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RE: (western) classical music discussion
March 25, 2015 at 7:21 am
(This post was last modified: March 25, 2015 at 7:21 am by Alex K.)
Hehe. Never seen Red Dward, heard a lot about it though...
Here's some light entertainment for a change 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxB5vkZy7nM
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
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RE: (western) classical music discussion
March 25, 2015 at 11:19 pm
(March 16, 2015 at 1:33 pm)Alex K Wrote: (March 16, 2015 at 1:32 pm)Chuck Wrote: (March 16, 2015 at 1:31 pm)Minimalist Wrote: Late in the evening of May 1, 1786 Western music hit its absolute peak when the premiere of Mozart's Il Nozze di Figaro concluded. It declined, slowly at first, from that apex until the 20th century when it fell into steep decline.
I think western classical music reached its apex with beethoven's 9th.
I tentatively concur I'm just not a big Mozart guy.
Your heresy is shocking in the extreme. The Holy Trinity is Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. I had no idea you were such a blasphemer! Repent, and be saved!
In my case, I came to classical music via Beethoven. Later, Bach became my favorite, and I failed to properly appreciate Mozart until I heard the recording of his Requiem conducted by Schreier.
![[Image: 41BQrcShtYL._SL500_AA300_.jpg]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=ecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41BQrcShtYL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Slowly, I came to realize his greatness in other works, that I previously regarded as too frivolous. I now love Mozart enough that I was ruffled by a reviewer of a set of the complete works of Mozart who asked, who needs all of the dances of Mozart? Aside from the immediate answer, "ME!!!", I cannot help but think the poor fool did not understand their nature or purpose. They are not concert pieces; they are music to which people were intended to dance. Thus, they are not to be the focus of attention; they make better background music than concert pieces. Mozart wrote them that way on purpose. If everyone stopped dancing and listened to the music instead, they would be crap as dance music.
But back to you: You obviously need to listen to more Mozart. The fact that you love Bach (who is the greatest, the "Father" in the Holy Trinity) means we do not need to burn you at the stake, but you really need to hear more Mozart and repent from your wicked ways. Start with the above recording, and then ask for more when you have washed yourself in its aural beauty.
"A wise man ... proportions his belief to the evidence."
— David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X, Part I.
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RE: (western) classical music discussion
March 26, 2015 at 12:46 am
G. P. Telemann
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RE: (western) classical music discussion
March 26, 2015 at 2:47 am
(This post was last modified: March 26, 2015 at 2:54 am by Alex K.)
Pyrrho, you're easily offended, I like that.
In my defense (and I know it is a weak excuse), on the first page of this thread I said
http://atheistforums.org/thread-32140-po...#pid899552
I have the Gardiner version (I'm just a sucker for Gardiner even when it's not baroque, sorry), but I shall have a close look at what the Saxons did there
Btw do you by any chance have an idea which version they are performing in your recording with Schreier?
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14, KJV revised edition
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RE: (western) classical music discussion
March 26, 2015 at 10:51 am
(This post was last modified: March 26, 2015 at 11:52 am by Alex K.)
Ok someone's gotta post it. This is a very nice recent version by a relatively small orchestra, the German Chamber Symphony from Bremen. Their unconventional Beethoven cycle has received high praise all around.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBlQSyHV92Y
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14, KJV revised edition
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RE: (western) classical music discussion
March 26, 2015 at 1:19 pm
(This post was last modified: March 26, 2015 at 1:33 pm by Pyrrho.)
(March 26, 2015 at 2:47 am)Alex K Wrote: Pyrrho, you're easily offended, I like that.
In my defense (and I know it is a weak excuse), on the first page of this thread I said
http://atheistforums.org/thread-32140-po...#pid899552
Yes, I saw that. I looked through the entire thread before posting above. That is how I knew of your love of Bach, which, of course, is just and proper. One cannot love Bach too much. It also gives one hope that your soul might be saved, as you are not completely lost to what is good and holy.
Also, that tells me you have probably been listening to the wrong performances. Mozart "detached?" No! If that is a problem, it is the fault of the performer, or you are not properly paying attention.
(March 26, 2015 at 2:47 am)Alex K Wrote: I have the Gardiner version (I'm just a sucker for Gardiner even when it's not baroque, sorry), but I shall have a close look at what the Saxons did there
Btw do you by any chance have an idea which version they are performing in your recording with Schreier?
The version with Schreier is the one completed by Süssmayr. The performance is "conventional," but has extreme power and beauty. I am far from alone in my affection for it. The critic Ted Libbey says of it:
"Presiding over modern forces, Schreier offers a conventional but stylistically informed interpretation in which the link between the Requiem and the great sacred works of the Baroque can be readily sensed. The reading combines seriousness of tone with an appealing sincerity of expression, and it gains much from the playing of the Dresden orchestra, which produces clear lines and translucent textures without surrendering its customary beauty of tone. The digital recording is satisfyingly balanced and captures the tonal richness of the performance."
From The NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection.
