Rate the classical composition above

[teajay]

OK, this is a bit of silly topic; many of you probably hardly ever listen to classical music, and there are similar topics about rating youtubes/musics above. Still I find it worth trying. So the idea is to post a composition (as it is played by a musician/orchestra/whatever), and rate the posted one above your post. You can rate on basis of the piece itself, on the hairdo of the composer or artist, or whatever pleases you. The links you post, must be related to classical music ("Western Art Music"). You may not post a song by The Beatles, since it doesn't fit that standard. If you wish to discuss this rule, and the idea behind it, start another topic.

I start by posting the Coriolan Overture by Beethoven:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6sKWuAcuOI

[The_BoneLESS]

I'll try not to be too offensive to the Beethoven lovers. Let's give this an 8. The reason might be that I prefer some other Beethoven pieces.

Let's move on with one I enjoy listening to; Charles-Valentin Alkan. His music always seems, to me, to come straight from the deep fires of hell. Maybe it's just me.
Alkan - Le Festin d'Esope (played by the great Marc-André Hamelin)

I’m becoming daily more and more misanthropic and misogynous…nothing worthwhile, good or useful to do… no one to devote myself to. My situation makes me horridly sad and wretched. Even musical production has lost its attraction for me for I can’t see the point or goal.
- Alkan

[FinMan]

Alkan - Le Festin d'Esope
I say 9/10. Really creative and balanced piece and when its played by Marc-André Hamelin, that makes it even better!

Would have given a 7 for that Beethoven piece. Was not really that nice to my ears as its said about everything by Beethoven. He has many great pieces too, obviously, but some of them are kinda overrated imo.

Liszt - Vallée d'Obermann
The second part is just max.

[A.K.B.]

Liszt: 9.5/10

What a wonderful sound Richter can pull from the keys! It cries, it cries! Such colour in this Liszt piece it is incredible, very sentimental. Would I go as far to even call it tragic? I reserve that for very little pieces, so I'll have to relisten a few times before I go crazy with my descriptions.

Wow, in fact Alkan was the inspiration to my own Theme and Variations "Family Reunion" though only three of my variations resemble his. (and of course the theme shares similar intent with less harmonic movement)

I know that we should probably post just one link, but I am seeking feedback for my three Compositions:

Romance for Chamber Strings:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW4_Fg2JZ6A

Anywhere for Flute and Harp:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0_OV7BhzNQ

Theme and Variations "Family Reunion" for Piano solo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AccMZrnZBtI

[analcactus]

Piano Sonata No. 8 C-moll (Beethoven) Sonata Pathétique
Pt.1


9/10

That's the composition i played at final exam in musical school.
One of my lovely pieces, richest of music colour, tembro and tempo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzQlx0ZtmMY

[teajay]

Romance for Chamber Strings: reminds me strongly of Gorecki's 3rd symphony. I find the uprise before measure 83 a bit silly (measures 83 and a little beyond are great though), the use of dynamics in measure 111 a contrast to before is well done. Also, nice coughs! =D
It's nice to see how you put your attention to orchestration. That is a very important thing to keep in mind. You should turn your eye, if you like experimentation, to William Russo's books about jazz orchestration. He wrote arrangements for Stan Kenton.

Anywhere for Flute and Harp:
Quite a hard part for the flute! I like the flute part, although you didn't make it easy. The harp part felt sometimes a bit sturdy. The contrast between the arpeggiated stuff and the clusters were in my opinion awkward. Still, I can only imagine how it sounds live.

Theme and Variations "Family Reunion" for Piano solo:
Ah well... the sound is bad. The use of pedal in the fourth variation is a bit too much for my taste, especially in the end. Great part at measure 113 & 114. Very good. I like the 12th variation a lot, except for that fact the piano is out of tune (or what is it?).

Anyway, I think you've learned a lot since that last piece I listened to, I believe that was something for high school. Certainly not bad, and the practise you gain with using tonal material is indispensable. I really recommend at least taking a look towards Russo. It sometimes looks like he doesn't know what he's talking about, but there's interesting stuff there. I had great fun listening to these pieces, nice going!


