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GMC Forum _ CHILL OUT _ Who's Your Favorite Classical Composer?
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jun 11 2013, 08:17 AM
I accidentally stumbled over a very nice collection of Vivaldi's greatest 'hits' and I thought I might ask you guys who is it that inspires you when it comes down to classical music 
I for one love Vivaldi's works, simply because they are very melodic, he can really set up an atmosphere and the phrasing is very fresh - it doesn't have that sort of vibe that would automatically take your mind towards Yngwie Malmsteen somehow 
I also think that even picking up little snipets/phrases out of these works can greatly increase your technical level of execution and your vocabulary as well.
So, who's your favorite and why?
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 11 2013, 01:55 PM
This is a very difficult question!! I enjoy each one of the big masters from Baroque to Impressionists: Bach, Paganini, Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven and even Debussy. I couldn't choose one because they are very different for me.
Posted by: klasaine Jun 11 2013, 02:01 PM
If I 'had' to pick one ... Beethoven.
*I think Mozart is perfect and perhaps the only musician actually touched by god but in Beethoven, I hear the struggle.
Posted by: vonhotch Jun 11 2013, 02:07 PM
I'm not really very knowledgable about classical, but I do like some of the obvious famously known classical pieces. Mostly from Bugs Bunny cartoons I think. I guess I find myself drawn to Beethoven pieces as much as any.
Posted by: PosterBoy Jun 11 2013, 05:38 PM
I'm going to say Bach, I was told some stuff about him recently which makes me want to read a book of his life. He had an amazing work ethic.
Posted by: jstcrsn Jun 11 2013, 06:13 PM
I studied classical piano for a while , and when you here some of the circumstances that these were written under and pair that with the feeling of the song . It is much easier to understand classical. That being said, this is my favorite
Chopin wrote this as invading armies captured the city where his parents lived. He did not know if they lived or not.
Listen to this song as if you just found out that same plight happened to you
(of course if you don't like your parents, it won't have the same effect.
of course everybody knows this one
Posted by: leonard478 Jun 11 2013, 08:34 PM
Chopin, Handel, Bach (always number 1 for me ), and Debussy, absolutely love his sense of melody, but i'll be honest i really havent explored classical music as much as i should 
I for one love Vivaldi's works, simply because they are very melodic, he can really set up an atmosphere and the phrasing is very fresh - it doesn't have that sort of vibe that would automatically take your mind towards Yngwie Malmsteen somehow
I also think that even picking up little snipets/phrases out of these works can greatly increase your technical level of execution and your vocabulary as well.
So, who's your favorite and why?
a goal of mine is to transcribe that violin solo starting at 3:11, unfotunately time constraints and well..patience for it , are lacking at the moment
but its eerily beautifulPosted by: David.C.Bond Jun 11 2013, 09:49 PM
Shostakovich has always been my favourite composer. Also like Stravinsky, Wagner and Beethoven!
Posted by: Mertay Jun 11 2013, 10:41 PM
I advise Ravel's piano works...he's the guy who invertend powerchords
Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 12 2013, 12:35 AM
I just can't resist throwing in a little PAGANINI!!!
Just to illustrate the POWER OF PRACTICE here is a 12 Year Old Girl RIPPING IT UP!!!!
Posted by: leonard478 Jun 12 2013, 12:44 AM
oh my god that was beautfiul thanks Todd!
Just to illustrate the POWER OF PRACTICE here is a 12 Year Old Girl RIPPING IT UP!!!!
Posted by: Patrik Berg Jun 12 2013, 01:51 AM
Just to illustrate the POWER OF PRACTICE here is a 12 Year Old Girl RIPPING IT UP!!!!
Wow that was amazing, I love the harmonics at 5:47, I didn't even know they could do that on violin
Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 12 2013, 05:06 AM
Speaking of classical bits, how about this for a good example of a STREEEEEEEETTTCCCCHHH in context. Here is a great classical guitar gal named ANA VIDOVIC. Playing PAGANINI of course Check the stretch on this gal. The full vid is included. Great playing, great composer.
Youtube vid
Nice eh?
About 5:05 in to the vid, she does my fav scale inversion that I ripped off the first time I heard this piece and use quite often in video chat lessons!! She also does some Pedal Point stuff that I borrowed as well from Mr. P. These are common classical bits of course, but until I heard them in Paganini they never jumped out at me. For some reason, a lot of his stuff seems to translate to lead playing. Mr. Malmsteen used to take bits whole cloth from the pagster. He finally started admitting to it in interviews but for while he was like "it's all me I have no influences" heheheh.
Impressive eh? The harmonics, the lead runs, the arpeggios, she really is impressive. Paganini has lots of bits like this in his music which is what makes his stuff so cool IMHO
Sort of a Baroque Metal Head Lead composer
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jun 12 2013, 08:19 AM
*I think Mozart is perfect and perhaps the only musician actually touched by god but in Beethoven, I hear the struggle.
Oh, most definitely - Mozart is bright and happy while in Beethoven's music you can feel the darkness and heavy atmosphere!
I guess I find myself drawn to Beethoven pieces as much as any.See, in the past cartoons were a source of learning - proof? You know about classical music from watching cartoons
I had no idea - can you tell me more?
Check the stretch on this gal. The full vid is included. Great playing, great composer.Youtube vid
Nice eh?
