Classical influences

[voodoo]

I enjoy classical music a lot. Not nearly as much as Gregg, though, but I like to relax to certain things now and then. To be honest, though, Aside from the big names (Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, Bach, etc) I don't know many composers or their specific works. However my favorite piece of music ever is Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, especially the 4th movement. That brings me to tears nearly every time I hear it.

The reason I bring this up is because we all know that Suspyre is classically influenced, but I was wondering about favorite composers or pieces. What symphony or concerto, or whatever, do you come back to all the time? What composer has had the greatest effect on you (anyone in the band) musically, spiritually, whatever?

Just curious.......

 

[GreggSuspyre]

I can go for hours on this. Actually, the composers you named aren't necessary what I listen to as of now. I like Wagner's use of leitmotifs (a theme for each character) and his amazing way of not resolving chords for many minutes later. I also like Bach's strict counterpoint and slick chord progressions. However, Beethoven and Mozart seem very bland, transparent, and too "pop"ish, though very memorable.

"Classical" is such a broad term, though. But, these composers I'm mentioning are usually considered in that genre, even though some of them are still alive today.

My favorites are Stravinsky, Varèse, Bartók, Debussy, Schoenberg, Messiaen, Mahler, Holst, Partch, Penderecki, Schwantner, Crumb, etc (I always forget some). All of these I like for different reasons, on which I can go about for hours.

Stravinsky is just amazing in all levels because he does everything. I completely disagree on his statement that music is just to create an order in things. He was one for "neo-classical" music (meaning no emotion). That's why I hate when people say someone is a "neo-classical" band. Listen to The Rite of Spring and L'histoire du Soldat. I had a professor tell us once that if you listen to The Rite of Spring everyday you will become a better person. The piece just has everything; beautiful interweaving lines, lush orchestration, intense tutti sections, odd times, and powerfully simple melodies when necessary.

Varèse is one of my favorites mostly for his use of awesome dissonances and how he writes for winds. A lot of my small ensemble pieces sound like his as I like to take one motive and keep developing it slightly and twisting it around, sort of like looking at a sculpture from different angles. I love his orchestral work, Arcana, and his chamber pieces like Intégrales. Actually, I think I've heard everything he's ever done, since his surviving œuvre is so accessible and minimal, and I love it all.

Some people I love for just their orchestration, like Debussy, Mahler, and Holst.

Partch is one of a kind; I was/am a member of the official Harry Partch Ensemble. Crumb writes some of the most ridiculous stuff ever. His piece Black Angels - Thirteen Images From The Dark Land (such a metal title) is so scary.

I can talk more about this stuff if you have any questions.

 

[voodoo]

Somehow I knew you would be a wealth of information.

Classical music for me is more about just enjoying what I hear rather than the reasons you described. Since I am not a musician I couldn't even begin to explain or understand intricacies of certain pieces. I just know what moves me.

I do find it interesting that you say Beethoven and Mozart are bland and "pop"-ish. I don't agree, but that doesn't matter much. It's all a matter of taste.

I will have to check out some of the other composers you mention. I'd like to hear what you hear.

Do you have any opinion on opera? I can handle some. For example, in high school I took Italian for 3 years and the teacher was from Sicily. She played for us La Traviata a few times and I really enjoyed it. To this day I still get sucked in by the vocals.

 

[Knulla]

Varese is awesome. I'm not into classical, but I love his stuff. George Crumb and Karlheinz Stockhausen too.

 

[GreggSuspyre]

Well, Mozart was pop-music of the day. He wrote for the sole purpose of making money. He was also the equivalent of modern day shredders; he did not have much musical training and never really did anything groundbreaking orchestrationally speaking, he just liked to play with scales. He had his own style and stuck with it, very much like Iron Maiden, heh. There are so many better composers, but Mozart just had a knack for melody and then never bothered to try anything new.

I like some opera, mostly the more esoteric ones, but I've never actually been to one; I've just watched movie renditions or a filmed performance. Richard Strauss's Salome has some amazing orchestral moments; there is so much color. Though, an opera singer friend of mine said singers hate it because it requires the characters to scream. I think that's why I like it, heh.

Alban Berg's Wozzeck is an experience. The video production I saw was so disturbing. Everyone looked unreal. I got the most uncomfortable feeling during the whole thing; I love it.

 

[GreggSuspyre]

Varese is awesome. I'm not into classical, but I love his stuff. George Crumb and Karlheinz Stockhausen.

Yeah, those guys are barely even "classical." The only thing that "classical" means is that it's written out. Suspyre's music is by definition "classical" music because every part is written out in standard notation.

I saw Newband do a performance of Crumb's "Voice of the Whale." It was one of the most intense things I've ever seen.

Stockhausen is ridiculous; he would work with pitch generators and make his own sounds and create serialistic pieces based on frequencies with which he's working. He was shunned by many when he said 9/11 was "the greatest work of art."

 

[voodoo]

I see your point about Mozart writing for money. Never really thought about him being a pop star of the times but it makes sense.

What about Grieg? I really like Peer Gynt, although I admit I am not sure if I have heard anything else by him.

 

[GreggSuspyre]

I see your point about Mozart writing for money. Never really thought about him being a pop star of the times but it makes sense.

What about Grieg? I really like Peer Gynt, although I admit I am not sure if I have heard anything else by him.

Grieg does some great stuff from what I've heard. There are so many composers that I really like, just never had the time to really sink my teeth into. I really like the music I've heard by Berlioz, Brahms, and Sibelius, for example, but never really studied it as much as I should have.

Or there are ones that I used to be really into then just got sick of because they were too conservative, like Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, Mozart, etc.

And then there's the "minimalists" like Steve Reich that have pretty much no influence on me, but I like to listen to their music just to take a break from the more complicated stuff.

 

[voodoo]

Just got Rite of Spring the other day. Have not been able to fully digest it yet but based on what I have heard thus far and your recommendation Gregg I can understand why you enjoy it so much. Also looking into George Crumb