Beethoven: Symphonies 4 & 5; Grieg: Lyric Suite

Advantages: The music, the chorus, the memorable melody
Disadvantages: None

...as in a fugue, as more and more instruments join with their particular qualities a joyfull interaction and socialisation occurs, indicating the coming of life on the newly created world. 3rd Movement Adagio Molto E Cantabile This slow movement is lyrical and tranquil as order develops from the chaos of creation. The 4th Movement Presto and the 5th Movement Allegro Assai, combine to make the finale. This part of the symphony is based on the poem by Schiller (An Die Freude) Ode To Joy. Beethoven combines choral with orchestral music, hence the colloquial name for this symphony (Beethoven’s Choral Symphony).The theme of joy is first herd from the orchestra and the cello’s and double basses alone, they are then joined by the entire orchestra, a bass voice proclaims “O friends, not such sounds as these; let us strike up more pleasing ones, full... Read review

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Advantages: Contrasting: dramatic and relaxing, darkness to light
Disadvantages: Frustrating if you live in a city

...both performed for the first time in 1808 for Beethoven's benefit concert in Vienna. Symphony no 5 in C minor 1st Movement: Allegro con brio 2nd Movement: Andante con moto 3rd Movement: Allegro 4th Movement: Allegro The period when these symphonies were composed is known as Beethoven's heroic period. The fifth sympony is probably the most characteristic of this phase: Darkness defeated by light. It opens with a dramatic four-note motif that is repeated threatenly through the first movement. (The motif was used by the allies during WW2 as a Victory symbol) The second movement is slower and more lyrical. The tempo of the short third movement speeds up to lead into the triumphal finale. Symphony no 6 in F major 1st Movement: Allegro ma non troppo Awakening of cheefulfeelings upon arrival in the country 2nd Movement: Andant molto mosso... Read review

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Advantages: Everything you could ever want from a classical CD
Disadvantages: none

...by Giuseppe Verdi 32. Les pêcheurs de perles Composed by Georges Bizet 33. (Il) trovatore Composed by Giuseppe Verdi 34. Turandot Composed by Giacomo Puccini 35. Carmina Burana Composed by Carl Orff 36. Messa da Requiem Composed by Giuseppe Verdi 37. Messiah Composed by George Frideric Handel 38. Also sprach Zarathustra, 'Thus spake Zarathustra' Composed by Richard Strauss 39. (The) Planets Composed by Gustav Holst 40. Toccata and Fugue in D minor Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach 41. Symphony No. 40 in G minor Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 42. Symphony No. 5 in C minor Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven 43. Romeo and Juliet Composed by Sergey Prokofiev 44. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor Composed by Edvard Grieg 45. Boléro Composed by Maurice Ravel 46. Fanfare for the Common Man Composed... Read review

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