Richard Wagner (classical composer)

[bball_1523]

Is anyone a fan of Richard Wagner's music? I recently took a music appreciation class that went over all the music periods and we listened to Wanger. I was amazed at his composition of Die Walkure Act III of the Ring cycle. It has really nice melodies, chromaticism, key changes. It's got all what I love about progressive rock/metal.

Do you know of any songs by Wagner or even by other classical composers that have similar type of composing techniques in their songs? Also where can I get a quality version of the ring cycle?

[Mazeppa]

Firstly I'm pretty sure that Wagner was a Romantic. As for the complete Ring Cycle you're looking at four operas or about 15 hours of music, so if you want it you'll probably just have to buy it or better yet go see it performed. Similar stuff...well just check out more Wagner and perhaps some other late 19th Century composers, I'm not really that familiar with Wagner's music except for some really famous stuff.

[ROT]

the nazis loved him
:)
i actually havent heard any wagner but id like to check him out
costhe ring or whatever is supposed to be about a superrace
which the nazis were obsessedwith too
extraterrestrially speaking
haha

[CabbageStabbage]

"I can't listen to too much Wagner, I get the urge to invade Poland"
- Woody Allen

If you want the epic-ness, some of my favourite pieces are:

That famous aria from Puccini's Turandot.
Montagues and Capulets from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet.
Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet overture (Unrelated to prokofiev), it's got that really famous "love scene" melody.
Rimsky-Korsakoff's Scherezade

[telemore]

"I can't listen to too much Wagner, I get the urge to invade Poland"
- Woody Allen

If you want the epic-ness, some of my favourite pieces are:

That famous aria from Puccini's Turandot.
Montagues and Capulets from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet.
Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet overture (Unrelated to prokofiev), it's got that really famous "love scene" melody.
Rimsky-Korsakoff's Scherezade
Those are very nice. Turandot especially. mmm

I like what little Wagner I've heard/played. I'm not sure what would really compare as I'm not very well versed (yet.) Um, if grandeur and melody are what you want, I would suggest Gustav Holst's The Planets Suite. A bit of a one-eighty from Wagner, but I really enjoy them.

As Metal_Guitar said, The Ring Cycle is Four Operas, and incredibly long, though complete sets do exist. You could search amazon, I know they have a few. My brass instructor really liked Wagner, and transcribed some of his chorales for brass quintet and brass choir, and wow. Those pieces were amazing. He actually saw a complete production of the Ring Cycle. It took four evenings to complete. Wow.

[EightMilesHigh]

Ride Of The Valkyries \m/ so awesome when it was used in the helicopter scene in Apocalypse Now.

[Epiphender]

I like Vorspiel.

Hope I spelled that right.

[Timm]

yes you did :)

[i2 enegade]

yar

Ride of the Valkyries+Apocalypse Now=sex

[Epiphender]

yes you did :)

Do you know what it means?

"like" was a huge understatement. I think it's an incredible piece really.

[bball_1523]

well I'm really only looking for a part of the ring cycle, namely the one I described in my first post, "Die Walkure Act III." There are some chromatic runs and key changes that sound fantastic! And the version I have is of superb quality and you can really hear the chimes of the instruments.

[Roses_and_Ribbons]

Hehe. I had to make a worksheet on Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries and included this:

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/1830/grandave010zr.gif

[Timm]

Do you know what it means?

"like" was a huge understatement. I think it's an incredible piece really.
it means prelude in this case most definatley
but it also means foreplay :naughty:
naughty wagner :smash: