Sure, we listen and talking about Mahler, Bruckner, Beethoven all day long, but eventually we do take a moment of rest, and listen to some light-hearted music, and listen to some melodious pieces, to relax.
which composers do you listen to? and which pieces?
I will also post my favorites later
Bach's lute music is pleasant and relaxing but of course rewards close listening, too.
I might listen to two kinds of "light" music: relatively mellow classical or jazz on the one hand or rock/pop/blues that may be loud and aggressive but relatively light in terms of length and musical depth (i.e., easily digested and intellectually undemanding).
There are so many "light" composers that it's difficult to think where to start. In America: Leroy Anderson, Don Gillis, Bratton, David Rose etc, in the UK, hundreds of 'em: Ronald Binge, Anthony Collins, Eric Coates, Trevor Duncan, Farnon, Dexter....
Nice relaxation from the heavier repertoire - great background music but with some quite interesting harmony sometimes. Usually requires no more commitment that a willingness to feel happy.
When I think of "light" I think of Mozart. Sure, there are a few accented sections, but definetely not Bruckner or Mahler.
Light classical music that I really enjoy includes
George Gershwin, natch: Rhapsody in Blue, American in Paris, the Piano Concerto. Little wonder that even Arnold Schoenberg called him a "great composer."
Don Gillis: I only recently discovered this composer, through the Albany discs of his work. Most often a light-hearted cross between Carl Stalling and Aaron Copland, though pieces like the Paul Bunyan Overture reveal that there was more depth to Gillis than his reputation presents. Fave works: Symphony 5 1/2; Shindig; Symphony #6 "Mid-century USA"
Roger Roger: I've only ever found one disc of music by this composer, who wrote his pieces for film music libraries, but it's a keeper. Somewhere between Raymond Scott and Eric Coates, if you can imagine such a thing. Not all of it works without the film accompaniment, but gems include "Traffic Boom," "Scenic Railway," "Mechanisme"...
i would classify all the Viennese composers who wrote Oprettas as "light Music" composers", there are a whole bunch of them, to name a few:
Strauss I, Strauss II, Josef Strauss, Edward Strauss, Franz Lehar, Von Suppe, Ziehrer, Komzak I and II, Robert Stolz, etc....
Quote from: gomro on July 21, 2007, 02:41:45 PM
...Don Gillis: I only recently discovered this composer, through the Albany discs of his work. Most often a light-hearted cross between Carl Stalling and Aaron Copland, though pieces like the Paul Bunyan Overture reveal that there was more depth to Gillis than his reputation presents. Fave works: Symphony 5 1/2; Shindig; Symphony #6 "Mid-century USA"...
I've played his tone poem "Tulsa" a couple of times in concert bands. Great piece! And definitely not mere "light music."
I guess my own listening tends strongly toward "heavy." But I love the Mozart and Dvorak wind serenades, and Renaissance dance music.
Strauss II's waltzes and polkas...those are really relaxing :)
Quote from: Bonehelm on July 22, 2007, 01:59:16 AM
Strauss II's waltzes and polkas...those are really relaxing :)
more than you can ever imagine.
Vivaldi is light to me, every concerto pretty much has the same exact outline.
QuoteStrauss II's waltzes and polkas...those are really relaxing Smiley
Not if you dance to them like the Viennese. It becomes quite the workout getting through a 10 minute one :D
Quote from: Mozart on July 22, 2007, 08:37:57 PM
Vivaldi is light to me, every concerto pretty much has the same exact outline.
Not if you dance to them like the Viennese. It becomes quite the workout getting through a 10 minute one :D
to me, anything not "Serious" is light, so dance music are a joy to listen to.
Early Baroque Dances. ;)
Quote from: MahlerTitan on July 22, 2007, 10:07:11 PM
to me, anything not "Serious" is light, so dance music are a joy to listen to.
You certainly need a light foot :) I wonder how they don't get dizzy spinning so much.
A couple of 'easy listening'-favorites of mine:
*William Boyce's (1711-1779) so-called 8 symphonies. Rather short 3 movement works from around mid-century. Lots of charm and light feel-good music. I have Trevor Pinnock's recording on Archiv, but Naxos also has one.
*Savall's suites from Lully operas
(http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2000/feb00/lully.jpg)
J. Haydn- most of the string quartets before op.20
Mozart- same before the "Haydn" Quartets
Vivaldi in general
Tchaikovsky's "Hits"
Ippolitov-Ivanov, Caucasian Sketches
Overtures by Rossini, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Berlioz, Auber, Suppe, Samuel Arnold and so on
Some of the earlier Haydn symphonies
Mozart, Flute Quartets
Praetorius, Dances from the Terpsichore on Naxos
Chominciamento di gioia on Naxos
Bach, Violin Concertos (Francescatti preferred)
Bach, Oboe Concertos on Naxos
Bach, Musical Offering, Goebel, Musica Antiqua Koeln on DG eloquence
Christopher Parkening Plays Bach
Chopin, Nocturnes
Leroy Anderson
Italian Oboe Concertos, vols. 1 and 2, on Naxos
Lots of guitar music--Spanish, South American, etc.
There are any number of relaxation type CDs of quite high quality, too.
Rachmaninoff, Symphonic Dances :)
How about this: Chinese music.
Do I win, or what :D
Quote from: Norseman on July 24, 2007, 03:45:23 AM
William Boyce's (1711-1779) so-called 8 symphonies. Rather short 3 movement works from around mid-century. Lots of charm and light feel-good music. I have Trevor Pinnock's recording on Archiv, but Naxos also has one.
Yes those are great!
I've just become enamored by Leroy Anderson's orchestral works on Naxos. I never ever gave "light" music a chance, but now I hear differently. I can't wait to explore more "light" composers, there seems to be so many! I think I will try Don Gillis next.
Quote from: Leo K. on January 10, 2024, 08:26:29 AMI've just become enamored by Leroy Anderson's orchestral works on Naxos. I never ever gave "light" music a chance, but now I hear differently. I can't wait to explore more "light" composers, there seems to be so many! I think I will try Don Gillis next.
Gillis is very different from Anderson - working on larger scales generally but both are very fine in the genre.