violamama Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 The forum limits how many links I can give, so I'm dividing this up. Sometimes my friends ask me for lists of pieces they should be listening to with their kids, or they are looking for new stuff to hear in their home. I decided to post only pieces you may not have heard before. Most are modern. I promise if you try them all you'll like some. Orchestral Prokofiev Classical Symphony. This is a piece I adore for its perfect place in the literature and as an illustration that dividing art into eras based on what's being made is arbitrary. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUZOd9TbEj8 My husband is kind of obsessed with Prokofiev's 5th symphony this year, you might like it. I am not crazy about the first movement but it just gets amazing from there. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvIr_xOAVhU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violamama Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Bartok Concerto for Orchestra (give it three listens before deciding- it's modern, but accessible). Here's a video where George Solti tells about the piece and then the orchestra plays. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQb3VUljpa0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violamama Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Here's a gateway drug piece for the music of minimalist modern composer John Adams: Short Ride in a Fast Machine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdz5QOaqpbk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violamama Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Soon you'll love his opera Nixon in China just like I do... (Warning, loud video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Tv3hrZmcEk) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violamama Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Chamber music Brahms piano quintet (actually any Brahms chamber music rocks): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmvY--n5nTk Beethoven viola & cello duet "For Eyeglasses Obligato": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZI2q4bm-OU Debussy harp viola flute trio: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violamama Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Debussy harp viola flute trio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRzWGIhwWAI Webern Quartets are awesome: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCUj0_vqRmA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violamama Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Shostakovich 8th Quartet is great for brooding teens: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3ICNX2ieqM&list=PL25FFCF8B7AC32CE5 Here's a really neat project by the Keller Quartet: They play a movement of Bach and then a movement by Kurtag, a very dissonant and challenging modern composer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egE6UpojlSE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violamama Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Solo instruments, concertos & single instruments + piano You might like to know about Michael Rabin, old school violinist. Here's a great little collection of recordings, it's over an hour of music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik62imgrM4M Other favorite violinists: Rachael Barton Pine, Viktoria Mullova, and PLEASE listen to Oscar Shumsky's Ysaye Sonatas- life changing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violamama Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 A violin concerto you might not have heard (modern and lovely) by Eric Korngold http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49cKqKmLiDg Shulman Variations for Viola & Orchestra Here's an interesting recording (bad mics too close to horns, unfortunately) and this is Joseph DePasquale who is 82 years old at the time of this performance. It's a really fun piece, and worth a listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMmw-NNrEuI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violamama Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 The Brahms Sonatas for Viola (or clarinet, but of course I prefer viola) are gorgeous. I like Kim Kashkashian's playing, and there are some old recordings of Pinchas Zuckerman out there, too, which I like even though he also sometimes plays violin :-). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7tBGgJlF4A The Hindemith viola sonatas are cool. Here's one of the greatest violists of all time playing the prettiest (most tonal) one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN0QM7lmreA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violamama Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 One of my favorite pianists (Valentina Lisitsa) plays Prokofiev. WARNING, when I clicked on it the ad that came on from youtube was for a scary movie. If you watch with your kids, have your skip ad button handy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd3u48YSHY8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violamama Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 General advice Here's a friend of mine (former conductor of our orch) teaching about symphonies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDvSvUmoke4 I'm going to make my kids KNOW the Bernstein Young People's Concerts by the time they get outta here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJeRlfibzcs PLEASE try listening multiple times before you form opinions of music. That one small tip can really expand your auditory repertoire. Think of it as the "two bites" rule for your ears... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violamama Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Anybody have favorites to add? "I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones." ~John Cage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violamama Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 I clicked on both of these at the same time by accident. That had an interesting sound! :laugh: I guess there IS such a thing as too much viola... :nopity: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah CB Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Brahms piano quintet (actually any Brahms chamber music rocks) My ds plays in a piano trio and they have a couple of Brahms Hungarian Dances in their repertoire - everyone loves them. Thanks for posting all of these links; especially the more modern ones. Ds is not a big fan of modern classical music (though he likes playing contemporary rock and pop on his violin) - he's a big fan of Baroque. I'll apply the two bites rule and see if we can make some progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lollie010 Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Thanks. Can't wait to explore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 My dd's violin teacher gives her listening "assignments" every week so she will be familiar with the repertoire. She keeps her list in a little notebook and listens to a few each day during lunch. I think she's listened to the Bartok and the Prokofiev but I will have her listen to the others. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKidAcademy Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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