What are you listening to RIGHT NOW?

[ifreshwater]

I've actually heard that a lot of metal fans are also classical fans... dunno whether it works the other way, though...

A lot of the [less...exuberant...] metal pieces carry a few attributes of classical music. A lot use baroque as a starting point.

Well, if a metal fan is a fan of classical music, wouldn't that also make him a classical fan who is a fan of metal? It's really just how you look at it. My favorite music is classical, but I got into it through metal and then looking into where metal came from.

A lot of metal musicians actually know a lot more about music theory than you would believe. Some areas of their knowledge are less developed than others, but that's only because they don't often need to know about counterpoint for what they're playing. They (in general) know as much music theory as classical musicians. That being said, a good metal guitarist knows as much as a good classical guitarist, a mediocre metal guitarist knows as much as a mediocre classical guitarist, etc. They just use the knowledge if different ways.

If you're interested in metal guitarists (not terribly heavy), you should look up Paul Gilbert, Jason Becker, Yngwie Malmsteen, Chris Broderick, and Michael Romeo. Some cool songs by these artists are at youtube. I'll give a couple of links (per guitarist).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES1RypBww_g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPGA3vjM ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfKD8c-WBMA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS_IYe5JTZ4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK0rvReE ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqAB11vGM10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-ze51lEt3w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG2804ggsI0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54eZyO3c ... re=related

By the way, I'm listening to Franz Liszt's Transcendental Etude No. 4 (Mazeppa).

[aldona]

Schubert: "Arpeggione" Sonata, D.821.
Reza Najfar (alto flute); Erich Faltermeier (piano).

My first thought was "He beat me to it!!! That's what I get for having a day job and not having enough time to practice!!!!"
(I have spent the past 4 years, on & off, making my own transcription of the Arpeggione for the alto flute, and learning to play it.)

But then I listened, and it is truly magic. Everything I was aiming for in my version and more, and played by someone who truly knows what they are doing (not just a rank amateur like myself.)

Truly, the alto flute is just MADE for the Arpeggione Sonata. (or vice versa?) When I get to heaven, I am going to shake the hands of both Franz Schubert and Theobald Boehm. It's a wonder that Boehm did not make this transcription himself - he certainly composed plenty of other pieces inspired by Schubert or on themes by him, as well as transcriptions and concert paraphrases of Schubert songs for alto flute.

For those who are interested, here is the artist's website:
http://najfar.com/
http://najfar.com/d-disk.htm (list of recordings)

The album is not available on CD at present, only as an mp3 download at various internet locations.

Aldona

[allegroamabile]

I'm listening to the last movement of Anton Rubinstein's String Quartet No. 1 in G major, a truly beautiful work, played by The Royal String Quartet Copenhagen. It's hard to believe how German, in both style and form, this piece sounds for being written by a Russian composer. One could mistake this for Brahms! The texture Rubinstein creates at the beginning of the second subject in the exposition is so warm and dream-like; it's moments like these that make me wonder why Mahler gets so much recognition while composers like Rubinstein are almost forgotten.

[Sergeï]

Oboe Concerto in A minor, by Vivaldi, with André Lardrot at the oboe. Sometimes, the simple pleasures are the best

[allegroamabile]

Sibelius- Symphony No. 1 in E minor: I. Andante ma non troppo - Allegro energico

Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra under Leif Segerstam

[sbeckmesser]

Wagner: Das Rheingold beginning of 4th scene. LIVE OPENING NIGHT streaming feed from the MET opera. Excellent performance so far. Bryn Terfel's debut in the role of Wotan at the MET. Premier of new production.

--Sixtus

[allegroamabile]

J.S. Bach- Fantasia in G major (arr. Edwin Franko Goldman for band)

I don't listen to much Bach, but I sure do enjoy listening to this.

[Allan]

Ovchinnikov, Symphony No.1. - USSR Radio Large Symphony Orchestra with Maxim Shostakovich, conducting.

[am_battery]

I'm listening to the music of Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No.2 1st movement.my iphone just playing it to me.and because of that i turn the genius function on,it by chance played this tune for me.l like the feeling of jumping hundreds years shuttling music history! a Beethoven's Adagio followed by a Stravinsky's Petrushka,that's amazing!

[sbeckmesser]

Mussorgsky: Boris last Act. Premier performance of new MET production streamed over the web live via Sirius. 1st intermission was with Marilyn Horne, reminiscing about her friend and colleague Joan Sutherland. A sad day for opera.

--Sixtus

[BKhon]

Nothing! Sometimes silence isn't bad. But I would probably be listening to Sexteto Mistico by Villa-Lobos.

[sbeckmesser]

Strauss: Salome, performance for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Streamed via BBC Radio 3. Salome is having slight pitch troubles and we're only 30 mins in.

--Sixtus

[sbeckmesser]

Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor. MET Radio debut of Joan Sutherland in performance of Dec 9 1961. Streamed on Internet via Sirius. Outstanding performance by the late soprano. I had the privilege of hearing her in one of her last MET performances in this role and can definitely say that while her recordings convey her accuracy of pitch and extraordinary coloratura abilities none of them give even a hint as to the volume of sound she could produce. Simply astonishing.

--Sixtus

[allegroamabile]

Dvorak's In Nature's Realm, Op. 91 played by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Karel Arcel. My favorite overture out of the Nature, Love and Life triology that includes Carnival Overture, Op. 92 and Othello, Op. 93.

[klyde4parliament]

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's recordings of Hugo Wolf's Mörike songs. In Der Fruhe gives me chills, especially in Dieskau's voice- breathtaking.