Most astounding symphony or opera ever

Still playing with the Classical Archives. Going through all of Mendelsson. Neat, though I'm not crazy about his organ works (oops, that sounds ummm, well, nemmind really.)

Mendelssohn's Concerto for Violin and Piano in D is truly uplifting. Just heard it three times in a row, can't listen to it enough.

Re: opera


Yes, I agree. Fritz Wunderlich, a wonderful tenor. I first heard him on a radio program called "The Vocal Scene" with George Jellinek. That was back in the old days of public radio.

i gave another try to Les Contes d'Hoffman, and really liked it. Don't know why I didn't the first time around.

I love Mahler's 10 ("Unfinished"). :wink:

I am a lover of the opera, so here are my favorites. (not in this [or any] particular order)

1. Puccini's 'Tosca'
2. Dvroak's 'Rusalka'
3. Bizet's 'Carmen'
4. Mozart's 'The Magic Flute'
5. Verdi's 'La Forza del Destino'
6. Delibes' 'Lakme'
7. Donizetti's 'Lucia di Lammermoor'

Madame Butterfly has it's moments for me too, I hope you like some of these.

I just got ahold of some great versions of my favorite symphonic and orchestral pieces:

Beethoven's 7th Symphony. The second movement is one of the most beautiful movements ever.

Beethoven's 9th Symphony ...okay, I know it's the best-known symphony in all of classical literature, but that doesn't detract from its splendor.

Ottorino Respighi's The Pines of the Appian Way. I turn up the volume and close my eyes, and slip away into the glorious crescendo of Respighi's masterwork. It's absolutely divine.

Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony - the finale is breathtaking. We're playing this in the Garden State Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, but hearing a real orchestra play it is great.

Beethoven's Egmont Overture. Maybe the coolest opening of any piece of classical music ever.

Dvorak's New World Symphony. Classic. The finale is the most famous, but the second and third movements are at least as wonderful.

As a seventeen-year-old driving a sporty car with rims and a subwoofer, it's kind of gratifying to see people turn up their nose at my pumping bass at red lights. If only they knew that it was Tchaikovsky coming out of my speakers.

Carmen

The one I can remember right now. Brahms Op. 90 in F... haven't found it in my P2P applications hehe .

Yes, the Third Symphony. Great piece. Generally I'm not a fan of Brahms's symphonic music, but the Third Symph is one of the exceptions.

Great thread! I've always been a great ballet fan, but recently I've met someone who is a big fan of opera. So I'd like to learn more about it.

The only opera I'm really familiar with is Carmen. This list is going to come in handy so I don't look like a total opera dummy. Thanks!!

Any other operas you can suggest?

Anything by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops.
They could do anything from all of the popular rock groups and you would like it,then they could turn around and do Mozarts Requiem and you would like it.
They were a joy to listen to,no matter what you liked or what you knew about music.

Thanks, mysteryman! :wink: