[kwitel]

So I already listen to some modern and romantic classical.
I realy like the minimal material like Glass, Nyman, Adams and Reich (and I adore Ludovico Einaudi).

I also like Chopin and Shostakovich.

What im looking for now is the emotional and somewhat dark sounding-yet not too "big sounding" and dramatic classical. Some of Shosty's 8 (for example) is too big and booming for me. Im not sure if that makes any sense...
Maybe Romatic Period is not what im looking for??

I dont own anything by Beethoven-would love some starter recommendations here.

Maybe you can recommend some more complex modern classical and some of the older material as well (i guess any period). Have heard great things about Arvo Part as well...

Sorry for being all over the place here-but this is such a daunting/intimidating genre.

 

[Dubwiser]

What about something by Ligeti?

 

[ronin74]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel /img/forum/go_quote.gif I like Glass, Adams and Shostakovich....heard great things about Arvo Part as well...

Hmmm, let's see. For complexity how about,

Alban Berg (1885-1935), Wolfgang Rihm (1952- )

Bela Bartok (1881-1945)

Edgar Varese (1883-1965)

Frank Zappa (1940-1993)

On the quieter, meditative, Arvo Part side of things,

Somei Satoh (1947- )

After I saw the South Park parody of Glass I find it hard to listen to him.

For Minimalism there's John Cage and

Margaret Leng-Tan.

 

[pdennis]

A few suggestions:
Beethoven String Quartet in A minor, Op. 132 (I have the Cleveland Quartet recording)
Beethoven Piano Trio in D "Ghost", Op. 70 No. 1 (I have the Florestan Trio recording)
Tigran Mansurian String Quartets
Ligeti Horn Concerto "Hamburg" if you're feeling adventurous
Arvo Pärt "Te Deum" (Hillier/Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir)
Pergolesi "Stabat Mater" (I have the Gens/Lesne recording)

Explore Brahms, especially his piano and chamber music.

And of course, J.S. Bach. Try "The Art of Fugue" in its recording by the Emerson Quartet, or some violin + harpsichord sonatas, or organ music... there's too much to list here. His music can be both as bright and as dark as it gets, even within the same piece.

 

[MonkeysAteMe]

I posted this before the thread was moved....

Try looking at chamber music. To me it is more emotional (and generally better music) than large symphonic works.

Composers have to rely more on actual musical ideas rather than the large tone color and mass of sound of a symphonic orchestra. Definently not boomy.(Just my opinion).

I really like Shostakovitch and Beethoven's chamber music (not all of it is dark so you need to listen around).

 

[FalconP]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel /img/forum/go_quote.gif I dont own anything by Beethoven-would love some starter recommendations here.

If you're attuned to modern music, your best place to start will be the late string quartets. The sea-calm yet foreboding slow movement of Op. 135, in particular, sounds like it could have been written by a minimalist.

Have you anything by Morton Feldman? Like his many American minimalist colleagues, Morton builds his music with small, repetitive units; but unlike the highly rhythmic, pulsatile style of Glass and Reich, Feldman's music is essentially static. Rothko's Chapel is a famous work. My favorite is however Coptic Lights, which unfortunately is out of print.

 

[hempcamp]

For dark/Minor emotion, it's all about the Russians:

Mussorgsky, Balakirev, Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin, Cui (The Five); Prokofiev, Glazunov, Shostakovich

As for Beethoven, a good box-set of symphonies is a must-have. I suggest the Wand/NDR box.

--Chris

 

[delaril]

I'll chime in with another recommendation for the late Beethoven string quartets. I find most of Beethoven's symphonic work overly bombastic, but the string quartets (especially the late ones) are fantastic.

 

[mbhaub]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...emotional and somewhat dark sounding-yet not too "big sounding" and dramatic classical.

Franz Schmidt: Symphony no. 4
Reinhold Gliere: Symphony no. 3 (Ilya Murometz)
Gavin Bryars: The Sinking of the Titantic
Valentin Silvestrov: Symphony no. 5
Balakirev: Tamar
Rachmaninoff: Isle of the Dead

 

[leroyhacker]

Romantic chamber music is definitely a good place to look.

In a similar vein to the late Beethoven quartets is Schubert's string quintet. It is somewhat dark and like the Beethoven quartets it has a level of emotional expression much more profound than the typical dramatic symphony. Hearing the slow movement for the first time was one of the great musical experiences of my life.

Also, the quintet is formed by adding a cello to a standard quartet so the sound is extremely rich.

I recommend the Alban Berg quartet recording.


I also recommend Bartok's 2nd violin concerto. It's very dark and not at all boomy or showy. I would say it's a bit dramatic though.


Arvo Part is a wonderful composer. You won't be let down by any of the ECM albums of his works, except for how short some of them are. Tabula Rasa might be a good one to start with.

 

[kwitel]

Wow guys-amazing Classical recs as usual-keep them coming!
I was at Circuit City today and I found a double CD called "Romantic Violin 1&2" and im really enjoying it.
The first track-Concerto No. 1 by Bruch is really quite beautiful.
Other composers include: Brahms, Beethoven, Pachellbell, Elgar, Boccherini, Borodin, Dvorak and Vivaldi.

Not many Russians here, if any...

 

[hempcamp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow guys-amazing Classical recs as usual-keep them coming! I was at Circuit City today and I found a double CD called "Romantic Violin 1&2" and im really enjoying it. The first track-Concerto No. 1 by Bruch is really quite beautiful. Other composers include: Brahms, Beethoven, Pachellbell, Elgar, Boccherini, Borodin, Dvorak and Vivaldi. Not many Russians here, if any...

No Sibelius & Tchakovsky? If you like violin concertos, I highly recommend theirs (my personal favorites, especially the newish Living Stereo SACD Hybrid with Heifetz playing violin).

--Chris

 

[mr. nice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel /img/forum/go_quote.gif I dont own anything by Beethoven-would love some starter recommendations here.

First things First you need to get some Beethoven......
Get his symphonies, some sonatas, string quartets (as mentioned his later ones, which IMHO his his greatest music).

after that, id go by period and the usual suspects as mentioned here. The more you listen to different types of Classical Music (whether it be symphonic, solo instrument, etc.) the more you will start to go thru totally different phases and enjoy different conductors and performers.

Like you said you haven't fully gotten into Beethoven (which honestly is a lifetime in itself) so I'd get to know the core literature b4 you jump into a certain type of music within the genre. Actually the pieces that you think are "Big and Boomy" also contain moments that you'd probably consider incredible and worth the time of listening.

All I'm saying is that there is soooo much music to be listened to and a nice foundation is key. IMHO go and get the important German and Russian composers (even performers) and build from there.

Good Luck!

 

[kwitel]

So im looking into getting one or more of the quartets but im very confused as to what im looking for.

What is the difference between "Quartet No. 16" (for example) and "Op. 74"?
And then they are in all different lettered majors and minors...

I tried finding these on Amazon and some CD's just say Op. and then a number but dont say what number quartet they are?

I have no clue whats going on

 

[hempcamp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel /img/forum/go_quote.gif What is the difference between "Quartet No. 16" (for example) and "Op. 74"? And then they are in all different lettered majors and minors...

Maybe this will help.

The Opus number is just the number of the piece in *all* of a composer's works. The Quartet number is just the number in his series of quartets only. Don't ask!

--Chris