Dramatic Classical Music 101

[fahye]

This is for everyone on my friends list who thinks classical music is boring.

YOU ARE ALL SO VERY VERY WRONG.



Grieg

Morning from Peer Gynt. This is a beautiful, light, easy-listening piece.

Faure

Pavane. Saxophone! Sax! O! Phone! This has a haunting, pretty melody.
Cantique de Jean-Paul Racine. I have sung this a few times, both the English and French versions. It's lovely.

Handel

Messiah - Unto us a child is born. I've sung the choruses from Handel's Messiah on Christmas Eve for...years. This one is fast and complex and great fun.
Zadok the Priest. Seminal! And dramatic! Always sung at British coronations.

Orff

Carmina Burana - O Fortuna. You'll have heard this before. It's the best piece of choral music in...ever.

Holzt

The Planets - Jupiter. I love this. Love love love. Dramatic and beautiful.

Ravel

Bolero (excerpt). The BEST version of this is actually played during the credits of Moulin Rouge, but I'm going with the traditional renditions here. Still great.

Parry

Jerusalem. This was my school hymn, and holds IMMENSE emotional significance for me. Sadly this recording doesn't have the descant line, but it's still a good version.

Pachelbel

Canon from Canon and Gigue in D Major. You've DEFINITELY heard this. Very well-known piece. This is my favourite arrangement of it.

Rossini

The Barber of Seville - Overture. I've uploaded this a few times because it's a Lucifery piece of music in my head, but it's also great in itself.

Tchaikovsky

1812 Overture. Download. No arguments. Very important. This is the DUHdunuhnuhnuhnuhnuhDUHdunuhnuhnuhnuhnuhDUH-nuhnuhnuh-nuhnuhNAAAAAAH piece. Er.

Williams

Fantasia on Greensleeves. Vaughan Williams writes such stunning orchestral pieces. Anything by him is worthwhile, but this is probably a familiar tune.

Rodrigo

Concierto de Aranjuez. Of course. This is my favourite classical piece of all time. I think I have about five versions.

~

If you are Dubious and don't know what to download, I'd go with...O Fortuna, Jupiter and Aranjuez. But THEY'RE ALL GOOD. Go. Download. Be educated in a painless fashion.

Comments

[kcdl.livejournal.com]

Some of my favourites in there, but you missed out Mars from Gustav Holst's (spelling?) Planet Suite.

[kcdl.livejournal.com]

Oh Holzt...

[rimestock.livejournal.com]

*downloads everything*

:D!!1

Except that Jerusalem wouldn't work. But it is okay, for me at least, because Ji is love and sends music.

But you may wish to retry it.

[fahye.livejournal.com]

Reuploaded, try again?

[rimestock.livejournal.com]

Well, like I said, Ji sent it. So I do not need it, and tell you just so that you could do that for everyone else's benefit.

*absently and sleepily molests David Tennant*

[fahye.livejournal.com]

OMG, have you seen Blackpool?

British drama/musical/murder series THING. David Tennant is tall and lanky and Scottish. It is a thing of beauty and a joy forever.

[rimestock.livejournal.com]

... no!

And I want it!

(I have the Casanova miniseries, and need to remember now to actually watch the damn thing.)

[woodstock-21.livejournal.com]

*love* Thank you, Frarsie, for giving me beautiful music! Much love for you!

[darthrami.livejournal.com]

Note to self: come back and d/l when at home.

[varadia]

*eyes clock*

whee pretty music!

/incoherent squee

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

Ooh, nice selection.. familiar with all but the jean racine one, though downloading happily.. which version of the 1812 is it, the best one has the russian choir and the real cannons :>

I don't understand people who don't like even a little bit of classical, but then I grew up with it, took me ages to get into rock and pop because I was more used to Beethoven! :)