I am dipping my toes into classical music now.

[Metalhead]

I am looking for recommendations, hoping somebody here knows enough about the world of modern classical music performers to steer me in the right direction.

A few days ago, I discovered a pianist named Alice Sara Ott who is absolutely brilliant, but she did come down with MS which is a tragedy.

I am looking for other performers like her.

Or anybody else you wish to recommend. Something more metal, for starters. Some classical music was the metal of its time.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Even if you aren't a Christian, sacred chant will blow your mind. Ancient acapella choral music. I especially like ancient Byzantine chants, and Knights Templar chants.

The range of the male voice is incredible. It gives me goosebumps.

Tchaikovski's Hymn of the Cherubim:

 

[Gerontius]

Oh my, this is going to be fun.

Tune into your local public radio stations and find when they play classical music, then you have a wide range of musicians presented not by an algorithm but by music lovers and sometimes the artists themselves.

I can't recommend many pieces or artists now because all my record collection is 78rpm, Edison cylinder, and Diamond Disc stuff. But for composers I would recommend the excellent Florence Price, whose music is seeing more of a revival lately. Chopin is not exactly "metal" being delicately virtuosic, but he is good, as is Rachmaninoff who is definitely more prone to those dark complex chords.

Wagner, like some Nordic metal bands, had some questionable ideas and wrote music some love and others don't. I have to say that he's still interesting to listen to, but recommend the overtures of Beethoven for a more enjoyable fix.

The best part I think about classical music is it stretches from the beginning of music history to the present and is still alive. Have fun.

 

[Metalhead]

Oh my, this is going to be fun.

Tune into your local public radio stations and find when they play classical music, then you have a wide range of musicians presented not by an algorithm but by music lovers and sometimes the artists themselves.

I can't recommend many pieces or artists now because all my record collection is 78rpm, Edison cylinder, and Diamond Disc stuff. But for composers I would recommend the excellent Florence Price, whose music is seeing more of a revival lately. Chopin is not exactly "metal" being delicately virtuosic, but he is good, as is Rachmaninoff who is definitely more prone to those dark complex chords.

Wagner, like some Nordic metal bands, had some questionable ideas and wrote music some love and others don't. I have to say that he's still interesting to listen to, but recommend the overtures of Beethoven for a more enjoyable fix.

The best part I think about classical music is it stretches from the beginning of music history to the present and is still alive. Have fun.

Honestly, hearing Alice Sara Ott playing Debussy scratched an itch I never knew I had. The album where she does this, Nightfall, I will highly recommend to anyone here who is interested.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

If you want metal nothing beats Bach.

 

[Gerontius]

If you like Debussy look into Oscar Levant. He used to record for Columbia.

Also, see Saint-Saens, "Etude in forme de valse" I think (title on the Alfred Cortot record I had was just "Waltz Etude" and it's a wild one.

I like Debussy's "Reflections in the water."

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

I have no idea what they are saying, but just the tone of Polish Orthodox Chant fulfills something deep inside of me, wordless, that needs expression.

 

[Metalhead]

If you like Debussy look into Oscar Levant. He used to record for Columbia.

Also, see Saint-Saens, "Etude in forme de valse" I think (title on the Alfred Cortot record I had was just "Waltz Etude" and it's a wild one.

I like Debussy's "Reflections in the water."

Listening to Oscar Levant right now. You have great taste. My Apple Music account gives me access to all of this, but one day I want a vinyl library of my faves.

 

[Metalhead]

In the meanwhile, I highly recommend this album to anybody reading here.

 

[Metalhead]

Hell, I remember when I was 12 and my mother agreed to let me to listen to heavy metal music as long as I listened to some classical music alongside it. She regretted it when I brought home Wagner operas from the library. His political views were vile but he was undeniably metal.

 

[Gerontius]

Oscar Levant was a personal friend of the great George Gershwin! If you want a treat, I recommend his recordings of "American in Paris" and of course "Rhapsody in Blue." Levant's interpretation is comparable to Gershwin's own playing styles, but since he recorded later (my Levant albums are blue label Masterworks on Columbia, all from the forties) they have a nicer sound played in modern equipment than the early Paul Whiteman/George Gershwin collabs back in the twenties. Of course I play all the old stuff too.

Be careful looking for vinyl.

I'm listening to Fritz Kreisler right now, because I found my copy of "Caprice Viennoise" (his 1910 recording but reprinted around 1922-'25). And it's as sweet as I remember it.

He could make the violin talk.

The best thing about classical music is there's no need for snobbery, just go ahead. Expertise and personal tastes and the vastness of hundreds of creative years make classical music a huge space to explore.

I scavenge for my records and my phonographs have all been salvaged from being scrapped, broken down for parts, or left to rot. I didn't know what I was doing. But those Columbia 78s of Tchaikovsky's 6th (Pathetique) changed something in me.

Have fun!

 

[Gerontius]

Hell, I remember when I was 12 and my mother agreed to let me to listen to heavy metal music as long as I listened to some classical music alongside it. She regretted it when I brought home Wagner operas from the library. His political views were vile but he was undeniably metal.

