what is your favourite classical music work?

[rojo]

Hej,

Well, this will probably be difficult for some of you, but if you had to pick just <u>one</u> work and only one, what would it be? (You may list a second and third if you absolutely have to )

[corno]

It's impossible to say, really impossible.
But, the first piece of music I heard that really won my heart in an instant must have been "Nimrod" from Edward Elgar's "Enigma Variations", to this day I still can get goosebumps when listening to it... it's awesome and yet over in just 4 minutes (depending on the recording naturally ).

It's a really hard choice, but this would probably be mine.

[rojo]

It`s tough, eh? To pick only one? I guess most people have many favourites.

Hmmm... I`ll have to give that one a listen. The name of the piece rings a bell, maybe from music history class, but I don`t think I`ve ever heard it.

Btw, for those of you who don`t know, my favourite is Debussy`s <font color="blue"> La Mer </font>.

[corno]

no, it isn't an easy choice. but I'm satisfied with mine...

If possible you really should give it a listen, it's a real gem.

Here's a little something about Elgar's "Enigma Variations" - http://www.elgar.org/3enigma.htm

[rojo]

Hej,

Very interesting! Unfortunately, the Nimrod link gave me a 404 not found. I`ll try to investigate the `Nimrod` variation elsewhere on the net too- who knows, maybe there`s a free download somewhere (don`t worry, just the legal kind.) I`m pretty poor.

I`m not usually a fan of variations in general, but I can understand you having a favourite one in the work.

[corno]

Hmm... maybe this link then? - there's a link to a fair midi-representation of the whole set of variations (pianosound).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enigma_Variations

[rojo]

Yeah, hey, I`m listening right now. First impressions- grandiose, elegant, slightly pompous (remindful of his Pomp and Circumstance, obviously.) It must be quite thrilling in orchestral form, although the pianosound is not bad.

I tried to find an orchestral version of `Nimrod` I could listen to, but only found incomplete versions.

I`m listening to the next variations; all in all, not too shabby!

And thanks for the link!

What do you think about Dvorak`s New World Symphony, 1st mvt.?

[corno]

Yeah, the pomp and circ. sound is "present", and yes, the orchestral version really puts it over the top.
The "Nimrod" variation is at 9:50 in this midi file.
Eventhough this midifile really is rather ok sounding (for a midifile - and naturally depending on your own soundcards internal synth) you should try to get a hold of a recording with orchestra - despite being an "orchestral arrangement" ie. the piano version is the "original" I think, like Ravel's orchestration of Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition", the orchestral version shows the full scope of the work.

I'll get back to you on the Dvorak - like Elgar and Ralph Vaughan-Williams in England, Dvorak (and to some extent Bedrich Smetana and Kodahly) are the folkmusic-inspired equivalent in Slavonic region of Europe. I've enjoyed his symphonies and his 2x8 Slavonic Dances (which also exists in both a version for orchestra and (four handed) piano)... as to that specific movement I have to find it amongst my cds first.

[rojo]

Yes, I found the proper variation (at 9:50) on the file, thanks.

I love Ravel`s orchestral version of Pictures! What a super piece. I could drone on about that one. I`ll spare you.

As for the other composers you mentioned, I`m not all that familiar with them; although probably most people know Smetana`s `Die Moldau` with the minor main theme switching to major at the end of the piece. Kind of tacky, but I think it kinda works. I`m not against it, anyway. Don`t think it`s a real `tierce de Picardi` , I guess that`s just for a final chord.

Anyway, I ramble on- hope you enjoy the Dvorak as much as I do!

[corno]

I like both the original pianoversion by Mussorgsky and the orchestration by Ravel.

"Die Moldau" from the suite "Ma Vlast" (My Fatherland) is one of the most wellknown of Smetana's works. And it, like the works of Edvard Grieg and Johan Halvorsen from Norway and Jean Sibelius from Finland, is a prime example of a nationalromantical style of music which on one hand is close in expression to the folkmusic of their respective countries aswell as being very grandioso (romantical) in form and musicalexpression. (The Danish equivalent are, to some extent, Carl Nielsen but also composers such as Niels W. Gade (no relation to Jacob Gade though), J.P.E. Hartmann, Frederich Kuhlau and Peter Erasmus Lange-Müller).
As for the shift to major at the end, it's not that uncommon when trying to signify a "triumphant" state - like one of the earliest outright programmatic pieces of music, the "Egmont Overture" by Beethoven, which at the beginning is a slow Sarabande but it ends in a joyious finale even though the programmatic content (the story, by Goethe, of Count Egmont and the Evil Spaniard (hence the Sarabande) Alba) is far from joyius (Egmont get's decapitated - also very graphically/auditivly illustrated as a "drop"/downward slured invterval in the strings - and the sonataform on which the overture is built is also being treated out of the ordinary, as a result of the storyline*) but still Good conquers Evil (in the afterlife) in a major key.

* requires a little more explanation which I'll not go into right here.

Now we're/I'm talking about "national" composers what do you (all) think of eg. Finlandia by Sibelius? (probably his most famous work - close in spirit to the 1812 overture by Tchaikowsky - both involving Russia but on different fronts)

[rojo]

You`re bringing up so much music I like (but then I like so much).

The ones you mentioned that I know are:

Grieg- Great piano stuff, including a beautiful Nocturne (if memory serves), etc.

Sibelius- Love his Violin Concerto (do you know it?), just beautiful. I think I actually prefer it to Finlandia, which is great also.

Carl Nielsen- (yet another Dane, as I had recently discovered before you mentioned him. Wondered if someone would bring him up!) Although I haven`t listened to them in a while, he wrote a piece for oboe (sonata?) and a wind quintet which is also great, once again if memory serves. Have you heard the quintet? I must give these a relisten!

Kuhlau- Of course as I teach piano, I`m familiar with a few of his Etudes, Sonatinas etc.-fine works.

Hartmann- The name is familiar...hmmm.

Beethoven- The Egmont- very interesting info., thanks. This work is not my fave Beethoven work, I prefer the symphonies and the piano sonatas, and there`s another overture (I forgot the name!) that I like better too. It`s still a great work though, of course!

Tchaikovsky- the 1812 overture has to be one of the most exciting works! So many of his works are wonderful.

If anyone wants to join in this discussion, feel free! The more the merrier!

[rojo]

Hej,

After consulting a list of Beethoven works, I think it is the Egmont Overture I like best after all! Because it`s neither the Corolian nor the Fidelio. I must relisten to it to refresh my memory.

So thanks again for all the info about it!

[AnnaBanana]

Hiya,
You metioned the Elgar Enigma Variations. Not sure which one it is, but I love it as a choral work (Lux Etearna(sp?)), having had a chance to perform it at a music summerschool. Even with 40 young musicians, we still only managed 5 of the 8 parts!! Also the story behind it with the women in the concentration camps singing from memory, I think is wonderful,
Anna

[AnnaBanana]

Here is a sample (track 10 I think):
http://www.handelandhaydn.org/shop/c...s/cd_peace.htm
Anna

[corno]

The "Lux Aeterna" is the "Nimrod" variation from the "Enigma Variations". - Interesting with a choral version, and it really sounds good too!