Widening musical horizons

[tosca1]

For most of us our beloved piano music comes first but what other musical genres do we listen to?  Some members are very versatile musicians and can play rock music and  no doubt enjoy rap, hip-hop and other current popular music styles.  
I am firmly rooted in "classical music" and I use the term generically.  I love my opera, symphonic music, lieder and songs.
Listening to music beyond piano music is helpful for the development of our taste and sense of style. For example, listening to a Bellini colaratura line could help us in our phrasing of a Chopin cantilena.  Please reply...  

[willcowskitz]

Now this could be an interesting topic.

I used to listen to a lot of electronic music, mainly goa and psychedelic trance. Then, suddenly, I felt it was all the same crap so I pretty much left it out. Now I can't listen to trance for a minute and I start to feel annoyed. There are expeptions of course, I still think Shiva Shidapu made some stylish music and sometimes I just play his tracks when I feel like it.

Electronic music can be interesting if its made well. The psychedelic scene exploded though, and there are too many hobbyists making low quality music nowadays that I don't care about it that much any longer.

Jimi Hendrix's music is unique. I still find, time after time, amazing what he did with the guitar. He is closest to "speaking through the guitar" that I know.

I don't like lyrics in music, I find them too unnecessary and of a totally different form of art. So I prefer instrumental. I DO think some lyrics are quite impressive, but I just somehow don't fancy the way they get 'announced' in a song.

I don't like any particular bands groups or orchestras (whichever they prefer to call themselves), just certain songs from random artists.

I get bored of music quite quick and then I have to switch to another genre, somehow I just end up listening to classical which is way too broad of a word from its meaning that I would even think about it as a "genre".

[sary2106]

Great discussion starter!

I like almost every genre of music... for a bajillion different reasons! Here's a few...

Classical - I love classical music because it helps me concentrate, soothes my mind, and wells up deep emotions within me. A Mozart symphony can make me feel the depths of despair or the pinnacles of joy.

Opera - So much fun! J'aime l'opera! The Magic Flute has got to be one of my favorites! Beethoven's Fidelio is pretty cool too... especially the beginning of the 2nd act. I also really like Maria Callas. She was a wonderful artist!

Rock - I enjoy working out to this kind of music; also, it's great for a relaxation and recreation.... But not just *any* rock music... NOOOOOO....... it has to mean something, have good lyrics, and it can't be just plain terrible music!

Jazz - okay, so I like jazz once in a while. I enjoy it! That bluesy-jazzy feel makes me want to dance. Good or bad?   or  :-/ ?

Alright..... I know I'm leaving stuff out.... but this is long enough......

Love,
Sarah

[willcowskitz]

Speaking of widening musical horizons... what are your opinions on this:

https://exlex.letku.net/bachvartronic.mid
https://exlex.letku.net/bachvartronic.mp3

Headache guaranteed, turn your speakers down.  

[Colette]

slightly off topic, you know what insanely peeves me, when crappy "musicians" decide to sample classical music for pop, rock, electronic, etc. i can't count how many times i've heard electronic music at clubs sampling bach, beethoven, and carmena burana---(all the time)...it's so cheezy with all those bleeps that i just cringe.

[willcowskitz]

Hey Colette,

You're right. I can't stand it when I search for Bach or Beethoven on winmx it gives me results of "Techno Remixes". Another annoying thing are those who name their classical pieces wrong, for example "Händel - In the Hall of the Mountain King", or "Tchaikovsky - Peter and the Wolf". Though I must correct, some of the electronic versions of certain classical themes are good when made with a good taste, and classical sounds super on the electric guitar.  

p.s.  What they play at clubs is crap without exceptions.

[trunks]

I like music from other instruments. Those immedistely popping to mind are violin, pipe-organ (my younger brother was a professional organist), clarinet. I also like orchestral music. Not crazy for vocal, though.

Very occasionally I also listen to light pop.

[Daevren]

I listen to instrumental music, improvised or composed.

Bebop, carnatic, romantic, baroque, fusion, flamenco, it doesn't really matter which genre it is. I look for pure music skill.

[donjuan]

Personally, Ithink music is going downhill nowadays... I like some selected pieces of music from the twentieth century-- The Platters were pretty good.  They had great harmonics and the lyrics were clever.  

