Classical Music, Opera, and Ballet

[alcyone]

How do you pronounce Saint-Saëns? I like quite a few of his pieces, but I'm hesitant to mention it in real life because I know I will horribly mangle his name.

I've always heard it pronounced "san-SAHN," with a bit of a nasal French thing on the "an"s. Could be wrong, though...

[PearlySweetcake]

Thefreedictionary.com has audio pronunciation.

[alcyone]

Can anyone recommend a reliable and well-regarded performer/label for Mendelssohn's piano works, and especially the Lieder ohne Worte? I usually know what to look for in recordings of earlier music, but the Romantics haven't traditionally been my thing. Any ideas?

[Deleted]

Great topic, but so huge. There is so much incredible music in this genre, it's hard to pick one piece to talk about (at least for me)!

I used to take cello, so I tend to have a lot of cello music in my collection. I love both of the Haydn concertos, and, of course, the Elgar, played by the late great Jacqueline DuPre.

I started listening to opera when I was twelve, prompted by seeing Amadeus on television. I seriously lucked out, as the first purchase I made was an audio cassette of Maria Callas - her early live performances at La Scala, when her voice was in its prime. From that moment, I was a goner.

You can probably guess my favorite opera! I have a yen for all things Puccini, but Tosca tends to be the one I pull out and listen to the most. I strongly recommend the Decca recording with Leontyne Price and Guiseppe diStefano - it's from the early Sixties, and Price is at her absolute, velvety best. I've almost crashed my car listening to that one.

[Beyle]

Baroque music is so beautiful, too. Anything with a harpsichord makes me think of lovely, pannier-supported 18th cent. gowns and lovely salons. Sigh.

I'm glad I'm not alone in feeling this way.

I'm a huge Bach, Chopin and Tchaikovsky fan. I also like the piano music of Clara Wieck Schumann. I think she's far more talented than her husband, Robert Schumann.

As far as favorite songs are concerned, a few of my faves are "Spiegel im Spiegel" by Arvo Part, "Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia" by Khachaturian, "Plantio do Caboclo" by Villa-Lobos, and "Clair de Lune" by Debussy.

[dancedancexenu]

If you like Bach, beyle you need to get Glenn Gould's Two and Three Part Inventions. They just released the remastered version this year and it is AMAZING. I've been playing it in the car, and it is just completely beautiful, and entrancing, and... fabulous. I can't recommend it enough. Glenn Gould just brought Bach completely to life for me.

A remastered version of Art O/T Fugue is also out right now. I think it's a bit too fast to really highlight the music, but it's worth a listen, especially since he was just such an amazing piano player.

[Deleted]

I have both versions of Glen Gould's recording of the Goldberg Variations. I know I share my love with Hannibal Lecter, but I had bought them before I knew The Silence of the Lambs. Come to think of it, I discovered a lot of classical music in films:

Excalibur showed me Wagner and Orff. There is quite a good version of Carmina Burana by Ray Manzarek (from The Doors).

The Little Girl who lives down the Lane introduced me to Chopin.

Diva showcased Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez. I go to see her a few years ago in Carman Johnes. OK, it is not exactly Classical Music, but what a voice.

Klaus Nomi introduced me to Purcell and other Baroque composers. I have a fantastic recording of Jessy Norman singing Dido and Aeneas.

[Margo]

I love Verdi. I adore Aida, and I go to a performance of La Traviata every time it's on in town (Toronto). So this season I'm looking at going to La Traviata and Faust by Gounod in our new Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

[starskin]

I just found a clip[/color] of Anna Pavlova dancing to Saint-Saens' "The Dying Swan". Talk about chills!

I love Saint-Saens and I think he's really underrepresented in a lot of circles. He was barely mentioned at all in my music history classes, and it wasn't until I actually sang one of his songs that I became aware of how great his music is.

[Deleted]

Strings! I love most pieces with string instruments since I used to play the violin when I was a wee little knid. Oooh- and pianos (I also played piano)
I love Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Beethoven, and really, I can listen to all classical music and feel relaxed. My favorite is Pachelbel's Canon, which I just found out, was also my Dad's favorite.
My parents were really great about taking my sister and me to loads of concerts, so I was lucky enough to see a young Yo Yo Ma perform, along with yearly trips to the Nutcracker, which I love.