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Epical symphonies
Looking for something epic type of symphonies, big orchestration and beautiful melodies and maybe something really sad stuff aswell - but i don't like atonal pieces. I'm a newbie with classical music, so i apologize for my stupid questions...
sincerely yours,
jenn
There must be quite a lot - Mahler - anything but the 4th is big - and the 10th was a mess-up concocted by Deryck Cooke from unfinished sketches, except the beautiful first movement and the scherzo - so avoid that.
Then there's Tchaikowsky's 5th and 6th - the 5th has a hauntingly beautiful slow movement. The 6th has a mix of movements including an uproarous scherzo that comes off dazzlingly in Karajan's hands on the old EMI recording. If you spot that recording cheap, don't be afraid to buy it - brilliant!
For modern symphonies and big orchestration, try Havergal Brian's Gothic Symphony or Elgar's No.2
That is a pretty broad description, but here are some symphonies that might be what you are looking for:Originally Posted by jenn79
Beethoven: Symphony 9
Mahler: Symphonies 2, 5, 8 and 9 (8 is referred to as "Symphony of a Thousand" but it has vocals throughout, which may not be what you are looking for)
Tchaikovsky: Symphony 6
Sibelius: Symphony 2 (not so "big", but it has beautiful melodies)
Bruckner: Symphony 7
Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life. - Ludwig van Beethoven
Hi jenn79,
Rachmaninoff: 2nd and 3rd Symphonies
Bruckner: 4th and 7th Symphonies
Brahms: All of his Symphonies
Richard Strauss: Alpensymphonie
Tchaikovski: 4th and 6th Symphonies
Sibelius: Lemminkainen, 6th and 7th Symphonies, Tempest, Tapiola
Vaughan-Williams: A Sea Symphony
Shostakovich: 11th and 13th Symphonies, Execution of Stepan Razin
Hope this will help you in your quest for epic works.
Regards!
Giovanni
Last edited by Giovannimusica; Apr-13-2007 at 04:15.
If she wants something epic, why not the Eroica itself? Symphony no. 3 by no other than Beethoven.
I remember not liking Mahler too much when I was a beginner in classical music... You might want to suggest more easy listening works. I think very good suggestions have been made so far, though.
Also try:
Bruckner's 8th (huge) and 9th
Sibelius' 1st and Kullervo
Liszt's Faust Symphony
Beethoven's 5th and 7th
Elgar's 1st
Shostakovich's 7th and 8th
Dvořák's 9th
Nielsen's 5th
Enjoy!
''Oh, the String Quartet - oh, the Divine Scratching!''
Would Berlioz count? I've heard it only a couple of times.
Symphonie Fantastique - written by a mad man, the story behind the work containing beheading and stuff.
Regards,
Navneeth
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Yesss, excellent! The most grotesque and diabolical of all the 19th century symphonies!
''Oh, the String Quartet - oh, the Divine Scratching!''
Hi Jenn!
I would have to agree with everything everyone has already listed.
When I first saw the question, the one symphony that really came to mnd, was Shostakovich's 7th Symphony (The Leningrad).
To me, everything about this symphony is "Epic".
The history behind it, the passion, the subject matter (WW2, the invasion of Russia by the Nazis, etc.), as well as the actually music, all scream, "EPIC!"
Severance Hall, Cleveland, Ohio.
Home of The Cleveland Orchestra
So many lists, so many pieces, so confusing!
Remember, you don't have to listen to all of them at once, take them in a little at a time.
And thank you for sharing your dazzlingly beautiful avatar with us, easily the best avatar at TalkClassical by a country mile.
Better than two cranes flirting? I don't think so.
Regards,
Navneeth
Want a piece of classical music identified? Post a link or upload a clip here. Someone might have an answer.
A quick and gentle introduction to audio formats and compression
2009: It's the International Year of Astronomy
http://www.astronomy2009.org/
Who's avatar are you talking about?
Jenn79's? Or mine?
If you are talking about Jenn79, then yes, I agree, it's nice to look at a pretty face on this board.
But I think I have a cool one too.
Severance Hall, Cleveland, Ohio.
Home of The Cleveland Orchestra
I'm blushed
thank you Kurkikohtaus, i'm flattered...
and Cato, your avatar is cooler than mine - don't worry
And thanks to everybody, you've been so nice and helped me out a lot!
-jenn
Last edited by jenn79; Apr-13-2007 at 17:29.
also jenn, you should try out Sains-Saens Organ Symphony. Thats pretty shweet. All of it is rather amazing but if your particularly fond of beatiful, sad melodies, theres a theme in the second half of the first movement about 10 minutes in. Its a rather unusual, not particularly lyrical melody in the strings but it is amazing
but don't fast forward into it! listen to it all, theres so many good bits like the fugue bit in the third movement, that just made me laugh, i was in hysterics.
And please, don't take it for granted as just another piece. My orchestra is playing it at the moment and i can tell you that the bassoon part is certainly rather difficult so try to appreciate the pain of the bassoon section in particular when listening.
Happy times
Mozart is sweet sunshine - Dvorak
I take my hat off. You out-speeded me.
I would also suggest the whole sets of symphonies by Lyatoshinsky (was Boris his name?).
Vaughan Williams 7th manages to fit in the definition of epic very well. The wind, the vocals and the snow.
Are you guys flirting?
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