We love Classical Music!

[LadyLocust]

 

[Weedygarden]

@LadyLocust , beautiful!

 

[Weedygarden]

Colorado Symphony is playing Rachmaninoff Concerto #2 this weekend. I've never listened to his music very much. Many years ago, I met a man who was a concert pianist as well as a Montessori educator. He told that Rachmaninoff's music is some of the hardest to play. I asked my friend who plays for Colorado Symphony if he thought so. He quickly agreed that it is some of the hardest music for musicians to play. Then he said that Rachmaninoff, who was a pianist, had large hands, and that helped him to make all the reaches on the piano to play his own musical creations.

There are some very familiar parts in this concerto at around 13 minutes to 15 minutes.

 

[LadyLocust]

Colorado Symphony is playing Rachmaninoff Concerto #2 this weekend. I've never listened to his music very much. Many years ago, I met a man who was a concert pianist as well as a Montessori educator. He told that Rachmaninoff's music is some of the hardest to play. I asked my friend who plays for Colorado Symphony if he thought so. He quickly agreed that it is some of the hardest music for musicians to play. Then he said that Rachmaninoff, who was a pianist, had large hands, and that helped him to make all the reaches on the piano to play his own musical creations.

There are some very familiar parts in this concerto at around 13 minutes to 15 minutes.

Rachmaninoff is one of my favorites! Puccini might have him beat but both masters

 

[Weedygarden]

Rachmaninoff is one of my favorites! Puccini might have him beat but both masters

The music in this Concerto by Rachmaninoff was familiar to me. I had to think where I had heard it before. United Airlines used to use it in their commercials. Maybe they still do.

 

[Weedygarden]

@Morgan101 , more Andre Rieu, this time playing Voices of Spring, by J. Strauss II.

 

[Weedygarden]

Itzak Perlman playing "Spring" from Vivaldi's Four Seasons.

 

[Morgan101]

@Morgan101 , more Andre Rieu, this time playing Voices of Spring, by J. Strauss II.

Thanks for sharing. You can really do down the rabbit hole with him. I always enjoy his stuff.

 

[Weedygarden]

Thanks for sharing. You can really do down the rabbit hole with him. I always enjoy his stuff.

It is interesting how that works.

I was talking to my symphony playing friend about how you hear a song and know it, have heard it, but have no idea what the name of it is or who the composer is. Also, I have no idea of who the musicians are.

I asked him if he had a class in college, grad school, where the professor played a part of a piece of music and they had to name it? He told me they had something called a needle drop. Professor would put an album on, hold up the tonearm on the player, and just put the needle on the record randomly, then they had to identify the composer and what it was that they heard. Imagine going to school to learn to be a professional classical musician and how many composers there are, and how many pieces of music that any of them could have. I drive around and listen to the classical station, and am always learning the names of pieces, the history, and much more. The music students would probably have to have ear phones on and be listening to something all the time.

 

[LadyLocust]

 

[Morgan101]

It is interesting how that works.

I was talking to my symphony playing friend about how you hear a song and know it, have heard it, but have no idea what the name of it is or who the composer is. Also, I have no idea of who the musicians are.

I asked him if he had a class in college, grad school, where the professor played a part of a piece of music and they had to name it? He told me they had something called a needle drop. Professor would put an album on, hold up the tonearm on the player, and just put the needle on the record randomly, then they had to identify the composer and what it was that they heard. Imagine going to school to learn to be a professional classical musician and how many composers there are, and how many pieces of music that any of them could have. I drive around and listen to the classical station, and am always learning the names of pieces, the history, and much more. The music students would probably have to have ear phones on and be listening to something all the time.

IMHO Classical musicians are the best trained, and the best technical musicians by far. They have an incredible ear and can really do anything. I would expect that most, if not all, of the musicians especially in the symphony could play Name That Tune with classical music as your friend described it, and be right 99% of the time. I think our generation could do that with Rock music especially stuff from the 60's or 70's that we grew up with. We could probably name the song and the group that played it. Maybe not so good with who wrote it. How many times have we listened to songs we really love? Dozens at a minimum, probably hundreds of times. There are songs where I know every note. I'm sure you do as well.

