Share Your Favorite Paintings and Classical Music

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In Classical music, I believe it takes more attentive listening (listening not only on an emotional level, but also with your mind) to appreciate it fully. Anyone can appreciate Beethoven, because his genius was taking themes that sound very simple,(not in all cases of course) but it's what he does with them. If you ask the average person on the street who doesn't know Classical music, they will likely mention Beethoven, Bach and Mozart. But, ask them to hum a tune? It will most likely be Beethoven's 9th.

 

This is not to say who is best composer-people have argued that forever and there's no answer. It's the music itself that is important. To illustrate what I was talking about regarding listening more carefully to what is actually going on in a piece, listening to different levels in the music, for example, kind of dissecting it when you listen, here is an animated video that helps with this, if anyone is interested, because it really helps you appreciate the music even more.

 

This guy has tons of videos, so if you don't like my choice, you can go to his channel and find another piece you like.

 

I've decided to go with Beethoven's 7th Symphony, 2nd mvt. If you've seen many films, you've heard it. It somehow manages to be both sad and hopeful at the same time. I chose it because on basic listening, it sounds like the same melody played over and over, just getting louder, yet, still, somehow, being sublime. This video will show you why.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uOxOgm5jQ4

 

 

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In Classical music, I believe it takes more attentive listening (listening not only on an emotional level, but also with your mind) to appreciate it fully. Anyone can appreciate Beethoven, because his genius was taking themes that sound very simple,(not in all cases of course) but it's what he does with them. If you ask the average person on the street who doesn't know Classical music, they will likely mention Beethoven, Bach and Mozart. But, ask them to hum a tune? It will most likely be Beethoven's 9th.

 

This is not to say who is best composer-people have argued that forever and there's no answer. It's the music itself that is important. To illustrate what I was talking about regarding listening more carefully to what is actually going on in a piece, listening to different levels in the music, for example, kind of dissecting it when you listen, here is an animated video that helps with this, if anyone is interested, because it really helps you appreciate the music even more.

 

This guy has tons of videos, so if you don't like my choice, you can go to his channel and find another piece you like.

 

I've decided to go with Beethoven's 7th Symphony, 2nd mvt. If you've seen many films, you've heard it. It somehow manages to be both sad and hopeful at the same time. I chose it because on basic listening, it sounds like the same melody played over and over, just getting louder, yet, still, somehow, being sublime. This video will show you why.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uOxOgm5jQ4

 

Love that movement. Genius expression of unease. There are sporadic, subtle minor pitch alterations (in transitioning to a major chord) like @ 1:46 that would have seemed dissonant in earlier eras, but are just so sophisticated. Those are the small details that give me chillbumps.

 

This is another channel I found that has a nice array of artists.

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/HARMONICO101/featured

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Hey LovingMother thanks so much for your contributions. That Restful Spirit is gorgeous. And Madame Butterfly, I believe you chose the best opera singer ever for that piece.

 

To anyone reading, sometimes we can't post images so we can see them, if they don't have a page of their own, where they are the ONLY thing on a page, not on a blog, or if they're not jpg-someone can correct me if I'm wrong, then I don't think they'll show up here. It's perfectly all right to post a link in that case. It can take a bit of searching to find one that will work. Some blogs you can click on the painting and it will take you to the kind of page you need-painting with nothing else, then use that link in the code here.

 

Thank you so much...I took Restful Spirit down because I could not see it...but I will post again. And yes Leontyne Price is amazing. I used to work for an opera company!

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http://drgorilla.com/originals/restful-spirit

 

http://drgorilla.com/originals/restful-spirit

 

My dear friend David Rodriguez (Dr. Gorilla)

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Thanks Scott. You sound like you have a real understanding of music. Unease is another thing that does come through in that piece. It's hard to describe what it evokes. All I know is that I feel that way a lot. I imagine many people do, that's why it resonates as it does. I've subscribed to that YT channel you mentioned.

 

LovingMother, I love those Restful Spirit paintings, I'm glad you reposted them. You used to work for an opera company? What did you do?

 

My great, great aunt was an opera singer who sang in New York and was known for her rendition of Carmen. Her name was Brownie Peebles.

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Hi everyone

 

Thanks for all the posts. Love Madam Butterfly.

 

And Beethoven.  Googled your great great aunt, Cate and saw her photo. She was an attractive woman.

 

Will check out the TV programmes.

 

I don't know anything about art or classical music. Just know that I love both, well only some of it of course. I would love to learn more but at the moment I can't absorb information or at least I can't retain it.  I love art galleries.

 

LF

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http://www.jackvettriano.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/5472.jpg

 

Jack Vettriano

"The Singing Butler"

 

Jack Vettiano is a contemporay Scottish painter.  He was shunned by the "art establishment" for decades.  He has great popular appeal and has become accepted in recent years.  Many of his paintings are of women, his favourite subjects.  I like the simplicity of his paintings. I also like the female form.

 

LF

 

 

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http://gerryco23.wordpress.com/2010/11/17/the-glasgow-boys/

 

http://leithtonight.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/glasgow-boys_sir-james-guthrie_to-pastures-new.jpg

 

This is another Scottish painting by Sir James Guthrie, one of the Glasgow Boys.

 

"To pastures new"

 

Have given a link so you can see some more of their paintings and read a little bit about them.

