]

forget the CDs, visit your local symphony orchestra to hear them play. nothing beats a performance by an orchestra.

[STD]

^ works for me.

[dando]

forget the CDs, visit your local symphony orchestra to hear them play. nothing beats a performance by an orchestra.

Problem is he's in Kansas. I dunno if they have them symphonies out there. :p ;)

-Kevin

[Gnam]

All I know about classical music, I learned from Bugs Bunny cartoons. :p

Although :thumbup: for being the only type of music to successfully incorporate heavy artillery. :1812:

[STD]

Dando Wow! :eek: :saywhat: polite ha ha...
Well just to clue you in, yes they do in fact do, and more than one, several are very accomplished.
Recently one of the best in the area have been doing a series of concerts in the open air, and I mean open air. This year's version will take place again in the Flint Hills.
Last year's event was nothing short of magnificent.

http://pressreleases.kcstar.com/?q=node/6094

[Insomniac]

Problem is he's in Kansas. I dunno if they have them symphonies out there. :p ;)

-Kevin

They actually do! http://www.wso.org/home/index.html I don't know anything about them though. But, really, the bigger problem is they won't let me bring the symphony with me to work. ;)

[oddlycalm]

Any good places you guys would recommend so I don't sound like an idiot asking questions? Thanks!
Good advice from cameraman on the library as a resource. I agree on his mp3 comments as well and I'd extend those comments to cover acoustic jazz.

On the "what to buy" question the Absolute Sound is one of the few outfits to reliably review both the quality of the performance, in relation to past performance of the same piece of music, as well as the quality of the recording.
TAS reviews and guides (http://www.avguide.com/music/)

Under 'Various Recommendations" they have their "best of" lists. Even if one doesn't have the most high performance playback equipment starting out with good sounding recordings of the best performances is a big step toward separating the wheat from the chaff. Their 100 best classical (http://www.avguide.com/film-music/music/top100classical.new.php) is a great places to start and their "100 More" PDF list is a good place to continue.

oc

[oddlycalm]

forget the CDs, visit your local symphony orchestra to hear them play. nothing beats a performance by an orchestra. Dude, this doesn't sound anything like their live album, pass the bong....:gomer:

[eiregosod]

Dude, this doesn't sound anything like their live album, pass the bong....:gomer:

that's what ya get for putting 2 mics over the conductor's head!

[TKGAngel]

forget the CDs, visit your local symphony orchestra to hear them play. nothing beats a performance by an orchestra.

I agree 100%. I saw the Buffalo Philharmonic with Ronan Tynan last December and it was a fantastic show.

If you're not up for the full orchestra experience, a lot of orchestras have chamber groups that play in smaller settings around the community.

And, going to see a show by your local orchestra means that you're supporting a local organization, which probably has had its funding cut drastically in the past few years.

[eiregosod]

I agree 100%. I saw the Buffalo Philharmonic with Ronan Tynan last December and it was a fantastic show.

.

Somep people here dont know what "Ronan Tynan" means, my mum likes him though.

[Ankf00]

Problem is he's in Kansas. I dunno if they have them symphonies out there. :p ;)

-Kevin

Kansas, the land of sunflowers and sons of bitches.

[Sean Malone]

Kansas, the land of sunflowers and sons of bitches.

I was born in Kansas and it still bothers me that most of Kansas City is in Missouri. Just like it bothers me that the Giants/Jets are from NY but play in Jersey and the Skins play in MD.

Kansas has chiggers and buffalo and dry counties. But even the little farm towns have really hot cheerleaders.

Classical Music rocks. :thumbup:

[G.]

I thought this topic was about the Led Zeppelin tour.:gomer:

Good thread. I will save this one!

[TrueBrit]

I've come to dislike Leonard Bernstein's take on just about anything, other people love him...




Me too....he seems to race through everything he conducts...

[TrueBrit]

forget the CDs, visit your local symphony orchestra to hear them play. nothing beats a performance by an orchestra.

Amen....the CSO rules!

[dando]

Amen....the CSO rules!

Ya know, I've always thought the Columbus Symphony Orchestra is pretty good, but rules? :gomer: ;)

-Kevin

[TrueBrit]

Ya know, I've always thought the Columbus Symphony Orchestra is pretty good, but rules? :gomer: ;)

-Kevin

;)

[cameraman]

Amen....the CSO rules!

More so when Sir Georg Solti ran the place. I f you want a damn good set of Beethoven symphonies find the CSO/George Solti boxed set.

[Gnam]

Two musicians are walking down the street, and one says to the other,
"Who was that piccolo I saw you with last night?"

The other replies, "That was no piccolo, that was my fife."


You don't see much Instrument humor (http://www.mit.edu/~jcb/jokes/#organ) these days. :gomer: