# The Anti-Goldilocks Principle



## isorhythm (Jan 2, 2015)

I'm shamelessly stealing this term from Ingelou. In her thread we talked about music that occupies a happy medium for us in some way. But what about the opposite: music that we like because it's extreme, over-the-top, turned up to eleven?

I usually don't like bombast and grandiosity...until sometimes it crosses some kind of line and comes out the other side, and I can't help liking it again.

For me, the best example is Messiaen, particularly the huge orchestral works like the _Turangalila-symphonie_ and _Eclairs sur l'au-dela_. This music couldn't be dialed back. The extremes - including, for the latter, what some people consider the extreme length - are the source of its power.

Any others? Interpret freely.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

From my own example in that thread:

Mozart is too teasing and effete
Beethoven can be too much raging testosterone
Haydn is just right.

On the other hand Beethoven is still my favorite composer. I often enjoy over the top raging or fist shaking. 

For another example, it used to be when I was down or lonely I would wallow in it and put on the extremely sad Adagio from Gayane Ballet Suite No. 3 and somehow come out the other side thinking, "What an eccentric performance."


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

DragonForce.

Oops I forgot I was on a classical music forum. Wasn't supposed to divulge that.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

The moment I like something I cannot think of it as extreme or over the top (whatever that means) because it is what it is. Except maybe when the composer deliberately composed an over the top piece, but when does that happen? 
What others may find excessive about a piece could very well be powerful and vividly expressive to me.


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

*Aha!!!* 
Well, *nicking an idea* is probably the sincerest form of flattery... 

Difficult to answer because an 'over the top' piece is *just right* for an 'over the top' mood.

Two replies:
a) The crumhorn is on 'over-the-top' instrument, full stop. 





b) Vivaldi - Concerto for Violin 'The Cuckoo' in A major, (RV335)





This is a fine piece of music, but the virtuoso high notes are so *very* high. The pleasure of listening to it is almost like pain. It's a piece of music like elderflower champagne - I *think* I like it, but I'm not sure.


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

Grindcore anyone? (Not....)


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## Balthazar (Aug 30, 2014)

Ligeti's _Le grand macabre_.

Nicely represented here in the excerpted _Mysteries_ with Barbara Hannigan and Rattle/LSO.


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## Steatopygous (Jul 5, 2015)

Ingélou said:


> *Aha!!!*
> Well, *nicking an idea* is probably the sincerest form of flattery...
> 
> Difficult to answer because an 'over the top' piece is *just right* for an 'over the top' mood.
> ...


Who knew a walking stick could do more musically than provide percussion? Not sure I want to put the straight end to my lips, though.


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## Steatopygous (Jul 5, 2015)

Balthazar said:


> Ligeti's _Le grand macabre_.
> 
> Nicely represented here in the excerpted _Mysteries_ with Barbara Hannigan and Rattle/LSO.


Wow! (15 characters)


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

Dim7 said:


> DragonForce.
> 
> Oops I forgot I was on a classical music forum. Wasn't supposed to divulge that.


Dim7, you are henceforth being banned from TalkClassical for awful taste. It didn't matter that Fur Elise was not only your favorite work by Beethoven, but your favorite piano piece of all time, and you held long debates defending the validity of Hooked on Classics as a viable update for modern times, but this is too far.


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

Mahlerian said:


> Dim7, you are henceforth being banned from TalkClassical for awful taste. It didn't matter that Fur Elise was not only your favorite work by Beethoven, but your favorite piano piece of all time, and you held long debates defending the validity of Hooked on Classics as a viable update for modern times, but this is too far.


If you do that, I will post through my sockpuppet accounts your listening statistics (don't ask how I got access to them). Here's some interesting facts about your listening habits:

1. Over 50% of your listening consists of Pokemon soundtracks (I will also post our lengthy debates about whether they follow the rules of common practice functional tonality and how to apply Schenkerian analysis to them).
2. Classical music is only 5%, of which 90% is Andre Rieu.


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## chesapeake bay (Aug 3, 2015)

Wasn't sure I had one of these but I just listened to Brian's Symphony no 1 in D minor "gothic". Maybe not the longest symphony ever but at just about 2 hours it has some pretty epic and grandiose orchestration.


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