An earlier review called the performance "a revelation," which is very apt and to the point. Unfortunately, I cannot recall who wrote that, but I am happy to own the sentiment. I have heard many other versions, but all of them are a disappointment after hearing the version conducted by Schreier.
I find it is best if one does not understand Latin, and one does not look at a translation of what they are singing. It is the music that is sublime, not the words.
I seem to recall that you are in Germany. You can get a used copy cheaply at:
http://www.amazon.de/Requiem-Schreier-Pe...B0000040W1
And it seems to have been reissued with additional music:
http://www.amazon.de/Requiem-Coronation-...B00005IB5E
I am sorely tempted to post links to other great recordings of Mozart, like:
http://www.amazon.de/Piano-Recital-Horsz...B000005IZG
That is not all Mozart, but all of what is there is great. It took me a little while to warm up to Horszowski (with a different recording), but I now regard him as a god.
Then there are the Horn Concerti, with Dennis Brain on the horn, conducted by Herbert von Karajan. It has been reissued several times, and each time they remaster it, they seem to make it sound just a little better. But is it still an old mono recording from EMI in the 1950's. Here is the most recent version that I purchased; there may be a newer release:
http://www.amazon.de/Hornkonzerte-1-4-Ho...B000BPN24U
And there is the justly famous recording of Don Giovanni conducted by Giulini:
http://www.amazon.de/Don-Giovanni-Ga-Wäc...B000026CHT
It has been reissued (possibly without the libretto) a couple of times:
http://www.amazon.de/Don-Giovanni-Suther...B00006BCDF
http://www.amazon.de/Don-Giovanni-Giulini/dp/B002N4DZ2G
I have the earlier release, and have no experience with the reissued versions.
(A couple of his other operas that are divine are Le nozze di Figaro and Die Zauberflöte, though I have no specific recordings that I recommend. Either of the recordings of the former featuring Bartoli are good, but I do not know which I prefer, and am not sure that something else would not be better. With Die Zauberflöte [which, of course, has a very silly story], I am leaning toward the underrated version conducted by Colin Davis that is featured in Philip's complete Mozart edition. The queen of the night is less powerful than one often hears, but she sings with exquisite beauty.)
And for something a bit different from the above, there are the Piano Quartets:
http://www.amazon.de/Klavierquartette-Be...B0000040VP
I am convinced that you will come around, if you hear the right recordings, and give them a chance.
Alex K, to help convince you of my taste, I recommend you buy:
http://www.amazon.de/Brandenburg-Con-1-6...B000002AQ4
There are many recordings of the Brandenburgs, but none that I have heard come close to this one. Since you already have a great love of Bach, this recording should convince you that I am not just some savage trying to mislead you about what is great. Listen to it a few times, both as the focus of your attention, and also while you do something else (like posting online). If you do not love it, I will not know what to say to you.
Jeanne Lamon may not be a household name, but she deserves to be. Her recording of Handel's Water Music is also the best of that that I have ever heard, and I know of two other absolutely great recordings (Pinnock on Archiv and Marriner on Hänssler). I am thinking that maybe Lamon can do no wrong as a conductor.
"A wise man ... proportions his belief to the evidence."
— David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X, Part I.
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RE: (western) classical music discussion
March 26, 2015 at 1:38 pm
What a service. You dont intend to allow any excuses it seems. Mozart now just one click away (if they have AutoRip that is)
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
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RE: (western) classical music discussion
March 26, 2015 at 1:49 pm
You can fix ignorance, you can't fix stupid.
Tinkety Tonk and down with the Nazis.
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RE: (western) classical music discussion
March 26, 2015 at 1:55 pm
(This post was last modified: March 26, 2015 at 2:32 pm by Alex K.)
Reminds me of these. Cello and Dulcimer seems to be all the rage these days(I like it though!)
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
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RE: (western) classical music discussion
March 26, 2015 at 2:39 pm
(March 26, 2015 at 1:38 pm)Alex K Wrote: What a service. You dont intend to allow any excuses it seems. Mozart now just one click away (if they have AutoRip that is)
There are no good excuses for not loving Mozart. Of course, one ought to also love Bach and Beethoven. And for opera, aside from Mozart, there is Rossini, Puccini, Verdi, and Wagner, and Delibes' Lakmé and Bizet's Carmen. But for now, we should focus on getting you to love Mozart.
If you wanted to take a big plunge into Mozart for little money per disc, you could buy one of the versions of the complete works of Mozart put out by Brilliant Classics. One then would get many fine performances, often from relatively unknown performers, as well as some dreadful performances (the Requiem, at least on the original release, is the worst recording of that piece that I have ever heard). Both because it is a bit of hit and miss, as well as the fact that it is a substantial investment for someone who doesn't love Mozart, I am not particularly recommending it, at least not yet for you. It is worth buying for the good performances, but there are some bad ones that are not going to help with my present goal of getting you to love Mozart.
"A wise man ... proportions his belief to the evidence."
— David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X, Part I.
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