Beethoven was a bloody Genius.

[oddabe19]

Get Beethoven's Symphony #9. Listen to it... loudly. You'll see what i mean.

Sorry, it's the music major in me kicking in. :-D :-D :-D :lol:

[bored2k]

Yes he was. Maynard James Keenan is another musical genius, as well as Bono ;) .

Also get
Coolio - See You When You Get There for some "gansgta classic mix" . .

[TravisNewman]

*shudder* Pachelbel is turning in his grave because of See You When I Get There.

But yes, Beethoven WAS a bloody genius. Personally, Tchaikovsky is one of my favorites.

[oddabe19]

Yes he was. Maynard James Keenan is another musical genius, as well as Bono ;) .

Also get
Coolio - See You When You Get There for some "gansgta classic mix" . .
uh... huh... right... sure.... :-P

not one for rap... and rap is only classical in Futurama. :-P

[TravisNewman]

I like "some" rap. Outkast, Black Eyed Peas-- basically rap that has a lot of musical integrity. It's not just a hook and some lyrics, it's SO intense and musical.

[bored2k]

uh... huh... right... sure.... :-P

not one for rap... and rap is only classical in Futurama. :-P
LOL

I know some graves will start shaking mad but , Maynard is a genius .. he may not be Bethoven [at all] or Garth Brooks [joking! lol], but he's good ..

boy am I getting flamed for that .. I'll give it 5 minutes before someone starts screaming @ me lol

[bored2k]

I like "some" rap. Outkast, Black Eyed Peas-- basically rap that has a lot of musical integrity. It's not just a hook and some lyrics, it's SO intense and musical.

The Peas are closer to hip-hop/pop than rap ;) . Outkast is real rap though [just listen to their Bombs Over Baghdad track]. I'd get into it but its just not right to mention certain rap names in a Beethoven thread LOL . :-P

[morethannoise]

I've never been schooled in music, but I've always been fond of listening to Mozart, Haydn and Vivaldi when in the mood for classical music.

[TravisNewman]

Well, yes, hip-hop and ram are almost synonymous at times.

But Maynard who? Ferguson? If so, yes I agree.

[bored2k]

Well, yes, hip-hop and ram are almost synonymous at times.

But Maynard who? Ferguson? If so, yes I agree.
maynard james keenan
the man behind http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/tool/artist.jhtml and http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/perfect_circle/artist.jhtml and collaborations with industrial creator trent reznor .

If you don't know him its ok to say hes no one, but the dude creates his music based on astronomy and weird messed up things .

[TravisNewman]

OH THAT Maynard. Yes, he's amazing. Tool rocks hard. I was disappointed with Perfect Circle though. Undertow is one of the best albums ever.

[mark]

Yes, he was. Beethoven went through hell to leave us with waht he did. Can you imagine, forging the magnificent pieces of his later life and not being able to hear?

However, I would like to strike a blow for other classical music at this point, and quote an email to my brother:
I have looked for expression of "myself" from music for years. I looked to lyrical works (Dylan, Lightfoot, etc.) and then I looked to the "classical" repertoire, in those composers I felt might come close - Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, etc. - and some of them did come close, although all fell short of the mark...

And then...and then, I discovered Sir Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations. Much as I have admired certain English composers, I'd always felt their works were better fit for coronations, processionals, etc. - not "serious" works at all. The first time I heard Elgar's Enigma, I thought it was a "nice piece of music". But there was one part of it that caught my attention - and, after buying several interpretations (including Sir Yehudi Menuhin's!), I've found it. It's that Naxos recording I mentioned, Scott, on the drive we took earlier this year. The Czechoslovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava), directed by Adrian Leaper, in a recording made in 1989.

The ninth track (Adagio) says it all. It speaks of striving, yearning, hoping, success and failure - and rest. It is, right now, for me, the perfect piece of music. I literally cannot listen to this piece with a dry eye. This may change in the future, but I've gotta think that Enigma will maintain a very warm & emotional spot in my heart. I still stand by this quote. Tchaikovsky's Pathetique (the 6th symphony) notwithstanding, this may be the most moving piece of music I have ever heard.