 

LF

 

 

 

 

 

 

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http://pix.posterrevolution.com/pr/4/555077f.jpg

Genesis II - John Stephens

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http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_400/MI0000/979/MI0000979692.jpg?partner=allrovi.com Click here for the video.

This is a very beautiful thing. In what turns out to be his last concert, the great Herbert von Karajan conducts Jessye Norman in a performance of Liebestod from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde. with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra at the 1987 Salzburg Festival

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Good stuff!

 

LF, you don't need to know anything about art or music to enjoy it. I know very little, I find that sometimes knowing something about a composer or artist helps, such as your article about the Glasgow Boys, which I started and will return to as my brain is not 100% right now. I like your two Scottish paintings. Two very different styles, the first bright, compelling and crisp and the second, very charming.

 

Torbjorn, love it. Magical, would like to walk into it and see that world. Thanks so much.

 

Redevan, I really enjoyed your piece. I had heard of Tristan and Isolde but never actually listened to it. Just lovely, thank you.

 

I love this thread, as I'm learning so much. Thanks everyone!

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Here's our buddy Bach with his beautiful Crucifixus. It's a two fer because the video is all paintings (of Christ and the crucifixion) it's performed by the Collegium Vocale Gent.

 

 

 

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http://www.jackvettriano.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/5472.jpg

 

Jack Vettriano

"The Singing Butler"

 

Jack Vettiano is a contemporay Scottish painter.  He was shunned by the "art establishment" for decades.  He has great popular appeal and has become accepted in recent years.  Many of his paintings are of women, his favourite subjects.  I like the simplicity of his paintings. I also like the female form.

 

LF

 

Love this painting! I love Madame Butterfly too :-)

 

Cate I used to work in the education dept at an opera company. We worked with teaching artists and putting them in schools to learn about opera :-)

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Forrest Gump - what did his mother know?

Tchaikovsky is like a box of chocolates,

and you always know what you're going to get:

a cherry creme.

 

http://dic.academic.ru/pictures/wiki/files/68/Der_junge_Tschaikowski.jpg

Andante Cantabile from String Quartet No. 1 in D major Opus 11 Capriccio Italien Op. 45 The Nutcracker Suite Op.71a

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Not sure if I got your joke about Tchaikovsky Redevan, but it made me laugh anyway.

 

Here's Diogenes of Sinope by the artist Jean-Leon Gerome 1860

 

This Diogenes was a real fellow who lived in ancient Athens, a philosopher, he was a Cynic. The word "cynic" back then as a philosophy did not mean the same as the word does now. Diogenes really lived in that pot you see him in. The lamp is because he used to walk around Athens in daylight searching for an honest man. The dogs have to do with the word ''Cynic" itself which can be explained with much more about Diogenes here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diogenes_of_Sinope

 

There is a great story concerning a meeting between Diogenes and Alexander the Great. Diogenes was so revered for his wisdom (and infamous as well) that Alexander the Great-the most powerful man on the planet, worshipped as a god while he was alive, came to meet him. Alexander said "If I were not Alexander, I would be Diogenes." Then he said "Is there anything I can do for you?" Diogenes replied "You can move, you're blocking my sun." THAT shows you how serious Diogenes was about his philosophy.

 

http://vocesbajolacarpa.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/jean_leon_gerome_57_diogenes.jpg

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Not sure if I got your joke about Tchaikovsky Redevan, but it made me laugh anyway.

 

I know, it is funny, but it wasn't really a joke. For some reason Tchaikovsky's music seems to me like a box of chocolates. That's how I experience it. Might be a touch of synesthesia. Might be a benzo-withdrawal symptom. I'm so fried...

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I know about synesthesia. It's very interesting. Sorry you're fried, I am too. Was in the clear last month, no withdrawal, then thrown back into this crap by a health crisis. REALLY mad over it and fed up. Now just waiting for Clon crap to end.

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In honour of synesthesia, here is Wassily Kandinsky's Composition VII. Apparently he was a synesthete. He wanted to convey in painting the same emotional intensity of music. It's said that he heard musical notes when he saw various colours.

 

http://www.glyphs.com/art/kandinsky/comp7640.jpg

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In honour of synesthesia, here is Wassily Kandinsky's Composition VII. Apparently he was a synesthete. He wanted to convey in painting the same emotional intensity of music. It's said that he heard musical notes when he saw various colours.

 

This one?

 

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Yes that's the one I posted, couldn't you see it?

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Yes that's the one I posted, couldn't you see it?

 

No, all I see is a drawing of a tree (or whatever) that says Garden Web under it.

 

http://www.glyphs.com/art/kandinsky/comp7640.jpg

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Weird. I can see it.

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Weird. I can see it.

 

Well, maybe it's still in your browser cache. Even if I go to the website and browse to the photo, and click on the thumbnail there, all I see is that tree image. It's as if they've taken it down.

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Could you put up the link to the site? I'll check it out.

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Could you put up the link to the site? I'll check it out.

 

 

The link to the image you posted is

http://www.glyphs.com/art/kandinsky/comp7640.jpg

 

When that didn't work for me, I went to http://www.glyphs.com

and then clicked on the link to Arts

and then on the link to Kandinsky

then scrolled down till I found Composition VII

then clicked on that - and yesterday it didn't work.

But this morning it seems to be working again.

So I don't know what kind of snafu it was.

Anyway, it is a good piece, and apparently Kandinsky thought it was his most complex.

Thanks for sharing it.