I agree on Wagner's politics. Oof.

Gilbert and Sullivan reached stirring heights without even the little hint of anti-Jewish prejudice in their works that I know of. "Go, ye heroes, go to glory" from The Pirates of Penzance is a parody, but it's well done!

Metal in Wagner is probably most well known by the famous Ride of the Valkyries, I have heard a few good takes of that one. Used to make a habit of christening every phonograph I repaired with the 1921 Stokowski version, slowed to 74rpm as the speed was off that day. But I have hidden away an electric recording from the 30s. No idea what I did with it.

But if you want an amazing Wagner instrumental, try "Entry of the Gods into Valhalla." Oh my goodness. Critically dynamic, achingly beautiful. No idea where to find a copy tho except the one I have in the pile here

Processionals March from "Parsifal" is pretty cool too; I was trying out the sheet music for that. Wish I had it on 78s.

 

[Metalhead]

I agree on Wagner's politics. Oof.

Gilbert and Sullivan reached stirring heights without even the little hint of anti-Jewish prejudice in their works that I know of. "Go, ye heroes, go to glory" from The Pirates of Penzance is a parody, but it's well done!

Metal in Wagner is probably most well known by the famous Ride of the Valkyries, I have heard a few good takes of that one. Used to make a habit of christening every phonograph I repaired with the 1921 Stokowski version, slowed to 74rpm as the speed was off that day. But I have hidden away an electric recording from the 30s. No idea what I did with it.

But if you want an amazing Wagner instrumental, try "Entry of the Gods into Valhalla." Oh my goodness. Critically dynamic, achingly beautiful. No idea where to find a copy tho except the one I have in the pile here

Processionals March from "Parsifal" is pretty cool too; I was trying out the sheet music for that. Wish I had it on 78s.

Another funny fact from my upbringing. I owned a vinyl of Holst’s The Planets, and my New Age mother would complain about the negative energy from that every time I played “Mars, the Bringer of War” around her. It got to the point where my stepfather told me I should consider her sensitive new age feelings before playing that. Forget her and all the rocks the placed around my bedroom to soak up my negative energy.

 

[Gerontius]

Another funny fact from my upbringing. I owned a vinyl of Holst’s The Planets, and my New Age mother would complain about the negative energy from that every time I played “Mars, the Bringer of War” around her. It got to the point where my stepfather told me I should consider her sensitive new age feelings before playing that. Forget her and all the rocks the placed around my bedroom to soak up my negative energy.

I am sorry you had to go through that. Mystical moms can be something else.

Mars is good.
Jupiter is serene and awe-inspiring to listen to and part was used for a hymn titled "O God, Beyond All Praising," but most Catholics can't sing so I do not think I have ever heard it sung live keeping Holst's original time signatures.

There are some nice newer versions of Mars that have come over the radio. Liked them very much.

 

[Nitro]

Classical music is actually pretty awesome.

There is a lot of it to explore, but in the near future, I may be able to make a few suggestions.

 

[Trophonius]

Beethoven is the more metal musician, always will be.
See this related video:

Dvorak, especially listen Symphony Nº9 4th movement.

You probably already know Vivaldi, everyone knows the melodies even if they aren't familiar with the complete pieces. Listen to Max Richter's Vivaldi Four Season's Recomposed for an interesting take.

Check out some Scriabin.
He's the musical equivalent to having an LSD trip and having a conversation with the unconscious

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

Try Igor Stravinsky, Le Sacre du Printemps, The Right of Spring, if you want the "metal" of its time. It caused riots. I saw it as a ballet and it was amazing. Stravinsky's other works, like, The Firebird, are worth a listen. The modern American composer I like is Philip Glass. If you have ever seen the film, Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance, you will hear his composition. A more lyrical American composer is Aaron Copeland; Rodeo, Billy the Kid, Appalacian Spring. I like his incorporation of cowboy and folk song melodies. I think you may like something like Holst's, The Planets. It starts out massively with Mars, Bringer of War. Then there is perfection: Beethoven. His 9th symphony is stunning. Listening to it live gave me the chills.

I was fortunate to attend the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at their peak with Georg Solti. And near Chicago there is Ravinia Park, where on Summer weekends one could picnic among a rapt and quiet crowd to hear the CSO perform.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

Then there are things that we have soaked up unconsciously, like Grieg's, Peer Gynt Suite, which has, In the Hall of the Mountain King. Plus the variations on 4 notes that starts out Beethoven's 5th Symphony.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

Even if you aren't a Christian, sacred chant will blow your mind. Ancient acapella choral music. I especially like ancient Byzantine chants, and Knights Templar chants.

The range of the male voice is incredible. It gives me goosebumps.

Tchaikovski's Hymn of the Cherubim:

My spouse sang in choir for Bernstein's, Chichester Psalms. And, needed to learn some Hebrew to sing them.

 

[Fino]

Franz Liszt was basically a rockstar in his time. My favorites are Chopin, Beethoven, Mozart, and Alkan. My favorite performer is Evgeny Kissin but everybody loves Horowitz. Yuja Wang is popular amongst men for reasons apparent upon seeing her.