About 5:05 in to the vid, she does my fav scale inversion that I ripped off the first time I heard this piece and use quite often in video chat lessons!! She also does some Pedal Point stuff that I borrowed as well from Mr. P. These are common classical bits of course, but until I heard them in Paganini they never jumped out at me. For some reason, a lot of his stuff seems to translate to lead playing. Mr. Malmsteen used to take bits whole cloth from the pagster. He finally started admitting to it in interviews but for while he was like "it's all me I have no influences" heheheh.
Impressive eh? The harmonics, the lead runs, the arpeggios, she really is impressive. Paganini has lots of bits like this in his music which is what makes his stuff so cool IMHO
Sort of a Baroque Metal Head Lead composer Indeed, Paganini had the soul of a metalhead rockstar a long time before metalheads ever existed. I told this myself a long time ago - did you know he was THAT good that he could perform the same piece on one string after the others broke? It was depicted in a movie as well:
'One memorable scene shows Paganini's adversaries sabotaging his violin before a high-profile performance, causing all strings but one to break during the concert. An undeterred Paganini continues to perform on three, two, and finally on a single string. In actuality, Paganini occasionally broke strings during a performance on purpose so he could further display his virtuosity.'
Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 12 2013, 10:46 AM
Now that is flat out Impressive!!! We do a lot of single string work in vid chats, spreading a scale out over the neck on one string then doing the same scale (Natural Minor for example) in a 3 note per string scale shape. But playing one of his pieces on one string? Borderline inhuman!
I started working on crazy stretches during some classical lessons and we have been having fun with those too lately in chat. I think I May have pushed it a bit far actually in the last chat or two.
BTW Great Thread Cos!!!!!
Indeed, Paganini had the soul of a metalhead rockstar a long time before metalheads ever existed. I told this myself a long time ago - did you know he was THAT good that he could perform the same piece on one string after the others broke? It was depicted in a movie as well:
'One memorable scene shows Paganini's adversaries sabotaging his violin before a high-profile performance, causing all strings but one to break during the concert. An undeterred Paganini continues to perform on three, two, and finally on a single string. In actuality, Paganini occasionally broke strings during a performance on purpose so he could further display his virtuosity.'
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jun 12 2013, 10:51 AM
Thanks Todd Glad you're enjoying it! i should definitely find some time to join you guys when it comes down to classical stuff
Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 15 2013, 05:10 AM
We do "quasi classical" or "Semi Classical" bits in chat Nothing too formal of course. Mostly me pulling from from my old instructor when I was learning nylon string stuff. As I've seen from your playing, you've got quite a bit of that influence as well!
Todd
Glad you're enjoying it! i should definitely find some time to join you guys when it comes down to classical stuff Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jun 15 2013, 12:35 PM
Well, influence might be the right and real word - I have never formally studied classical music, but I only jumped straight into the 'Mozart Rocks!' style orchestrations, so that actually allowed my ear to dictate what sounded good or bad over the compositions of the greats.
For me it's mostly a combination between renditions of the great pieces with little orchestration snippets and phrasing of my own
Posted by: Mertay Jun 15 2013, 12:50 PM
In classical harmony (until Ravel) it was considered a very "weak" effect when using perfect 5th's like in metal we use today. So you can't hear such harmonic (or interval) movement before Ravel.
I can't remember the songs name but I do remember it was for only piano. He used it somewhere in the song and it was "accepted"...though keep in mind many musical aesthetic rules were broken in classical music at and after his era
Posted by: Spock Jun 15 2013, 01:08 PM
Just to illustrate the POWER OF PRACTICE here is a 12 Year Old Girl RIPPING IT UP!!!!
I'm with you on that. When I was an art student in college, I use to paint/draw by candle light with either Mozart or Paganini playing. There were some other big names too I listened to, but those were my go-tos. Other then that, I really don't have much knowledge of classical.
Eventually, I started getting into weird world/space/new age music - it gave me the same inner peace feeling. Stuff like Loreena McKennet, Onya and weird artists that made ambient background sounds/music.
I still listen to that stuff at work streaming on iTunes - I like the creativity it induces as well as the sense of well being. I keep my office dark, have a little ball that filters water over rocks, and play that stuff still today.
Posted by: deeaa Jun 16 2013, 08:31 AM
Dvorak.
I don't really know much classical any more. When I was a kid all I ever heard and listened to was classical, save for occasional jazz and stuff like Ella Fizgerald, Roger Miller, maybe some swing or Motown. But Dvorak was always my fave...I currently only have two classical albums, Dvorak and Bach...hardly ever listen. I found rock and heavy in my teens and forgot about classical.
Posted by: TeoWulf Jun 16 2013, 07:58 PM
Tough question for sure.
Wagner is definetly one of my fave composers.
The other one may be Jeremy Soule
Seriously this theme is like the Iron Man of classical music. Also he's coming up with a symphony sometime around September
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/499808045/from-the-composer-of-skyrim-soule-symphony-no-1
Posted by: MonkeyDAthos Jun 16 2013, 08:48 PM
Oh man Morrowind OST sure it's amazing
Mine would be probably
and of course the classic "La folia", Variations of the theme by Corilli
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jun 16 2013, 08:59 PM
Uh oh - at Mozart Rocks we also performed Wagner's Tannhäuser Overture - just a part actually, as it's pretty extensive. But I enjoyed it very much - very theatrical/movie score feeling
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