Classical Music - It's a Knockout (Winner: William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini)

[el Nynaeve]

Beethoven

Mozart

Beethoven

Rodrigo

Grieg

Aquarium

[Adrian44]

Beethoven

Mozart

Rossini

Rodrigo

Bach

Mussorgsky

[Jeannaisais]

Beethoven

Debussy

Rossini

Rodrigo

Grieg

Mussorgsky

[Corki]

If you haven't voted, you have until lunch time! That is when I will wrap up the ties, since my internet died last night!

[Corki]

Apologies for the delay, but my internet hasn't been working at home and I had to do some studying last night.

 

Time for my votes, and then I will post the results and the next round of ties.

 

3. Beethoven

4. Debussy

5. Rossini

6. Mussorgsky

7. Bach

8. Saint-Saëns

[Corki]

Results time!

 

In tie 3, there was an easy 6-0 win for 5th Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven over Swan Lake Ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

 

Tie 4 saw a win for Claire de Lune by Claude Debussy, which beat Piano Concerto No 15 in B Flat Major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by 4 votes to 2.

 

There was a similar 4-2 victory for the 3rd seed William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini (3) in tie 5 as it defeated Ludwig van Beethoven's 9th Symphony (2nd Movement).

 

Much to my annoyance in tie 6, Concerto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo easily beat The Great Gate of Kiev by Modest Mussorgsky by 5 votes to 1.

 

Toccata and Fugue by Johann Sebastian Bach won in tie 7, defeating In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Greig by 4 votes to 2.

 

And to wrap it up in tie 8, our second seed Night on a Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky lost to Aquarium (Carnival Of The Animals) by Camille Saint-Saëns by 4 votes to 2.

 

Time for all the ties of round 3!

[Corki]

Round 3, Tie 1

 

 

 

Dies Irae by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

The piece was chosen by dapianoplay3r, who nominated as follows: "So I always liked the Requiem when I saw Adameus and watched how he wrote it. Then last year for my level three music class we had to rearrange some famous piece. I chose Twinkle Twinkle and overlaid it with the Requiem. I just loved the Requiem even more since then. I studied it so much that now I think I truly appreciate the depth behind it. It made me appreciate Mozart more then I had originally. I like the 3rd Movement the best but I also really like the 1st, and 9th. Anyway enjoy". The piece was left unfinished by Mozart.

 

 

vs.

 

 

Piano Concerto #20 In D Minor (1. Allegro) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Written by Mozart in 1785, it was first performed at the Mehlgrube Casino in Vienna on February 11, 1785, with the composer as the soloist. The Allegro is the first movement of the concerto, which features 3 movements in all. It is another piece nominated by dapianoplay3r, who says "This is a great piece. I was introduced to it when I played it as part of my orchestra. I really like how it starts so quiet and foreboding. It's one of my all time favourites".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkjRz2Anz6A

 

 

Voting ends Thursday 31st March 2011 at 11pm (GMT)

[Corki]

Round 3, Tie 2

 

 

 

5th Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven

Again, another one of those well known pieces of music from the Classical music world. There are so many features that are recognisable, especially the distinctive four-note "short-short-short-long" motif that is used twice. It is interesting to note that the BBC used this motif to introduce their news bulletins, because "short-short-short-long" represented V in morse code - and evoked victory. The "short-short-short-long" motif generates tense moments, but the rest of the piece is smooth, relaxing and also stirring. The piece was nominated by dapianoplay3r, who thinks "it's a great an epic piece of music that really deserves to be in the running".

 

 

vs.

 

 

Claire de Lune by Claude Debussy

Claire de lune is the third movement from the Suite bergamasque by Claude Debussy. It is one of his famous piano pieces. He started the suite in 1890, but didn't finish it until 1905. "Claire de lune" means "moonlight" in French, and name of the piece comes from Paul Verlaine's poem of the same name. The piece was nominated by Jeannaisais, who says that though "[she has] never played this song, I listened as my sister practiced it for performance and it is definitely one of Debussy's best pieces in my mind".

 

 

Voting ends Thursday 31st March 2011 at 11pm (GMT)

[Corki]

Round 3, Tie 3

 

 

 

William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini (3)

It's the Lone Ranger! Yes, this piece of music was used for that classic. Coming from the opera William Tell, Rossini uses the whole orchestra for this wonderful piece of music. It comprises of four parts - The Prelude, The Storm, The Ranz des Vaches and the famous The Finale. Very recognisable and very enjoyable. A great start to the opera! Because of the media link limitations (weird...), I have linked the first half as the second is probably the more famous.

Link to first half

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utDlBcPgjrk

 

 

 

vs.

 

 

Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo

The Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo is a composition for classical guitar and orchestra. Written in 1939, it is probably's Rodrigo's most famous work. The piece was nominated by Kivam, as it is one of his favourite pieces. He also views it as a "quintessential piece of Spanish classical music" (which I agree with). He thinks it is a "powerful and dramatic without being overwrought (Miles Davis once said that the softer you play it the stronger it gets, and the louder you play it the weaker it gets), subtle and moving". The clip comes from one of his favourite films, Brassed Off.

