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Joining the fun with CaptainD's Classical Favorites Write-Off

Feb 08 '07 Write an essay on this topic.

The Bottom Line Some of my 'grab if the house is on fire' collection.

I was introduced to classical music at a young age, learning how to play the piano, then the flute, and finally the clarinet, with excursions into several other instruments. While I learnt that I would never be good enough to trot onto stage with my meager talents, I did learn how to appreciate the music. Eventually, my tastes matured, and I stopped listening to much of the rock and roll of my youth, and happily settled into a rut where piano, violins, symphonies and orchestras fill the air.

Now with Captain D's invitation, I'm going to share a few of my favorites with you, the music that tends to be reheard on a regular basis, by performers, conductors and ensembles that I have come to enjoy their particular sound. If you want more details as to why, I like a particular piece so much, just click on the link provided.

These are not arranged in any particular order, just listed as the whim took me.

Alan Hovhaness is a prolific modern composer with a very unique touch. He likes mountains, he really likes mountains. One of my favorites is his Symphony No. 50 "Mount St. Helens" Op. 360. It's a tremendous, ground shaking work, with a surprise tucked into the middle -- the movement entitled Spirit Lake, which is beautiful, haunting and may just break your heart. The complete review is here. Gerard Schwartz and the Seattle Symphony Orchestra are providing the best interpetations of Hovhaness's work today.

Mention Josef and Johann Strauss, and the first thing that comes to mind is the waltz. Indeed, the entire family wrote dance music for the nineteenth century, and their sumptuous bon-bons are morsels of romantic pleasure. Erich Kunzel and Cincinnati Pops have fun with the waltzes, polkas and marches by tossing in some very interesting sound effects. In this cd, I get to hear several of my favorites --
Emperor's Waltz -- Kaiser Waltzer Op. 437, Music of the Spheres Waltz -- Spharenklange Waltzer Op. 235 and Wine, Woman and Song Waltz -- Wein, Welb und Gesang Waltzer Op. 333. For the complete review, click here.

If I'm thinking of Vienna, then I surely can't forget Gustav Mahler. My favorite symphony of his is the Symphony No. 1, the "Titan" and my current favorite recording is the one by Pierre Boulez and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. While Mahler's first symphony may lack the sophistication and subtle overtones of his later symphonies, this one isn't shabby at all. For the complete review, click here.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was one of the giants, producing more than 600 works in his brief life -- he only lived to his early thirties. Besides his operas, among my favorite pieces are Serenade in Bb "Gran Partita", the clarinet concertos and quintets, the Piano concerti, and his wonderful Jupiter Symphony. One good way of discovering what you might like is to take a listen to the soundtrack of the film Amadeus, where Mozart's works are used as the background to the film.

Tchaikovsky may be best known for his ballets, but his symphonies aren't any slouches either. Niether is his Violin Concerto. Try out the Heifetz or Bell recordings for a start.

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was one of the 'Mighty Hand', five Russian composers that helped to shape the distinctly Russian sound and feel. His Scheherazade is a joy to listen to, and a perpetual favorite of mine, especially with Sir Charles Mackerras and the London Symphony Orchestra to lead the way.

Three twentieth century Russian composers, Sergei Prokofiev, Sergei Rachmaninov, and Aram Khachiturian are favorites. How can you possibly not fall in love with Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet? Or Aram Khachiturian's Adagio from the ballet Spartacus? Then there are Rachmaninov's Piano Concerti; find the ones with Martha Aregerich performing and I doubt that you will be disappointed.

Of course I can't go on yakking about classical music without mentioning Opera. Among my favorites are Rikard Strauss's harrowing Salome and the exquisite Der Rosenkavalier -- try to find the recording with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa as Die Marchallin.

And Mozart's operas, The Magic Flute -- a superb collection of voices, including Te Kanawa, Ramey, and Studer, Don Giovanni and The Marriage of Figaro are also favorites of mine.

I've only scratched the surface here, but these recordings were among my earliest exposures to classical music. There are thousands of recordings out there, enough to satisfy anyone, and provide hours of delight.

To see other reviews on this topic, go to CaptainD's original invitation.

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