/mu/ - Music (Temp full images)

>>55565661
Beethoven.

Symphonies, then piano sonatas, then string quartets.

Then move on to Schubert or something. That'll get you a feel for conservative proto-Romanticism, which is a good bridge between Classical and Romantic stuff.

some kind of "best of"

then inform yourself on the composer and piece you liked and get a good full recording of whatever opera, symphony, etc. it was

Bach.

Entry-tier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRxofEmo3HA

Is listening to art music worth it if you don't know much about theory?

>>55565709
Absolutely. Depending on the composer, it's some of the best melody writing on Earth, and sometimes the sheer impressiveness of a piece's expression or complexity can transcend a person's lack of knowledge about theory. I got that with Beethoven a lot when I was first getting into art music.

>>55565689
where can I find good recordings?
>>55565698
I've listened the very basics like this - the most famous and entry level pieces I'm generally familiar with.

I really like Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for End Times, and minimalist/neoclassical stuff like Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Max RIchter, etc.

>>55565765
>where can I find good recordings?

If there's a recording of it that Carlos Kleiber did with the Vienna Philharmonic, then listen to that one.

>>55565757
But can one still understand what makes one composition better than another without knowledge of theory?

>>55565787
I mean on torrent sites. I feel like when I've searched in the past, it's been hard to find it...it was hard for me to find Tchaikovsky's Nut Cracker in 320 for example, as strange as that is

Are there any good sites that help you get in classical? With guides and such? I could just google it but I'd appreciate a recommendation. Not op, btw.

>>55565805
If by "without knowledge of theory" you mean literally not knowing ANYTHING about how music is composed, period, and being unable to comprehend details about composition when reading.

Honestly, a pretty solid understanding of music history and the path of development that Western art music has taken should be enough, if you're not going to be debating harmonic complexity with a professor. Other things ("What made Eroica so unique?", "Why is this Tchaikovsky piece so tasteless and awful, and this one so well done?") will probably just come pretty easily with light reading into the subject. "What makes the Grosse Fuge so complex?" is a different story, obviously.

>>55565957
Where should one start with theory? What are the most essential elements?

>>55565829
In that regard, I'd advice rutracker for classical music recordings. There are a few interpretations that people will talk about as particularly great, but, honestly, it just comes down to listening to a lot and finding one that you particularly enjoy. Part of being a conductor is forming an interpretation of how the music is to be played in accordance with the composer's wishes, so a little variation is natural. As long as the quality is good (or unless you're looking for something with particular historical significance), then you really don't need to worry that much until you get a little more acquainted with the music.

Where the fuck do I even begin to understand a composition? I can read music well and know basic theory, but looking at this all I hear are the notes and see that the treble and bass clef are trading off the same melody.

>>55565992
I think most beginner books on theory would probably give you an intro to how melodies and harmonies are constructed, how scales "work", rhythm, etc. Those are basically the fundamentals.

>>55566127
Thanks!

>>55566127
Is there any way you could tell me a little bit about how harmonies and melodies are constructed or link me to a more in depth explanation?

>>55565661
Start here.
This chart represents the very best western art music has to offer, a non-biased look at 1000+ years of music without compromising to safe, popular taste. These composers are revolutionaries and innovators in a way those of the popular canon aren't, no matter what people will tell you Mozart and Beethoven were basically populists writing easy to consume ditties - they were the respective Justin Beibers of their own time.
This chart collects mavericks who composed outside the popular style, didn't compromise to pedestrian taste, or were women, and have as such subsequently been undervalued by revisionist music historians.

Start with the Greeks.

>try to get into classical music
>listen to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony
>get bored not even half way in
>go back to listening to indie rock and rap music
>tfw will never be patrician

>>55566255
I can't believe CLT, Ame and you have made essentials charts for 2000 years of music which are all smaller than every single subgenre of popular music posted here.

>>55566509
It is of course just a starting point for anyone interested in listening to western art music.
No one should simply listen to music on a chart. It's a good thing there's no "/mu/ essentials" chart for /classical/ because you can bet a canon would emerge and people would refrain from listening outside of it.

>>55566578
>It's a good thing there's no "/mu/ essentials" chart for /classical/ because you can bet a canon would emerge and people would refrain from listening outside of it.
Yeah, I don't think that would happen. It kinda happens with other genres because people are pitchfork drones.

>>55566255
>no LGBT composers
>discriminating against Mozart and Beethoven, Africans.
Ignore this racist, homophobic, transphobic chart.
Go with this one (made by a Trans* person). But don't download the recordings they're shit.
Go with performances from
https://mega.co.nz/#F!mMYGhBgY!Ee_a6DJvLJRGej-9GBqi0A
https://mega.co.nz/#F!lIh3GRpY!piUs-QdhZACFt2hGtX39Rw
https://mega.co.nz/#F!Y8pXlJ7L!RzSeyGemu6QdvYzlfKs67w
https://mega.co.nz/#!1V8TSDwL!e5er4zSSyB3kPArCUM02-1KXzlyOkfgfJl6XE9w5orY
https://mega.co.nz/#!CkEQlBbY!k33vuAiD6wJT4C3jAmU8HZ2k_NDz2nF0Jy6qiBdzkwU

>>55566650
>no LGBT composers
Barraqué is there idort.

>>55566747
>implying I read charts by proven racists

>>55565765

blogs are good

http://oserdamusica.blogspot.de/

http://radiomelasudas-beaumarchais.blogspot.de/

or torrent the correct conductor / orchestra instead of just the composer

>>55566768
So why do you advocate a chart made by a self described fascist?

>>55566801
b/c Trans*.
Stop underrepresenting people like Ame and CLT the closet transsexual.

>>55566868
>all these hetronormative transphobic assumptions
Wendy Carlos is the only classical composer who is openly transsexual, but you assume that means she is the only transsexual composer. You have no reason, for instance, to believe that there are not transsexual composers on my chart already. How would know if they were transsexual or not? Unless you make transphobic hetronormative assumptions then you don't.

>>55566650
So these are all in flac?

>>55566475
with the scope of classical music, you're bound to find something you like even if you are a pleb. try listening to something different. maybe something vocal like and opera or an oratorio. find something you enjoy and build from there

Anything except German music. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, Wagner. All giant wanklords who composed in plodding chunks and walls of sound and made music purely for music's sake.

A special mention for Mozart though. His music is unusually organic and more emotional (for a German composer).

>>55566475

True story.

>>55566475
>>55569018

I can't comprehend this. It's not even a pleb or patrician issue you guys are just weird.

>>55569051
They just need to listen to the superior Beethoven symphonies. The 3rd and 8th.

>>55566079
There is an implied harmony. Bar 1 is implying a C major chord, bar 2 is implying a G chord. Take a look why. If we go note by note in the right hand, we have a chord tone, passing tone, chord tone, two notes part of a descending passing tone pattern, then the two consequent chord tones, then we have a chord tone, a chord tone, a neighbour tone and a chord tone. The B with the mordent sounds at the same time as the two passing notes play underneath it in the left hand, the F and D, which form a B diminished triad momentarily which immediately resolves to an implied C triad.

I mean you're being vague when you say how do you begin to understand a composition. But doing that sort of thing is a good starting point.

I dont really listen to any classical music but I really like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vj1UPzlrTc

Where should I go from here?


I really like the way the harpsichord sounds.

>>55566650
Tchaikovsky killed himself because of how gay he was

what is the greatest russian symphony in you guys' opinion?

>>55569051
>>55569076

I can't stand the repetition in his symphonies. His phrases aren't even THAT dramatic past the first couple of minutes. Their dynamics always seemed a bit off to me, like they're stretched out a bit too much and most of the emotion from the cadences is dampened. Also, their texture is unbelievably wheezy. You heard me. They're really thick instrumentation-wise, but they're really thin harmony-wise. It's really frustrating to hear the bite of the strings on top of the brass on top of the drum only to have it sound a predictable, safe, resolution.

Also, Beethoven just strikes me as theatrical and dishonest. When I hear the word "heroic" I don't think of drawn out sagas, orchestras or how many variations you can do for that theme. When I hear "heroic" I think about swiftness, spartan aesthetics, martial rhythms and feeling my pulse in my face. Basically this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFlyKTyFfrs

>>55569558
There is literally zero substance to this post.

I must say that I'm really enjoying this social justice classical posting and I hope this meme gains more traction.

That said, you can only truly enjoy classical if you're a christian.

>>55569967

>That said, you can only truly enjoy classical if you're a christian.

I agree with that.

>>55569914

Wouldn't expect Beethoven fans to comprehend anything beyond functional harmony.

How do you guys tag your classical "albums" (cause they're not albums really), do you tag a composer as the artist or orchestra that is performing the piece? Or do you just add the orchestra/performer name in brackets in the album title? I'm talking iTunes specifically. Don't waste your time telling me how iTunes is bad.

>>55570063
>Wouldn't expect Beethoven fans to comprehend anything beyond functional harmony.
Indeed, there is nothing about me that suggests I would appreciate post-tonal harmony.

Saying "it's called 'heroic' but I think heroic sounds like THIS* and calling the texture "wheezy" doesn't constitute analysis.

>>55570192
Put the performer in brackets, but I have multiple recordings of the same music so I find it easier that way.

>>55570192

composer in artist, perfomer in album artist - thats how windows tag work for me atleast

>>55570223

>being this autistic

I wasn't talking about post-tonal harmony. I was talking about dynamics, atmospheres, textures, things that were integral parts of music during the common practice era (as well as before and after it) and perfectly valid and relevant angles to discuss Beethoven from.

>>55570444
I didn't fault you for discussing those things, I was faulting you for the vague nature of it and for complaining about trivialities such as completed cadences in tonal music.

>>55566650
Tchaikovsky's like right there

>>55567062
Answer me