Composer Recommendation

[JamesBreeze]

Hi all,

I'm trying to find classical music that has an 'epic' feel.

I purchased Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition recently and I was blown away by it. I also took a chance on Ottorino Respighi's Roman Trilogy and I was equally impressed.

Could anyone recommend some music in a similar vein? I'm after some music that has that big, bombastic sound with a strong sense of melody.

Thank you!

James

[Jo498]

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies 4 and 5, maybe 6 as well
Dvorak: Symphony 9
Rimsky-Korsakov: Sheherazade
Richard Strauss: Don Juan

[JamesBreeze]

Thank you Jo498, that's exactly what I was looking for. I have recently bought Dvorak's symphonies 1-9, so I'll be delving into those soon.

I like the sound of Richard Wagner too but i'm not yet accustomed to opera (I find the vocals rather abrasive, but that may change with time). Is there a good place to start with his instrumental compositions?

[Florestan]

I'm after some music that has that big, bombastic sound with a strong sense of melody.

If you like vocal music, Mahler´s Das Knabes Wunderhorn fits in perfectly.

[Jo498]

There are hardly any instrumental compositions by Wagner. The most famous ones are actually ouvertures, preludes (sometimes the German "Vorspiel" is used) and excerpts from his operas. They are easy to find, just look for Flying Dutchman or Tannhauser ouverture

[JamesBreeze]

Thanks Florestan. I'll give Mahler a go.

And I see. I've heard a fair bit of the instrumental sections for Der Ring Des Nibelungen so I thought I'd check if he'd done any purely instrumental works. Will have to look for his overtures though.

Is there a word for classical works with an overarching concept? I don't suppose 'concept albums' fits the bill!

[Ken B]

Scheherezade is a must for you. Try Kalinnikov's Symphony 1. Saint-Saens Symphony 3 (Organ), Franck Symphony.

[Parsifal]

Thanks Florestan. I'll give Mahler a go.

And I see. I've heard a fair bit of the instrumental sections for Der Ring Des Nibelungen so I thought I'd check if he'd done any purely instrumental works. Will have to look for his overtures though.

Is there a word for classical works with an overarching concept? I don't suppose 'concept albums' fits the bill!

You can think of most any symphony as a work with an overarching concept. If you are thinking of music which has a theme beyond the structure of the music itself, it is usually referred to as "program music." Often this takes the form of a "symphonic poem" or "program symphony." Examples would be Beethoven's Pastorale Symphony or Richard Strauss Tone poems such as "Don Juan," "Ein Heldenlieben," "Ein Alpine Symphonie." There are also well known tone poems by Dvorak, Liszt, Sibelius and others. Elgar and Vaughan Williams also composed works with a "epic" sound, that latter's style is often emulated in movie music.

[jochanaan]

It doesn't get more epic than Beethoven 9.  Actually, Beethoven wrote lots of epic works, right down to the piano sonatas. 8-)

You might also like the Bruckner symphonies.  The later ones, 7-9, are the most epic, but the others are right up there.

[Florestan]

It doesn't get more epic than Beethoven 9. 

Shostakovich 7, 8
Liszt Faust Symphony, Dante Synphony
Mahler 1

[Ken B]

Shostakovich 7

Now, now. Don't punish the newbie.

[Wanderer]

I'm trying to find classical music that has an 'epic' feel.

I purchased Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition recently and I was blown away by it. I also took a chance on Ottorino Respighi's Roman Trilogy and I was equally impressed.

I'm after some music that has that big, bombastic sound with a strong sense of melody.

Some suggestions to get you started:

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 3, 5, 7 & 9. See how you react to the Missa Solemnis.
Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 1, 2, 4.
Schumann: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3.
Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 8 (the so-called "Unfinished") & 9.
Bruckner: Symphonies Nos. 3, 4, 5, 8.
Mahler: Symphonies Nos. 1, 2, 3, 8.
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2, 5, 7 & Kullervo.
R. Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie, Don Quixote, Also sprach Zarathustra.
Shostakovich: Symphony No.10.
Langgaard: Symphony No.1.
Vaughan Williams: A Sea Symphony (No.1), Sinfonia antartica (No.7).
Mendelssohn: Symphony No.2 "Lobgesang".
Elgar: Symphony No.1.
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade.


And for something with piano in it:

Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1.

[Florestan]

Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1.

Yessss! Actually, forget everything else and start with that.

[Spineur]

Hi all,

I'm trying to find classical music that has an 'epic' feel.

I purchased Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition recently and I was blown away by it. I also took a chance on Ottorino Respighi's Roman Trilogy and I was equally impressed.

Could anyone recommend some music in a similar vein? I'm after some music that has that big, bombastic sound with a strong sense of melody.

Thank you!

James

Liszt symphonic poems
[asin]B0033KR5ZC[/asin]
Sometimes on the verge of bad taste, sometimes magical.

[Jay F]

Best performances (except 4 & 5). $26.18 at Amazon Marketplace. Lots of big bombast. Start with Symphony no. 6, then nos. 2 and 3.

[asin]B005SJIP1E[/asin]

[Florestan]

Sometimes on the verge of bad taste, sometimes magical.

One man´s bad taste is another man´s magic. 

[JamesBreeze]

Thank you all for your recommendations so far. It's great to see a thriving community of people sharing their passion for music. I've got some serious listening to do now.

Some suggestions to get you started:

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 3, 5, 7 & 9. See how you react to the Missa Solemnis.
Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 1, 2, 4.
Schumann: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3.
Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 8 (the so-called "Unfinished") & 9.
Bruckner: Symphonies Nos. 3, 4, 5, 8.
Mahler: Symphonies Nos. 1, 2, 3, 8.
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2, 5, 7 & Kullervo.
R. Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie, Don Quixote, Also sprach Zarathustra.


Shostakovich: Symphony No.10.
Langgaard: Symphony No.1.
Vaughan Williams: A Sea Symphony (No.1), Sinfonia antartica (No.7).
Mendelssohn: Symphony No.2 "Lobgesang".
Elgar: Symphony No.1.
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade.


And for something with piano in it:

Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1.

I'd at least heard of these composers (albeit, not all of their music) but I'd never heard of Langgaard. After hearing symphony 1, I'm thoroughly impressed.

Now, now. Don't punish the newbie.

I'll give anything a go once! I'd consider my taste outside classical music to be pretty eclectic.

[Ken B]

Now, now. Don't punish the newbie.

I'll give anything a go once!

Beware. We have some sadists here, who will push La Mer on you, or Turangalila. Or even *shudders* Gurrelieder.

[relm1]

Elgar: In the South (Alassio)
Elgar: Enigma Variations
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 1, 2, 3

[vandermolen]

Why don't you try 'Church Windows' by Respighi which sounds like it should be the soundtrack to an epic film score - a super work.