Classical Music

[imoldernu]

Just to get this off my chest. A rediscovery of love @ age 83.

Despite studying music in college and hating the hours of parsing symphonies, I did learn something.

Now, in old age, I am appreciating those years back in the late 50's, and early 60's.

I know you won't have much interest in this, but I have to share one of the reasons i'm going back to classical music.

The link, below, is to a Beethoven Concert ... Beethoven's 3rd symphony.. The "Eroica".

The reason is to point out the joy of those who have a passion for music in instrumental concerts.


If you have the patience to spend 5 or 10 minutes watching and listening to part of this UTube Concerto, you might understand. Leonard Bernstein conducted this. A man of passion, vibrancy and a true love of music. The very best ever.

I feel like I want to be in the 60+piece orchestra... watching the most exciting conductor of the music world... and giving my all on the flute, violins, oboes or French horn. What a thrill to be part of this.

Don't tell jeanie... the love of my life, in addition to Karen Carpenter, and Sarah Brightman, is also Leonard Bernstein.

 

[candrew]

I was raised with classical music in our home. Dad loved it (along with jazz). My paternal grandmother was a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music. She became a concert pianist.

My uncle was a cellist for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

I never studied music and couldn't carry a tune in a bucket but do appreciate and listen to classical music. Grandma played piano beautifully and said that playing Tchaikovsky required "strong hands". That's about the extent of my knowledge when it comes to classical music.

 

[MissMolly]

I listen to Classical music all the time. So does my daughter.

 

[ejman]

I love classical music, listen several hours a day, also love Jazz.

 

[KenZ71]

Don't get to enjoy it as often as I would like.

Classical can both relax me & promote critical thinking.

 

[Midpack]

I also grew up with classical and played violin in an orchestra a million years ago until it was wasn’t cool anymore . Fast forward to adulthood - I’m not always in the mood, but classical has always been part of my listening. It’s probably about 15% of my total music library. Sometimes it’s just what I want to hear.

 

[Winemaker]

I can listen to just about anything pre 2010.

 

[John Galt III]

My new thing is going to soprano and mezzo soprano recitals at local colleges. 19th century art songs. Just the singer and a piano or cello. Love it. Mendelssohn, Brahms, Schumann.

 

[audreyh1]

I very much enjoy playing Bach, Mozart and Beethoven on my piano.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

It's either classical or 80's music for me.

 

[Freedom56]

Just to get this off my chest. A rediscovery of love @ age 83.

Despite studying music in college and hating the hours of parsing symphonies, I did learn something.

Now, in old age, I am appreciating those years back in the late 50's, and early 60's.

I know you won't have much interest in this, but I have to share one of the reasons i'm going back to classical music.

Instead of watching classical music concerts on YouTube, you may prefer the experience of a live concert. If you don't have a local philharmonic orchestra, watch concerts at a university or college music school concert hall. Nothing beats the experience of a live classical music concert especially in a concert hall with good acoustics.

 

[John Galt III]

Instead of watching classical music concerts on YouTube, you may prefer the experience of a live concert. If you don't have a local philharmonic orchestra, watch concerts at a university or college music school concert hall. Nothing beats the experience of a live classical music concert especially in a concert hall with good acoustics.

+1. You have to be there live to feel the magic.

 

[audreyh1]

+1. You have to be there live to feel the magic.

Of course live is best. But if you can’t travel to a given location to experience a specific concert in person, watching a well recorded performance on a large screen with surround sound turned up definitely brings in some of that magic and feels like being right there.

 

[John Galt III]

I think we classical music people must be a rare breed. I was at an outdoor concert a few days ago. The first act was rock, and the second act was classical guitar. The first act ended and I went over to the venue for classical guitar and the place was only about 10% full of spectators. The female guitarist was quite good, all notes clearly plucked and concise. As the 2 hour show went on, people peeled off one by one until there were only 3 of us left. I stayed til the end. Enjoyed it.

 

[Nemo2]

Don't get to enjoy it as often as I would like.

Classical can both relax me & promote critical thinking.

+1 Although, while I can relate to the relaxing, I've never been capable of critical thinking.

 

[Red Badger]

Classical music takes me to exactly where I want to go.

 

[Pellice]

Classical music is pretty easy to listen to. It's been the background for so many onscreen and audio events. In our western tradition, I'd bet most people relax and feel better when that music - our music - is playing. It's generally beautiful and relatable.

So why does it not get listened to? I think people don't hear it enough, don't hear people talking about it. The concerts are not like rock concerts where you talk to friends, if possible, through the music. The instrumental music doesn't have lyrics to give you an "in" for talking about it. And I don't have the vocabulary to properly analyze instrumental music.

This is a good thread, because it gives us a chance to make a case for it. Take Beethoven. Who can really dislike it - it's so varied and often joyful. I hear Beethoven trying to end a symphony - and he just can't! He wants the music to go on and on and on. You think it's come to an end, and, no, there are another half dozen phrases as Beethoven tries to say goodbye.

I think I'll try to play some classical music in the car next time I have a captive. And I'll talk about it (if I can play a piece I've heard before). "This part always makes me think of ..." "This is such a happy piece because it's so bounding and seems to summon up a beautiful breezy day." Just play it, maybe in small doses for the kids, and talk about it.

 

[albireo13]

Love classical music, always have. Wife hates it. LOL
I also enjoy pre-classical, such as Baroque.

 

[Red Badger]

So why does it not get listened to? I think people don't hear it enough, don't hear people talking about it. The concerts are not like rock concerts where you talk to friends, if possible, through the music. The instrumental music doesn't have lyrics to give you an "in" for talking about it. And I don't have the vocabulary to properly analyze instrumental music.


+1.
Exactly. Ties with my first post on this. Lyrics take you the place that the song is about. I often prefer to go where I want to be.

When I choose to hear lyrics, I listen to the other classical music - BlueGrass!

 

[mckittri2000]

Beethoven's 9th symphony, my all time favorite.

 

[candrew]

Just play it, maybe in small doses for the kids, and talk about it.

My DW did exactly that - play bits of classical music - in her classroom as a kindergarten teacher. She said it was a great way to get the kiddies to settle down.

 

[Freedom56]

For my my favorite classical violin concerto/solo is Vivaldi Four Seasons - Summer (Presto). If an orchestra near you is playing Four Seasons, see it live.

The one I enjoy playing on my own is Debussy Arabesque 1 (easy to moderate).

My favorite composer without a doubt is Mozart.

 

[CoolRich59]

Beethoven's 9th symphony, my all time favorite.

One of the best symphonies.

To tie in with the comments on attending live performances, one of my favorite memories is the evening spent at the Ravinia outdoor theater on Chicago's north shore as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performed Beethoven's 9th with a full chorus. Wow!

 

[Bamaman]

As an aspiring oboeist, I would have loved to play with musicians of that caliper.

But since I found many classical musicians didn't understand me. That made me one heck of a saxophone player in a jazz band.

 

[camfused]

I picked up playing cello again, about 6 months ago, after a 41 year gap, once I FIREd. I played when I was in middle and high school, and was decent (was in
youth symphonies, etc).

I am now taking lessons, bought a decent cello, and am now in a community orchestra and a cello quartet.

Classical music has always been my favorite type of music.