This is it. Here are the miscellaneous pieces left over worth mentioning. Now it's up to you to go hunt down some more classical music you like. I'll give you a hint: Chopin's piano works are insanely good.
1) Vivaldi - Spring
You oughta know this one by now. And just to cover all the seasons, this is Autumn.
2) Bach - Cello Suite No. 1
Yo, Yo-Yo.
3) Bach - Jesu, Joy of a Man's Desiring
Sorta pompous, but check out #4.
4) Boccherini - Minuet from String Quartet in E Major
Sooooo pretentious.
5) Handel - Hallelujah Chorus
As you might have guessed, all those familiar tunes had to have started somewhere. This one just happens to go way back.
6) Tchaikovsky - Dance of the Reeds
If I'm not mistaken, Angela from the office plays this at one of The Office holiday parties.
7) Mozart - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
First time I heard this piece was when David Copperfield escaped from a building being demolished. And hey, it's Mars too!
8) Bach - Bouree in e minor
Since it's so rad on strings, Tenacious D and Jethro Tull caught on and replicated.
9) Rimsky-Korsakov - Flight of the Bumblebee
The piece to destroy a violinist with. Sweet trumpet version used in Kill Bill.
10) Mozart - Queen of the Night
The song to destroy a soprano with. You miss one of those notes and your career is effed.
11) Tchaikovsky - Trepak
I think it was featured in Home Alone, or really any other Christmas-themed movie...
12) Rossini - Barber of Seville Overture
I hope this is familiar to you, cause it means you watched the Looney Tunes feature that was voted one of the greatest cartoons ever.
13) Offenbach - Infernal Gallop
No need to say more. See it in Moulin Rouge.
14) Beethoven - Pathetique Sonata (1st and 3rd movements)
A snippet of the 1st movement was played in the Seinfeld episode about the Pez dispenser.
15 and 16) Beethoven - 5th and 9th symphonies
Everyone knows Beethoven's 5th, and the 9th gave you the "Ode to Joy". Sup, Die Hard.
Read More......
Showing posts with label classical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label classical. Show all posts
Friday, January 16, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Essential Classical - Pt. 4: Romantic...sorta
This category started out simply enough, and then it got out of hand really quickly. So here's 16 pieces, subdivided into dances, wedding music, and then general, chill-out-with-your-waifu stuff.
I. The Dances
Feel free to gloss right over if this ain't yo thang.
1) Ponchielli - Dance of the Hours (excerpt, cause the whole thing is loooong)
2) Tchaikovsky - Waltz of the Flowers
Where you've seen it: If you haven't seen it performed seriously, it's usually in spoofs of synchronized dances.
3) Bizet - Habanera
4) Gardel - Por Una Cabeza
Where you've seen it: Scent of a Woman, Schindler's List, True Lies
II. Weddings
Strictly wedding stuff.
5) Clarke - Trumpet Voluntary
Now that's classy. I'm pretty sure the bridal party usually comes in to this one.
6) Wagner - Lohengrin Act III Prelude ("Bridal Chorus")
Wikipedia: despite this being popular as "here comes the bride", it's usually not used for Jewish, Lutheran, or Roman Catholic weddings. And in the opera, the marriage between Elsa and Lohengrin is an almost immediate failure. Take that, Western culture!
7) Mendelssohn - Wedding March
Frankly, this is borderline epic.
III. Chill Out with Your Waifu
8) Pachelbel - Canon in D
The "original one-hit wonder," sometimes used in weddings too. The chord progression is in every single song you have and will ever like. Here's proof. And oh yeah, remember this guy?
9) Schubert - Ave Maria
Damn right, that's Hitman. So I've heard this during weddings and a funeral. Although, come to think of it, the funeral was in a game. Crazy. And crazy good.
10) Bach - Air on the G String
Never mind the awkward name. You'd sometimes hear this one at wedding processions as well. But by far, the Klazz Brothers/Cuba Percussion version used for the film Collateral is my number one piece of music to chill out to.
11) Delibes - The Flower Duet
I can't remember, but I think this is the song playing when Homer Simpson sees "Flushing Meadows" and dreams about a field of toilets.
12) Jenkins - Palladio
Only because this was used in old De Beers commercials. Adiamond cubic zirconia is forever.
13) Strauss - The Blue Danube
If this song didn't sound so blissful, it'd belong in the Epic section too.
Where you've seen this: 2001: A Space Odyssey (noticing a trend?)
14) Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 8 II. Andante cantabile
Better known as the Pathetique Sonata, for whatever reason. Klazz Brothers and Cuba Percussion have a good, jazzy arrangement of this piece too.
