# Which bits of larger orchestral works do you return to listen to in isolation?



## Oscar South (Aug 6, 2020)

Mine:

Stravinsky -- Spring Rounds (whole section) has to be not just one of the most amazing pieces of orchestral music but also one of the greatest instrumental tracks of any artform. Unreal.

3ish minutes into Holst -- Jupiter for the EPIC melody where all the strings play the same line and the texture builds up around them.

End of 1st movement of Debussy --La Mer into start of 2nd movement. Best. Crescendo. Ever!

First minute of so of Smetana -- Moldau. Powerful melody that enters in an amazing way.

Schubert Great C -- First minute or so of 2nd movement up through the bit where the orchestra pulls back and 'glows' in the lows, until the trumpets come in with a fanfare type riff.


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## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

I don't really. I just don't listen to music that way: it's more of an all-or-nothing thing for me.


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## Dan Ante (May 4, 2016)

I am allways humming or tapping with my musical fingers "Öde to joy" even watching TV I tap it out which does not please her indoors, a great finish to the 9th. da da da da da da da etc


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## Oscar South (Aug 6, 2020)

Eclectic Al said:


> I don't really. I just don't listen to music that way: it's more of an all-or-nothing thing for me.


I knew someone would have to share this inside the top 3 posts 
No offence meant by this comment, I'm just having a little public 'I knew it!' moment with myself.

From my perspective: I'm an orchestrator so I'm constantly listening to new repertoire for ideas that I can adapt to my own work and keep a list with recordings/timecodes to revisit. I go back to these moments with the score to analyse them deeply. The best of them get revisited regularly.


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## Oscar South (Aug 6, 2020)

Dan Ante said:


> I am allways humming or tapping with my musical fingers "Öde to joy" even watching TV I tap it out which does not please her indoors, a great finish to the 9th. da da da da da da da etc


Oh haha -- I played heavy brass in school and had to play that melody so damn much. I stopped playing those instruments at that time for some reason or other, but that melody has not left my head for ONE SINGLE DAY since that time. Must have been 14 last time I played it and I'm 33 today.

Been meaning to go back and relisten to the piece with adult ears for many years now, but something seems to keep me away from it! (probably the sheer endless amount of 20th/21st century music that I always tend to gravitate towards).


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## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

Oscar South said:


> I knew someone would have to share this inside the top 3 posts
> No offence meant by this comment, I'm just having a little public 'I knew it!' moment with myself.
> 
> From my perspective: I'm an orchestrator so I'm constantly listening to new repertoire for ideas that I can adapt to my own work and keep a list with recordings/timecodes to revisit. I go back to these moments with the score to analyse them deeply. The best of them get revisited regularly.


No problem - it was just an observation, not a criticism.

If I worked in the field of music I'm sure I would be examining elements of pieces in that sort of way, but as a casual listener, I like to accept the composer's judgement that (say) the movements of a symphony are intended to be addressed as parts of one work, to be listened to together in a particular order.

Mind you, that might mean I hear the opening movements of Mahler symphonies (say) more often than the final movements, because there is only so much time in the world.


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## Oscar South (Aug 6, 2020)

Eclectic Al said:


> No problem - it was just an observation, not a criticism.
> 
> If I worked in the field of music I'm sure I would be examining elements of pieces in that sort of way, but as a casual listener, I like to accept the composer's judgement that (say) the movements of a symphony are intended to be addressed as parts of one work, to be listened to together in a particular order.
> 
> Mind you, that might mean I hear the opening movements of Mahler symphonies (say) more often than the final movements, because there is only so much time in the world.


I do agree somewhat to what you're saying (from a listeners perspective) but not entirely. In my opinion/observations are really two (dominant) approaches to time in crafted music:

1. That of 'developmental' or 'linear' time, where beauty is achieved through a progression of moments that ultimately lead into moments of various kinds of resolution or conclusion.

2. That of 'static' or 'existential time', where beauty exists in every moment and no concept of progression is necessary or preparation to appreciate any individual moment.

So I would agree with you completely if I were listening to Schubert, Beethoven or Haydn (for example), but if I were listening to Holst, Debussy, or Stravinsky (again for example) then I'll often pick and choose the moments/sections that I want to listen to most at that moment.


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

I do this with rock or folk albums, but never with classical music.


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## Oscar South (Aug 6, 2020)

I'd be interested to learn what composers/eras/schools of music craft that you listen to. There is a lot of diversity within 'classical' music forms and many demand different approaches to listening.

That goes for anyone who is popping in to echo this -- I assume that anyone who takes the time to comment has thoughts behind their words. Share them!


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