 

[Weedygarden]

I think our generation could do that with Rock music especially stuff from the 60's or 70's that we grew up with. We could probably name the song and the group that played it. Maybe not so good with who wrote it. How many times have we listened to songs we really love? Dozens at a minimum, probably hundreds of times. There are songs where I know every note. I'm sure you do as well.

I am really out of it when it comes to rock music of the 60's and 70's. I had little exposure to it. South Dakota mostly had country music on the radio. We got American Band Stand and Soul Train on the television on Saturday afternoons. Two hours a week! Sometimes we could get radio stations, KOMA out of Oklahoma City, and another from Chicago that was really hit and miss. I didn't have money to spend on records like other people I knew who had shelves and shelves of them. I had a few record albums, and they were played a lot, so I knew those. I also worked a lot, mostly in libraries, where music was not played. I do know some rock and some groups, but really, not as knowledgeable about many musicians of that time. Then I lived in Kansas City for five years where it was all about jazz. That was a learning curve, which since I moved from there, has not been maintained or increased. Try listening to jazz in the Dakotas. "What is this you are listening to and why?"

 

[Morgan101]

I am really out of it when it comes to rock music of the 60's and 70's. I had little exposure to it. South Dakota mostly had country music on the radio. We got American Band Stand and Soul Train on the television on Saturday afternoons. Two hours a week! Sometimes we could get radio stations, KOMA out of Oklahoma City, and another from Chicago that was really hit and miss. I didn't have money to spend on records like other people I knew who had shelves and shelves of them. I had a few record albums, and they were played a lot, so I knew those. I also worked a lot, mostly in libraries, where music was not played. I do know some rock and some groups, but really, not as knowledgeable about many musicians of that time. Then I lived in Kansas City for five years where it was all about jazz. That was a learning curve, which since I moved from there, has not been maintained or increased. Try listening to jazz in the Dakotas. "What is this you are listening to and why?"

As young teens, before we could drive, we spent a lot of time in record stores. One of our favorite stores was owned by an elderly lady, and she let us hang out and play almost any record we wanted. I think at the time 45's were about a dollar, and if you got a really good one, like the Beatles, you had a hit on both sides. When we weren't playing records we were listening to a transistor radio. Even kids in Arizona loved the Beach Boys and wanted to surf. It was our culture, and we were totally immersed. My parents enjoyed music, and we listened to a lot of their stuff at home. That is where I learned to like and appreciate classical music.

 

[Weedygarden]

I think our generation could do that with Rock music especially stuff from the 60's or 70's that we grew up with. We could probably name the song and the group that played it. Maybe not so good with who wrote it. How many times have we listened to songs we really love? Dozens at a minimum, probably hundreds of times. There are songs where I know every note. I'm sure you do as well.

As young teens, before we could drive, we spent a lot of time in record stores. One of our favorite stores was owned by an elderly lady, and she let us hang out and play almost any record we wanted. I think at the time 45's were about a dollar, and if you got a really good one, like the Beatles, you had a hit on both sides. When we weren't playing records we were listening to a transistor radio. Even kids in Arizona loved the Beach Boys and wanted to surf. It was our culture, and we were totally immersed. My parents enjoyed music, and we listened to a lot of their stuff at home. That is where I learned to like and appreciate classical music.

My mother loved music and dances. She listened to music all day and my parents had a console stereo that was stolen out of their home days after my mother died.
My grandparents were stick in the muds. The Beatles came on Ed Sullivan the first time and you would have thought the devil himself was sitting on the television for the hate about the Beatles and anything rock.

 

[Mel]

Thanks to a couple of other members, I see that I am not the only classical music lover. I do like many genre's of music, save Heavy Metal.

Probably my first classical album was Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. The beginning is well recognized. I imagine that Vivaldi's Four Seasons quickly followed in my collection, but it has been decades since I started collecting it.

One of the things I have learned is that there are better recordings of most music. I know there are several versions of this symphony.

I like almost all types of music, with the exceptions of rap and heavy metal. I played the oboe in high school.

 

[Morgan101]

I like almost all types of music, with the exceptions of rap and heavy metal. I played the oboe in high school.

Welcome to the chat, Mel. Weedygarden, LadyLocust and I seem to have monopolized this thread. Not by intent, I think we are just the biggest fans of classical music. Nice to have another classical music lover aboard. Please join in and tell us your favorites.

