General Chat

I like so much, all different. but O mio Babbino Caro (or Oh my beloved Father) is going through my head at present, but the words do not go with my feelings. I love Sergovia and John Williams' guitar, but whenever I buy music, it gets half-hinched by my family......

Favourite Operas Carmen - -Bizet Madam Butterfly - Puccini

CB. You listed all my favourites. Daniel - How about Ravel's 'Daphnis & Chloe' ? I think the 'Lever du Jour' from Daphnis is probably the finest piece of descriptive music ever written. Of course, that's only my honest opinion but I was a professional clarinettist for many years - now retired but still play the piano for my own enjoyment and of course listen to my collections but not Classic FM any more - they spend too much time rabbiting on without playing the tune !!

Michael (In Dundas) what excellent taste........ my all time favourite Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini. First heard it as the title/background music in a film with Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour..........forgotten title of film........think it was One moment in time, or something very similar. Lin xx

Any new suggestions?

Whatever you call it, Len, as with most things, there are bits you like and bits you don't. I much prefer the Classical, Romantic and Modern periods in 'classical' music. From Baroque backwards, it doesn't appeal to me. I can't recall at the moment which monarch or which composer it was, but there's a famous quote about a King who said he didn't like the work of a very eminent composer because 'It has too many notes'. That's exactly how I feel about the likes of Vivaldi. CB >|<

What is classical music? It is music that is serious or conventional; intended to be of permanent value rather than ephemeral. Baroque refers to European music from about 1750 to 1800. Len

Agree CB Music Scores should be classed as Classical Music and why not? amongst my fave is the very predictable 'Gone With The Wind' and the part called 'Tara'sTheme', I have vinyl albums with film scores, not so many these days, but still have a few, I love Chaplin film scores think I like them the best :-) Janice 'Rhapsody in Blue' especially with Larry Adler playing it, is lovely, I love Berlin and Gershwin their mix of Jazz and classical music is wonderful. Anyway I am more a Jamaican music fan as most people may know already, that includes Mento (Jamaican Calypso), Jamaican R&B, Ska, Rock Steady and Reggae these are the different developements of the music originating from Jamaica, recorded music that is :-) But I love Soul Music too(Swiss Maid snap, do i know you LOL). I still have room for lots of other music and that includes Classical Music believe it or not and like many you listed Lou, but here are mine in no particular order. Love Tchaikovsky, Beethoven & Mozart these three would be my faves. Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture mainly because I loved it live at the Royal Festival Hall which makes it stunning. Symphony No.6 Pathetique being a particular favourite. Beethoven Moonlight Sonata symphony no 6 Pastoral beautiful symphony no 9 Choral that really is brill when I am feeling good. Mozart (No matter what the mood is) Symphony No.40 Eine kleine nacht musik Handel's water music and firework music. Bach's Air on the g string Bizet’s Carmen I enjoy but I think that’s because I saw “Carmen Jones” the film (Harry Belafonte, Dorothy Dandridge, Brook Peters and Pearl Bailey) first then checked where the original Music came from and was able to identify with it much easier. Like CB I am not an Opera fan. Hansel & Gretel by Humperdinck my friend who was a crazy lover of Classical music and had the biggest selection I ever saw she put that on the decks one glorious day, I still remember the feeling hearing that, lovely. Daniel I had a vinyl album of Ravel’s Bolero in the 1970’s long before it became popular due to Torvel (sp)and Dean. Someone sat on it, I was so upset, there is a cartoon film of the whole thing haven't seen it for years, but remember watching it one christmas with mates who had given me Vodka and I hadn't realised it was there I was sick for days, they hadn't realised I can't take voddie, it really rebels in my system :-( Lou did you hear that Peter and the Wolf by Prokofiev at school? When the school thread was up I added to it saying that the LP was played by our headmaster in the school hall (must have been when our own teacher was sick) anyway I loved it the other side of the LP he was young person's guide to the Orchestra, ok its before your time, seen as I am a Antique and you haven’t reached there yet. LoL. So like lots of music is it's memories good bad or indifferent they are memories through our life experiences. I don’t listen to classic music that often but there are times I love to just chill out with some beautiful music. CB Talking of Arias 'One fine day' from Madame Butterfly is so beautiful, that even when Malcolm Mclaren robbed it and shoved it on his mega mix I enjoyed lol. sorry blasphemous but its true :-))) LOL Oh and Dave B Clare De Lune was played many years ago on vinyl by a guy called Tomita, did you ever hear his version? very nice and very different, it was cool and well requested all over the place. Pat x

Anything by Andrea Bocelli - he and his voice are divine!!