[TravisNewman]

Vivaldi, for the most part, I don't care for. It's all so trite and overdone (and redone, and redone), but there's one composition of his that I think may be the best piece of music ever written. Most moving, most energetic, most complex, most accessible. It's just perfect. Thing is, it's one of his least known, and I heard it once, on NPR on the way to work, and I didn't write down the title, so I'm screwed.

[oddabe19]

Yes, he was. Beethoven went through hell to leave us with waht he did. Can you imagine, forging the magnificent pieces of his later life and not being able to hear?

However, I would like to strike a blow for other classical music at this point, and quote an email to my brother: I still stand by this quote. Tchaikovsky's Pathetique (the 6th symphony) notwithstanding, this may be the most moving piece of music I have ever heard.
Actually, if beethoven were alive today, he'd be able to hear... (through hearing aids and what not)... but back then... yeah... it was amazing he did what he did.

Vivaldi, mozart... yes, two more geniuses.... two more composers who i can't get enough of....

[TravisNewman]

Mozart is very motivating music. I have a cd "Mozart for Monday Mornings" and lemme tell you, it works.

One composer I do NOT care for: Bach. Too much. I'm not a fan of Baroque music anyway. It's like they wanted everyone to solo at the same time. Too too much.

[bored2k]

Ill have to borrow some of my dad's huge classic collection to be able to understand what you people are saying :-$ ... starting with Mozart .

[gylf]

One composer I do NOT care for: Bach. Too much. I'm not a fan of Baroque music anyway. It's like they wanted everyone to solo at the same time. Too too much.
toccata and fugue in D minor? The Brandenburg Concertos? All wonderful IMHO :)

But we're in agreement on Tchaikovsky. My favorite composer.

I'm happy to see so many classical music fans here :) As a side note to anyone who's interested:
just recently I went on a search to find a good legal (and inexpensive) way to obtain classical music. Unfortunatly, all the new MP3 sites offer a rather limited collection...
So I've settled for http://www.publicradiofan.com/
Though most sites (due to RIAA restrictions) cannot display the upcoming playlists on their websites, this one seems to do it and has some great 24/7 music:
http://theclassicalstation.org
If anyone out there knows of any cheap (and legal) ways of obtaining the classics, I would VERY interested to hear about it!

[TravisNewman]

You'd think that it'd be public domain at this point wouldn't you? I'm checking out those 2 sites though.

Aaahhh I was hoping for downloads, but just streams... ah well.
One thing about my Creative Nomad-- it came with a lot of Classical music, performed by (I think) the Beijing Symphony Orchestra. Good stuff.

[gylf]

Aaahhh I was hoping for downloads, but just streams... ah well.
One thing about my Creative Nomad-- it came with a lot of Classical music, performed by (I think) the Beijing Symphony Orchestra. Good stuff.

Yeah just streams, but it's all I've got at this point. I was trying to stay away from usenet and clean up my act... Ubuntu made software no problem. Unfortunatly MP3s aren't going to be so easy it seems... If I have to go another month without some quality Tchaikovsky music I have a feeling I'm going to be finding myself back on usenet ... and of course Comcast has just upp'd me to 4MB down so the temptation is even greater :cry:

[TravisNewman]

Why not Limewire? Usenet is very cumbersome.

I'm not encouraging piracy-- I truly believe that these songs are public domain.

Speaking of cumbersome, this site is:
http://www.classicalarchives.com/
but it does have some mp3s. They're indexed by performer though, and the search is less than perfect.

For sheet music:
http://www.mutopiaproject.org/

For other texts (just FYI, kinda off topic):
http://www.gutenberg.org/

More classical mp3s, much better interface:
http://www.classiccat.net/
Bottom of this page: http://hebb.mit.edu/FreeMusic/

You can thank me later ;)

[gylf]

Its been a very long time since I've used any P2P, but Usenet is greater then any P2P I've ever seen. Usenet is always the entire album, first of all. Second you can repair the downloads with Par2s. Third, its way faster (I always hit my connection's cap from my news server). True, its not as "on demand" as P2P... but if your patient, at some point what you want will get posted.

As far as cumbersome: www.newzbin.com
download the .nzb file, open it with a usenet client and it does the rest.

