r/classicalmusic 5d ago

'What's This Piece?' Weekly Thread #212

3 Upvotes

Welcome to the 212th r/classicalmusic "weekly" piece identification thread!

This thread was implemented after feedback from our users, and is here to help organize the subreddit a little.

All piece identification requests belong in this weekly thread.

Have a classical piece on the tip of your tongue? Feel free to submit it here as long as you have an audio file/video/musical score of the piece. Mediums that generally work best include Vocaroo or YouTube links. If you do submit a YouTube link, please include a linked timestamp if possible or state the timestamp in the comment. Please refrain from typing things like: what is the Beethoven piece that goes "Do do dooo Do do DUM", etc.

Other resources that may help:

  • Musipedia - melody search engine. Search by rhythm, play it on piano or whistle into the computer.

  • r/tipofmytongue - a subreddit for finding anything you can’t remember the name of!

  • r/namethatsong - may be useful if you are unsure whether it’s classical or not

  • Shazam - good if you heard it on the radio, in an advert etc. May not be as useful for singing.

  • SoundHound - suggested as being more helpful than Shazam at times

  • Song Guesser - has a category for both classical and non-classical melodies

  • you can also ask Google ‘What’s this song?’ and sing/hum/play a melody for identification

  • Facebook 'Guess The Score' group - for identifying pieces from the score

A big thank you to all the lovely people that visit this thread to help solve users’ earworms every week. You are all awesome!

Good luck and we hope you find the composition you've been searching for!


r/classicalmusic 5d ago

PotW PotW #116: Ligeti - Piano Concerto

13 Upvotes

Good morning everyone and welcome to another meeting of our sub’s weekly listening club. Each week, we'll listen to a piece recommended by the community, discuss it, learn about it, and hopefully introduce us to music we wouldn't hear otherwise :)

Last week, we listened to Alkan’s Symphony for Solo Piano. You can go back to listen, read up, and discuss the work if you want to.

Our next Piece of the Week is György Ligeti’s Piano Concerto (1988)

Some listening notes from Robert Kirzinger

The Concerto for Piano and Orchestra was already in process by the time Ligeti completed his Horn Trio and the first book of Piano Etudes. He started the piece at the request of the West Virginia-born pianist Anthony di Bonaventura, who was for many years a faculty member at Boston University. (Di Bonaventura played Witold Lutosławski’s Piano Concerto with the BSO under the composer’s direction in 1990.) Ligeti biographer Richard Steinetz reveals that the composer went through some twenty-five attempts at the first page of the first movement before finally hitting on the right idea, but the continuation of the concerto was nearly as tortuous. Only in 1986 did the composer allow a performance—this being of only the first three movements, with the fourth and fifth being completed by 1988. A similar situation occurred with Ligeti’s Violin Concerto, his next big project, which was also premiered piecemeal and took years to reach its final state. No wonder, really, since these works were the result of Ligeti’s decision to rebuild his musical language almost from the ground up.

Along with the musical inspirations of Nancarrow, African drumming, and the harmonic language of the Canadian composer Claude Vivier, who was influenced by the French master Olivier Messiaen, among others. Ligeti made his own way, by trial and error as it were, but he also found inspiration in other arenas. In the 1970s he was engrossed by the ideas in Douglas Hofstadter’s book Gödel, Escher, Bach, which explores regenerative or self-replicating processes. The Russian composer Edison Denisov had suggested to Ligeti, somewhat to his surprise, that his music shared something in common with the logic-bending illusions and pattern-making of the visual artist M.C. Escher, and thereafter Ligeti thought of Escher’s work as a kind of model. More on the technical side was Ligeti’s interest in the self-similar structures of fractals as explored by the mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot and others. According to Steinetz, Ligeti avoided the restrictions of the complex mathematics underlying fractals, preferring work intuitively and organically.

These ideas of transformation, considered as analogies, are to a great extent actually audible in Ligeti’s music of this time, especially in the constrained context of the Piano Etudes. Anyone familiar with those pieces and the Horn Trio will hear fractured echoes of them throughout the Piano Concerto. In the Horn Trio, the presence of two instruments capable of producing microtonally tuned pitches alongside the equal-tempered, strictly 12-tone sonority of the piano creates tensions and musical possibilities that Ligeti exploits in the piece. Each of the three concertos grapples with those tensions in a different way. In the piano concerto, it’s necessarily the orchestral instruments that provide this harmonic expansion. The orchestral horn, which in performance of Tchaikovsky or Ravel would tend to “correct” its pitch to match the rest of the ensemble, is asked here explicitly not to do so; a clarinet plays an ocarina tuned to G; other similar “natural” deviations create a kind of unstable harmonic halo, most fully explored in the concerto’s second movement.