15) Grieg - Morning
More fun to set this song as your alarm than Rage Against the Machine - Wake Up. The other "morningy" piece is from the William Tell Overture (see the 2nd half of the video).
16) Rachmaninoff - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Variation XVIII
This will freaking sweep you off your feet, even if you're sitting down. Amirite?
Read More......
I. The Dances
Feel free to gloss right over if this ain't yo thang.
1) Ponchielli - Dance of the Hours (excerpt, cause the whole thing is loooong)
2) Tchaikovsky - Waltz of the Flowers
Where you've seen it: If you haven't seen it performed seriously, it's usually in spoofs of synchronized dances.
3) Bizet - Habanera
4) Gardel - Por Una Cabeza
Where you've seen it: Scent of a Woman, Schindler's List, True Lies
II. Weddings
Strictly wedding stuff.
5) Clarke - Trumpet Voluntary
Now that's classy. I'm pretty sure the bridal party usually comes in to this one.
6) Wagner - Lohengrin Act III Prelude ("Bridal Chorus")
Wikipedia: despite this being popular as "here comes the bride", it's usually not used for Jewish, Lutheran, or Roman Catholic weddings. And in the opera, the marriage between Elsa and Lohengrin is an almost immediate failure. Take that, Western culture!
7) Mendelssohn - Wedding March
Frankly, this is borderline epic.
III. Chill Out with Your Waifu
8) Pachelbel - Canon in D
The "original one-hit wonder," sometimes used in weddings too. The chord progression is in every single song you have and will ever like. Here's proof. And oh yeah, remember this guy?
9) Schubert - Ave Maria
Damn right, that's Hitman. So I've heard this during weddings and a funeral. Although, come to think of it, the funeral was in a game. Crazy. And crazy good.
10) Bach - Air on the G String
Never mind the awkward name. You'd sometimes hear this one at wedding processions as well. But by far, the Klazz Brothers/Cuba Percussion version used for the film Collateral is my number one piece of music to chill out to.
11) Delibes - The Flower Duet
I can't remember, but I think this is the song playing when Homer Simpson sees "Flushing Meadows" and dreams about a field of toilets.
12) Jenkins - Palladio
Only because this was used in old De Beers commercials. A
13) Strauss - The Blue Danube
If this song didn't sound so blissful, it'd belong in the Epic section too.
Where you've seen this: 2001: A Space Odyssey (noticing a trend?)
14) Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 8 II. Andante cantabile
Better known as the Pathetique Sonata, for whatever reason. Klazz Brothers and Cuba Percussion have a good, jazzy arrangement of this piece too.
15) Grieg - Morning
More fun to set this song as your alarm than Rage Against the Machine - Wake Up. The other "morningy" piece is from the William Tell Overture (see the 2nd half of the video).
16) Rachmaninoff - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Variation XVIII
This will freaking sweep you off your feet, even if you're sitting down. Amirite?
Read More......
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Essential Classical - Pt. 3: Epic
The ones that didn't make the Furious cut, but still had huge, classical cojones.
1) Strauss - Also Sprach Zarathustra Introduction
How do you pack that much epicness into such a small time frame?
Where you've seen it: 2001: A Space Odyssey
2) Orff - O Fortuna
It's sad how overplayed this is. It could've been something special.
Where you've seen it: EVERYWHERE. I hate you, Paul Blart, mall cop.
3) Grieg - In the Hall of the Mountain King
You've heard it before, I know. I don't have anything to say about this one.
I was also not aware ELO did a version of this...whatever.
4) Bizet - The Toreadors
Where you've seen this: I remember this at the end of each NES tetris level. And then the Russian church towers would blast off like rockets. Just like in real life.
5) Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 14 III. Presto agitato
If you didn't know, Piano Sonata No. 14 = Moonlight Sonata. And to think, I was learning how to play this...
6) Mozart- The Marriage of Figaro Overture
My music teacher in high school called this a classic overture, saying it was a "fun song." I guess that's one way to describe it.
And now, the juggernauts...
7) Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture
Part 1
Part 2
Tchaikovsky wrote a part for cannons to be in his overture. Cannons! Imagine the afterparty after a performance:
"Yeah, I'm in the orchestra. I played the cannon."
Where you've seen it: V For Vendetta Finale [OBVIOUS SPOILER]
8) Tchaikovsky - Marche Slave
The Slavonic March. This song kept coming up in a documentary of Stalin I saw last semester.
