Razor's Thread of Symphony Lovin'

[Razor]

Come on, you guys. We have hip-hop, we have screamo and punk. Where is the love for symphonies? You know, those ancient compositions from the times of Beethoven that were the great-great-great-grandfathers of anything you love today.

I have always been in love with the merging of so many parts into a coherent musical tune. Anyone who can get multiple pieces to work as one in a way that still transfixes audiences hundreds of years later is worthy of at least a thread in the Music Section of Wrestlezone Forums.

Maybe it's the flawed idea that only uppity, rich, old people like symphonies. I dunno. But I'm going to work towards changing that idea with this thread. I'll probably end up becoming a post ****e that Xfear needs to carpet bomb with infractions, but it's for a bigger idea, dammit.

So. I'm going to start everyone off with a relatively famous symphony master. Beethoven.

Beethoven is regarded as one of the most influential composers of Western Classical music. His compositional career can be broken apart into three different periods; Early, Middle, and Late.

The Early period had Beethoven being strongly influenced Mozart. He wrote many different pieces; including piano sonatas and concertos, six string quartets, and his first and second symphonies.

Beethoven's 2nd Symphony
[youtube]CZTNoYugUWQ[/youtube]​

Now onto Beethoven's Middle, or Heroic, period. Beethoven went all deaf during this period, but he was probably one of those 1 in 2000 people that have perfect pitch. At any rate, he conducted many large scale works that depict struggle. That makes sense, considering he's fucking going deaf while he's writing them.

At any rate, he writes Symphonies 3-8 during this period, along with his last three piano concertos, his Triple and Violin concerto, String Concertos number 7-11, several piano sonatas, the Kreutzer violin sonata, and his only Opera; Fidelio. His Midnight sonata is one of the most famous pieces written by Beethoven.

Beethoven's Midnight Sonata
[youtube]vQVeaIHWWck[/youtube]​

Now on to his period known as Beethoven's Late period. His works from this period are known for a highly personal expression, their depth, and the innovations through out his works.

He wrote his Ninth Symphony, his last three piano sonatas, the last quartets, and the Diabelli Variations during this period.

Beethoven's Ninth Symphony
[youtube]YAOTCtW9v0M[/youtube]​

So. How do you feel about Beethoven? Any artists you think deserve some love from the Razorback next go around? Stake your claim.

 

[Spaceman Spif]

Beethoven is wonderful and perhaps my favorite clasical composer, his symphonies are amzinf and beautiful. However one can not forget about another amazing composer...

Johann Sebastian Bach.

Granted his music was technical not clasical perse, as it was before that period and was in a sense the start of the Baroque music period. Well not really the start, but he brought it into mainstream if you will. What's funny though it wasn't actual until the 19th century when he was regarded as one of the greatest composers. I mean just take a listen.

[youtube]L9reoUinXgA[/youtube]

I mean that's beautiful and more can be found on You Tube. I would type more, but that's really all I can think of right now, it's late and I'd have refresh my memory with some research, but you gotta show Back some love.

 

[Razor]

Bach! So be it. Can't believe I let this thread die down to the 2nd page. /shame


Johann Sebastian Bach was a German Composer who wrote both secular and religious works. He has written pieces, and his works include the Brandenburg concertos, the Goldberg Variations, the Partitas, the Well-Tempered Clavier, the Mass in B Minor, the St. Matthew Passion, the St. John Passion, the Magnificat, The Musical Offering, The Art of Fugue, the English Suites, the French Suites, the Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin, the Cello Suites, more than 200 surviving cantatas and organ pieces, including the celebrated Toccata and Fugue in D minor and Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor.

I won't type out much more than that. The man's a powerhouse of composing. I'll just leave you a few works to mull over.

Backhaus plays Bach - The Well Tempered Clavier I, Prelude & Fugue in C sharp major
[youtube]f_C4P0RMpWk[/youtube]
Bach - Magnificat - 01 - Magnificat
[youtube]Bo1x-62WmrI[/youtube]
Vanessa-Mae plays Toccata & Fugue
[youtube]Hg8Fa_EUQqY[/youtube]​

I especially like the acoustic violin taking on Toccata & Fugue. It's quite masterful.

 

[The Legendary 23]

The amount of work that Bach created is a wonder of human ability. He was spitting out new pieces every week when he was composing for weekly church services every Sunday. In his lifetime he created an awe-inspiring amount of work. Few men in history can say that they have put that much effort into not just music, but anything. Even though he was pressed to create ever-changing pieces and having to endure such monotony on a week to week basis, Bach's work did not lose their luster as he kept composing. All of his pieces retain his genius and ability to create beautiful compositions. The funny thing is, this was during Bach's low point in his career (in regards to popularity).

I remember a quote in regards to listening to Bach, saying "It sounds like listening to the human mind." When you achieve that level of composition, you sir a legend among legends, and Bach is thus personally my favorite classical artist.

 

[Nitafrong]

How exactly wide is the definition of this thread? Is it simply symphonies or can classical music also be considered? If so can modern classical also be considered? If so......

Don't mean to hijack this thread or anything but when I see fans of this style of music I thought I might add in two modern musicians. They are actually both touring, so you might actually get the chance to see them alive. Strangely enough they are both Icelandic, I found them through my love of Sigur Ros, and strangely enough watching Screen Burn (a tv review program which had one of the songs in the background). Anyways, I don't mean to interrupt Razor here anything- just as I say one of these guys could be playing near you now.....

Anyway the first of these guys is a young musical prodigy called Ólafur Arnalds. He has one full album out, as well as seven songs which he released on the internet for free. (Be careful if you are looking him up on Spotify- they have an album by an artist of the same name there and its nothing as good. The good Ólafur's album is called Eulogy for Evolution) It’s mostly a mix of piano and strings, but the album is a really good powerful piece and moves with a subtle grace and yet a driving force from song to song. The last song has a bit of a modern shock as well, especially when you have been lulled by the music so far. Unfortunately the free songs, while good, aren't as good as this album. Defiantly give it a chance if you have a free thirty minutes.

The other artist is Johann Johannsson who is a little bit older, and a little bit more prolific and has done work with a number of other Icelandic musicians. He has three albums out at the moment, but its the latter two that I really like. The first of these which I heard is called IBM 1401, A users manual (yes you read that right.... The second song actually has some readings from the users manual- what will these crazy composers do next eh?) The first song was the one that I had heard on the soundtrack to screen burn- under lying the whole song is a slightly malevolent keyboard (at least I think it is) refrain over which the strings are played. It gives the song a poignant, desperate feeling as if the strings are trying to fight up from a quarry of misery and hopelessness and is one of the key songs on the album (it unfortunately only has 5). The second song as I say is a bit strange- with the readings from the manual, but defiantly give this a listen, if you have time. His other album which I would advise, Florlandia- is more symphony like (I think anyway) and has some great songs too and is generally longer.

Anyways I would add videos and pictures but I don't really know how, so I am relying on you guys to have some gumption and to go out and find these guys for yourselves. Anyways to apologise and keep the thread running- what about Tchaikovsky? I know some of his bits can be a bit fiddly but they can be a lot of fun to listen to