Your Favorite Era of Classical Music

The french school (Ravel, Debussy, Chausson) has my preference, however
i don't dislike a little english romantism from time to time:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbcuteYm-EA

Edited by oliverstoned - March 31 2011 at 04:58

presdoug wrote: Slartibartfast wrote: Whichever era you plug Debussy in.  He was Medieval, right?   I don't know if they are generally accepted as classical but I really like Reich and Glass.  Hackett's done some good stuff, more will come to mind.  Rypdal... I'll cast the first vote for 21st. Debussy's music was written in the late 19th and early 20th Century-he has been called a "Musical Impressionist", his music coinciding with the movement in painting known as Impressionism. Also  could be seen as an early Modern composer-kind of a connection between the late Romantics from the tale end of the 19th Century, and music that was written after Debussy (I think he died around 1919)

Slartibartfast wrote: Whichever era you plug Debussy in.  He was Medieval, right?   I don't know if they are generally accepted as classical but I really like Reich and Glass.  Hackett's done some good stuff, more will come to mind.  Rypdal... I'll cast the first vote for 21st.

Debussy's music was written in the late 19th and early 20th Century-he has been called a "Musical Impressionist", his music coinciding with the movement in painting known as Impressionism. Also  could be seen as an early Modern composer-kind of a connection between the late Romantics from the tale end of the 19th Century, and music that was written after Debussy (I think he died around 1919)

Come on guys, Ludwig and Wolfgang? I know, everything is subjective...

The_Jester wrote: No one on the 21st Century? I tought it was rather popular among some proggies.

There is such a crossover from Contempory to 21st Century (and to some extent 20th Century) you could consider all three to be a split vote. Those composers that are working in the 21st century (Glass, Ligeti, Tavner, Nyman, Górecki  etc etc) have feet in many "camps";.

The_Jester wrote: That's where Wikipedia gets usefull. You can know te period of you're favorite composers.

The T wrote: Renaissance and earlier music tends to get old quickly...

so i guess you're not the one who voted Medieval era?

on topic, i have trouble choosing. My knowledge with classical is limited, in that, i have stuff by various composers from all eras (except medieval). I could tell you who my favorite composers are, but eras? nah i just dont know enough.


Edited by darkshade - March 07 2011 at 19:18

My vote has put Romantic period in the lead. Although there are no losers with sublime music in each era.

The Pessimist wrote: lucas wrote: ^ yes, it should be understood "best for you", or "your favourite". There is indeed no such thing as best era.   Nationalism appeared in the romantic era, with references to the local folklore (Chopin's mazurkas, Liszt's hungarian rhapsodies, Wagner's operas, Smetana's symphonic poems).   Sonata was already developed in the Baroque era, with "sonades en trio" in France (François Couperin) and the famous Scarlatti's sonatas for keyboard. Also it is worth mentioning the apparition of concerti (Vivaldi, Corelli, Albinoni).   Classical era saw the development of symphonies. You are right in some ways, not so much in others. Indeed, in the Baroque era, there were pieces called "Sonatas" (which is Italian for "to play" correct me if I'm wrong). They were on of the two categories in small pieces of music, the other being "Cantatas", meaning "to sing". However, none of these - and I can say this in confidence - were in Sonata Form. Sonata Form was introduced in the Classical era by Haydn, and boiled down to its simplest explanation, is as follows: Exposition (introduction of all themes) Development (twists and variations that build on the themes) Recapitulation (re-introduction of the themes) Which all symphonies are based around, strictly or loosely. As I said in my original comment, Sonata Form was conceived in the Classcal era, not the term Sonata. A Baroque Sonata and a Classical Sonata are worlds apart. Also, Brahms's Hungarian Dances, Chopin's Mazurkas etc... are the early foundations of Nationalism, however the actual subgenre itself began in the 20th century. These kind of Romantic Nationalist pieces are more Proto-Nationalism than anything... It would be a bit like saying that Jazz first started as soon as quartal harmony was discovered.

lucas wrote: ^ yes, it should be understood "best for you", or "your favourite". There is indeed no such thing as best era.   Nationalism appeared in the romantic era, with references to the local folklore (Chopin's mazurkas, Liszt's hungarian rhapsodies, Wagner's operas, Smetana's symphonic poems).   Sonata was already developed in the Baroque era, with "sonades en trio" in France (François Couperin) and the famous Scarlatti's sonatas for keyboard. Also it is worth mentioning the apparition of concerti (Vivaldi, Corelli, Albinoni).   Classical era saw the development of symphonies.

You are right in some ways, not so much in others. Indeed, in the Baroque era, there were pieces called "Sonatas" (which is Italian for "to play" correct me if I'm wrong). They were on of the two categories in small pieces of music, the other being "Cantatas", meaning "to sing". However, none of these - and I can say this in confidence - were in Sonata Form.

Sonata Form was introduced in the Classical era by Haydn, and boiled down to its simplest explanation, is as follows:

Exposition (introduction of all themes)
Development (twists and variations that build on the themes)
Recapitulation (re-introduction of the themes)

Which all symphonies are based around, strictly or loosely.

As I said in my original comment, Sonata Form was conceived in the Classcal era, not the term Sonata. A Baroque Sonata and a Classical Sonata are worlds apart.

Also, Brahms's Hungarian Dances, Chopin's Mazurkas etc... are the early foundations of Nationalism, however the actual subgenre itself began in the 20th century. These kind of Romantic Nationalist pieces are more Proto-Nationalism than anything... It would be a bit like saying that Jazz first started as soon as quartal harmony was discovered.

Technical death metal? No, let's listen to Brahms!

You'll probably find that to be more Prokofiev