MY TOP 100 CLASSICAL MUSIC FAVORITES CONTINUE BELOW. THEY ARE NUMBERED ~ BUT NOT RANKED IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER.
81. THREE DANCE VARIATIONS FROM "FANCY FREE" BY LEONARD BERNSTEIN
“Fancy Free” is a ballet by Jerome Robbins to a score by Leonard Bernstein. It premiered in 1944. The entire ballet which lasts just a little over 30 minutes is fun – but three dances stand out: the Galop, the Waltz Variation, and the Danzon.
The entire ballet is in the video below on the left, and the numbers are as follows: |
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Big Stuff (Prologue)
Pt. I: Opening Dance Pt. II: Scene at the Bar Pt. III: Pas de Deux Pt. IV: The Competition Scene Pt. V: Galop Variation Pt. VI: Waltz Variation Pt. VII: Danzon Variation Pt. VIII: Finale |
At the right: A snippet of "Fancy Free" with a very young Baryshnikov. |
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82. "MASQUERADE" SUITE BY KHACHATURIAN
“Masquerade” was written in 1941 by Aram Khachaturian as incidental music for a production of the play of the same name by Russian poet and playwright Mikhail Lemontov. It premiered in June 1941 Later, in 1944, Khachaturian extracted five movements to make a symphonic suite: Waltz, Nocturne, Mazurka, Romance, and Galop. All of the movements are fun – but my favorite is the opening Waltz!
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When I searched for videos of the waltz on YouTube, many of the comments on the videos referred to this as "the greatest waltz ever written." Hmm. Maybe so? What do you think? : )
Below from left to right: A version in "Anna Karenina"; a rendition used at an ice skating competition; the waltz as played during the COVID quarantine; and a version for one piano, four hands.
Below from left to right: A version in "Anna Karenina"; a rendition used at an ice skating competition; the waltz as played during the COVID quarantine; and a version for one piano, four hands.
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Strauss’ waltz is a running motif in the 1941 Alfred Hitchcock film “Suspicion,” it appears in the 1985 mini-series “Anne of Green Gables” (during the ball scene), and it appears in the 2011 film “Sherlock Homes: A Game of Shadows.” It was also highlighted in the “Tom and Jerry” episode called “Johann Mouse.” Part 1 of that cartoon is at the left – and just do a Google-search for parts 2 and 3. |
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84. SCENE D'AMOUR BY BERNARD HERRMANN
Classical music is often used in film scores, and there have even been classical composers who have written film scores. Dmitri Shostakovich wrote over 20 scores (info HERE). Erich Korngold not only wrote film scores, but he also won an Academy Award for the score to 1938's "The Adventures of Robin Hood." Aaron Copland wrote film scores too, including the score for John Steinbeck's "The Red Pony."
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Another composer who composed for the concert hall and the movie palace was Bernard Herrmann, and he succeeded magnificently for both!
His music for "Psycho" is rated #4 in the American Film Institute's list of top great film scores of all time -- HERE. The Podcast "Settling the Score" has a wonderful analysis of Herrmann's music from "Psycho" -- HERE. That podcast also analyzed Herrmann's scores from "North By Northwest," HERE, and "Vertigo," HERE.
Below are some of Herrmann's greatest achievements. Left: The complete soundtrack to "Psycho." Center: The overture to "North by Northwest." Right: The complete soundtrack to "Vertigo."
His music for "Psycho" is rated #4 in the American Film Institute's list of top great film scores of all time -- HERE. The Podcast "Settling the Score" has a wonderful analysis of Herrmann's music from "Psycho" -- HERE. That podcast also analyzed Herrmann's scores from "North By Northwest," HERE, and "Vertigo," HERE.
Below are some of Herrmann's greatest achievements. Left: The complete soundtrack to "Psycho." Center: The overture to "North by Northwest." Right: The complete soundtrack to "Vertigo."
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85. SHOSTAKOVICH'S SYMPHONY NO. 5 IN D MINOR
I've loved Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 for years -- as far back as my high school days. I can't remember or not if my high school band actually played some version of the finale transcribed for band, but I do know I had at least one recording of this symphony back in my high school days.
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By the way, some sources claim that "during the first performance of the symphony, people were reported to have wept during the 'Largo' movement." Well, I don't recall ever weeping during a performance, but I do appreciate the "Largo." : )
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86. GILBERT & SULLIVAN'S H.M.S. PINAFORE
Gilbert & Sullivan made my list earlier with "The Pirates of Penzance," HERE (see #41). Now they're back on the list with the "H.M.S. Pinafore," another of my G&S favorites! I have the piano music for most of the show's songs, and some of my favorites to play are “We Sail the Ocean Blue,” “I’m Called Little Buttercup,” “I Am The Captain Of The Pinafore,” “I Am The Monarch Of The Sea,” “When I Was A Lad,” “Refrain, Audacious Tar,” and “Nevermind The Why And Wherefore.”
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Check out these two finds:
At the right: If you're a Simpsons fan, then you know that Sideshow Bob loves the H.M.S. Pinafore. At the far right: I haven't had time to check this out yet, but it is an M.I.T. production of H.M.S. Pinafore "The Next Generation" -- a Star Trek version of the show! |
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87. RACHMANINOFF'S PRELUDE IN C SHARP MINOR Also known as "The Bells of Moscow," the Prelude in C Sharp Minor is one of Rachmaninoff's most famous compositions -- and he wrote it when he was just 19 years old. Rachmaninoff later published 23 more preludes to complete a set of 24 preludes covering all of the major and minor keys.
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Below left: A funny video that deals with "how to play the prelude" if you have small hands (since Rachmaninoff was known to have large hands). Below center: The prelude played by a trombone ensemble. Below right: The prelude as arranged for orchestra.
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88. RACHMANINOFF'S PRELUDE IN G MINOR
Another favorite Prelude by Rachmaninoff is the one in G Minor, and this one has been a favorite since I learned to play it at a recital way back in my high school days.
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At the left: This song has nothing to do with Rachmaninoff's Preludes. It's just another piece for piano I learned -- and loved -- way back in my recital days in high school and college. It's Schubert's Impromptu Op 142 No 2 D 935 A flat major. |
89. RIMSKY-KORSAKOV'S SCHEHERAZADE
"Scheherazade" is a symphonic suite composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1888 that is based on "One Thousand and One Nights," also known as "The Arabian Nights." An article on Wikipedia (HERE), states that the piece includes "dazzling, colorful orchestration," and that is certainly true -- the piece is spectacular!
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The four sections of the suite are the following: I. The Sea and Sinbad's Ship. II. The Kalandar Prince. III. The Young Prince and The Young Princess. IV. Festival at Baghdad. The Sea. The Ship Breaks against a Cliff Surmounted by a Bronze Horseman. At the left: A ballet performed to the music of "Scheherazade." |
At the right: And now for something completely different: While I was looking for a video of "Scheherazade" to post, I discovered the YouTube account of "Melodica Men," and they have a video of their performance of "Scheherazade." Take a listen.
At the far right: A bit of a marching band show that features "Scheherazade." |
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90. DIE FLEDERMAUS OVERTURE BY JOHANN STRAUSS "Die Fledermaus" (or "The Bat") is a comic operetta composed by Johann Strauss II to a German libretto by Karl Haffner and Richard Genée. It premiered on 5 April 1874 at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna and has been part of the regular repertoire ever since. It is great fun, and it has great music, so if you ever get a chance to see it, do so -- and of course, the overture is wonderful!
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