9) Rossini - William Tell
Part 1
Part 2
...triangle guy steals the show.
Read More......
1) Strauss - Also Sprach Zarathustra Introduction
How do you pack that much epicness into such a small time frame?
Where you've seen it: 2001: A Space Odyssey
2) Orff - O Fortuna
It's sad how overplayed this is. It could've been something special.
Where you've seen it: EVERYWHERE. I hate you, Paul Blart, mall cop.
3) Grieg - In the Hall of the Mountain King
You've heard it before, I know. I don't have anything to say about this one.
I was also not aware ELO did a version of this...whatever.
4) Bizet - The Toreadors
Where you've seen this: I remember this at the end of each NES tetris level. And then the Russian church towers would blast off like rockets. Just like in real life.
5) Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 14 III. Presto agitato
If you didn't know, Piano Sonata No. 14 = Moonlight Sonata. And to think, I was learning how to play this...
6) Mozart- The Marriage of Figaro Overture
My music teacher in high school called this a classic overture, saying it was a "fun song." I guess that's one way to describe it.
And now, the juggernauts...
7) Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture
Part 1
Part 2
Tchaikovsky wrote a part for cannons to be in his overture. Cannons! Imagine the afterparty after a performance:
"Yeah, I'm in the orchestra. I played the cannon."
Where you've seen it: V For Vendetta Finale [OBVIOUS SPOILER]
8) Tchaikovsky - Marche Slave
The Slavonic March. This song kept coming up in a documentary of Stalin I saw last semester.
9) Rossini - William Tell
Part 1
Part 2
...triangle guy steals the show.
Read More......
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Essential Classical - Pt. 2: Emo
Ahhh, the original emo. This will be short, cause I'm not sure how many devastatingly depressing pieces there are. I was trying to pack with these pieces playing in the background, but it was practically impossible. How about that.
1) Schubert - Der Leiermann
Heard of it only because of In Bruges (another personal favorite). This version really sets the tone for the bleak parts of the movie.
2) Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata
Chances are you've heard this one before. After 8 years of piano instruction, this is maybe the only song I still remember how to play.
3) Chopin - Funeral March
Isn't the name obvious enough? Turns out the song was played at Chopin's own funeral. What a baller.
Where you've seen it: Some NES game's game-over screen
4) Mozart - Lacrimosa (from Requiem in D minor)
Lacrimosa is Latin for "weeping." It's said that Mozart, as he was composing it in his crappy dying condition, teared up when he heard the first few bars.
Where you've seen it: Amadeus, 30 Rock's spoof of Amadeus (S2E13 "Succession")
5) Barber - Adagio For Strings
Quite possibly the saddest song ever. Drags on and on, so you can truly wallow in your depression. Way to go, Tiesto, for making it upbeat.
Where you've seen it: Platoon [SPOILERS]. You try being more dramatic than that.
Read More......
1) Schubert - Der Leiermann
Heard of it only because of In Bruges (another personal favorite). This version really sets the tone for the bleak parts of the movie.
2) Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata
Chances are you've heard this one before. After 8 years of piano instruction, this is maybe the only song I still remember how to play.
3) Chopin - Funeral March
Isn't the name obvious enough? Turns out the song was played at Chopin's own funeral. What a baller.
Where you've seen it: Some NES game's game-over screen
4) Mozart - Lacrimosa (from Requiem in D minor)
Lacrimosa is Latin for "weeping." It's said that Mozart, as he was composing it in his crappy dying condition, teared up when he heard the first few bars.
Where you've seen it: Amadeus, 30 Rock's spoof of Amadeus (S2E13 "Succession")
5) Barber - Adagio For Strings
Quite possibly the saddest song ever. Drags on and on, so you can truly wallow in your depression. Way to go, Tiesto, for making it upbeat.
Where you've seen it: Platoon [SPOILERS]. You try being more dramatic than that.
Read More......
Monday, January 12, 2009
Essential Classical - Pt. 1: Fury
As kiyoshi is busy finding popular music, let's jump back a few hundred years. They sure don't make 'em like they used to. Hopefully this'll be the first in a full-fledged series on getting you familiarized with the best of the best classical music around. Now you can finally know the name of that song you always liked but couldn't really Google the lyrics for...
Oh, but you think classical's boring?
Not to worry, this first set is just a sample as to how angry those super-oldies can get. This is music you go to war to. Check it out.
ARE YOU READY TO GET ANGRY YET??