DJ Lou, the music from 'Butterflies' was Adagio in G minor by Albinoni. My particular favourites are; Bach Handel Mozart Chopin Rachmaninov Shostakovich Musorsky Vivaldi Vaughan-Williams Peter Warlock Debussy Rodrigo to name but a few! :-) Viv

Patty, I don't see why film scores shouldn't be regarded as 'classical'. They seem to be very highly regarded and are regularly played on Classic FM, especially their request programmes. I think the works of Nino Rota, Jean Michel Jarre, Michel Legrand, John Williams, Michael Nyman and Hans Zimmer and Andrew Lloyd Webber fully deserve their place amongst the classics. CB >|<

Beethoven's symphonies 6 and 9 Mozart - Requiem Tchaikovsky - 1812 overture Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue Everything by Puccini but most especially La Boheme and just about all the other popular Operas. At the risk of upsetting purists, I would also include some of the most beautiful music written by present day composers for films such as 'The Mission' and for stage by Britain's own Andrew Lloyd Webber. Patty :-)

I like Strauss, all of them, Beethoven Wife likes Motzart best. There is an open air concert with the Royal Philharmonic, at Mount Ephraim Gardens at Hernhill, near Faversham on July 16. Champagne prizes for the best dressed (picnic) table. Concluides with a firework spectacular. David

I listen to Classic FM a lot, and the ads drive me crazy too. It's also very annoying when I put the bathroom radio on, get into the bath or shower and they start playing opera (Classic FM, that is, not my bath or shower!). I hate all that screeching going on when I'm not in a position to turn it off. CB >|<

The choral version of Barbers Adagio.... and much else. len

Here you go, Janice Tibble: Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. But that's only a start. Mahler's 1st Symphony Michael

Caucasian Sketches - Ippolitov-Ivanov Violin Concerto No 1 - Tchaikovsky All the symphonies - Tchaikovsky All the ballets - Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No 1 - Anton Rubinstein String Quartet & other works - Borodin Carmen - Bizet Anything by Chopin Anything by Rimsky-Korsakov Firebird ballet - Stravinsky Peter & the Wolf - Prokofiev Anything by Khatchaturian Most things by Elgar, Sibelius, Schubert, Dvorak, Rachmaninov, Mendelssohn, Beethoven & Smetana Hansel & Gretel - Humperdinck Boutique Fantasque - Rossini Soiree Musicale - Benjamin Britten Gymnopedies - Eric Satie Symphonies by Balakirev & Glazunov Pines & Fountains of Rome - Respighi .. and that's just for starters! Don't like Baroque stuff and think Opera would be much better without the singing (apart from a very few arias). CB >|<

I also like Clare de Lune by Debussy Davex

Janice I really approve - I love the Russian composers too. My dad brought me up on what he called the 3 giants of classical music, Bach, Mozart and Beethoven. He bought lots of LPs by the Atlas Theatre Company, which told stories with some wellknown actors including Alec McCowen & Geoffrey Bayldon, with pieces of classical music in between scenes. The music was always appropriate, so Hans Christian Andersen's Ugly Duckling had music by another Scandinavian, Grieg. The Sleeping Beauty had Tchaikovsky's ballet music, etc. I was particularly fond of some Gluck which accompanied the Three Musketeers, and Tchaikovsky's 4th symphony was Robinson Crusoe, while Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique with the March to the Scaffold was Treasure Island. nell

My choices at the moment In no particular order: Perpetuum Mobile - Simon Jeffes American Salute - Morton Gould Trumpet Voluntary The Opera - Hans Zimmer Summer - The Four Seasons Bolero - Ravel Pavane Canon in D Zadok the Priest