[Deuce_Bigalow]

Were watching a movie in my grade 13 history class right now and it's all about Mozarts life, and its pretty cool. I've been kind of enjoying some of the music on it even through the crappy stereo speakers on the tv (except the operas i hate them) and it got me wondering if I could actually get into classical music. I don't personally know anyone that listens to classical. Anyone know what Mozarts latest cd is and where I can get it?

Can you recommend any really intense orchestra music to someone who likes really heavy music (mostly metal, some alternative, hard rock and classic rock)? I plan on buying the Gladiator soundtrack.

 

[Redwoood]

Try Mozart's Requiem.

It's not really by Mozart (only parts of it, the rest by his students) but it's pretty 'heavy' by his standards...

 

[pigmode]

Come on Redwoood, don't you think that one is a bit heavy for a beginner? ;o)

 

[Pierre Lambion]

I wouldn't go with the Requiem either. Try some various clavecin parts or the Jupiter symphony (n° 40 I think) or Opera "ouvertures" like the Magic Flute.

P.

 

[kerykeion]

I like anything and everything Mozart.

But to tell you the truth, it was "Don Giovanni" that got me interested into his music. I played that and parts of "The Magic Flute" with my 8th grade wind ensemble. But since you don't like opera, you may not like Don...even though it is quite heavy and harsh.

BTW, you weren't watching the film "Amadeus" by chance?

 

[jmpsmash]

a couple of concertos will be very good intro to mozart:

clarinet concerto
flute and harp concerto
oboe concerto

 

[DarkAngel]

Best place to start is later symphonies (41 total) you can get great double bargain discs with many symphonies like
Marriner/EMI, Mackerras/Telarc, Tate/EMI, Saraste/Virgin and many others. You can skip the slow movements, marked adagio
or adante, if you want only fast/uptempo tracks.

Later piano concertos is your next stop, I would avoid any of the operas, except overture collections for beginers.

Go to bookstore and find classical guide for beginners, discover similar music you may like.

 

[Deuce_Bigalow]

Kerykeion, yes the movie was called amadeus or something like that.
Thanks for all the suggestions. I might try that mozarts requiem. Sounds like someting i'd listen to. Heavy is good. Do mozarts cd's have good recording quality considering how long ago he made his music?

 

[Pierre Lambion]

? It depends on the interpretation you choose. There are recent ones and older ones of course.

You can for instance check on Naxos. they use to have OK recordings and are cheap so it can be a good way to experiment.

P.

 

[XXhalberstramXX]

yeah... it's not like Mozart recorded them himself...

i reccomend le nozze di figaro it's in my opinion his best opera (without having heard don giovanni extensively). I reccomend the John Eliot Gardiner recording out on Archiv (deutche grammophone), if for nothing else, for great dramatic flow. The singers are all excellent as well, especially Byrn Terfel and... well.. everyone.

Gardiner is a modern master and just about anything he conducts is first rate. highly highly reccomended. there is also a video of this recording i believe.

 

[kerykeion]

Quote:

Do mozarts cd's have good recording quality considering how long ago he made his music?

As XXhalberstramXX mentioned, there is no recording from the 18th century... But many performing groups try to play the music by using period instruments rather than modern ones. This way, they try to mimic how the music would have sounded when Mozart and his buddies were around. The Academy of Ancient Music (AAM) play with period instuments and have many fine recordings.

 

[XXhalberstramXX]

yeah, i think Gardiner and co. use period instruments. not entirely sure though. there is certainly a woodwind instrument conspicuously missing from the Levine recording i've heard.

 

[DesBen]

What got me hooked was his piano concertos. It might not be "heavy", but it's joyfull, smart, complex and beautiful. Especially after seing the movie, you can picture mozart in front of a piano, with a big grin, just playing light-hearted, dancing on the seat..

Concerto for (two) pianos No. 10 K 365, Rondeau/Allegro has got to be my favourite movement. But I like all his piano concertos.

I suggest you check out labels such as Naxos and Eloquence. Most of their CDs are $4.99 (!), and it's great music. It's an excellent way to dive into classical and discover what you like.

For the beginner, buying a compilation CD like "The Greatest Symphonies of All Time" is also a good idea. You'll get the "popular" stuff you've probably heard before.

 

[Phlosopher]

Yeah, try Mozart's symphonies 40 and 41. Both are very, very good.

However, I don't buy into the whole "classical music for dummies" thing. The best thing you can do is buy a primer on actual music, and actually learn how to follow along with a score as you listen to a piece of music. This will make you an ACTIVE listener, something that I can't promote being enough, and will put you well on your way to having a great love affair with music. This will allow you to see for yourself WHY classical music is preferable to rock, etc. You should learn what a chord progression is, and how it is that music can move us so well.

Two years ago I couldn't have conceived of myself putting away all of my rock cds and listening to classical at a feverish pace. However, I took a class in college where I could actually learn to analyze music and to understand it, and the whole world opened up to me. I could reccomend little that would be more worthwhile to you.

Good luck to you,
John

 

[DanG]

Listen to the string quartets!