# What are your favorite genres?



## Agamemnon (May 1, 2017)

I remember that my library divided all it's classical music into separate genres (I am not sure if 'genre' is the proper term so please correct me if there is a better term) like symphonies, choral works, opera, piano concertos, violin concertos, solo piano works, string quartets/quintets etc (I am sure I would forget some genres if I would try to name them all...). Now I have strong preferences qua genres: I especially don't like symphonies that much and I am particular fond of (piano and violin) concertos, song cycles and solo piano works. I guess I like both the bravura of concertos and the intimacy and clarity of songs and instrumental music.

What are your favorites or nonfavorites (and why)?


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

1. Solo Keyboard - harpsichord and piano. 
2. Piano Chamber
3. Sacred Choral
4. String Chamber
5. Concertos
6. Symphonies
7. Opera


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## Joe B (Aug 10, 2017)

In August I re-organized my classical CD's by separating out a few genres and then organizing these smaller groups by composer or by performers when I have several by a specific group.
The genres I separated out were:
*1.* A Capella choral works (by composer and by group; i.e. Tenebrae together, Polyphony together, Alexander Singers together, Ensemble Organum, etc.)
*2.* Art Song
*3.* Violin Sonatas, viola sonatas, cello sonatas (solo suites begin each sub-section)
*4.* String Quartets
*5.* Trios
*6.* Harpsichord and clavichord
*7.* Piano
*8.* Organ
*9.* Early music by period (older first to newer)

The rest of the collection is by composer with symphonies first, other instrumental pieces, and with choral/orchestral performances last.

So, to the question: Do I have favorites? Yes! What are they? See the list above. Seriously, I love to listen to all of the music at different times. I find myself going to the choral works, art song, sonatas, string quartets and symphonies most often. Choral and symphonies probably the most. Solo key boards I go to the least, with early music just ahead of them. The early music and solo key board works are also the smaller sections of my library.

My collection of CD's is dominated by discs from the romantic era to the present, with a big emphasis on 20th and 21st century music. You will notice that I did not list a section for Opera. This is not because I don't like it, it's because I am still ignorant about it. Opera will be my "new frontier" in the very near future. Unfortunately I don't have anyone I can use as a mentor in this area. And, I have yet to open and read any of the threads under "Opera" at this site. If only there was more time in a day!


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

1. Violin sonatas/ concertos
2. Concertos with other instruments - e.g. guitar and harp
3. Ballet music 
4. Sacred choral
5. Medieval/ Renaissance/ Baroque Secular Songs
6. Everything else...


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Pretty much all genres (although solo piano works and opera a little less). I'm especially interested in concertos for unusual instruments (I managed to find concertos for 111 instruments beyond piano and violin so far).


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## Taplow (Aug 13, 2017)

1. Opera
2. Everything else

I love beautiful music. Beautiful music is not confined to one genre, so for this reason I cannot rank them. I listen to them all with equal joy. But opera adds two or three other dimensions, and when performed well transports me to realms of ecstasy beyond what other genres can achieve.


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

1. Everything
2. Opera

I enjoy both opera and everything, but seldom listen to opera.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Taplow said:


> 1. Opera
> 2. Everything else
> 
> I love beautiful music. Beautiful music is not confined to one genre, so for this reason I cannot rank them. I listen to them all with equal joy. But opera adds two or three other dimensions, and when performed well transports me to realms of ecstasy beyond what other genres can achieve.


It's those other dimensions that I find a turn-off. I tolerate opera because I want to listen to that beautiful music.


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## WildThing (Feb 21, 2017)

Taplow said:


> 1. Opera
> 2. Everything else
> 
> I love beautiful music. Beautiful music is not confined to one genre, so for this reason I cannot rank them. I listen to them all with equal joy. But opera adds two or three other dimensions, and when performed well transports me to realms of ecstasy beyond what other genres can achieve.


I'm with you!.........


