What are you listening to at the moment?

[cookie]

Cello is awesome indeed but my all time favorite is the piano!
The Viola D'amore is like a 12 String guitar, really like the sound

@Stabilized: I always feel like the harpsichord drags the other instruments down with its jingling! I couldn't bear a whole solo

[Stabilized]

(Oh good - a classical discussion...)

"Most brilliant" would also depend on the era. Composers learned based on what had come before them and they were constrained by the "fashion" of their times. Mozart was certainly brilliant, but I don't like most of his works because of the style of his era - the "Classical" era - mostly major keys, speed/volume/mood changes, linear. I consider the previous Baroque period to be superior because it was more complex, multi-layered and keeping mood/speed/volume consistent throughout the piece.

If Mozart were born 75 years earlier, then we could better compare Mozart with Bach (imagine the awesome Baroque Mozart could have done). It's also a bit of a "popularity contest". There are amazing works by lesser known composers. Also, there are many lost compositions, destroyed by war or lost over the centuries. Possibly the real "most brilliant musician ever" was some unknown, lost to history. It's fascinating to think about.

I do agree with your points, but I do think that Mozart's image was inflated by his fame; he always was pushed by his musical parents. When he got older he started to compose by commission, creating music that was very constrained to the style at the time, was quite superficial, imo. His final piece (Requiem), I think, was the most complex and interesting, but I still wouldn't pay to see it.

I always think that modern musicians could certainly learn from classical music - especially multi-layered Baroque. I think that's why I can tolerate some European "modern" music - because they, unlike American "artists" (I hate that word applied to music), are more often classically trained.

This is a big claim, and I find it to be quite untrue. I believe there are definite trends in modern music, but I think it would be America who is the most forward thinking at the moment.
Take composers like George Crumb, Nico Muhly, and John Adams; they are really forward thinking in their approach to the classical idioms (i.e. the symphony, opera).
No denying that there is a lot of very active and influential European composers, but I do find the whole concert hall classical music — and perhaps this tradition steeped term of classical music — ultimately, a bit boring!

Give me the timbres and texture of something like Monty Adkins new album, Borderlands

[mr_a500]

I do agree with your points, but I do think that Mozart's image was inflated by his fame; he always was pushed by his musical parents. When he got older he started to compose by commission, creating music that was very constrained to the style at the time, was quite superficial, imo. His final piece (Requiem), I think, was the most complex and interesting, but I still wouldn't pay to see it.

Of course, Mozart is way over hyped. That's what I was saying about it being a "popularity contest". I wasn't saying he was the best, but that you could compare better if he was from the same era as Bach.

The only Mozart pieces I like are a few early works, the ones that are most Baroque-like.

This is a big claim, and I find it to be quite untrue. I believe there are definite trends in modern music, but I think it would be America who is the most forward thinking at the moment.
Take composers like George Crumb, Nico Muhly, and John Adams; they are really forward thinking in their approach to the classical idioms (i.e. the symphony, opera).
No denying that there is a lot of very active and influential European composers, but I do find the whole concert hall classical music — and perhaps this tradition steeped term of classical music — ultimately, a bit boring!

Give me the timbres and texture of something like Monty Adkins new album, Borderlands

When I said "modern" I was talking about "popular" music. There is a desperate need of classical music education among American popular musicians. (who like to call themselves "artists")

I don't know much about modern "serious" composers - besides movie music composers (sadly all my favourites are now dead). You're probably right.

[Stabilized]

Of course, Mozart is way over hyped. That's what I was saying about it being a "popularity contest". I wasn't saying he was the best, but that you could compare better if he was from the same era as Bach.

My mistake, I was agreeing with you, but I did make it sound like I was disagreeing

When I said "modern" I was talking about "popular" music. There is a desperate need of classical music education among American popular musicians. (who like to call themselves "artists")

I don't know much about modern "serious" composers - besides movie music composers (sadly all my favourites are now dead). You're probably right.

