Opera and Symphony - request advice

Shilo2010 · Post by **Shilo2010** » Sun, 20 Nov 2005 7:09 am

Hi guy's.

I'm still experimenting with music.
This week I'm doing opera and Symphony.
Do you have any favorite’s?
Can anyone give me some good tip's ?

Thanks.
See ya.

Particularly interested in your advice Vaucluse.

Vaucluse · Post by **Vaucluse** » Sun, 20 Nov 2005 10:07 am

Well, opera has a storyline - basically a 'novel' set to music and sometimes also a bit of dance. This gives you the chance to unbderstand what's behind it - as the opera itself might not always be so self-evident. (plus, chances are it will be in Italian, German or French)

Symphony is purely sound. Many beautiful instruments and a powerful sound.

Try both

Shilo2010 · Post by **Shilo2010** » Sun, 20 Nov 2005 11:35 am

Thanks Vaucluse.
I guess I didn’t make myself clear.
I was more interested in some titles, I already know most of the more well known compositions as well as a few of the lesser known.
I'm looking for someone with a little more knowledge on the subject to point me towards some I may not have experienced in the past.
Thanks for the time and effort though.
Appreciated

Baron Greenback · Post by **Baron Greenback** » Mon, 21 Nov 2005 1:43 pm

Opera - Bizet's Carmen

Symphony - can't go wrong with Mozart, but you may want to try Holst - The Planets. It was written when there were only 7 known planets, but it is the inspiration for all the great 'space' themes - star wars, superman, etc. John Barry owes a lot to Holst. Mars the bringer of war is fantastic

can get it here:

http://www.aquarianage.org/lore/holst.html

enjoy

Saint · Post by **Saint** » Mon, 21 Nov 2005 7:22 pm

Shilo,

For an intoduction in to the world of Classical Symphonies you can't beat the following

Any of Beethoven's 9 Symphonies, the famous ones being 5th Eroica and the 9th.

Dvorak's 9th New World Symphony

Mahler's 5th Symphony

Tchaikovsky 6th, Pathetique

Saint

Shilo2010 · Post by **Shilo2010** » Mon, 21 Nov 2005 7:35 pm

Thanks Saint, thanks Baron.
Appreciated, off to have a listen now.
Let you know.

Cheer's.

Shilo2010 · Post by **Shilo2010** » Mon, 21 Nov 2005 7:53 pm

Just listened to Planets. Baron.
Wow, you can really see how it must have inspired all the space theme compositions that followed. I guess it was written in the eighteenth century ?
Very cool. definitely a good tip.
Just working on yours now Saint.

Saint · Post by **Saint** » Mon, 21 Nov 2005 8:05 pm

Shilo2010 wrote:Just listened to Planets. Baron.
Wow, you can really see how it must have inspired all the space theme compositions that followed. I guess it was written in the eighteenth century ?
Very cool. definitely a good tip.
Just working on yours now Saint.

The Planet Suite is actually a 20th Century composition, written around the time of the 1st World War.

One of my favourite 20th Century compositions is Hary Janos by a fairly unknown Hungarian called Zoltan Kodaly. the ending is amazing!

dot dot dot · Post by **dot dot dot** » Mon, 21 Nov 2005 9:45 pm

Giuseppe Verdi- the requiem

Johann Sebastian Bach - Mattheus Passion

Amadeus Mozart - Requiem

Giacomo Puccini - La Boheme

Giacomo Puccini - Madam Butterfly

Can't say why, not important, just listen to them Shilo.

Eric

Shilo2010 · Post by **Shilo2010** » Mon, 21 Nov 2005 10:03 pm

Ok Eric. I will.
Thank you.

Let you know what I think.

Bubbles · Post by **Bubbles** » Mon, 21 Nov 2005 11:54 pm

Agree with all the above, but what about Wagner, I think he's fantastic? It's heavy, heavy going, any of the work, but once you fall in love with it, it's a lifetime thing.

Also Beethoven's piano 5th Emperor, so beautiful.

Saint · Post by **Saint** » Tue, 22 Nov 2005 12:23 am

Bubbles wrote: Also Beethoven's piano 5th Emperor, so beautiful.

Was gently introducing Shilo to classical music so didn't include Concerto, agree with you on Emperor.

My other favourites which are worth a listen to are

Elgar's Cello Concerto

Mozart's French Horn Concertos, there are 4 of them, but the the 3rd movement of the 4th concerto is the one everyone knows.

Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto.

Shilo2010 · Post by **Shilo2010** » Tue, 22 Nov 2005 8:23 pm

ok.
I especially like Marriage of Figaro, great introduction for me to Opera, so beautiful and soft, very moody. My new favorite. The back ground score almost reminds me of handles water music. I also enjoy Tchaikovsky - No. 6 – Pathetique and the planets including Mar's, bringer of war.
Is there a composition for each planet ?
If planets inspired the scores for 2001 and star wars then Dvorak - 9th Symphony definitely inspired Jaws.

I’m afraid I could not quite get into Carmen, sure, in this case the body was sung by a tenor and it just didn’t grab me.
I will try and find another rendition and see if I enjoy that more.
I am still trying to find Giuseppe Verdi- the requiem, Johann Sebastian Bach - Mattheus Passion and Giacomo Puccini - Madam Butterfly.

Working on yours tonight Eric.

Thanks for sharing those with me.
I truly appreciate it and did get a lot out of the exercise.
I am still absorbing them, I have not had the quiet time it really requires yet.

Saint · Post by **Saint** » Tue, 22 Nov 2005 8:35 pm

Shilo2010 wrote:ok.
Is there a composition for each planet ?

There are only 7 movements,excluding Earth and Pluto wasn't discovered for another 15 years or so. Holst was asked some years later to compose a piece for Pluto but he declined.

A few years ago, someone did commission a leading expert on Holst (Can't remember who off the top of my head) to write a piece for Pluto but it's rarely used as it spoils the original ending being Neptune I think.

Mary Hatch Bailey · Post by **Mary Hatch Bailey** » Tue, 22 Nov 2005 8:53 pm

Shilo2010 wrote:Hi guy's.

I'm still experimenting with music.
This week I'm doing opera and Symphony.
Do you have any favorite’s?
Can anyone give me some good tip's ?

Thanks.
See ya.

Particularly interested in your advice Vaucluse.

Does Tommy count? Because boy! I love that Overture! Can See Pete Townshend cartwheeling those chords right now...

Listen to Eric Shilo, all fine choices to get started...

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Opera and Symphony - request advice

Opera and Symphony - request advice

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