# Seeking Classical Guidance!



## Marsh (Jul 31, 2007)

Hello There,

New to the forum, discovered it on a search via google. - Please, be gentle! 

I have a fairly odd request that I'm hoping I could receive some help with here.

I'm far from knowledgeable when it comes to classical music, but I've found a few pieces I've really appreciated over time, generally the "commercially known" sort of material. 

I've been trying to discover more lately and as someone who lacks experience with this, I am finding it fairly dificult to accomplish this. The attempts I've made have turned out to be music that I just haven't really been very fond of (thats not to say I can't appreciate its excellence of course)...I'm hoping I could get a little a guidance here.

I wouldn't be arrogant enough to attempt to assign a genre to most of what I've been listening to because I really don't know the official classification for the music, but a friend of mine classed it as "classical thunder" - Unsure if this is what it is really.

A few of my favourites:

Carl Orff - Carmina Burana - O Fortuna
Prokofiev - March of the Montagues and Capulets
Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries
Vivaldi - Four Seasons
Gershwin - Rhapsody In Blue
Beethoven - Ode An Die Freude / Ode to Joy

I appreciate quite abit of classical pieces used in movies - The likes of John Williams, Howard Shore, Hans Zimmer, Elliot Godenthal, Jerry Goldsmith and recently the discovery of a song called "Vide Cor Meum" by Patrick Cassidy which was featured on the Hannibal soundtrack, I just fell in love with.

I've grown to appreciate classical music with "power", more gothic, heavy sounds - I don't really get on with the more gentle form of the music.

Its all a little vague, but if anyone understands what I mean if they could put any recommendations my way, I'd really appreciate it.

Thank you


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## opus67 (Jan 30, 2007)

Hello, Marsh. Welcome to TC.

I'm no expert, but I think what you like are the 'Orchestral, Choral'-types. Half of your list are just a part of larger compositions, which have their fast and slow moments, and only a couple involve a choir.

There was a thread post recently which may interest you. http://www.talkclassical.com/1811-looking-powerful-spooky-choir.html

If you like Beethoven's 9th symphony's finale ("Ode to Joy"), you are bound his like his Fantasia in Cm (aka Choral Fantasy) Op.80. Also try Mozart's Requiem.


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Marsh said:


> Hello There,
> 
> New to the forum, discovered it on a search via google. - Please, be gentle!


Hello, and welcome to Talk Classical ... glad to have you aboard.



Marsh said:


> I've grown to appreciate classical music with "power", more gothic, heavy sounds - I don't really get on with the more gentle form of the music . . . . . Thank you


Night on Bald Mountain (Mussorgsky) is a fav of mine in that catagory.

Kh


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

please consider that the gentle makes the wilder more dramatic. quite can be very ominus and dark. try it all, you'll eventually dig it.

dj


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## Amy (Aug 3, 2006)

Hey Marsh, I know he's a little different to the pieces you mentioned but I think you would really enjoy Berlioz. He tends to mix dramatic music with an infusion of more melodic and often playful sections that are really very powerful. The final two movements of his Symphony Fantastique would most certainly fall into your 'classical thunder' genre  Enjoy!


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## Andrew (Jul 20, 2007)

Marsh said:


> Hello There,
> I wouldn't be arrogant enough to attempt to assign a genre to most of what I've been listening to because I really don't know the official classification for the music, but a friend of mine classed it as "classical thunder" - Unsure if this is what it is really.


Hello Marsh,

welcome to this forum! If you like "classical thunder", maybe you'll enjoy the following:

Gustav Holst - The Planets (especially the 1st movement)
Edward Elgar - Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1
Richard Strauss - Thus spoke Zoroaster (a tone poem for large orchestra)
Edvard Grieg - some movements from "Peer Gynt" (e. g. "In the Hall of the Mountain King")
Maurice Ravel - Bolero
Geoge Bizet - "Carmen " Ouverture

The Symphony Fantastique by Berlioz is a good advice!


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## Guest (Aug 3, 2007)

If your a fan of John Williams, especially the soundtrack from Star Wars i think i would be safe leading you to Dvorak's 9th Symphony aka "From the New World"/ "New World Symphony." If i am not mistaken William's based allot of the music from Star Wars off Dvorak's 9th. Even if you can't find the similarities i still thank you will enjoy it, most people do.

I will warn you it is not a gothic sound though. And at times it is light but it's worth at least a sample on Itunes.


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## Amy (Aug 3, 2006)

If you like Carmina Burana I think you would definately like Haydn's 'Insanae et Vanae Curie'. It is completely and utterly awesome! It's almost like contemporary fusion in the way he combines the gentle melodies with the ferocity of the sections supposed to represent insanity. Haydn's not usually what you would call 'classical thunder' but I would definately give this piece a listen.


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## Aigen (Jul 30, 2007)

Hello, Marsh

This might be a funny question to ask but have you seen the movie Amadeus? It's a great introduction to Mozart (whatever one's opinion of the story).

Aigen.


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## johnbull (Aug 10, 2007)

Marsh, welcome.

All of the above is brilliant, but try Bruckner and Mahler. Anything of theirs. It's all excellent.


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## Manuel (Feb 1, 2007)

I suggest orchestral works by Wagner, like the overtures, preludes, and non sung excerpts from operas:

Rienzi, Tannhäuser, Meistersinger, Tristán und Isolde...


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## johnbull (Aug 10, 2007)

And Parsifal? The Good Friday spell is just beautiful.

I actually have the whole RING on Lp discs but I doubt I'll ever get down to hearing it all at one stretch.


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## Manuel (Feb 1, 2007)

johnbull said:


> I actually have the whole RING on Lp discs but I doubt I'll ever get down to hearing it all at one stretch.


It shouldn't be that way, anyway; but in four consecutive evenings.


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## Manuel (Feb 1, 2007)

johnbull said:


> And Parsifal? The Good Friday spell is just beautiful.


You are right.

@Marsh, on my brief listing you can add Parsifal and you better remove Tristan and Isolde; the latter kills people.


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## Marsh (Jul 31, 2007)

Thank you all *very* much for your replies...I've discovered quite a wealth of music from here that I'd probably not found myself in _years _ (If at all!) 

Opus, thank you for the thread, it covered alot of what I was looking for...I purchased Verdi's Requiem and man, that just blew me away! I was familiar with a few parts from it from various places, but hearing it in full was just breathtaking!

Krummhorn, it was a pleasure to listen to Mussorgsky more than I have previously.

Amy, I took a few from the other thread and they were great the Berlioz I have listened to is also really good!

Andrew, several on your list have been really great (in particular the Holst and Strauss I've heard) thank you for that!

Notserp89m, Dvorak's 9th Symphony is fantastic 

Aigen, its been some time since I've seen that movie, I'll have to check it out again!

johnbull, I've yet to hear any Bruckner and Mahler, but will try to locate some for a sample.

Manuel, I had already heard quite abit of Wagner, but Parsifal was really great to discover!

I listened to quite a few via Amazon some of them I'd heard before but not owning them on CD has lead me to not know them properly...it has proved quite heavy on my wallet but certainly worth it 

Thanks again all for the really helpful replies and also the welcomes.

Marsh


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