I know it’s a little early for New Year’s resolutions, but I’ve already decided on one of them: in January I’m going to go classical. I’m only going to listen to classical music, and I’m leaning towards only reading books written before 1900 as well.
Why? Just because. :) No, really, I love classical music and keep meaning to listen to it more often, but usually get sucked back into my old habits and end up listening to Broadway all the time. Besides, classical music makes me feel smarter, and I like feeling smarter. :)
I’ve got a decent collection of classical music but I want January to be a time for me to expand my horizons and get more familiar with more composers, so if you have any recommendations (either on composers or on specific pieces), send them my way. I especially love strings. And the Romantics. (Rachmaninoff!) But pretty much all classical music is fair game. (By “classical” I mean anything that would play on a classical music radio station, basically.)
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I would suggest Rimsky-Korsakov’s Sheherazade, Stravinksy’s Firebird Suite, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, and Tan Dun’s Symphony 1997: Heaven Earth Mankind (with Yo-Yo Ma) composed for the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong to China.
Funny Story: My husband’s grandfather actually walked out on Rachmaninoff as a kid. He and his parents went to see him perform, and when the encores kept coming, his dad got fed up and the both hightailed it out of there.
Well, I hate to make an “exception” for you so early on in your resolution; however, I feel strongly that this book is within the spirit of your goal, although written with the last 100 years: The Well-educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had. It is written by Susan Wise Bauer, a home educator in the classical style and a professor at the College of William & Mary.
The truly exciting thing about this book, is that it opens up (for me) previously unopenable doors (ie: book covers) and makes the Classical tradition not only palatable, but exciting.
I know that you already have passion for things old and dusty, but give her a try and you might find your enthusiasm growing even more. (Besides, if you read it before December 31st, your resolution will remain intact!) :)
Ian: Thanks for the suggestions!
Amy: Oh, sad. :P I absolutely love Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini. But too many encores would make me walk out, too, I think.
Bethany: Haha, thanks! And I think it would fit in the rubric, since it’s the spirit of the classics that I’m aiming at rather than the specific date range. I’ll check her out. (Er, I’ll check her book out. ;))
I recommend:
- all things Prokofiev and Bach
- both Mozart and Berlioz have a lovely Requiem
- Handel’s Coronation Anthems
- Renaissance composers like Tallis, Josquin des Prez, Palestrina, etc– maybe just start out with the Tallis Scholars “The Best of the Renaissance”
Mmm, excellent recommendations — thanks, E!
OK, you’ve asked for it now, Ben. If you haven’t devoured Dvorak from head to toe by now, you’re crazy. You’ll find that even his obscure works are just lovely, especially for the romantic part of you.
Next, once you’ve had your Mozart and Bach and Beethoven, start feasting the likes of Prokofiev (his Romeo and Juliet will blow Tchaikovsky’s version out of the water if you listen to it enough times). Listen to Prok.’s Piano trios (Piano, cello, violin).
For my kind of treat, grab a handful of cello sonatas. Rachmaninoff, Brahms (ooooh, Brahms–altogether a great composer; you can eat up his chamber music, symphonies and solos without getting bored), and you can savor Dvorak and Elgar cello concertos while lying down in a dark room. Don’t listen to the Elgar unless you plan to listen to it about 2-3 times. It’s an acquired taste, like ส้มตำ. If you can get Jacqueline Dupre’s recording, or better yet, the video, do it.
I’m sure you’re already well-versed in Chopin and Debussy, but if not…er, do it.
Finally, just like accounting is the language needed to understand business, I’d ‘interleave’ your Bach basics throughout your listenings. You won’t regret it. Talk about music that makes you smarter!
After about 4-5 months with the heavier Brahms and The 5 (Russians), I’d do some pleasure listening of Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky and what’s-his-bucket…ah yes, Mahler. Holst was, contrary to what some say, more than a one-hit wonder, and if you can find anything played by Pablo Casals or Rostropovich, you’ll experience something wonderful.
Good luck. Email me with your findings some time.
Oh, wow, have you ever thought of being a music writer? (Writing about music, that is.) Or a food writer? ;) Thanks — you’ve got me wanting to start right away instead of on January 1! Oh, wait. There’s nothing stopping me from listening to it now. I love freedom. :)
Throw in your two cents