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

Aha! Do you like classical music? I do too. It seems to be pretty rare nowadays though.

What do you like? Some of my favourites are Beethoven's fifth, sixth and seventh, Pachelbel's Canon, Handel Fireworks Music, Mozart's 40th symphony, Bach's Brandenburg Concertos and most other Bachs.

Niwt

Hi niwt! A nice selection of music ... I can admit to liking all of those! ... and quite a few others. I like baroque music a lot, so (obviously) Bach senior is "in" . I also like a lot of the 19th and 20th centruy French music (totally different style and era!). If you want to look at those "likes" in more detail, why not take a look at the edited guide entries (and some of the ordinary guide entries) on my home page? Feel free to comment on them. Hope to hear from you again soon.

I read a University project (or guide entry - I can't remember) last year on Baroque which you wrote, and I really enjoyed it - so did my Dad who was looking over my shoulder. I joined in one of the conversations and started another one - they were really interesting - except that was as a different user.

I also like Dvorak, especially his "New World" Symphony.

Ah, right! Yes, that was my first h2g2 Uni project. I've got another one on the go now - French Music - hoping to get it completed in a couple of weeks.

Yes, Dvorak is interesting ... a very "national" style (well, slavonic, anyway), but able to take in new cultures - like America - and write music about them. Have you heard his 'cello concerto? I think it's a magnificent piece of music - one of the very few I know where the composer has managed to balance plenty of brass (mainly French Horn) with a solo 'cello ....

Oh good, I'll look forward to reading that. I'm going to write some entries (well I've written them, just not put them up here) on some Italian composers I did for a school assignment this term: Rossini, Vivaldi, Scarlatti and Albinoni.

Sounds good. Let me know when you put them in for Peer Review - I'll take a look and make comments.

I've done two - Albinoni is at http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A566381 and Rossini is at http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A566390
Tell me what you think! I think I'll put them in for the writing workshop first though. I submitted one of my entries to the peer review yesterday, I'm sure I did everything right yet it's been more than 24 hours and no-one's replied

Do you like Satie?

As to Dvorak, I've only heard his New World Symphony.

OK. I'll take a look at those two entries over today/tommorow, and comment against them.

Peer reiview - it can take a while before anyone comments sometimes .... I've had to wait a few days before now - it's a bit patchy - depends on how many volunteers are on site, and what their interests are. Be patient, I guess!

Satie - sometimes a bit obscure for me, but often very melodical - definitely a piano player's composer ... so I play some of his pieces.

I'm a classical music lover, in fact I present a classical music program on radio.

Thought I can't talk now.

Nick Bailey

I play Satie's premier gymnopedie on the piano.

Hi Yeliab! Keep playing the good stuff ... talking of which, yes ... Gymn. #1 is probably my favourite piece of Satie - so delicate!

The melody is beautiful. I just fell in love with it.

What do you plural think of Beethoven's second piano concerto? I like it!

And what do you (plural again) think of the hitch-hikers theme music? I like that too.

Yes ... I like his piano concerti a lot ... but No. 4 is my favourite. In 1 & 2 he was "learning the craft" .. and producing good stuff at the same time ... in 3, 4 & 5 he experiments & develops more. Why No. 4? Well, try this ....

Audiences knew what they wanted to hear .. for a piano concerto, they wanted heaps of flash piano, and "full value" from the orchestra - all early on. Listen to the start of No.3 ... full-on orchestra, followed by piano. Start of No.5 ... very flash piano startup ... but No. 4? I reckon it blew a few minds in the audience ... it starts with quiet solo piano, playing G & D major chords ..... Ah well, just my personal view

I am falling slightly behind here, so here is my Dad who is reading all of this and jumping up and down with excitement (well, almost ):

"Agree with your view of Beet P Con 4. Great beginning and well-balanced throughout. 5 is a bit flamboyant."

I keep on telling him to register as a researcher, but he refuses to listen