I used some hyperbole while saying that American composers now are the most forward thinking, I just find it a bit frustrating the extent to which the historical genre of 'classical music' is cemented in the minds of students in Europe (I being one of them for a while). It just seems to reek a bit too much of old fashioned elitism.

Not sure what is meant by 'popular music', are you referring to people who write music in order to be popular; rather than 'art music'?

[Eszett]

Changing the arrangement, sometimes makes a tune better than the original. Two examples.

“River Flows in You” played with a classical music box. IMO the original panio version is cheesy as cheese can be. The music box version fits much better to the score. It is a lullaby, and only as lullaby it is great.

“A Groovy Kind of Love” played by Garrett. IMO Phil Collin’s version sounded like bleh.. Garrett’s violin fits better to the score.

[mr_a500]

The first movement of this is one of my favourites (Menuhin/Bath 1961):

[JBert]

And now for something different.

Let's give this 1996 hip-hop a spin:

BTW: Video title is wrong, it's actually named "Fu-Gee-La".

[Halvar]

Oh yeah, killing me softly with that song ...

Link for Germans (since the one above doesn't work here): http://www.myvideo.de/watch/5274547/The ... _Fu_Gee_La

[chzel]

Ah... Fugees - The Score
A verse in one of their songs fits just right in here.."Too many MC's, not enough MIC's"..."Too many keycaps, not enough keyboards!"

[seebart]

mark ronson daffodils

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djJB1GT9FSA

[cookie]

Bohren & der Club of Gore, I love cruise trough Hamburg by night, with this stuff on my speakers

Good music for friday night deploys also!
With this in a second tabulator : http://www.rainymood.com/

[photekq]

Yes cookie! That is a brilliant album. Love it, especially on a rainy evening.

[Muirium]

What about for a snowy afternoon? That would be apt here just now.

(No jingle bells, Mr_A500. Before you get any ideas…)

[klikkyklik]

[photekq]

And the rest of the album..

[watson]

Riptide by Vance Joy via Pandora Pandora station: Feed Me Diamonds Radio

[chzel]

Dark and atmospheric and...
Also if you haven't already, watch Baraka...Mind blowing imagery...

[Eszett]

Some “out-of-this-world” Darkjazz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyORieD ... 4#t=27m30s

[photekq]

[davkol]

derp

[ramnes]

For those on Spotify, here is my big playlist: spotify:user:1175844162:playlist:2RIgUwCF6xhihG7TXOs9C2 or http://open.spotify.com/user/1175844162 ... hG7TXOs9C2

The beginning of the playlist is full of classics, and then more it goes more it's some obscure stuff. Mostly rock, electro/DnB, and hiphop, but a lot of others styles too (jazz, downtempo, deep house, etc.). All the classic music is on an other playlist though.

[vsev]

http://phauneradio.com/ frenchie one but smoother than this other one
http://compound-eye.org/

Anyway often switching between these two !

edit: bump; did someone try those ,,can make some review(turn) ?

[pyrelink]

I am still trying to figure out what the queers are doing to the soil...

[gogusrl]

http://www.goldenwingsmusic.com/#services

[vsev]

http://phauneradio.com/ frenchie one but smoother than this other one
http://compound-eye.org/

Anyway often switching between these two !

edit: bump; did someone try those ,,can make some review(turn) ?

bump

[Muirium]

[Muirium]

Time for something druggy, kitsch, und Deutsch:

Doesn't mean I don't like it!

[photekq]

[Mal-2]

I am still trying to figure out what the queers are doing to the soil...

Building landing strips for gay Martians, duh! (Say, have you seen my burrow owl?)

I'm looking for motivation by listening to my own work. Some of it I rather like, other parts still have their rough spots but I won't go back and polish them unless they irritate me sufficiently.

This is from the last couple days. Props if you recognize my inspiration. Someone here might, too. If neo-classical isn't your thing, maybe metal is.

[Muirium]

Superb!