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What is your classical music suggestion?

Question by wm: Classical Music suggestion?
I have recently fallen in love with russian classical music. When I compare the work of men like Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky and Sergei Taneyev with that of, say, Mozart, the russian music just seems so much more rich and passionately dark. Mozart then sounds so bound by musical rules and insufficiently supported by emotion. But that’s just what I think. Anyway, I’m asking this question to see if anyone can suggest some composers that, based on what I have said, I would like. I would love to hear any suggestions people have.

Answers and Views:

Answer by CassieN
I really don’t listen to classical that much, even though it’s great to study by…. I really like the Adagio for Strings by Barber though. my music appreciation teacher played it one day and it was extremely beautiful.

Answer by JayRa377
If you’re looking for music full of passion/emotion/beauty have a look at (off the top of my head):
The Lark Ascending – Ralph Vaughan Williams
Violin Concerto – Benjamin Britten (very exciting piece of music)
Introduction et Rondo Cappricio – Saint Saens
Tzigane – Maurice Ravel
Montagues and Capulets – Serge Prokofiev

I’m a violinist, to explain why the majority of the pieces listed are violin solo.

Answer by …
Alexander Borodin – Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor

Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet balcony scene

Stravinsky-Petrushka
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPX698CbDdo&feature=related

Rachmaninoff suite for two pianos Op 5 No 1 III Tears
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQRQ_xP0TO4&feature=grec_index

Answer by adagio58
It’s very late here so I’ll just give a few suggestions.

Ippolitov-Ivanov – “Caucasian Sketches”
http://youtu.be/w_JGFVlkNYw
———
“Polovtsian Dances” (ballet) by Borodin: – beautiful! –
http://youtu.be/t8C8frqCKKg
—————-
Golly, run, don’t walk to the nearest recording of Rimsky-Korsakov!! He’s magnificent in his orchestral works. I recall one announcer said of him that his music is “rich” because there is so much for the players to do. Anyways, start with Sheherazade Suite:

Russian Easter Overture by Rimsky-Korsakov
————-
“The Seasons” by Glazunov
—————
“Rusland and Ludmila” Overture by Glinka:
http://youtu.be/rp4n_7H5F8g
——————
Anything by Tchaikovsky! I love his ballets, “Swan Lake”, the “Nutcracker Suite”

Answer by bka
comparing mozart to tchaikovsky and thinking that the difference is due to their nationality kinda ignores the fact that they lived in totally different centuries!

theres certainly no lack of emotion in german composers from tchaiks time like brahms or wagner.

but yeah, the russian stuff is fun, so check: moussorgsky, rachmaninoff, stravinsky, prokofiev…
maybe less dark but still nice: glazunov, borodin

other composers you might like: grieg, dvorak, lutoslawski, berlioz, sibelius

Answer by suhwahaksaeng
Beethoven wrote at least three sets of variations on Russian folk songs.
Two are for piano solo.
One is for flute or violin and piano.
I am learning to play it on the flute and am loving it.
You should be able to find all three by entering “Beethoven Russian variations” as a search term.

Answer by Anna-Sofie Bergqvist-Fransson
I’m exremely fond of Russian music. If you’re not already familiar with the symphonies by Kalinnikov or Balakirev (both composed two) you might want to add them to your list. By comparison, Mozart is as dry as dust, and I avoid him at every opportunity.

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Comments ( 3 )

  1. Alan L says

    Don’t completely give up on Mozart and other non “Russian” composers. They may be a bit of an acquired taste, but if you keep listening to music, I’m sure you’ll eventually grow to appreciate Mozart. Listen to the opening movements of Mozart’s Requiem, do they really seem bound by musical rules and insufficiently supported by emotion?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d88xIIRDI9U

    Also, listen to this bit from Bach’s St. John Passion,

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbCdQ88Tbfs&feature=related

    The throbbing baseline and rushing string figures, the wailing oboes all leading to a pained outburst from the chorus. I can’t think of many pieces more full of emotion and intensity.

    Well, if you really want more music in the romantic vein, listen to Gustav Mahler (Shostakovich was a big fan).

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htGOqQDS4ug&feature=related

    Reply
  2. peter_erdei says

    My russian favourites are Lyapunov’s Transcendental etude: Storm

    i also kinda like Islamey from Balakirev.

    But if it’s music and it’s russian than it certainly is Scriabin etudes, like opus 8 no 12 d sharp minor, or op.42 no.5 c sharp minor

    but my (Russian) fav is Rachmaninov’s opus 39 no. 5 etude in e flat minor.

    also i can recommend Rach’s Polka Italienne

    The most famous is perhaps Rach’s Prelude op. 3 no. 2 in c sharp minor. i don’t really like it but most people do

    And do i have to add Swan lake especially the finale by Tchaikovsky.

    Reply
  3. Malcolm D says

    It is not just Russian classical music… all Romantic music has that characteristic. Listen to say… the Prelude to the Third Act of Tristan und Isolde by Wagner for example. (It is on youtube). Also try Richard Strauss’s “Also Sprach Zarathustra” parts of which were used in the movie 2001 A Space Odyssey.

    Reply

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