It's come to my attention...
Tomorrow I know a lot of you are taking the ACT. Good luck!! My advice
for test-taking is... eat blueberries (for memory), rice (for
relaxation) and get a lot of sleep (for sanity). Yah, random, and I
don't even know if it works... ah well.
Viet also mentioned that she would be listening to classical music
tonight for some benefit. And then she said that she had only Mozart
and Beethoven. SO THIS POST IS FOR HER!!! And for anyone else who wants
classical music that is beyond dry Mozart and brilliant Beethoven. So
here's my ACT/classical play list for her (and you!!)
" Worthwhile composers to search for: Beethoven (he's really great, but he's not teh only one), my favorite Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Grieg, Liszt, Bach (he's like none other), Ravel and Debussy (for the "impressionists", even though Debussy supposedly didn't like being called that), Saint-Saens and Chaminade (for feminists!), Sibelius (ah... I love him!!!), Gershwin (just because). Most of these below are pretty famous, so you shouldn't have trouble finding them...
Specifically I recommend these (most are piano, but not all... sorry, I'm biased):
Moonlight Sonata (Beethoven) -Get all three movements, not just the famous first movement.
Fantasie-Impromptu (Chopin) -Awesome piano piece, very "romantic"
2nd Piano Concerto (Rachmaninoff) -my all time favorite piece. Ever.
Peer Gynt Suite (Grieg) -enough here to last a while, a very diverse set
Golliwog's Cakewalk, Coin des enfants, No. 6 (Debussy) -not the most relaxing, but cool to listen too.
Etude, Un sospiro (Liszt) - I played this piece this year, it's awesome.
Traumerei, Op. 15 No. 7 from Kinderzenen (Schumann) -ooh, this piece will make you melt
Rondo all Turca (Mozart) -worthwhile Mozart, still structured as Mozart is, but fun.
Liebestraum (Liszt)- another beautiful piece, translated means love song... absolutely wonderful
Eight Memories in Watercolor, op. 1 (Tan Dun) -these are probably too modern for most of you, but when I heard Lang Lang play it on his CD, omg, I loved it. I love Lang Lang.
Etude in C minor, op 10, no. 2 "Revolutionary" (Chopin) -a must hear
Waltz in D flat major op. 64, no. 1 "Minute" (Chopin) -another must hear
Grande Valse Brilliante, op.18 (Chopin)
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat Minor (Tchaikovsky) -wow wow wow, long but worth listening too
Beethoven's 6th symphony (Pastorale) -beautiful and PERFECT to fall asleep too.
Claire de Lune (Debussy) -Delicious
Sonata No. 7 (Op. 10, 3rd Mvmt) Rondo (Beethoven) -sorry, I'm playing this one tomorrow at a contest... heh heh
Just anything Bach, I can't think of anything specific
Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini (Rachmaninoff) -Oooh, another great one.
Prelude in C sharp Minor (Rachmaninoff) -his first famous (and great) work
Symphony No. 9 in e minor (Dvorak) -the New World Symphony
Symphony No. 1 Op. 68 (Brahms) -I haven't heard this much, but it's Brahms, can't go bad there!
The Four Seasons (Vivaldi) -Cliche, yes, but it is beautiful
Concertos for Flute K. 313 and 314 (Mozart) - for Amrita (and Peggy)
Serenade Op. 29 (Chaminade) -a fun piece from a less known composer
Symphony No. 94 (Haydn) "The Surprise" -don't listen to this one if you're falling asleep, it's meant to lull you into a false sense of security and then BOOM!!
La cathédrale engloutie - (Debussy) - literally, the rising cathedrale, good for meditation.
Appalachian Spring (Copland) -there are parts which I'm sure you'ver heard of...
Okay, so my list has some flaws:
A. I'm more partial to the Romantic and 20th century, but I did add some Baroque and classical stuff in there for those who like it.
B. Most of it's piano. It's what I listen to. But all the concertos and symphonies are there with other instruments.
There you go Viet!
" Worthwhile composers to search for: Beethoven (he's really great, but he's not teh only one), my favorite Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Grieg, Liszt, Bach (he's like none other), Ravel and Debussy (for the "impressionists", even though Debussy supposedly didn't like being called that), Saint-Saens and Chaminade (for feminists!), Sibelius (ah... I love him!!!), Gershwin (just because). Most of these below are pretty famous, so you shouldn't have trouble finding them...
Specifically I recommend these (most are piano, but not all... sorry, I'm biased):
Moonlight Sonata (Beethoven) -Get all three movements, not just the famous first movement.
Fantasie-Impromptu (Chopin) -Awesome piano piece, very "romantic"
2nd Piano Concerto (Rachmaninoff) -my all time favorite piece. Ever.
Peer Gynt Suite (Grieg) -enough here to last a while, a very diverse set
Golliwog's Cakewalk, Coin des enfants, No. 6 (Debussy) -not the most relaxing, but cool to listen too.
Etude, Un sospiro (Liszt) - I played this piece this year, it's awesome.
Traumerei, Op. 15 No. 7 from Kinderzenen (Schumann) -ooh, this piece will make you melt
Rondo all Turca (Mozart) -worthwhile Mozart, still structured as Mozart is, but fun.
Liebestraum (Liszt)- another beautiful piece, translated means love song... absolutely wonderful
Eight Memories in Watercolor, op. 1 (Tan Dun) -these are probably too modern for most of you, but when I heard Lang Lang play it on his CD, omg, I loved it. I love Lang Lang.
Etude in C minor, op 10, no. 2 "Revolutionary" (Chopin) -a must hear
Waltz in D flat major op. 64, no. 1 "Minute" (Chopin) -another must hear
Grande Valse Brilliante, op.18 (Chopin)
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat Minor (Tchaikovsky) -wow wow wow, long but worth listening too
Beethoven's 6th symphony (Pastorale) -beautiful and PERFECT to fall asleep too.
Claire de Lune (Debussy) -Delicious
Sonata No. 7 (Op. 10, 3rd Mvmt) Rondo (Beethoven) -sorry, I'm playing this one tomorrow at a contest... heh heh
Just anything Bach, I can't think of anything specific
Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini (Rachmaninoff) -Oooh, another great one.
Prelude in C sharp Minor (Rachmaninoff) -his first famous (and great) work
Symphony No. 9 in e minor (Dvorak) -the New World Symphony
Symphony No. 1 Op. 68 (Brahms) -I haven't heard this much, but it's Brahms, can't go bad there!
The Four Seasons (Vivaldi) -Cliche, yes, but it is beautiful
Concertos for Flute K. 313 and 314 (Mozart) - for Amrita (and Peggy)
Serenade Op. 29 (Chaminade) -a fun piece from a less known composer
Symphony No. 94 (Haydn) "The Surprise" -don't listen to this one if you're falling asleep, it's meant to lull you into a false sense of security and then BOOM!!
La cathédrale engloutie - (Debussy) - literally, the rising cathedrale, good for meditation.
Appalachian Spring (Copland) -there are parts which I'm sure you'ver heard of...
Okay, so my list has some flaws:
A. I'm more partial to the Romantic and 20th century, but I did add some Baroque and classical stuff in there for those who like it.
B. Most of it's piano. It's what I listen to. But all the concertos and symphonies are there with other instruments.
There you go Viet!