compose3

Quoted by some of the bands of today amongst others!

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As expected, a third page. There are so many composers deserving a mention. Some for the most unexpected reasons! There are so many facets to "classical" music and some composers have produced work of many quite different types.

Links will be added here soon,

I am intrigued that Matt Bellamy of Muse has some leanings in that direction, but other artists such as Scott Walker did say they had interests in the sixties. It is probably reflected in Scotts recent work, but I can't say I have noticed much in Muse So far! I hope Matt is directed to this page, because I would like to swap notes. A recent post in news:Alt.music Radiohead (NLA) threw up a lot of interesting references.

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869)

Another favourite of mine, but thanks to Matt Bellamy of Muse for the reminder. He likes the style of "Grande Messe Des Morts".Much of Berlioz' music is colourful and spectacular. It is easy to follow, but can be costly to stage. The Te Deum also uses stereo or antiphonal effects.

Berlioz often writes on a huge scale. He even had particular concert venues in mind. I guess in some cases the work HAS to be heard at that venue or in a similar setting to get the full effect! The Te Deum has Orchestra and organ at opposite ends of the building. Very few, if any concert halls can accomodate that! Parisian Churches can!

Johannes Brahms

Was often described as the New Beethoven. An unenviable title! He was to a certain extent held back by the comparison!

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Apart from "La Mer", the Three Symphonic Sketches, and other works for orchestra, he wrote a lot of really exceptional music for solo piano and several sets of songs.

Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)

Apart from the 9th. Symphony, the Cello Concerto is worth looking up. I heard Jaqueline DuPre play it at the Free Trade Hall. Awesome! There are many very approachable short works, the Slavonic Dances and Symphonic poems.

Gabriel Faure (1845-1924)

The Requiem is very well known, but there is a huge number of other very worthwhile works, ranging from solo and orchestral works to song cycles.

Percy Grainger (1882-1961) Australian by birth, but with a huge "English / Irish" output.

Shepherds Hey, Children's March, Irish Tunes From County Derry (there is a set of these). He was in contact with Frederick Delius, an English composer.

Modest Mussorgsky

A Night on The Bald Mountain. A good example of a programme work. It describes a gathering of Witches for a wild "sabbath", only to be dispersed by a tolling bell. Another work is Pictures From an Exhibition which was, in a way re-written by several others like Maurice Ravel, to "improve" the orchestration.

Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943)

Matt Bellamy strikes again! I wonder how many Muse fans will give a listen to this interest of Matts? So he confuses Classical with Romantic music, but that's most likely down to the way it's described these days! If you spot this Matt, try Shostakovich too! Mahler and Sibelius as well!

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)

He pioneered the Duodecaphonic or 12 tone system. Before this, however came "Verklarte Nacht" or, in English "Transfigured Night". (1899 at age 25) This is superb in both versions, Chamber and Orchestral. The recording I have is on Turnabout TV 34032S 12" LP. (1967) It may have been reissued.

If you can hear Verklarte Nacht, it's well worth it. The Chamber recording I have also includes a work at the turning point in Schoenbergs' output. This is his string Quartet no:-2 in F sharp Minor Opus 10. (1907-1908) "Ich fuhle luft von anderen Planeten", "I feel an air from other planets blowing" are the words he uses (from Stefan George) at this point. Yes this string quartet has words too! The album sleeve hints at a link with Mahler, but the Schoenberg work is the pioneer here. The last movement has all twelve tones, as well as the vocal addition. (VN recorded 1961 Quartet 1962)

Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

Also Sprach Zarathustra The first bars of which are included in 2001 A Space Odyssey. There are probably a lot of LP copies out there with a worn first "sunrise" section!

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

He caused a riot with "Le sacre Du Printemps", produced as a ballet score. It is rhythmically very complex and at times extremely loud! There are other ballet works too and entirely different ones in "Neoclassical" style. He conducted and recorded most of his own works.

Edgar Varese

An American composer who had a very distinct sound. Arcana is a very loud and dissonant work.

Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

Beloved apparently by Adolf Hitler, but stands in his own right! He was mainly an operatic composer on a grand scale. Most of them are on some legendary basis, with the Ring Cycle at the apex.

Page created Nov 29th 2000 Revised Jan. 17th. 2001. most recent Dec. 4th 2017

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869)		Another favourite of mine, but thanks to Matt Bellamy of Muse for the reminder. He likes the style of "Grande Messe Des Morts".Much of Berlioz' music is colourful and spectacular. It is easy to follow, but can be costly to stage. The Te Deum also uses stereo or antiphonal effects.
Berlioz often writes on a huge scale. He even had particular concert venues in mind. I guess in some cases the work HAS to be heard at that venue or in a similar setting to get the full effect! The Te Deum has Orchestra and organ at opposite ends of the building. Very few, if any concert halls can accomodate that! Parisian Churches can!
Johannes Brahms		Was often described as the New Beethoven. An unenviable title! He was to a certain extent held back by the comparison!
Claude Debussy (1862-1918)	Apart from "La Mer", the Three Symphonic Sketches, and other works for orchestra, he wrote a lot of really exceptional music for solo piano and several sets of songs.
Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)		Apart from the 9th. Symphony, the Cello Concerto is worth looking up. I heard Jaqueline DuPre play it at the Free Trade Hall. Awesome! There are many very approachable short works, the Slavonic Dances and Symphonic poems.
Gabriel Faure (1845-1924)		The Requiem is very well known, but there is a huge number of other very worthwhile works, ranging from solo and orchestral works to song cycles.
Percy Grainger (1882-1961) Australian by birth, but with a huge "English / Irish" output.	Shepherds Hey, Children's March, Irish Tunes From County Derry (there is a set of these). He was in contact with Frederick Delius, an English composer.
Modest Mussorgsky	A Night on The Bald Mountain. A good example of a programme work. It describes a gathering of Witches for a wild "sabbath", only to be dispersed by a tolling bell. Another work is Pictures From an Exhibition which was, in a way re-written by several others like Maurice Ravel, to "improve" the orchestration.
Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943)		Matt Bellamy strikes again! I wonder how many Muse fans will give a listen to this interest of Matts? So he confuses Classical with Romantic music, but that's most likely down to the way it's described these days! If you spot this Matt, try Shostakovich too! Mahler and Sibelius as well!
Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)	He pioneered the Duodecaphonic or 12 tone system. Before this, however came "Verklarte Nacht" or, in English "Transfigured Night". (1899 at age 25) This is superb in both versions, Chamber and Orchestral. The recording I have is on Turnabout TV 34032S 12" LP. (1967) It may have been reissued.
If you can hear Verklarte Nacht, it's well worth it. The Chamber recording I have also includes a work at the turning point in Schoenbergs' output. This is his string Quartet no:-2 in F sharp Minor Opus 10. (1907-1908) "Ich fuhle luft von anderen Planeten", "I feel an air from other planets blowing" are the words he uses (from Stefan George) at this point. Yes this string quartet has words too! The album sleeve hints at a link with Mahler, but the Schoenberg work is the pioneer here. The last movement has all twelve tones, as well as the vocal addition. (VN recorded 1961 Quartet 1962)
Richard Strauss (1864-1949)	Also Sprach Zarathustra The first bars of which are included in 2001 A Space Odyssey. There are probably a lot of LP copies out there with a worn first "sunrise" section!
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)		He caused a riot with "Le sacre Du Printemps", produced as a ballet score. It is rhythmically very complex and at times extremely loud! There are other ballet works too and entirely different ones in "Neoclassical" style. He conducted and recorded most of his own works.
Edgar Varese	An American composer who had a very distinct sound. Arcana is a very loud and dissonant work.
Richard Wagner (1813-1883)	Beloved apparently by Adolf Hitler, but stands in his own right! He was mainly an operatic composer on a grand scale. Most of them are on some legendary basis, with the Ring Cycle at the apex.