Stuff I Love: Top Ten Edition - Challenge 3 (Music)

[smallhobbit]

Week 3 of the Top Ten of Stuff I Love, as promoted by dreamersdare  This week it's music.

Most of what I really love is western classical music, so I'll begin with composers:

1. Ludwig van Beethoven
My favourite composer, both for his symphonies such as the Fifth the Pastoral, the Choral, his concertos, such as the Emperor, and his sonatas.

2. Johann Sebastian Bach
With a wide selection of works both sacred and secular

Onto a selection of classical pieces:

3. Saint-Saens - Carnival of the Animals
Just great fun

4. Saint-Saens - Symphony No 3, the Organ Symphony
Makes the floor vibrate

5. Rachmaninoff - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
A piano concerto in one movement.  The 18th variation is the famous one.

6. Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue
With the brilliant clarinet opening

7. Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique
Telling a gripping story in music, including the march to the scaffold

8. Copland - Fanfare for the Common Man
And the awesome drum and trumpet opening

My favourite group:

9. Queen
I owned an LP of A Night at the Opera in my teens

And lastly my favourite hit song
10. Slade - Merry Xmas Everybody
Can't have Christmas without it

Comments

[shipperslist]

4. Saint-Saens - Symphony No 3, the Organ Symphony
Makes the floor vibrate

One of the absolute most Hellish pieces I've ever played but it was amazing. But in all honesty, it was too difficult for us so our version was nowhere near as good as Karajan's version, lol.

[smallhobbit]

It must have been brilliant to experience, even if it was difficult. And Karajan did have the advantage of conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker!

[adafrog]

:)

[smallhobbit]

Thank you 😀

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Great list. I shall have to investigate the ones I am not familiar with.

[smallhobbit]

Thank you. I hope you enjoy exploring!

[debriswoman]

Interesting choices 😊

[smallhobbit]

Thank you :D

[aome]

I love Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring" but "Fanfare" is good, too.

As for classical composers - Beethoven is delightful, but I have a permanent soft spot for Mozart. My dad's favorite piece was Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (which always came with a recording of Jupiter on the "B" side), and those two pieces I hold very close to my heart.

And you can never go wrong with Queen. :)

[smallhobbit]

I like Appalachian Spring as well, but Fanfare is one of my Go To's. Strangely Eine Kleine Nachtmusik was one of my mother's favourite pieces, and I will happily listen to Mozart, but Beethoven remains the one for me - I was so pleased we got to see Beethoven's apartment when we were in Vienna.

[dreamersdare]

I opened the list, saw Beethoven as the first entry and am now listening to Moonlight Sonata, because I love that piece of music so much (can't remember how to play it any more though).

Excellent list!

[smallhobbit]

It is a beautiful piece of music 😀