EDIT: as for the public domain issue: I agree, the music is public domain. If I was just looking for the sheet music I'd have no problem. Unfortunatly its the artist's performance of the music that I'm after :)


Why not Limewire? Usenet is very cumbersome.

I'm not encouraging piracy-- I truly believe that these songs are public domain.

[TravisNewman]

gylf- check the post before your last one-- I updated it with creative commons licensed classical performances-- I haven't checked the quality yet.

[ncappel1]

If anyone is interested in more contemporary music, Leo Brouwer is a good listen. He is my favorite composer right now, I am working on an essay/thesis about him. I also am doing a project of his solo guitar stuff. Stay tuned for that! It will be very exciting for the guitar world (hopefully)

[chimera]

From classic music, my favourites ar Bizet and Wagner. Other than classic, I mostly listen to "background music" - industrial, techno

[ComplexNumber]

i like a lot of classical. bach, chopin, pachelbel, etc. one of my faves is by samual barber - adaggio for strings(the theme to elephant man).

[drucer]

I'm a classical guitarist myself. My favorite classical musician at the moment is Niccolo Paganini though I like many others as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganini

His 24 caprices for solo violin, Op.1 is amazing composition - especially No. 5 in A minor.

[drucer]

Wow, thanks Panickedthumb for awesome classical music links!

[mrgnash]

Yes he was. Maynard James Keenan is another musical genius, as well as Bono ;) .

Also get
Coolio - See You When You Get There for some "gansgta classic mix" . .

Ugh... mentioning MJK and Bono in the same breath as Beethoven :( Bono may be a passable pop songwriter, and MJK's work... is ok for metal, But their music doesn't have anywhere near the complexity or diversity of any of the great classical composers. Hell, even in their own approximate milieu they can't hold a candle to Fleetwood Mac, Paul Simon, Mark Knopfler, Tommy Emmanuel, Paco De Lucia, Chet Atkins, Stevie Ray Vaughn, etc. etc. -- just to name a few. To take it a step further again, pop singers like Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey blow them away vocally, so where does that leave them? A long way down from Beethoven, that's where :P

[Lux Perpetua]

Beethoven is great. I have the complete piano sonatas (2 complete sets). That is some great music, even the lesser-known ones. (I'm surprised Opus 90 isn't more popular.)

Also, no Beethoven fan should go without appreciating the string quartet Opus 130/133 (in its original form).

[WelterPelter]

I worship Beethoven's 9th. His best (long) work, and with lyrics by Schiller besides!

[fuscia]

i'd look at the late quartets and the op.111 as better evidence. while the 9th is one of the great works of all time, there is some seriously retarded vocal writing in the fourth movement (who knows? maybe that's genius).

what can i say? i've always felt sorry for his nephew.

[dinub1]

I like both Beethoven and Tchaykovski. I think they are my favourite composers :)

[l0c0dantes]

This thread needs more motzart.

Perverted lil musical geniues that die before they are 30 need more respect

[KnightWhoSaysNi]

Schubert beats Mozart in the premature death stakes. At least he got to be buried next to Beethoven.

[fuscia]

tchaikovsky slept with sheep.

[benplaut]

last movement of Jupiter Symphony

'nuff said

<edit>
forgot to mention, that's mozart

[Perfect Storm]

Aye, Beethoven is my favorite when it comes to classical music. (Because I can also play many of his sonata's on piano :) )

My top 5 list will looks like something like this:

1. Beethoven
2. Tchaikovsky
3. Mozart
4. Wagner
5. Peer Gynt

[darkmatter]

Mussorgsky ROCKS! :p

*me headbangs*

[Lux Perpetua]

the op.111Exactly. :-) It's almost hard to believe he was planning to write more piano sonatas after that.

[ncappel1]

Hoslt's "Palents" suite?

edit: Especially "mercury" I just love that lydian sound!

[ncappel1]

And who can foget about Stravinsky!? Rite of Spring, the Firebird, holy crap-the Octet, Symphony of Psalms....I am getting excited just thinking of these things.


I almost forgot Bartok! Music for strings percussion and celesta, the gems in the mikrokosmos,.

