Introductions: User Relationships to Classical Music

[Annihilation]

Amateur pianist, started when I was younger, quit, took up again with relative success later in high school. currently interested in German instrumental music of the 17th century and early 18th. Discovered classical by trying out most of the CDs at my local library, around age 15. This happened around the same time I discovered good metal. Currently working on building a harpsichord from a kit. Spent a few years studying composition and theory privately. 1st year undergrad, major undecided. Located in Northeast US.

[Jim Necroslaughter]

I've been listening to Classical fairly seriously for 2 years now.  I still feel new, but not intimidated.  I latched onto Beethoven and Bach pretty quickly.  I'm now exploring more Schumann and Schubert.  Bruckner intrigues the hell out of me, but I'm gonna wait a little longer.  The more subtle, refined aspects of Classical music still elude me.  I need big, epic sounds, or shorter repetitive pieces.

That's fantastic that you're building your own harpsichord.  I love the sound of the harpsichord, but I also love that classic, big, bad church organ sound, too.

I've been to my local Symphony Orchestra twice now, and it was a really good experience.

Classical has helped me with metal and vice versa.  Both have increased my attention span.

[Conservationist]

Classical has helped me with metal and vice versa.  Both have increased my attention span.

Same boat here. Classical also made me really re-evaluate my listening time spent on popular music. I was thinking, "You know what? I fucking hate this culture, this counter-culture that's really just an expression of mass culture. I don't even like all the "martial industrial" and "darkwave" stuff the metal sheep were getting into. As a result I just stepped the hell out... screw it all. Go back 200 years and find something that has some balls, and give a big middle finger to the rock 'n' roll morons and their shithead fans.

[Cargést]

Some years of piano lessons around the age of 8, an interest in music in general from roughly the same age, two years of Classical tuition from fourteen after taking up the guitar at eleven (singing all the way through).  I really wish I'd stuck with the regimented theory training, as I'm currently going through all of it again in a rather haphazard manner.  As far as listening to Classical goes, I've always been a massive fan of Baroque music, though I've more recently developed a serious appreciation for Romantic and Renaissance/Early music.

[N]

I always thought Classical was pretty-sounding. When I aged some and experienced more—both emotionally and analytically—I found beauty with the internal workings and structure, along with the general connotation of the emotions espoused in Classical. I think what first attracted me was the pure inspiration of my teacher—I was utterly enamored with his level of skill, perception, discipline and clarity. Also, I’d never seen such relaxed, fluid chops. Currently, I’m a Classical Percussionist doing mostly free lance and sub-list work. I also have a small studio of students.

Someone on here once said they left music for something more stable—smart choice! Even in percussion, the odds are slim but I love Classical fervently, so there’s nothing like getting together with a group of people and really bringing an idea, even the principle of excellence and discipline, to life.

Building a harpsichord sounds wicked! Let me know how it goes, and how she plays. I almost bought this virginal the other day on ebay, but I couldn’t justify spending $4,000 on one when I’m hunting for a Marimba. 

[N]

I really wish I'd stuck with the regimented theory training, as I'm currently going through all of it again in a rather haphazard manner. 

What are you using to study Theory?

Are you developing your Aural Skills as well?

[Cargést]

Funnily enough, this thread is possibly the most useful resource I've found.  I also still have some old books on melodic theory, and commentaries/scores for Schumann's Piano Concerto in A Minor (unfortunately in German, so it's a little hard to decipher at times) and Britten's "Saint Nicolas".

What do you mean, specifically, by "Aural Skills"?

[N]

Funnily enough, this thread is possibly the most useful resource I've found.  I also still have some old books on melodic theory, and commentaries/scores for Schumann's Piano Concerto in A Minor (unfortunately in German, so it's a little hard to decipher at times) and Britten's "Saint Nicolas".

What do you mean, specifically, by "Aural Skills"?

Nice! Which books? I've used the aldwell-schachter, kostka-payne, and have studied some from gradus ad parnassum along with other assorted counter-point books but have been guided to analyze more than read. Bach inventions are excellent in this regard, especially if you try to do different arrangements for them; it's real fun.

I actually just picked up a few scores yesterday; Saint-saens "Organ" Symphony, Brahms and Mozart Concerti, and some Schubert Quartets.

Ear-training. From my experience and that of my peers, learning theory and ear-training in tandem facilitates a mastery of music. To my mind, it’s always seemed this way because they overlap, so you’re looking at the same thing from different perspectives—like the Upanishads.  Essentially, all the things one learns in theory, one learns again, but for one’s ear. Then, you don’t need to rely solely on notes but have a sound understanding of how music operates both through the waves and ink.

All IMHO, your mileage may vary.