 

 

Voting ends Thursday 31st March 2011 at 11pm (GMT)

[Corki]

Round 3, Tie 4

 

 

 

Toccata and Fugue by Johann Sebastian Bach

Time for something different as we now have a bit of organ music - and probably the most famous piece of organ music. Just listening to it shows it is a rather difficult piece to play, but it is a joy to listen to - and shows off how the organ should be played. It has proved to be a popular piece of music to be used by other artists. It is the battle of pieces that have appeared in Fantasia, as Toccata and Fugue, which is the first piece to feature.

 

 

vs.

 

 

Aquarium (Carnival Of The Animals) by Camille Saint-Saëns

Camille Saint-Saëns's musical suite of fourteen movements was composed in February 1886 while he was in Austria. It has many famous pieces from it, including the Aquarium. It is a rich piece of music, played mainly by the flute, with support from the strings. Throughout the piece, there is the glissando-like runs in the piano, giving the shimmering effect of water. A beautiful piece of music.

 

 

Voting ends Thursday 31st March 2011 at 11pm (GMT)

[Jeannaisais]

Concerto #20

Claire de Lune by Debussy

William Tell Overture (this really makes me miss playing my flute *sighs* )

Bach

[Kivam]

Concerto #20

Claire de Lune by Debussy

William Tell Overture (this really makes me miss playing my flute *sighs* )

Bach

 

Exact opposite on all 4

 

Deus Irae

Beethoven

Rodrigo

Aquarium

 

Corki, why the haterade? Just stick with the concerto d' orangejuice.

[Corki]

1. Piano Concerto #20 In D Minor

 

2. Claire de Lune

 

3. William Tell Overture

 

4. Aquarium

[Kivam]

 

 

3. William Tell Overture

 

 

 

I am shocked, shocked, by this turn of events

[Krakalakachkn]

1. Piano Concerto #20 In D Minor

 

2. Claire de Lune

 

3. William Tell Overture

 

4. Aquarium

 

 

This

[Corki]

Wrapping up time! And finally Kivam's choice has been knocked out!

 

In tie 1, an all Mozart contest, Piano Concerto #20 In D Minor (1. Allegro) beat Dies Irae by 3 votes to 1.

 

In tie 2, Debussy's Claire de Lune saw off Beethoven's 5th Symphony by 3 votes to 1.

 

In tie 3, the best result ever! The third seed William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini defeated Concerto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo by 3 votes to 1! Result!

 

And in our last tie, Aquarium (Carnival Of The Animals) by Camille Saint-Saëns overcame Toccata and Fugue by Johann Sebastian Bach by 3 votes to 1.

 

Time for our semi-finals!

[Corki]

Semi-Final, Tie 1

 

 

 

Piano Concerto #20 In D Minor (1. Allegro) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Written by Mozart in 1785, it was first performed at the Mehlgrube Casino in Vienna on February 11, 1785, with the composer as the soloist. The Allegro is the first movement of the concerto, which features 3 movements in all. It is another piece nominated by dapianoplay3r, who says "This is a great piece. I was introduced to it when I played it as part of my orchestra. I really like how it starts so quiet and foreboding. It's one of my all time favourites".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkjRz2Anz6A

 

 

vs.

 

 

Claire de Lune by Claude Debussy

Claire de lune is the third movement from the Suite bergamasque by Claude Debussy. It is one of his famous piano pieces. He started the suite in 1890, but didn't finish it until 1905. "Claire de lune" means "moonlight" in French, and name of the piece comes from Paul Verlaine's poem of the same name. The piece was nominated by Jeannaisais, who says that though "[she has] never played this song, I listened as my sister practiced it for performance and it is definitely one of Debussy's best pieces in my mind".

 

 

Voting ends Tuesday 5th April 2011 at 11pm (BST)

[Corki]

Semi-Final, Tie 2

 

 

 

William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini (3)

It's the Lone Ranger! Yes, this piece of music was used for that classic. Coming from the opera William Tell, Rossini uses the whole orchestra for this wonderful piece of music. It comprises of four parts - The Prelude, The Storm, The Ranz des Vaches and the famous The Finale. Very recognisable and very enjoyable. A great start to the opera! Because of the media link limitations (weird...), I have linked the first half as the second is probably the more famous.

Link to first half

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utDlBcPgjrk

 

 

 

vs.

 

 

Aquarium (Carnival Of The Animals) by Camille Saint-Saëns

Camille Saint-Saëns's musical suite of fourteen movements was composed in February 1886 while he was in Austria. It has many famous pieces from it, including the Aquarium. It is a rich piece of music, played mainly by the flute, with support from the strings. Throughout the piece, there is the glissando-like runs in the piano, giving the shimmering effect of water. A beautiful piece of music.

 

 

Voting ends Tuesday 5th April 2011 at 11pm (BST)

[Krakalakachkn]

Claire de Lune

William Tell

 

 

 

EDIT: Changed my vote

[Corki]

Claire de Lune

 

William Tell

[Jeannaisais]

Claire de Lune

 

William Tell

 

agreed!

[el Nynaeve]

Mozart

 

William Tell

[Kivam]

Claire de Lune

 

AranjuezWilliam Tell

 

*grumble grumble*

[Corki]

Don't forget to vote with a few hours left to go!

[Graendals favourite]

Yo, Mozart and Rossini.