# What music do you find bombastic?



## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Yes, this is a personal preference. I never got into Havergal Brian compositions.

Now this is true bombast:






Truly a yawner. And nowhere nearly as good as Mahler.

Which compositions do you find bombastic?


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

Bombastic is defined here as negative?


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Dim7 said:


> Bombastic is defined here as negative?


It can go either way... whatever you like.


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## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

llklkäöäöäöäöäöäööäöäöääö


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Bombastic: 

Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture

Final movement: Shostakovich Symphony No. 5

Final movement: Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4

Final movement: Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

Brahms=Bombastic. Academic Festival Overture. 
Saint-Saens Organ Symphony: Bombastic, but good. 
Fanfare for the Common Man: Bombastic, but populist, so I'll allow it.

Horns're always bombastic.


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

Dim7 said:


> Bombastic is defined here as negative?


I don't see how bombastic isn't a negative, based on the meaning of the word. But then there's this, which seems to celebrate it:









But then includes things like Mozart's 40th (!?).


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## Petwhac (Jun 9, 2010)




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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

My favorite posters write with bombastity.


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## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

GreenMamba said:


> I don't see how bombastic isn't a negative, based on the meaning of the word. But then there's this, which seems to celebrate it:
> 
> View attachment 65078
> 
> ...


The real term means making something bigger than it is this would be as in claims of music having empty gestures. This is something that I interpret as it sounds good but it is not really good.

Then it have been used as meaning grandiloquent and pompous.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

You could argue that the 1812 Overture is bombastic but then again:


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

I find that practically never my complaint about classical music is that it's too bombastic. Sure, there are plenty of superficial and "empty" bombastic pieces, but even those I find pretty OK though in a cheap way.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

GreenMamba said:


> I don't see how bombastic isn't a negative, based on the meaning of the word. But then there's this, which seems to celebrate it:
> 
> View attachment 65078
> 
> ...


Bombastic can be both positive and negative. sometimes I like it and sometimes it is unwarranted.


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## isorhythm (Jan 2, 2015)

albertfallickwang said:


> Yes, this is a personal preference. I never got into Havergal Brian compositions.
> 
> Now this is true bombast:
> 
> ...


lol what is that painting??


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## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture is very bombastic, of course. I like it, though.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

At the risk of incurring the Wrath of Mahlerian, I kind of find the first movement of Mahler's Third bombastic.


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

MarkW said:


> incurring the Wrath of Mahlerian


I think we need a thread dedicated to this.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Many of the mid to later Romantic large scale symphonies are bombastic - sounding imposing, loud chords, meandering around and around. Bruckner symphonies are good examples. Early examples include Brahms symphonies. Mahler symphonies as well. This isn't a negative criticism but it's the idiom of Romanticism - lots of emotional heavy weights thrown around in large scale orchestral works. When you move down to lower tier composers, this becomes more obvious.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

ArtMusic said:


> Many of the mid to later Romantic large scale symphonies are bombastic - sounding imposing, loud chords, meandering around and around. Bruckner symphonies are good examples. Early examples include Brahms symphonies. Mahler symphonies as well. This isn't a negative criticism but it's the idiom of Romanticism - lots of emotional heavy weights thrown around in large scale orchestral works. When you move down to lower tier composers, this becomes more obvious.


lower tier composers such as?


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## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

Many of Shostakovich's symphonies are bombastic. Which can be a good thing, but it can also, sometimes be fatiguing.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Dim7 said:


> I think we need a thread dedicated to this.


Wrath of Mahlerian versus Wrath of Khan would be a very interesting line-up.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Truly bombastic, is the finale to *Khachaturian's Violin Concerto*. The opening phrase, before the violin comes in. But it is a very exciting and enjoyable example of that adjective.


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## Revel (Feb 25, 2015)

albertfallickwang said:


> You could argue that the 1812 Overture is bombastic but then again:


Blasphemy!


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

millionrainbows said:


> Horns're always bombastic.










..............................


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Beethoven - Wellington's Victory


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Any of a number of tone poems by Richard Strauss: _Ein Heldenleben_ ( or, "All About Me"), _Also sprach Zarathustra_ (or, "Don't Blame Nietzsche"), _Tod und Verklaerung_ (or, "Just Shoot Me and Get it Over With"), _Sinfonia Domestica_ (or...what the...).

Oh, and there's this, brought to our attention some time ago by Mahlerian (we are grateful, are we not?):






Fortunately there is also nonbombastic Strauss, like those four glorious songs.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

albertfallickwang said:


> lower tier composers such as?


Brian (the example you posted in post #1).