Debussy - Danseuse des Delphes (by Gieseking):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LufBkPTtYh8

[Igge]

Why do you, through this topic, feel a need to separate classical compositions and "songs"? Wouldn't that be like separating chocolate from "candy", or panda bears from "animals"?

[Lousku]

I would like to post panda photos and rate others' panda photos. Frogs, maybe not so much.

In all seriousness, this topic seems to have content, whereas that other topic is basically "cool but i dont like, here is iron maiden".

[teajay]

There's nothing wrong with separating chocolate from candy, as long as you can create a healthy discussion about the intricacies of chocolate alone. Same goes with this subject, I suppose.

[A.K.B.]

I think I agree with your analysis teajay, there's definitely a huge margin for improvement, but that's what I strive for.

Oh, and the piano variation sound- it was an out of tune piano, it seems the conservatorium only has out of tune pianos.

[teajay]

Yes, it reminds of the pianos where I practise. You have classrooms with tolerable pianos, some larger halls with better ones, but also little dungeons with honkytonk pianos that are way too loud, and out of tune. I play guitar though, mostly.

[Grace]

Something simple but so intricate

Gustav Holst - Mars, the bringer of war (Planets suite)

Fucking furious Not entirely Classical, but it's in a style that befits an older era.

[Zweq]

not from classical era but what do you gice think about http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t7KKRMRFMU

[Grace]

Similar chord progression to Beethovens Moonlight Sonata (1st).

About 2 mins in now and seems just like well played acoustic.

2:30 Cool chords going on, much like.

3:00 Moonlight Sonata sorta again in the rhythm and starting to shine through a tiny bit in the chords. (Also at nearly 3.45 in the melody again)

4.00 We get to new movement and it's very fast and technical... Melody underlying it is nice but not unique or standout. Also influences from Moonlight again in the final bars of each phrase. Also another influence i hear but forgotten the pieces name in my head. 4.35 or so onwards has a nice underlying melody. 5.00 back to initial phrase.

5.38 something kinda unique and i like it. 6.00 nice ascension 6.46 i don't like merging several different ending phrases but that's just me. 3 or 4 of them here. Cool rhythm leading up to it though.


It was never my kind of music but it wasn't bad. I like the odd chords at 2.30-2.53 quite a bit. For listening music i like the first 2 Mvmts. The third is a bit unrelenting and overcomplicated for my tastes. Take out 3 quarters of the notes (other than the initial phrase) and it would sound the same but quieter and easier to listen to.

7.5/10

[Zweq]

strange, i thought almost exactly the same, i prefered 2 first parts over 3rd one, compared it to moonlight sonata and loved especially the part around 2.10-3.00 exception is that i dont read or care about music theory and cant really analyze it thoroughly and say what parts are influenced by whom etc.

[Bismuth]

Compare this interpretation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLR3oNNY4_A (Warning: very offensive)

with this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9-2jM5RNSs

[FinMan]

Bismuth: you are listening to GOOD music.

The song Zweq posted was cool too. Personally haven't listened to guitar music much but I gotta say it was well performed and sounded cool even on first listen.

Well, Lang Lang playing it a way too fast, the girl a little too slow, but just a little and it only matters on one or two parts, what else to say about it? Both are pro's, the girl just happens to perform this one better to my ears than Lang Lang, that's it!

The girl looks kinda good, Lang does not, +1 for girl.

Well, anyway, that as a classical composition gets a 9/10 from me. Really great piece by Liszt there.

E: Orka find anything else to rate, just go with the same, so great piece. =D

[Lousku]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLR3oNNY4_A (Warning: very offensive)

Why the fuck do audiences clap (@~4:10)? If the musical piece would sound better with clapping, the performers would clap themselves, saatanan tontut. Let's pretend it's not bad enough that audiences clap, they can never stay in time! Yet these idiots try, even though Lang Lang wasn't staying in time himself at any point. Audiences suck. Now, I don't know shit about classical music but apparently this guy is a showman hated by anyone who appreciates the compositions he rapes. So I guess nothing was ruined there.

