My Classical Music Picks series won't be the typical top 10 list of "name the best-known works by the best-known composers". Instead, I will simply share some classical music works and performances I sincerely enjoy and can recommend listening to.
By "classical music" I mean music from 16th century to the present day, not just the music composed during the common practice period (ca. 1600-1900).
You might be familiar with some of the music I'll share, hopefully those unfamiliar to you are interesting discoveries. Listening to new music never hurts; while most of my life I've listened to classical, film music, jazz and funk, lately I've been super excited about chiptune and techno. 5 years ago I couldn't stand expressionist music, but nowadays I could have Berg's Wozzeck or Violin Concerto any day.
If you have your own recommendations to share, please let me know in the comments.
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, op. 67 (Carlos Kleiber & Vienna Philharmonic)
Well, here's a well-known work from a well-known composer.
"You don't like Beethoven. You don't know what you're missing. Overtures like that get my... juices flowing. So powerful. But after his openings, to be honest, he does tend to get a little f***g boring."
I used to agree with Mr. Stansfield here when it comes to Beethoven's symphonies: great openings, boring continuations. However, used to. Introducing Carlos Kleiber, who completely blows up any kind of boredom with his energetic tempos, precision and clarity. So powerful, even after his openings. This golden recording is well worth a listen even if you have heard the symphony before.
J. S. Bach: Concerto in D major BWV 972 after Violin Concerto in D major RV 230 by Antonio Vivaldi (German Brass)
Whew, what a long title. Baroque music played by brass instruments usually feels too heavy for my taste, but German Brass makes a pleasant exception. Despite slightly unusual instrumentation, the arrangement works suprisingly well for this kind of music, especially with Matthias Höfs' impressive piccolo trumpet playing. For curiosity geeks out there: alto valve trombone, a very rare instrument, can be seen at around 3:00 (played by Enrique Crespo).
Steve Reich: Sextet (Yale Percussion Group)
Minimalist composer Steve Reich might be best known for his early "phasing" techniques and his work Music for 18 Musicians, but I find myself listening to his lesser-known works more frequently. This take of Sextet by Yale Percussion Group has been one of my recent listenings, and it's good.
Béla Bartók: Three Etudes op. 18 (Zoltán Kocsis)
What would life be without some Bartók? Here's a crisp and virtuosic performance of these insanely difficult piano etudes.
Also RIP Zoltán Kocsis, he passed away two weeks ago.
John Adams: Lollapalooza (Carlos Kalmar & RTVE Symphony Orchestra)
Last but not least, a fun and groovy orchestral piece by John Adams.
Lol-la-pa-LOO-za!
