I like classical music. I'm no expert, so you're not going to find any obscure wonders here. But hey, I figure the really famous composers are really famous 'cos, well, they're darned good.
So, no comparisons between different recordings or anything. I just tend to choose a recording at random. Maybe I could be tempted to buy Glenn Gould playing, if I want to hear nutty humming and lovely interpretations of Bach, but otherwise I don't think I'd notice the difference.
- Bach: I was a pretty major Bach fan at one point, although I don't tend to listen to it quite so much now. I have the Brandenburg concertos, Goldburg Variations and the Well-Tempered Clavier. I still really rather like the Goldburg Variations, and certain preludes and fugues from the Well-Tempered Clavier. Some of them I can even play in a way that sounds vaguely recognisable, which makes me happy. I still can't get the timing right on the Goldburg Variations' Aria, though, which really kinda sucks.
- Beethoven: The best. Full stop. I can hardly see why anyone else bothered to compose after hearing his stuff. :) I have Symphonies 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, which is my way of saying 'I must go buy 2 and 4 some time'. I have sonatas 14 (Moonlight), 8 (Pathetique) and 23 (Appassionata). I'd be tempted to get more, but that would just increase the big list of Pieces I Would Like to Play. I can just about bash out bits of the Moonlight Sonata presto at a reasonable pace, and that makes me very happy. I really should get more practice. I also have Piano Concertos 4 and 5, which rock tremendously, and make me wish I could play the piano to that kind of level. Maybe I should get a few more of them.
- Elgar: 'Cello concerto and Enigma variations. Very predictable selection, buy hey - they are excellent.
- Fauré: His Requiem's quite nice - funeral music to listen to for fun (hmmm). On the same CD is his Pavane, for extra bonus.
- Gershwin: Hmmm. Not sure if he's "classical", but still, the music's associated with a composer rather than whoever plays it, so that's good enough for me. It's not going in my main CD collection, anyway. :p I've only got a few pieces, such as Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris, and... well, he's very good at sounding American. It's pretty fun, really.
- Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor. You know the one, with those big descending piano chords at the start. Absolutely fantastic piece. I heard in one of the BBC's Prom concerts, and it was just breathtaking.
- Mahler: I'm not sure I really "get" Mahler. His music feels like a piece of patchwork, compared to a single piece of fabric for most other composers. There are really wonderful moments, but then there are bits I really don't care about. Still, it makes a nice change from some of the other music. I have symphonies 2, 4 and 5, and Songs of a Wayfarer.
- Mendelssohn: Rondo capriccioso - it came as filler on the Grieg/Schumann CD. Nice enough, I suppose.
- Mozart: I don't really get it. He's supposed to be a great genius, but I just don't really see it. Some nice enough pieces, but... it lacks something to me. So, all I've got of his are a couple of Piano Concertos.
- Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto #2 and Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. The CD might has well been marked 'Rach's Greatest Hits', but they're still wonderful pieces of music.
- Saint-Saëns: I went to a May Week concert at St. John's College (traditionally timed so that we can wander our afterwards and watch the fireworks from Trinity's May Ball), where Saint-Saëns' Carnaval des Animaux was played. I liked it. I bought a double CD. For extra bonus, it came with his Symphony #3, Piano Concerto #2 and Danse Macabre. All nice enough, really.
- Schumann: Another A minor piano concerto, on the same CD as Grieg's. Fairly nice, I suppose.
Again, if any friends want to borrow any CDs or whatever, mail me.
Last updated 5 February 2004. Mail me at random.user@arbitrary.name.