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I suppose I should not have been surprised.
I got home from work a few days ago just as a performance by the New York Philharmonic of Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 in E minor, "From the New World" came onto the radio. I actually had a break in my busy schedule and was able to listen to it uninterrupted from start to finish. I especially enjoy the introduction of certain 'passages' that reappear later as well as the tension as the piece builds to a huge fanfare.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and remarked on this in our IRC (Internet Relay Chat) channel. Not only did several people recognize it, there was a sudden discussion of people's favorite classical works and a suggestion that I should post a story to the main site.
Other favorites of mine include:
- 1812 Overture - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- The William Tell Overture - Gioachino Rossini ("The Lone Ranger" theme)
- The Barber of Seville - Gioachino Rossini
- Pictures at an Exhibition - Modest Mussorgsky
- Brandenburg Concertos - Johann Sebastian Bach.
In retrospect, a well-performed piece of classical music is like a well-written piece of software. Everything just flows together. Intricate passages combine into something much greater than its constituent parts.
So, fellow Soylentils, what are your favorite classical works? As performances vary in quality and there are many recordings out on the internet, it would be very much appreciated if you included a link to a free (libre) copy if you know of one that you think others would enjoy.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Wednesday December 16 2015, @10:43PM
Bugs Bunny introduced me to it. If the stories are true, it's mostly responsible for my broken arm and wrist when I sang this and leaped off the jungle gym at the playground
So, how much did your parents get WB to settle for?
(Score: 2) by martyb on Thursday December 17 2015, @03:21AM
Hey! Bug Bunny introduced me to "The Barber of Seville."
It wasn't until I was in my late 20's that I discovered that they had put a cartoon to a classical piece -- I'd thought they'd composed the music to go along with the cartoon!
Back in the early 80's there was a sit-down racing video game that had a classical tune which I've been unable to remember the name of. It started off with a heavy bass line and then transitioned into a horn of some type doing a Wah-wah-wah-Wah-wah-wah-wah-waaaah. Anyone here remember the game or can name the music?
Wit is intellect, dancing.
(Score: 2) by bzipitidoo on Thursday December 17 2015, @06:37AM
Lot of great music in video games. Can't help you much on the racing video game, not with such sketchy information. Can you remember anything else? I presume it's an arcade game, not a console or home computer game? Might it be Rally-X? In those days they were reusing classical music much more often than producing original music. One racing game called Outrun had original music, light breezy stuff intended to evoke California, which doesn't match your description. A sort of racing game, but foot racing, not automobile, was Metro-Cross, which uses "Hit the Road Jack". Many games for home computers such as the Apple ][ used classical music. Canyon Climber used Bach's Prelude in C, another (may have been Elite) used Thus Spake Zarathustra, Hall of the Mountain King was used in still another, Wavy Navy (a Space Invaders and Galaga style of game) used a bunch of sea shanties and oceanic theme music such as Drunken Sailor and I think Sailor's Hornpipe, and Bilestoad uses Fur Elise.
Then, who remembers M.U.L.E.? Among many other firsts and near firsts, original music. Nothing intricate, but it was original! Heroes of Might and Magic 2 and 3 have some great music. From the indie game world, VVVVVV has some nice original music.
Bugs Bunny was great. In one cartoon with Bugs as a classical music pianist, it went from Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody to Boogie Woogie and back. In one of the Big Bad Wolf cartoons (think against Red Riding Hood and not the Three Pigs) the wolf even says what music is used, Hungarian Dance no 5. And of course "Kill the Wabbit!"
(Score: 2) by martyb on Thursday December 17 2015, @02:47PM
Thanks for the reply!
To clarify, the video game WAS at an arcade. It had an a seat facing a video monitor, a steering wheel, shifter (2? gears), and an accelerator pedal. Display was in color. (Might have had a brake pedal, too. Can't remember.)
As best as I can recall, it was some time after June of 1982 and before March of 1985 with my best guess being somewhere near the midpoint of that span. (It was around the same time as the first laser-disc based game that I saw came out with Dirk(?) as a knight navigating through increasingly complex 'situations'. ) I apologize for the vagueness - it WAS a long time ago!
I did some more searching, and am tempted to say it was Pole Position [arcade-history.com], but have not been able to find a sound track to confirm. Nope, not that game. Upon further reflection, I seem to recall that you could drop oil slicks and shoot at other cars.
The music started with a very peppy and heavy bass line that sounded like it may have been a synthesizer. It was joined, after a few measures, by a very blaring, wah-wah passage from a brass instrument that I would guess was a trombone.
Hope the extra info can jog someone's memory!
Wit is intellect, dancing.
(Score: 2) by fliptop on Thursday December 17 2015, @03:35PM
Who went to the arcade in those days for the music? Isn't that a bit like reading Playboy for the articles? Even though pinball was my favorite game to play, I spent many hours plugging quarters into video games in those days too, but I'll be damned if I can remember any music that may have accompanied the game. Familiar noises that were part of the play (the thrust of "Lunar Lander", the fire of "Space Invaders", the 'whooorrrrrshp' when a "Defender" target reached the top of the screen and changed into a mutant), that's what I can recall, and recognize, from those days.
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
(Score: 2) by martyb on Saturday December 19 2015, @12:38AM
In no way did I state that I went to an arcade to listen to the music. The arcade I frequented was, however, relatively small and "Spy Hunter" was extremely popular. While waiting for my turn to play, I would watch the others to pick up tricks and techniques, and thus happened to hear the theme played a great many times. Further, upon first hearing the soundtrack, I recognized it immediately and was told the title of it. This story reminded me of that piece of music and I found myself unable to remember its name.I sensed there must be someone in this community who would know the title, and I was not disappointed.
And, I would like to add, the soundtrack to "Spy Hunter" was far better than "Pole Position" which preceded it; instead of a a few beeps at the start and a buzzing sound to represent RPMs, it was not only from the right genre, it was eminently listenable, too.
Wit is intellect, dancing.
(Score: 2) by fliptop on Saturday December 19 2015, @02:17PM
Yeah but "Pole Position" had a chick riding with you, her blonde hair gently blowing in the breeze. We can dream, right?
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
(Score: 2) by martyb on Sunday December 20 2015, @08:25AM
I think you may have "Pole Position" confused with another game. This game simulated a F1-type car which had just the driver — there was no passenger seat. Here's a video of a complete run-through of the game: Pole Position Arcade Game Review by NAMCO and Atari - John's Arcade [youtube.com].
Wit is intellect, dancing.
(Score: 2) by fliptop on Sunday December 20 2015, @01:46PM
You're right, I found this page [jalopnik.com] which gives some details on these driving games, including "Spy Hunter."
I think I confused "Pole Position" w/ "Outrun."
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
(Score: 2) by martyb on Monday December 21 2015, @02:55AM
Wit is intellect, dancing.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 17 2015, @08:10PM
You're probably remembering "Spy Hunter" from 1983, which used a version of Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn" as its theme music. Very much bass-heavy intro followed by brass. Personally, I really enjoy the version of it from the Blues Brothers soundtrack. Go take a listen and see if it sounds familiar to you.
(Score: 2) by martyb on Friday December 18 2015, @10:55AM
Yes! THAT's the one! Thank you SO MUCH! It's been bugging me ever since I remembered playing it so many years ago, waiting in line for my turn to play, the theme was drilled into my head. But never the NAME of the piece. Thanks again!
Wit is intellect, dancing.