fav. classic piece ?

[Lunatique]

Oh man, this is so hard because there are quite a few I love. I'd say:

Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faune by Debussy

The Rite of Spring by Stravinsky

Daphne and Chloe by Ravel

Gymnopedia No.1 by Satie

Adagio for Strings by Barber (I don't think this qualifies as classic since it's fairly new?)

[Bunnyboy]

I meant Mr Blake's choon.

However, I presumed it was referring to the 'Northern' dark satanic mills? Whatever, its magnificent.

I always thoght that as well, but it is referring to places in London where he lives.

BTW Jerusalem by Sleep is a 51 min Stoner Metal head-f**k. Possibly the heaviest thing recorded

[SQ4]

Oh man, this is so hard because there are quite a few I love. I'd say:

Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faune by Debussy

The Rite of Spring by Stravinsky

Daphne and Chloe by Ravel

Gymnopedia No.1 by Satie

Adagio for Strings by Barber (I don't think this qualifies as classic since it's fairly new?)

We have the same taste.
I love Debussy.
Never heard of Barber though.
I also adore the piano sonata's of Beethoven, Prokofiev and even some of Mozart.
And of course : BACH!

[Emerald Tablet]

2 years ago ....after 10 years trying
i managed to get my driving licence
i asked the examiner ( not really a classicle music fan) if it was ok tht i played Debussy in his player.
it was ok so i did .... it calmed me down and i passed

[Mr Arkadin]

Just to clear something up, Blake's Jerusalem was set to music by Hubert Parry and later orchestrated by Sir Edward Elgar - Blake obviously didn't write the music. Great words though - check out his nutty paintings too - great stuff (Ghost of a Flea is my personal favourite).

My faves? Too many - lots by Bach, Beethoven, (Sir John Eliot Gardiner's original instrument versons are the ones to go for here - much edgier sound) but standout is Thomas Tallis' 40-part motet (yes that's 40 different lines of music for voices) Spem in Alium.

Also love Satie - but for his lesser known orchestral pieces like the truly modern Parade (typewriters, whips and foghorns feature) and the ultra-modern sounding Cinema. i also have a 70 minute solo piano version of Vexations, which if i played about 17 times in one sitting would be something akin to the true duration (one phrase repeated 840 times - the first minimalist?)

Mr A

[Bunnyboy]

blake is one of my favourite people of all time

I love his writings/poetry/engravings/paintings.

Apparently, one concert pianist played vexations for so long at a concert that he freaked out a fled the building, convinced that rats were burrowing through the walls in front of him

[Wicker Man]

"Spem in alium" for me also...for me it induces watery eye syndrome.

Also, would like to mention Beethoven's musical jokes...

[GaryG]

Adagio for Strings by Barber (I don't think this qualifies as classic since it's fairly new?)

If it's in the Classical section of a record shop it's Classical!

But yeah, a favourite of mine. Seems very popular at the moment (William Orbits butchery, some vocal version on a telly prog. the other night...) I first heard it on The Elephant Man, the scene was so heartbreaking it's stuck with me ever since.

Goreckis 3rd gets a thumbs up from me too, another tearjerker.

Music lessons at school were a bit shallow and they seemed to play 'novelty' stuff to try and pull us in, a lot of that stuff has stuck too (Dance Macabre, Planets, Peter & the Wolf, the 'industrial' bit from Romeo & Juliet )

Arvo Part is a fave; Te Dium, Tabula Rasa...

Soft spot for Glass and Reich though I'm not sure that's what was meant by classical in this thread...


SO my absolute favourite...

For sake of argument I'll go for Bryars 'Sinking of the Titanic' & 'Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me' (I know, two independant pieces but I've got them on one disc and they seem inseperable in my mind.)

.g

[GaryG]

Also, would like to mention Beethoven's musical jokes...

'Immortal Beloved' wasn't *that* bad...

.g

[XDVarenkor]

But yeah, a favourite of mine. Seems very popular at the moment (William Orbits butchery, some vocal version on a telly prog. the other night...) I first heard it on The Elephant Man, the scene was so heartbreaking it's stuck with me ever since.

Best version of Adagio I've heard was by a marimba ensemble. They had a huge range of marimbas down to sub-bass proportions and used mallets so soft there was no beating sound discernible - totally ethereal.

[GaryG]

Best version of Adagio I've heard was by a marimba ensemble.

ooh, live I guess? Would love to hear a recording of that arrangement (though a CD would lose all the sub-bass stuff that makes live classical so exciting)

.g

[aMUSEd]

I do like the adagio for it's emotional impact but if you know Khachaturian's Spartacus and Gayanah (the full works - not just the suites) Barber's piece sounds rather derivative in places, especially of Spartacus (or at least heavily influenced by them).

The best work by Barber imho is his Hermit Songs - wonderful, inventive, inspiring, beautiful and profound music. Unfortunately the best recording of this I've heard no longer seems to be available and not everyone does justice to the subtlety of the interplay between pianist and vocalist (and the almost atonal aspects).

[Bonteburg]

I don't know an awful lot of clqassical music, but the first couple of minutes of Mahler's 6th sinfony really get me, I love the feeling of menace in it

Marco

[metalsvinet]

Messiaen: Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus.

[3*s]

Arabesque by Debussy. By far the most relaxing piece ever IMO.

And maybe a little of the old Ludwig Van.