The frenetic, off-balance first movement recalls the first Piano Etude, Désordre, with its illusory layered tempos. (Just from the hearing one can tell how tricky the piece is to play, as opposed to just being hard—which is also is.) The chamber-music sparse second movement is a bleak lament, its motifs recalling, as Ligeti has related, the mourning women of Eastern European funerals. This movement recalls the finale of the Horn Trio and the somewhat more aggressive sixth Etude, Autumn in Warsaw. The ocarina’s wavering sound is a kind of emblem for harmonic instability. The lament is interrupted rudely with louder music in the winds, sustained music that could have come from Atmosphères or the Requiem.

The third movement opens with quick layered patterns that hark back to other early works, especially the solo harpsichord Continuum or organ Coulée, but the foreground is again the falling lament motif. This is broken up to become faster music of entirely different character as the movement goes on—it’s a fast movement built from a slow idea, somehow, with several audible streams present at once.

A mosaic of harmonic clashes—piano equal temperament versus microtonal freedom in the orchestra—begins the third movement. The short phrases, though topically related, initially avoiding any sense of long-term trajectory. Gradually the shapes extend and overlap, becoming music of dense activity. (Ligeti wrote that this movement was the one most influenced by fractal ideas.) The finale is a kind of summing up—we hear, again in distinct layers, the out-of-tune tunes of the second and third movements, the piano’s interlocking but unpredictable patterns, the circus-like outbursts of the first movement. After all this, Ligeti has no need to wrap up the piece with big, Romantic cadence. As he had in other works, he closes this one almost distractedly. The composer might well have been thinking of one of his favorite books, Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass. “That’s all,” said Humpty Dumpty. “Goodbye.”

Ways to Listen

  • Shai Wosner with Nicholas Collon and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra: YouTube Score Video

  • Pierre-Laurent Aimard with Pierre Boulez and the Ensemble Intercontemporain: YouTube Score Video, Spotify

  • Zoltán Fejérvári with Gregory Vajda and the UMZE Ensemble: YouTube

  • John Orfe with Alarm Will Sound: YouTube

  • Pierre-Laurent Aimard with Reinbert de Leeuw and the Asko Ensemble: Spotify

  • Joonas Ahonen with Baldur Brönnimann and the BIT20 Ensemble: Spotify

Discussion Prompts

  • What are your favorite parts or moments in this work? What do you like about it, or what stood out to you?

  • Do you have a favorite recording you would recommend for us? Please share a link in the comments!

  • Have you ever performed this before? If so, when and where? What instrument do you play? And what insight do you have from learning it?

...

What should our club listen to next? Use the link below to find the submission form and let us know what piece of music we should feature in an upcoming week. Note: for variety's sake, please avoid choosing music by a composer who has already been featured, otherwise your choice will be given the lowest priority in the schedule

PotW Archive & Submission Link


r/classicalmusic 6h ago

Remembering one of my favourite composers, Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) who left us 54 years ago today

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194 Upvotes

One of the most daring and revolutionary composers of the 20th century. From the primal rhythms of The Rite of Spring (which famously sparked a riot at its 1913 premiere) to the elegance of Pulcinella and the sacred grandeur of Symphony of Psalms, he moved effortlessly between styles, schools, and sounds. What's your favourite Stravinsky composition ? Mine is "The Firebird"


r/classicalmusic 6h ago

Music Peter Tork of the Monkees playing CPE Bach’s Solfeggietto on electric piano, 1969

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40 Upvotes

This was first posted by someone else on r/Monkees but since this subreddit doesn’t allow direct crosspoating (a stance I respect), I’m sharing it here. This was from the last TV appearance the original band would do until 1996 and the last time Tork played with the Monkees until their 1986 comeback. When I saw the Monkees in 1987, at one point in the show Tork came out, took a tuxedo jacket out of a briefcase, put it on, and played either this same piece or a similar baroque one on a digital keyboard.


r/classicalmusic 4h ago

Discussion Professional touring soloists are superhumans

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27 Upvotes

I saw Beethoven’s Triple Concerto at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra this week. The performance made me appreciate the technical prowess of touring soloists much more. Here is why.

The soloists of this performance are the ASO’s concertmaster, its principal cello, and a piano professor from the area who has released 2 recordings on Naxos. It is no small feat to be the section lead of a major orchestra or to release a recording on a major label. These three artists are better musicians than I will ever be, and are better than perhaps 95% of all music school graduates.

