...major works I would have difficulty living without (unless I absolutely had to and not in any particular order):
1) Star Wars ("It still only counts as one!"; if you twist my arm: Empire)
2) The Lord of the Rings (still one work; Just one? The Return of the King)
3) Symphony no. 7 "Angel of Light" - Einojuhani Rautavaara
4) The Rite of Spring - Stravinsky
5) Symphony no. 2 "The Mysterious Mountain" - Alan Hovhaness
6) Symphony no. 7 "Seven Gates of Jerusalem" - Penderecki
7) Music for 18 Musicians - Steve Reich
8) Grand Pianola Music - John Adams
9) The Omen - Jerry Goldsmith
10) Appalachian Spring (probably the original version for 13 instruments)- Aaron Copland
Certainly not definitive but I think you'll find that it fairly accurately reflects my musical interests.
9 comments:
You left out Jim Brickman.
wihtin the next two hours i will have my first experience with "the mysterious mountain."
It's an incredible piece. Especially the second movement which, I'm sure you know, is a double fugue. The whole thing is pretty awesome and a study score can be had for about $20. Actually after listening to it the first time you should run right out to your local print music store and order it. Every aspiring film composer should have this one on his/her shelf.
Are you going to hear it live or recorded? If it's a recording, which one?
The Recording i have is Gerard Schwarz conducting the Seattle Symphony. (1994)
it is very, very good.
thank you.
Yep I have that one, too. I also like the John Williams recording with the London Symphony (also has Johnny's baffoon concerto). There's this amazing dramatic moment where he slows it down toward the end of the second movement and allows it to come to its dramatic climax. It's terrific.
Come to think of it I think I have more recordings (3) of the "Mysterious Mountain" than any other work. Surprisingly, most are by accident. I just checked, the only piece I have more of is Appalachian Spring but it doesn't count because I have two copies of each version.
Damn you blogger! I wasn't finished yet.
At any rate, it's a terrific piece.
Now I'm finished.
I'm just horrified that no Handel Oratorio appears on this list. I would've thought that it would merit at least 3 of the 10 entrys.
It was a tough call you know. Samson (which is far and away better a better oratorio than that Messiah crap) The Lord of the Rings? Ultimately I just had to flip a coin.
Why not some Haendel opera while we're at it? Let's just throw in Rinaldo, then, too. Damn you Jaques. You go to hell. You go to hell and you die!
I guess I just noticed, too, that while all of the works on the list are "modern" most are actually emphatically tonal. Interesting.
Ok...I'll give you that Samson is a good one...as is Saul....and Susanna.
Ok...new rule. Only consider Handel bits beginning with S....
Post a Comment