[Grace]

The audience clapping makes you happy and feeds the adrenaline, and any kind of good musician can keep in time no matter what the audience does.

[Lousku]

The audience clapping makes you happy and feeds the adrenaline

That's what the music is for.

any kind of good musician can keep in time no matter what the audience does.

I didn't say anything about that.

[Bismuth]

I give my opinion:

Jung Lin plays it very well imo, this piece is just wonderful and makes me want to learn it (sadly, I can't; though I may try to make a simplified version I could play)

but Lang Lang... OMFG...

0:05-0:12: WTF this is not ff you dumbass
0:12-0:18: WHY YOU HAVE TO PLAY THIS PRESTISSIMO
0:18-0:30: those bashed bass notes destroy everything
0:30-0:45: too fast
0:45-0:48: THERE IS A PAUSE THERE, and the next notes are supposed to be SOFT AND SLOW
0:48-1:20: if you ignore his ridiculous overacting mongo face, this part is played quite good... though he still rushes some parts
1:20-1:39: TOTALLY rushed through, and at the end (1:37-38) he adds some WTF-ass mongo notes which sound totally over the top and... I mean WTF why would you modify the composition, is there a better way of saying "yo Liszt, yo tune is not bad but I can do much better, look". Fuck you Lang Lang.
1:45-2:00: rushed, again... reflects his "spectacular" way of playing, doesn't fit with the music at all
in this part I hate the way he divides the melody into a weird rhythm, stop changing everything
2:15-2:20 WHAT THE FUCK, WHAT THE FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK
2:20-3:20: Overall, well played, though in the end he still puts his little custom rhythm (I mean the pause when he makes like "dum dum dum dum... du-duuuum") and plays the end too loud... it should end softly.
3:20-3:40: not bad, mongo faces again but meh, it's Lang Lang
3:40-4:02: rushed through, he adds notes, he changes COMPLETELY the last part, fuck you 100 times.
4:20: he adds notes again...
4:23-4:33: What the fuck, I mean, come on, it sounds like he is fucking puking on the keys, with fucking random notes everywhere and crap all over the place
4:33-4:40: (still adding random bastard notes) LOOK AT HIS "I AM SO GOOD" FACE!!! I WANT TO PUNCH HIM REPEATEDLY
4:40-5:20: at this point he is just raping the piece, changing everything, adding stupid crap, bashing notes, playing too fast so that everything sounds unclear and fucked up, but it's ok because he is too good for people to understand, he's like pro fast you know
5:20-5:30: I am out of words. Don't tell me this sounds good. Listen to Jung Lin playing it. FUCK.
5:30-5:40: look, this sounds very cool in the original. WHY DOES HE ADD THOSE FUCKING STUPID NOTES!!! It sounds like he is slamming the keyboard with his elbows!!! FUUUUUUU RAGE RAGE
5:40-5:55: what? Since when is THIS CRAP in the Hungarian Rhapsody #2?
5:55-6:05: COME OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON
6:05-6:30: completely not. No. stfu Lang Lang, you sound like fuck shit.
6:30-6:40: cool, a part he didn't fuck with
6:40-6:48: I was wrong, he fucked it up too.
6:48-7:00: fucked up too
7:00-7:22: KILL MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE


Here ya go

[FinMan]

Hmm, listened to both versions again now with a lot better speakers. And I have to agree with Bismuth. Lang Lang's performance makes Jung Lin's one sound even better compared to him.

[teajay]

I see you guys repeatedly saying something about stuff not being classical music. This is always arbitrary, but the music you guys posted seemed very much to belong the nomer of "western art music"; the harmonic/tonal language used was very similar to classical music.

I listened with pleasure to the music played by John Williams, composed by Mangoré. Very well performed, beautiful notes.

Check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtdE25ZCH4g
the instruments used for the intro are awkward, and sound a bit off now and then. This piece is dissonant at times, very chromatic, unusual for the time.

[teajay]

Noone listened to this? You barbarians!