Have I ever mentioned Leo Brouwer and basically everything he has ever written? The black decameron, all the guitar concertos (especially concierto de Toronto), elogio de la danza, the list is too long.

Also, We can't forget Leo brouwer.

[henriquemaia]

During a long, long time, I have heard Beethoven's symphonies. I find them great. But a few weeks ago a gave a try on his quartets and after listening to whole set a dozen times (to mature the musical ideas, to really know it) I'm convinced that the real Beethoven lies on his quartets.

Just a thought.

Beethoven was a bloody genius, yes he were.

[bluevoodoo1]

Hey ncappel1 I'm a classical gutiarist too, not too far from you!

Beethoven's 3rd symphony! C# in Eb major. Genius. Gotta love the false recap too.

Mozart/Haydn are rather boring. Schubert is better... but Schumann, ah such torment. JS Bach's keyboard works reign supreme (goldberg variations / keyboard toccatas). But, really, for tonal non-guitar music I prefer Scriabin (piano sonatas / symphony #2) over Beeth, though he's a bit later into the "romantic" period--very rhythmic with dense harmonies.

OH, and listen to Glenn Gould playing JS Bach. Your life will be changed.

[fuscia]

Beethoven's 3rd symphony! C# in Eb major. Genius. Gotta love the false recap too.

needs more cowbell.

[Master Shake]

The only classical I really like is Beethoven, some BAch, and I REALLY love Ferde Grofe's "Grand Canyon Suite"

[equal]

You'd think that it'd be public domain at this point wouldn't you?

The compositions are, it's the performances that aren't.

[bluevoodoo1]

The compositions are, it's the performances that aren't.


That is correct. 75 years after the composer's death the work become public domain. I can't remember exact specifications for recordings, it's trickier.

[ex00r]

I would never dare to say beethoven was no genuis, but as beethoven lived, the people around him forgot that there were other geniuses out there. Beethoven had simply no competiton, only mozart.

But anyway, i don't like much the "Wiener Klassik"-epoch. I prefere the romantic. Especially composers like Schumann or Schubert with their lied.

You also ought to check out "Gustav Mahler", less famous but a genius as well. He wrote superb symphonies, but i like his "lieder" more. "Das Lied der Erde" or "Kindertotenlieder" and last but not least "Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen". I always melt away if i listen to his music.

After all, "Wagner" is still my favourite composer. "Der Ring des Nibelung" is simply the greatest masterpiece ever.

[fuscia]

I would never dare to say beethoven was no genuis, but as beethoven lived, the people around him forgot that there were other geniuses out there. Beethoven had simply no competiton, only mozart.

and haydn and schubert and rossini...

[vicks]

schubert's death and the maiden quartet (der tod und das mädschen) is a great example of his melody-wizardry (say that three times fast). Mahler did an arrangement for string orchestra wich is also great (if played well).

[henriquemaia]

I would never dare to say beethoven was no genuis, but as beethoven lived, the people around him forgot that there were other geniuses out there. Beethoven had simply no competiton, only mozart.

[...]

That's not correct. Schubert, Rossini, Czerny and even Haydn were Beethoven's contemporaries.

[Vidar]

Im surprised nobody has mentioned Magnatune, it's a great source for classical music as well as a lot of nice independent material. Plus, they are not evil.

http://magnatune.com/

[RavenOfOdin]

I CANNOT believe anyone would put rap in the same thread, let alone the same thought process, as classical music.

Beethoven was a great performer, and he will most likely continue to be so.

I have a soft spot for Mozart's Requiem as well, and a few works by Chopin, namely "Funeral March."

[fuscia]

Beethoven was a great performer, and he will most likely continue to be so.

through the miracle of cryogenics.

[RavenOfOdin]

through the miracle of cryogenics.

That's not exactly what I meant. :p

[fuscia]

That's not exactly what I meant. :p

what did you mean? i completely missed it.

[RavenOfOdin]

what did you mean? i completely missed it.

And he will continue to be, even though he's dead.

[Spacecaptain]

I love Debussy and Eric Satie.

Mike Patton is the most underrated musical genious of our times, I say!

[henriquemaia]

And he will continue to be, even though he's dead.

A performer?

He was a great performer on his days standards, but not as today, probably.