Post your favourites below!

I'm a huge fan of French impressionism, particularly Maurice Ravel. My favourite classical pieces are:

">Une Barque Sur L'Ocean (third part from Miroirs) by Ravel - I specifically like this piece because of how it oozes the essence of the title and perfectly captures the vagaries of the ocean in a any number of meteorological states. Laplante's interpretation is, to me, close to perfect.

">Scarbo (third movement from Gaspard de la Nuit) by Ravel - this is probably one of the creepiest pieces ever written for the piano, not to mention among the top few percent to technically pull off perfectly. Although a bit liberal and arguably a bit hurried at some places, I like Listitsa's interpretation the most among what is available on Youtube.

Parts

">one and

">two from Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello by Ravel - an impeccable impressionist piece. I do, however, find the Beaux Arts version to be too slow (especially part 2).

">L'Apres-Midi d'Un Faune by Claude Debussy. This is, in my opinion, hands down the most beautiful classical piece ever written, particularly the sequence from 4:25 to the 7:30 mark. Wonderfully performed - really hilights the different ways you can interpret music in the same era (comparing Debussy's flowing and almost pillowy style to Ravel's far hasher and chaotic style).

">Op 19, 1 from Songs Without Words by Felix Mendelssohn. A truly romantic piece, although I enjoy a faster version (which, sadly, isn't available on Youtube). AFAIR, Civilization IV had a wonderful (and also faster) interpretation of the opening sequence on top of the Granary video or whatnot.

">Andante from Piano Concerto 21 by W. A. Mozart.

">Fratres by Arvo Pärt. I prefer the cello version from the There Will Be Blood soundtrack. The intro is simply and utterly empowering. P. T. Anderson also hit a huge huge nail on its head with a gigantic hammer in the film when he played the intro twice in a row. Spot on. I believe it was the last time (two years ago) that I actually got a shudder going down my spine from the sheer emotional overload of a single scene.

">Cantus In Memoriam Benjamin Britten, also by Arvo Pärt. I'd also like to pair this piece with

">Für Alina and

">Spiegel Im Spiegel by him, as all of these step over the traditional meditative boundaries.

">Musica Poetica by Carl Orff (or as most people, quite inappropriately, recognize it - You're So Cool by Hans Zimmer). Actually the piece dates back to way before Orff - it was written by an obscure German composer in the 17th century. For reference - for those less music savvy - here's the

">Orff version, among other things used on Terrence Malick's Badlands (1973).

">Music for 18 Musicians by Steve Reich. The linked section - number 6 - is my favourite. Mind you, the live performance isn't as pristine as the official studio recording. Get the CD and you won't be sorry. You really need to listen to the entire piece (alomost 70 minutes) to truly appreciate its perfection.

">Hungarian Rhapsody nr. 2 by Ferenc Liszt. I can't resist adding this piece to the list. Besides, Horowitz really nails the performance.

">Moonlight Sonata, 3rd movement by Ludwig van Beethoven, followed closely by

">the third movement of his Sonata nr. 18.

">Planets by Gustav Holst (link to Mars only). There isn't a film composer who hasn't copied Holst. Zimmer is probably best known for this, althogh it doesn't take too big of a stretch of imagination to recognize for instance John Williams' inspiration for Star Wars in it.

Chopin's impromptus

">"Fantasie", Op. 66 and

">Op. 51. I really love the apparent casualness of the latter one.

">Zoltán Kodály: Galántai Táncok 1/2 EDIT: found a better recoring.
I was lucky to participate in this masterpiece as a percussionist once. Sir Neville Mariner conducted.

">Béla Bartók: Este a székelyeknél

I'm not a fan of classical music BTW (at all), but there were some good songs in 20th century.

[Edited by - szecs on June 20, 2010 3:57:55 PM]

Those of you who have seen 2001: A Space Odyssey will probably be familiar with Ligeti's

">Lux Aeterna and

">Requiem.

Didn't we just have a classical thread not too long ago?

Ravel's Bolero is probably my favorite.

My dad is always talking about Planets but I could never get into it.

• Beethoven's 21st Piano Sonata "Waldstein",
  ">1
  ">2
  ">3. Third movement is my favorite (but doesn't nicely coincide with the third video, they cut it into pieces somewhat arbitrarily for youtube).


• Beethoven's 15th Piano Sonata "Pastorale",
  ">second movement. I prefer Kempff's performance, but I can't find it on youtube. He puts a lot of energy in the last part, others tend to play it softly.


• Mozart's
  ">K. 397.


• Mozart's
  ">K. 475.


• ">Lacrimosa from Mozart's Requiem, my favorite.


• K. 466, first movement,
  ">first and
  ">2nd part. The video is worth it for the facial expressions of the pianist alone. But the music is nice too, of course.


• Bach's
  ">St. Matthew Passion.


• Chopin's
  ">Raindrop prelude.

Quote: Original post by SamLowry

• Beethoven's 21st Piano Sonata "Waldstein",
  ">1
  ">2
  ">3. Third movement is my favorite (but doesn't nicely coincide with the third video, they cut it into pieces somewhat arbitrarily for youtube).


• Beethoven's 15th Piano Sonata "Pastorale",
  ">second movement. I prefer Kempff's performance, but I can't find it on youtube. He puts a lot of energy in the last part, others tend to play it softly.


• Mozart's
  ">K. 397.


• Mozart's
  ">K. 475.


• ">Lacrimosa from Mozart's Requiem, my favorite.


• K. 466, first movement,
  ">first and
  ">2nd part. The video is worth it for the facial expressions of the pianist alone. But the music is nice too, of course.


• Bach's
  ">St. Matthew Passion.


• Chopin's
  ">Raindrop prelude.

Yes, raindrop prelude was a favorite some time ago. The middle part is sort of progressive/jazz like

Quote: Original post by irreversible

">Op 19, 1 from Songs Without Words by Felix Mendelssohn. A truly romantic piece, although I enjoy a faster version (which, sadly, isn't available on Youtube). AFAIR, Civilization IV had a wonderful (and also faster) interpretation of the opening sequence on top of the Granary video or whatnot.

Looks like Sid Meier really likes that piece [smile]

">Alpha Centauri

">Civ

I'll stick to our national artists (though I like Beethoven, Mozart and others of course).

For example this

">Bedrich Smetana - Ma Vlast - Vltava and

">second part

And also Antonin Dvorak (whom I prefer a bit more), F.e. his New World Symphony ... especially Largo and Allegro con fuoco, here are the link:
Adagio - allegro molto

">First movement part I

">First movement part II

Largo

">Second movement part I

">Second movement part II

Molto vivace

">Third movement

Allegro con fuoco

">Fourth movement part I

">Fourth movement part II

A lot of Wagner, esp the last act of parsifal (perhaps the best music ever written) I was whistling siegfrieds last song yesterday (just before he dies) from gotterdammerung, magic. Any other wagner fans out there?

Listening to Der Abschied from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Das_lied_von_der_erde
yesterday, sent shivers down my spine "wohin ich geh, ich geh, ich wanderer in die berge, ich suche ruhe fur mein einsam hart"
perfect marriage of music + text

Ligati - seconded!

JSoftware - thanks for the links :).