What are your favourite classical music pieces?

[Dave-W]

Ever heard Christopher Simpson's Four Seasons? It predates Vivaldi by almost a century.

Could not find an example, but he also did a cycle of all 12 months. Here is August:

 

[Caminator]

I really like that. I should try to find the CD somewhere.

Another Four Seasons I have is by Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg. I recommend Neville Marriner.

Edit: I just found a CD with Vivaldi and Simpson. I might buy that, but I'd prefer a North American seller.
I just ordered the Vivaldi-Simpson combination set, used, from Amazon.com. Thank you for the recommendation.

I put on Classical and my wife's head spins. "You go from heavy metal to classical!?! I don't understand you!"

 

[Jadis40]

Any of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos too.

This one is a personal fave:

 

[Jadis40]

This one too:

 

[Dave-W]

I put on Classical and my wife's head spins. "You go from heavy metal to classical!?! I don't understand you!"

LOL!!! My love of baroque and classical came from my love of heavy rock music. The organist of Iron Butterfly (Doug Ingle) was heavily influenced by Bach keyboard pieces, and Kieth Emerson of Emerson Lake and Palmer by later classical keyboard composers.

 

[Dave-W]

Here are a couple from Yes keyboard player Rick Wakeman:

Listening to the "Six Wives" track reminded me to tell you I first saw this live during that tour, but this is a rather edited (shortened) version. Wakeman was the only one on stage and had all his keys around him in a half circle. He would sometimes be playing 2 or 3 instruments at a time (2 hands on different keyboards and foot on the pedals of the organ) In the very end of the piece, he started hitting one of his Melotrons, and fog started billowing out of it. (the dry ice kind that hung close to the floor) When the entire stage was lost in a fog bank, the siren started and a police flashing light lifted up. Then they started huge fans and blew the fog away to reveal the whole band back on stage (the big applause on the recording) and they started playing "Roundabout."

 

[Caminator]

I'm sorry to change the subject, but I have a lot of really good books, and you just reminded me of one of them:

Okay, back to classical music...LOL!

 

[Dave-W]

THAT is too funny!!!

BTW - did you know that Hank #8 was also a musician - and a composer?

http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/cds/cha0621.htm

 

[Jadis40]

I really like that. I should try to find the CD somewhere.


I put on Classical and my wife's head spins. "You go from heavy metal to classical!?! I don't understand you!"

I'm not married, but on some level I can completely relate to this. I started out with a love and appreciation for classical music because of the Looney Tunes on Saturday mornings when I was younger. So I can listen to a wide variety of genres in a span of 30 minutes or so. Start out listening to Bach and end up listening to Dream Theater.

I like trance quite a bit too. There's another genre that has a number of subgenres too.

On to classical again. I had forgotten about this piece:

 

[jayem]

Jethro Tull did a Rock/Baroque fusion instrumental back in the late 60s. It's based on a piece by Bach. Jazzy and very cool.

 

[Dave-W]

Yeah - Love that Tull piece. There were a lot of (mostly Brit) Progressive Rock groups that had a LOT of classical influence and inclusion.

Genesis
Yes
Moody Blues
Emerson Lake and Palmer
Jethro Tull
John Lord (from Deep Purple)

 

[Caminator]

Yeah - Love that Tull piece. There were a lot of (mostly Brit) Progressive Rock groups that had a LOT of classical influence and inclusion.

Genesis
Yes
Moody Blues
Emerson Lake and Palmer
Jethro Tull
John Lord (from Deep Purple)

I wish I could say that I was a fan of early Genesis, but I've heard the Wind and Wuthering CD!