Here we go, in whatever particular order:
1) Mussorgsky - A Night on Bald Mountain
Let's get this one out of the way first. Used in Fantasia, as you can see. I'm not a big fan, cause it doesn't get me ANGRY enough, but it gets close. Gotta love that animation.
2) Mozart - Symphony No. 25 in G minor
Solid. I actually only have the last 2:32 (most dramatic) piece of this song, so I gotta find the whole thing somewhere...
Where you've seen it: Amadeus (1:57 into the clip)
3) Holst - Mars, the Bringer of War
It's widely said that Hans Zimmer ripped off parts of this song for the Gladiator battle theme. See for yourself.
Where you've seen it: Let's be honest. None of you watch the Venture Bros. So let's just say you heard it in Gladiator.
4) Mozart - Dies Irae
You've HAD to have heard this at least once...
5) Verdi - Dies Irae
Interesting tidbit: in the 2001: A Space Odyssey book, Bowman nearly has a breakdown when playing this song in deep space.
Where you've seen it: Battle Royale prologue.
6) Vivaldi - Summer III (Presto)
It's a shame everyone's most familiar with the most weaksauce of Vivaldi's seasons - Spring. As I read somewhere, Vivaldi manages to put the essence of summer thunderstorms into the last movement of Summer.
Where you've seen it: not sure, but check out funtwo
7) Vivaldi - Winter I (Allegro non molto)
Shit, if you liked summer, wait til it's Winter. There are no words. Especially after I saw it in Oldboy.
Where you've seen it: Oldboy. SPOILER and SQUEAMISH WARNING
The gist of the scene is Dae-su (guy with the hammer) is getting back at the guy who imprisoned him for 15 years. "Each tooth I extract will age you by one year." Hooo man.
8) Prokofiev - Dance of the Knights (aka, Montagues and Capulets)
I almost went nuts looking for the name of this song. As you might guess, Prokofiev is a Russian name, hence the "hammer and sickle" feel to it.
Where you've seen it: Muse's 2007 concert in Wembley Stadium (their H.A.A.R.P. live album). Now if you could walk into, say, an interview like that, you'd be set. For life.
9) And finally, Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries
Kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit!
Where you've seen it: Apocalypse Now
Read More......
Oh, but you think classical's boring?
Not to worry, this first set is just a sample as to how angry those super-oldies can get. This is music you go to war to. Check it out.
ARE YOU READY TO GET ANGRY YET??
Here we go, in whatever particular order:
1) Mussorgsky - A Night on Bald Mountain
Let's get this one out of the way first. Used in Fantasia, as you can see. I'm not a big fan, cause it doesn't get me ANGRY enough, but it gets close. Gotta love that animation.
2) Mozart - Symphony No. 25 in G minor
Solid. I actually only have the last 2:32 (most dramatic) piece of this song, so I gotta find the whole thing somewhere...
Where you've seen it: Amadeus (1:57 into the clip)
3) Holst - Mars, the Bringer of War
It's widely said that Hans Zimmer ripped off parts of this song for the Gladiator battle theme. See for yourself.
Where you've seen it: Let's be honest. None of you watch the Venture Bros. So let's just say you heard it in Gladiator.
4) Mozart - Dies Irae
You've HAD to have heard this at least once...
5) Verdi - Dies Irae
Interesting tidbit: in the 2001: A Space Odyssey book, Bowman nearly has a breakdown when playing this song in deep space.
Where you've seen it: Battle Royale prologue.
6) Vivaldi - Summer III (Presto)
It's a shame everyone's most familiar with the most weaksauce of Vivaldi's seasons - Spring. As I read somewhere, Vivaldi manages to put the essence of summer thunderstorms into the last movement of Summer.
Where you've seen it: not sure, but check out funtwo
7) Vivaldi - Winter I (Allegro non molto)
Shit, if you liked summer, wait til it's Winter. There are no words. Especially after I saw it in Oldboy.
Where you've seen it: Oldboy. SPOILER and SQUEAMISH WARNING
The gist of the scene is Dae-su (guy with the hammer) is getting back at the guy who imprisoned him for 15 years. "Each tooth I extract will age you by one year." Hooo man.
8) Prokofiev - Dance of the Knights (aka, Montagues and Capulets)
I almost went nuts looking for the name of this song. As you might guess, Prokofiev is a Russian name, hence the "hammer and sickle" feel to it.
Where you've seen it: Muse's 2007 concert in Wembley Stadium (their H.A.A.R.P. live album). Now if you could walk into, say, an interview like that, you'd be set. For life.
9) And finally, Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries
Kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit!
Where you've seen it: Apocalypse Now
Read More......
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