My favorite pop piece is "A Whiter Shade of Pale".  The wistful melody at the start usually brings a tear to my eye.  

Overall though, I like music from the Romantic period better than all other.  
I can appreciate other styles, but it is much more difficult for me.
donjuan  

[Tash]

oh this is excellent! just the other day one of my friends was telling me that i'm basically one of a kind cos i remain dedicated to blaring classical music out of my car in contrast to others blaring rap and who knows what else- either way it drives me nuts. so now i have my proof that there are others in the world who have a decent opinion on good music! ok i'm trying to have some vauge form of repsect for the supposed 'normal' music, eg. rop, pop, r&b etc. cos it is a form of music, but i can't stand listening to it, i find 'classical' music to be just so much better on so many levels, like it's just amazing to hear and play so i'm proud to love it.
i generally love all genres of classical, particularly romantic and 20th century orchestral works, and jazz too. though the other girls in my music class were all singers so got me hooked on random 50's and 60's music, like that of the beatles, abba, etc.
but i agree with willcowskitz- music at clubs (in terms of nightclubs etc) is crap- i don't know how people dance to it, i generally refuse to dance, and my friends are like why aren't you dancing and i'm like cos this is crappy music!

[Clare]

Yeah, I mostly listen to a wide range of classical music too but I also play bass in a hardcore band (we sound like Bad Brains) and I used to sing and play guitar in a garage band (two girls, one guy) which was actually about to go places until I pulled the plug to concentrate on piano. We sounded like trashy British Invasion music from the 60s and the Velvet Underground and we recorded a number of EPs and appreared on compilations and stuff.

Man, I miss that band. Sometimes I wish I hadn't given up on it.

[squinchy]

I like classical, pop (maybe rock, I can't tell the difference), rap, and choral music. Classical needs no explaining-it seems like everyone who plays classical piano eventually develops a liking to classical music.

I do like pop, though not BS or BS wannabes (Hillary Duff) or BS clones (Jessica Simpson, who can't write lyrics for her life). I like Evanescence, particularly since they feature the piano as a real instrument, and as a piano, not a 'keyboard'. Evanescense's lyrics are also rather poetic.

I don't think I've experienced more than a tiny cross section of rap-the radio stations I know of only play Eminem. I prefer to think of his works as social satire with swears liberally mixed in with an interesting musical pattern in the background. A smidget of hip-hop is okay too, as long as it's not too extreme.

I would imagine that listening to an hour of a choir singing latin would become dry, but I do enjoy the goosebumpy feeling I get when I listen to a big choir. It's like an orchestra, except without any visible instruments. Orchestra music is good too.

[donjuan]

I like classical, pop (maybe rock, I can't tell the difference), rap, and choral music. Classical needs no explaining-it seems like everyone who plays classical piano eventually develops a liking to classical music.

I do like pop, though not BS or BS wannabes (Hillary Duff) or BS clones (Jessica Simpson, who can't write lyrics for her life). I like Evanescence, particularly since they feature the piano as a real instrument, and as a piano, not a 'keyboard'. Evanescense's lyrics are also rather poetic.

I don't think I've experienced more than a tiny cross section of rap-the radio stations I know of only play Eminem. I prefer to think of his works as social satire with swears liberally mixed in with an interesting musical pattern in the background. A smidget of hip-hop is okay too, as long as it's not too extreme.

I would imagine that listening to an hour of a choir singing latin would become dry, but I do enjoy the goosebumpy feeling I get when I listen to a big choir. It's like an orchestra, except without any visible instruments. Orchestra music is good too.

well, it's good to see someone well rounded...gee, I wish I could enjoy as much variety as you :-/
donjuan

[squinchy]

well, it's good to see someone well rounded...gee, I wish I could enjoy as much variety as you :-/
donjuan

I think the gentle, persistent winds of my social climate is the main factor of my roundedness. I used to hate all pop/rap, since I couldn't figure out what they were singing/rapping. _{I have a valid excuse-it's hard to understand what ANYONE is saying at that speed when you've been in the country for less than 3 years.} But then I moved from the diverse urban culture to a very bland suburb on the 'urban fringe'. Everyone was obsessed with the spice girls, then the boy bands, then the country-pop stuff, then BS..*gag*..Maybe the reason I 'like' the music I like is because in comparison, it's not that bad.

P.S. I don't really like opera.