Jesus H. Christ has proposed to have a thread on western classical music, or western art music, in the widest sense, and who am I to contradict our half-chromosomed Lord.

I'd say anything from posting or writing about something you've just discovered, discussing recordings, asking for recommendations, to pretentious (or actually competent ) music theory discussions is encouraged. Let's avoid snobbery unless absolutely necessary, and not be too strict about genre boundaries, for example if there is orchestral film music to discuss.

I get about as pretentious as Nutcracker Suite. I likes me the Nutcracker (in fact, maybe there's another thread in the works). So, Tchaikovski is my homeboy.

If western civilization would be totally wiped out, and I am charged with preserving just a small handful of works from its three thousand years that would best show any appreciative posterity what it had accomplished, beethoven's 9th symphony would most certainly be one of them.

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.

(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.

(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.

(March 16, 2015 at 1:33 pm)Alex K Wrote:

(March 16, 2015 at 1:32 pm)Chuck Wrote: I think western classical music reached its apex with beethoven's 9th.

I tentatively concur I'm just not a big Mozart guy.

Interesting. Me either. The Requiem and his three last symphonies though, are glorious. The detached, unemotional nature of much of classical music leaves me a bit cold. Classical in the sense of music written between the baroque and romantic periods.

Obviously.

I tend to get severely addicted to specific pieces for a few weeks.

Right now it is this one:

which I think is one of the most beautiful things I know. This particular recording has a small cast and good soloists, which is great, but they take it relatively fast, which gives it a certain operatic quality. Others, like Gardiner's, sound more monumental and meditative.

Can I lean a bit to Schubert's 8th?
Whenever I listen to it, it always reminds me of a cabin in the woods, snow all around, but still warm inside... I like it.

(March 16, 2015 at 1:36 pm)JesusHChrist Wrote:

(March 16, 2015 at 1:33 pm)Alex K Wrote: I tentatively concur I'm just not a big Mozart guy.

Interesting. Me either. The Requiem and his three last symphonies though, are glorious. The detached, unemotional nature of much of classical music leaves me a bit cold. Classical in the sense of music written between the baroque and romantic periods.

Obviously.

Exactly, I get the feeling in the Requiem we look deeper into the dark sides of Mozart (but of course it was finished by others according to his instructions), and much of the Viennese Classical style is a bit too detached as you call it. Of the Mozart symphonies I know the famous #40 best, which I find nice.