So since my first post was more of an introduction than a real post, I guess I better get started so you have something more interesting to read.
Any of you that know me at all know that I am very much into classical music. It is unfortunate that most people today don't listen to any classical music at all. In addition many people that do, listen to only certain types of classical music. I have been guilty of this myself. I have since started to try to widen my listening. Here are a few diverse works of classical music I would very much encourage you to listen to. If you don't know where to go, Youtube will probably have decent recordings of most of these. Grooveshark.com is an excellent resource as well. Or you could do it the old-fashioned way: go out and buy the CD!
Beethoven: Symphonies, especially numbers 3, 5, and 9. Leonard Bernstein made an excellent recording with the Vienna Philharmonic.
Brahms: Ein Deutches Requiem. The 4th movement is one of my favorite choral excerpts.
Tallis: If Ye Love Me. This is a great example of Renaissance music, which might be unfamiliar to many of you. The King's Singers do a great job on this one in their album "English Renaissance."
Bach: Solo Sonatas and Partitas for Violin. These compose arguably the single greatest body of music ever composed for the violin. The Chacconne from the second Partita is particularly excellent. Hillary Hahn is a good violinist to listen to on that one.
Debussy: Clair de Lune. This is a great example of impressionistic music. Jean-Yves Thibaudet would be a good performer to look up.
Sibelius: Finlandia. This is an excellent example of how much classical music you probably listen to without knowing it. Many of you will probably recognize the tune of the hymn "Be Still My Soul." Vladimir Ashkenazy does a great job with the Philharmonia Orchestra on this one.
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto Number 2. This is probably my favorite piano concerto. Rachmaninoff, as a pianist himself, could write superbly for the instrument. In addition, he truly was a master or beautiful melodies. Listen to the second movement and you will see. Ashkenazy does a great job performing this one with Andre Previn and the London Symphony.
Part: Arvo Part is a personal favorite of mine. He is still alive and composing, and his work is probably the least familiar on this list, but to me it is very touching and well written. The Beatitudes is a beautiful choral arrangement of that Biblical text. Stephen Cleobury does a great job on that one.
Well that is probably enough homework for now. I hope you have a chance to listen to at least some of it, and I hope you enjoy it. Look for me to occasionally mention some more listening material.
Soli Deo Gloria
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