h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

honestly i'm just looking for suggestions to broaden my horizons, but i'm sure most people have no doubt in their minds what their answer to this question will be.

if you want to make this an even more interesting conversation, you could tell me why it's your favorite piece as well

if it's a piece that you are very passionate about, perhaps you will tell me what album or cd to find your favorite recording of it on.

and i'm not going to define "classical". you are!

For me, my favourite "Classical" classical piece of music (ie Beethoven) is Beethoven's moonlight sonata. Whichever one that is. Why is it my favourite? Because it's the key to a puzzle in Resident Evil . Actually, no, I just think it's a beautiful piece of music. I'm a fan of solo piano pieces, more so than orchestral pieces.

Lots of people are going to say Mozart, etc, but it depends what you want. A lot of the celebrated works sound nice, but are barely strong enough to create a mood. If you like music that catches your attention and forces you to listen, try instead :
Bruch - Violin Concerto No.1 in G Minor
or :
Sibelius - Finlandia Suite or Karelia Suite
Not sure of exact dates, but these pieces must be contemporaneous, last decade of 19th C or first of 20th. Anything older, I can't get into somehow.
Pin

Pachelbels Canon

Peter and the Wolf - Prokoviev

Okay, I have to ask of anyone who knows Peter and the Wolf, and Red Dwarf, if Peter and the Wolf is the piece of music that Rimmer whistles in the episode "Thanks For The Memory", whilst doing his exercises the morning 'after' his death-day party, when he recalls what happened the night before...

*wishes she could remember but really can't*

to dig out her red dwarf videos

I was just wondering, because I was told it was. And it would be nice to put a name to the piece of music that starts running through my head each time I think of it.

I think my favourite piece of classical music is Arvo Part's "Te Deum". Part is a contemporary (i.e. still alive) Estonian composer who nowadays mostly writes choral music (both of the above are choral). I think it is one of the very few pieces of music I would describe as perfect (the only other one that comes to mind is Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue"). If you're looking for something that isn't choral, I highly recommend Bach's Cello Suites. There's a very good entry on them at A970814.

All time favourite bit of classical music is Prokofiev's Romeo and Julliet. Specifically, the Dance of the Knights section. It's eneergetic and damn scary.

And Mussorsky's night on a bare mountain is jolly good, as is Rimsky Korsakov's Pictures at an exhibition (or was that musorskky too?). Twiddly.

I'm not a huge fan of Mozart as a rule, but I do like his Requiem, and as a comparison, Fure's Requiem is a blast as well.

One of the weirder things I've played, and it is a bit odd to listen to, too, was this new thing by - hang on a sec I'll go and get the CD...

Lutoslawski's Concert for Piano and Orchestra. Which certainly broadened my musical horizons.

Beethovens litle piano piece Andante Favori in F major. It was on one of the very earliest classical LPs (vinyl yet!) I ever bought: a piano antholgy by the late John Ogden and when I played it it just bowled me over.

Incidentally that is the best interpretation of it I have ever heard as well but that may be because it's the one Iknow and love.

There are other favouites, of course, lots of them; but that one stays in my mind.

Mmmm... Too many to choose from

If I had to pick one it'd probably be the Pearl Fishers Duet by Bizet...

I don't have a single 'favourite', so here's a collection of pieces I like. No particular reasons for most of them, they just appeal to me.

Hall of the Mountain King by Greig - One of the first classical pieces I ever heard
Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin
Jupiter from The Planets by Holst
Troika from Lieutanant Kije by Prokofiev - Another childhood memory

The first three are probably my all-time favourites. One classical piece I cannot stand is 'Fur Elise' by Beethoven. It makes me want to switch of the radio / cassette / CD or leave the room.

It's not strictly classical, but Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue will reduce me to a puddle every time.

Stravinsky's nice too - Firebird and Petroushka in particular. Also in the process of 'discovering' Sebelius - his 1st Symphony is wonderful.

"Pictures at an Exhibition" was originally written by Mussorgsky for solo piano, and orchestrted by various people including Rimsky-Korsakov. I love playing The Old Castle from that on piano.

I've got lots of favourite pieces, depending on my mood. I'm a great fan of a slightly obscure 19th century composer called Charles-Valentin Alkan. I love Le festin d'Esope (The Feast of Aesop) from his 12 Études in the minor keys, and also a set of 48 Esquisses (sketches).

Other stuff I like includes Stokowski's orchestral transcription of Bach's "Little Fugue" in G minor and Saint-Saens' Danse macabre

There's too many to choose just one. Favourites vary according to my mood but include:

Pachebel's Canon
Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez (I want the slow movement of this at my funeral)
Saint-Saens Danse Macabre
Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet, Peter and the Wolf
Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherezade
Britten's Young Persons Guide to the orchestra is great for introducing kids to classical music

And whilst not strictly classical, the theme from Schindler's list always brings a tear to my eye. It's a very moving piece of music

Jeny

Good grief, there's someone else who's heard of Alkan!

*Faints* ::THUD::

we saw Rachmaninovs piano concerto number 3 a week or so ago, not a fav though, but interesting. Couple of bits which bring tears to the eyes, and a few which seem discordant - very strange piece indeed.

loved Shine with Geoffrey Rush!

Heavens above Whisky, you mean I don't have to explain that I'm not talking about some aluminium recyling company? Wonders will never cease...

I particularly like the Russian Romantic Composers

Tchaikovsky - esp. the 1812 and the Ballet scores
Rachmaninov - the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini is my favourite thing ever
Prokofiev - esp. the Romeo and Juliet.

I also love Dvorak's New World Symphony and Cello Concerto, Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, Elgar's Cello Concerto and Enigma Variations.