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

1. Opera
2. Symphony
3. Solo violin
4. Solo piano
5. Sacred choral works


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## R3PL4Y (Jan 21, 2016)

1. Symphony
2. Other orchestral works (tone poem, overture, suite, etc.)
3. Vocal Orchestral
4. Piano concerto
5. Violin concerto
7. Other concertos
8. Ballets
9. Opera


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## poconoron (Oct 26, 2011)

In this order:

Concertos - piano and otherwise
Opera - primarily Mozart, Rossini, Verdi
Symphony
Vocal orchestral - as in Mozart Concert arias
Sacred choral
Chamber music, as in quartets, quintets, violin sonatas, etc.
Solo piano music


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

1 violin concerti and sonatas 
2 symphonies 
3 orchestral music not classified as a symphony
4 string quartets, quintets etc
5 guitar concerti, and guitar solo music
6 string orchestra 
7 cello concerti and sonatas 
8 piano chamber music 
9 solo instruments 
10 piano concerti
11 ballet
12 concerti and sonatas for various wind instruments 
13 wind band 
14 choral music
15 rock and roll
16 jazz
17 musicals
18 opera 
19 solo piano music
20 folk music

My attempt at ranking was difficult. There's not much music I don't like. The first ten genres I listed here get spun on my CD player more often than the bottom ten.


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## Harmonie (Mar 24, 2007)

Oboe Concertos/Sonatas
Other Wind Concertos/Sonatas/Works
 Fugues alongside Toccatas/Preludes, primarily for harpsichord or organ
 Baroque Opera/Oratorio Closing Choruses (Specific, I know) Some Baroque Arias are gorgeous, too.
Medieval/Renaissance Dances/Suites (Some going into Baroque, as well)
Orchestral Suites
Various choral genres from the Middle Ages and Renaissance (especially polyphony)
Anything not mentioned above that has a beautiful oboe/English horn solo (for real, I'm that shallow)


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

1) solo keyboard
2) various orchestral (including symphonies)
3) solo instrument (non keyboard)
4) opera and large scale vocal works
5) chamber works with keyboard 
6) concertos 
7) chamber works without keyboard
8) art song/lieder


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

1. Chamber Music

And that has been the case since I first discovered it 45 years ago.


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

I've detailed my favorite genres and musical forms:

1-Orchestral - *SYMPHONIES*, concertos, tone poems, other miscellaneous pieces (variations, rhapsodies, overtures, etc.).
2-Chamber - String quartets, Piano quintets, Violin sonatas, Cello sonatas, Piano trios, String quintets.
3-Choral - Masses, Oratorios, Cantatas.
4-Solo instrument - Sonatas, variations, miscellaneous pieces.
5-Vocal - Songs, Lieder.

Overall, my weak spot is opera. I haven't listened to many of them.


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## Dan Ante (May 4, 2016)

All chamber music
Choral sacred, secular and oratorio
Symphony, Concerto and all the rest of the orchestral stuff
Not very keen on opera, but have a fondness for some of the popular duets etc


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

1 - Opera-* high above everything else
1b - Vocal- Lied and recital
2- Piano concertos.
3- Chamber music.
4- Symphonies.

So no number 5


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## Bettina (Sep 29, 2016)

1. Solo piano music
2. Chamber music
3. Concertos
4. Symphonies
5. Opera


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

My choices more or less match Bettina's. 

Solo piano
Piano chamber
String ensemble, large and small
Concerto
Symphony
Tone poems
Lieder
(Bit of a gap)
Opera
(Another gap)
Organ works
(Gap the size of Pacific Ocean)
Bagpipes.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Solo Piano (Schumann)

Solo Harpsichord (Bach)

Solo Violin (Bach)

Solo Fortepiano (Mozart)

Chamber Music (Brahms, Mozart, Mendelssohn)


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## Faustian (Feb 8, 2015)

I would say that opera, choral works and lieder are all near the top for me.


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## TurnaboutVox (Sep 22, 2013)

1. String-only chamber music, in which I include solo string works
2. Solo keyboard
3. Art song with piano or chamber accompaniment

4. Other chamber music (e.g. including piano or wind instrument(s)
5. Art song with orchestral accompaniment

6. Symphonic works, tone poems etc.
7. Concertos, Concertante works
9. Choral works
8. Opera

9. Other

I have a particular affinity for the string quartet form, which, since I discovered it in my early adulthood has seemed to me a form which offers the most intimate musical conversation, and a sort of musical integrity, when well crafted.


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## Dan Ante (May 4, 2016)

hpowders said:


> Solo Piano (Schumann)
> 
> Solo Harpsichord (Bach)
> 
> ...


Man you're so low


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

1. Solo piano
2. Orchestral music (symphonies, tone poems, concertos etc.)
3. Choral music
4. Other


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