 

[Weedygarden]

I like almost all types of music, with the exceptions of rap and heavy metal. I played the oboe in high school.

I like everything except heavy metal and dislike most country music. I am not a huge fan of rap, but daughter has exposed me to a couple songs that I have listened to. I am not a fan of the constant bad language, but the songs tell of struggles of young people. Biggie Smalls "Juicy" is one that I am familiar with. It doesn't have the heavy bass that rattles windows, but tells of his young life, with too much bad language.

 

[Morgan101]

Put this one in the category of heard it a million times and never knew what it was.

 

[Mel]

This is my favorite Oboe piece.

I actually grew up listening to country music because when we had family reunions they'd put together a band and that's what they'd play LOL. But playing the oboe exposed me to Bach, Beethoven, Handel...Bach is, I think, my favorite composer but then Beethoven...I have a recording of his 6th Symphony that is so soothing to me. It was an LP that my mother actually played when I was a child. I think it was the one piece of classical music she would play so there are memories there.

 

[Morgan101]

This is my favorite Oboe piece.

I actually grew up listening to country music because when we had family reunions they'd put together a band and that's what they'd play LOL. But playing the oboe exposed me to Bach, Beethoven, Handel...Bach is, I think, my favorite composer but then Beethoven...I have a recording of his 6th Symphony that is so soothing to me. It was an LP that my mother actually played when I was a child. I think it was the one piece of classical music she would play so there are memories there.

Ennio Morricone! Very nice. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Mel]

 

[Mel]

Here is another piece that I like...Mozart's Marriage of Figaro. I actually played this in high school. My cousin Denzil (trombone) and I were both soloists for our performance (that was in 88 or 89, so this obviously is NOT us).

Denzil is like me when it comes to music.

 

[Weedygarden]

Wonderful pieces of music, Mel!

Today I heard this. I've heard it many times, but never knew what it was called or who the composer was. We have all heard it, especially if you ever watched Bugs Bunny cartoons.

Grieg's, "Morning Mood"

 

[Weedygarden]

Put this one in the category of heard it a million times and never knew what it was.

Sounds so Middle Eastern. I'd bet it has been used in many movies.

 

[Weedygarden]

This is my favorite Oboe piece.

I actually grew up listening to country music because when we had family reunions they'd put together a band and that's what they'd play LOL. But playing the oboe exposed me to Bach, Beethoven, Handel...Bach is, I think, my favorite composer but then Beethoven...I have a recording of his 6th Symphony that is so soothing to me. It was an LP that my mother actually played when I was a child. I think it was the one piece of classical music she would play so there are memories there.

This is so beautiful! I don't think I have ever heard this before.

Country, when I was a kid, was all about getting drunk, cheating on the spouse, divorce, etc. Yuck, just yuck! I like happy music and songs. I can imagine that country is not all that bad news now, but my brain is all about the negativity of it now.

 

[LadyLocust]

@Mel This is my favorite piece for oboe. It's from a movie. I couldn't figure out why I liked the movie being on so much even if I wasn't watching it. It was the music I actually purchased a CD and it usually lives in the player. The oboe starts about 1:33 in this clip.

 

[LadyLocust]

Put this one in the category of heard it a million times and never knew what it was.

Well if that doesn't get the heart rate up. . .

 

[Weedygarden]

@Mel This is my favorite piece for oboe. It's from a movie. I couldn't figure out why I liked the movie being on so much even if I wasn't watching it. It was the music I actually purchased a CD and it usually lives in the player. The oboe starts about 1:33 in this clip.

I have never seen that movie before. I see that Polly Walker is a cast member. I had never tuned into her until Bridgerton, but now I have seen her in a few movies.

 

[Morgan101]

Wonderful pieces of music, Mel!

Today I heard this. I've heard it many times, but never knew what it was called or who the composer was. We have all heard it, especially if you ever watched Bugs Bunny cartoons.

Grieg's, "Morning Mood"

Thid one I know the piece and the composer. It is beautiful I love it.

 

[LadyLocust]

I have never seen that movie before. I see that Polly Walker is a cast member. I had never tuned into her until Bridgerton, but now I have seen her in a few movies.

The Enchanted April is one of my favorite movies and books. The casting was exquisite!