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

Woodduck said:


> Any of a number of tone poems by Richard Strauss: _Ein Heldenleben_ ( or, "All About Me"), _Also sprach Zarathustra_ (or, "Don't Blame Nietzsche"), _Tod und Verklaerung_ (or, "Just Shoot Me and Get it Over With"), _Sinfonia Domestica_ (or...what the...).
> 
> Oh, and there's this, brought to our attention some time ago by Mahlerian (we are grateful, are we not?):
> 
> ...


So unlike, say, 'All About Me' _Rienzi _or "Wagner the Tribune, Savior, and Revolutionary of the People."

_;D_


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Marschallin Blair said:


> So unlike, say, 'All About Me' _Rienzi _or "Wagner the Tribune, Savior, and Revolutionary of the People."
> 
> _;D_


Entirely unlike.


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

Woodduck said:


> Entirely unlike.


True.

Wagner's ego wouldn't fit into "_Des Helden Walstatt._"


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## Skilmarilion (Apr 6, 2013)

hpowders said:


> Bombastic:
> 
> Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture


Okay, but don't ignore the unbelievably beautiful opening -- worlds apart from the ending.



> Final movement: Shostakovich Symphony No. 5


Luckily there is no bombast anywhere else in any of his other symphonies.


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## SilverSurfer (Sep 13, 2014)

Perfect thread for Michael Gordon's *Dystopia*, as bombastic seems a good description for this 30' long orchestral celebration recorded live:

http://www.wqxr.org/#!/story/michae...fe-affirming-meticulously-orchestrated-chaos/


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## quack (Oct 13, 2011)

isorhythm said:


> lol what is that painting??


A little bit of authentic, bombastic kitsch from the the 19thC courtesy of Karl Friedrich Schinkel. It's popular for depicting 19thC religiosity









Cymbals are the primary bombast makers for me. Crashing away, underscoring every little dramatic detail with gaudy flair. I listened to an entire double CD of Verdi's overtures which are fiddled with this and it almost made me hate Verdi. Adam's _Giselle_ also has far too much of it for my liking.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Beethoven's Symphony 9, movement 4.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Tchaikovsky - Romeo and Juliet






Before anyone complains about one single cymbal clash in Bruckner's 7th Adagio, they should listen to this.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

Woodduck said:


> Oh, and there's this, brought to our attention some time ago by Mahlerian (we are grateful, are we not?):


Well, I still consider it among the worst compositions by a great composer.

But then there are things like this that aren't even by great composers to begin with!


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## manyene (Feb 7, 2015)

On the finale of the Shostakovich 5th Symphony, isn't it a question of tempo. If you take it very slowly, very bombastic; a bit faster much less so.


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## Guest (Mar 1, 2015)

Tchaikovsky and Copland are the first two names to come to mind.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Some argue that Verdi could be bombastic in a good way such as:


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## Hmmbug (Jun 16, 2014)

I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw your opening post, Albert. I was beginning to think you didn't dislike any music!


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Hmmbug said:


> I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw your opening post, Albert. I was beginning to think you didn't dislike any music!


No worries. I do like boombastic music instead 






Another case of bombast (good kind) in the avant garde sense:


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## omega (Mar 13, 2014)

hpowders said:


> Bombastic:
> 
> Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture


The first thing that came to my mind.


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## Guest (Mar 1, 2015)

albertfallickwang said:


> Some argue that Verdi could be bombastic in a good way such as:


Oh yes, he certainly could be. And Puccini. But I don't really care about Poochini in the grand scheme of things, or I would've thought of him first too.


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## Alydon (May 16, 2012)

I was listening to a symphony by Carl Nilsson the other day and this description perfectly fits it.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Woodduck said:


> Any of a number of tone poems by Richard Strauss: _Ein Heldenleben_ ( or, "All About Me"), _Also sprach Zarathustra_ (or, "Don't Blame Nietzsche"), _Tod und Verklaerung_ (or, "Just Shoot Me and Get it Over With"), _Sinfonia Domestica_ (or...what the...).
> 
> Oh, and there's this, brought to our attention some time ago by Mahlerian (we are grateful, are we not?):
> 
> ...


...and his _Festliches Preludium_


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

quack said:


> A little bit of authentic, bombastic kitsch from the the 19thC courtesy of Karl Friedrich Schinkel. It's popular for depicting 19thC religiosity
> 
> View attachment 65123
> 
> ...


That painting would make a wonderful 1000 piece puzzle. In fact, I think that this painting is bombastic to fit some Brian music:









Let us pine away for the olden times.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Liszt Piano Sonata. Not only bombastic, but usually gives me a migraine too.


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