 

[Annihilation]

I'll have to look into "Aldwell-Schacter," I'm a fan of both their other work, hadn't heard about this one. I've had a good experience with Salzer-Schachter's "Counterpoint in Composition," and I've been looking for a good harmony book beyond Piston's.

Building a harpsichord sounds wicked! Let me know how it goes, and how she plays. I almost bought this virginal the other day on ebay, but I couldn’t justify spending $4,000 on one when I’m hunting for a Marimba.  

It helps to be in touch with instrument builders and other early music folks, generally a friendly and well-connected bunch. I've gotten more than one kit / instrument offered to me (that is, free of charge) just because the right people knew my interests and background. If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, you could try a clavichord, my current favorite of the keyboard family. Below are good starting points, but it is highly recommended you're able to play an instrument before purchasing.

http://zhi.net/
http://www.theparisworkshop.com/
http://www.harpsichord.com/

[N]

I'll have to look into "Aldwell-Schacter," I'm a fan of both their other work, hadn't heard about this one. I've had a good experience with Salzer-Schachter's "Counterpoint in Composition," and I've been looking for a good harmony book beyond Piston's.

Building a harpsichord sounds wicked! Let me know how it goes, and how she plays. I almost bought this virginal the other day on ebay, but I couldn’t justify spending $4,000 on one when I’m hunting for a Marimba.  

It helps to be in touch with instrument builders and other early music folks, generally a friendly and well-connected bunch. I've gotten more than one kit / instrument offered to me (that is, free of charge) just because the right people knew my interests and background. If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, you could try a clavichord, my current favorite of the keyboard family. Below are good starting points, but it is highly recommended you're able to play an instrument before purchasing.

http://zhi.net/
http://www.theparisworkshop.com/
http://www.harpsichord.com/

The workbooks are indispensable, also.

I’ve never used that one—I’ll look into it.

Both the kostka-payne (tonal Harmony) and Aldwell-Schacter (Harmony and Voice leading) are good—one thing to note about the Kostka-payne is that the chapter on augmented sixths (26, I think) is highly inefficient. It has you memorize one way of conceiving them, then another for building them. It’s just a waste of time and could be made simpler by using octave fifths in the formula for learning them. Other than that, it’s great.   


Thanks a lot, I’ll look into these! One reason I want one is my interest in tuning paradigms. Sure, some intervals sound weird but then you can get some really sweet sonorities(3rds and 5ths especially) with various temperaments.

[Ungeheuer]

Born into a family of professional musicians, quit musical training (baritone horn, tuba, rudimentary theory) after junior high. Graduated and got a diploma, realized I hated what I'd spent five years learning and devoted myself to the study of the music I learned to love once more during my senior years. Aiming for a research/teaching position in musicology now.

Particular interests include the music of the early German baroque and the first half of the 20th century, as well as a general interest in the history of music theory and education.

[Saif al-Malik]

I am not a musician although I write lyrics and poetry.  We were given a thorough grounding in classical music throughout our pre-university education.  As a result, many of use came to either love classical music in all of its forms, or to resent it.  While I am far from a scholar of classical music, I do have favorite composers and have traveled to Lincoln Center to see various orchestras and choirs from around the world.  My favorite forms would have to be opera, baroque, and modern classical in the sense of post-romantic nationalism in countries.  Romantic is also a genre very much loved.

Having been exposed to classical music and the best of the various metal genres has left little tolerance for most rock in my heart.  Most of those people cannot be considered serious music lovers.

[aquarius]

I grew up listening to classical with my grandmother, her grandfather was apparently a conductor of a small scale orchestra in our hometown. To me re-exploring classical was the logical consequence of listening to black metal, neo-classical, ambient etc only with ten times hightened emotional receptivity, still black metal was essential for scorning the modern world. My favourite composers would be Bruckner, Wagner, Beethoven and other innovators of the romantic era.

[Conservationist]

Having been exposed to classical music and the best of the various metal genres has left little tolerance for most rock in my heart.

This is part of what I refer to as my own "maturation."

Like most kids, I didn't have a childhood -- or at least, it was a fractured one.

Adults made adulthood look like hell.

Youth culture however was another useless product, with maybe 20-30 exceptions in the world of underground metal. One Darkthrone makes up for 40,000 Mastodons or Gojiras.

Classical is a return to sanity from the very random activity of the modern time.

[Annihilation]

Recently discovered a French mid-Baroque keyboard composer of interest, wonder what people's reactions will be:

Jean-Henry d'Anglebert
1629-1691

Tombeau de M. de Chambonnieres, Christophe Rousset
Unmeasured Prelude in D minor, Ketil Haugsand

Contemporary of Louis Couperin and Lully