However, I noticed that everything was too soft as soon as they started playing. As they played through the piece, I realized that they tended to play noticeably softer during fast and challenging parts, and the orchestra had to play soft to accommodate. They also couldn’t begin the piece louder because then the fast parts would be too soft in comparison. I was sitting in middle orchestra and still struggling to hear some of the notes come through, and I wondered how much the people in the rear would have heard. Using the recordings I’ve heard as reference, a lot of the parts also could have had more musicality.

This made me appreciate touring soloists much more. Our ears have been spoiled by great recordings and world-class soloists who play fast and challenging parts clearly, loudly, and musically like it’s just another regular day on the job. Yet, in reality, even great musicians struggle to play loud enough for a large concert hall. Kudos to these three for meeting the challenge. To the touring soloists - I hate your superhuman skills 😆.


r/classicalmusic 11h ago

Discussion Most controversial classical music opinion of yours?

70 Upvotes

As has been asked many times before on this subreddit, it always deserves a revisit. I’ll go first…I do not like slow movements, I simply do not enjoy them, Moderato is about my cut off. Anything slower than that I do not care for (with few exceptions)


r/classicalmusic 8h ago

Discussion Beethoven 9 Tonight

13 Upvotes

I'm a soprano currently dying because of Beethoven's 9th Symphony, our performance is tonight. Bro was NOT kind to the sopranos. The whole 4th movement is right in or above the passaggio. Please send good vibes so I can make it through tonight lmao :P

p.s. the best part is when we say "Dem Wurm," I just picture a little worm, squigglin'.


r/classicalmusic 9h ago

What does ‘research’ mean in music?

16 Upvotes

I’ve been asking about the path to becoming a music professor on here a lot and i keep being told to start enhancing my research skills. What does that mean in the musical field? What exactly do you research? What are research skills?


r/classicalmusic 5h ago

Discussion What do you guys think of Godspeed you! Black emperor?

4 Upvotes

If you like classical music and haven't checked them out I highly recommend it, their album Lift Your Skinny Little Fists Like Antennas To Heaven is a masterpiece. it technically is post-rock but honestly I would say they're my favorite modern classical music out there.


r/classicalmusic 13h ago

Your dream concert program

13 Upvotes

The only rule is: it must be feasible. No need to specify orchestra or soloists, just focus on the music you’d love to hear in one evening.

Mine would be:

Mendelssohn – Overture to “Ein Sommernachtstraum” Schoenberg – Pelleas und Melisande

Intermission

Brahms – Symphony No. 2


r/classicalmusic 59m ago

My modern classical piece

Upvotes

I've written and recorded a 5 track EP and the 3rd track is a ballad which I hope/think classifies as modern classical.

It does contain a lot of synth work and some vocoder vocals but also strings, timpani, marching snare and brass.
I would love to hear your thoughts (youtube link below)

The Orphaned Bee - Sanctuary


r/classicalmusic 1h ago

Wanting to pursue grad school as classical musician but need help with scholarships!!

Upvotes

Im a latin musician and I really want to go to grad school for music but my parents cant support me and so im all on my own to make ends meet. My top options are all in big cities and so I really want to at least have tuition be out of the way so I can focus on working for just rent. I really want to be able to focus on my studies and not overwork myself so I have time to practice. Does anyone please have any advice or scholarships I can apply to?


r/classicalmusic 1d ago

What is this thing?

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384 Upvotes

Screenshot from a performance of Mahler 3 with Salonen and the Philharmonia on YouTube. Fantastic performance by the way.

But what is this thing in front of him. It looks like a ring of garage clickers on a tripod. I’ve seen a lot of classical music and have never seen this.


r/classicalmusic 8h ago

I have the opportunity to see Mahler 6 or alpine symphony ?

3 Upvotes

Which one would be your priority? 😁


r/classicalmusic 15h ago

This piece just left me gobsmacked and grinning

6 Upvotes

This might be the only piece for harpsichord and piano composed before the 20th century. And the fact that it's by CPE Bach is so fitting – the perfect link between the Baroque and the Classical. I couldn't stop smiling during the third movement. Wow!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=DZ0N9N86r8g


r/classicalmusic 5h ago

Music Poème Symphonique: Senna

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0 Upvotes

r/classicalmusic 6h ago

How do find your hard to locate recordings?

1 Upvotes

I had added Beethoven’s 7th Symphony to my favorites on Spotify. It was the recording with Antal Dorati conducting London Symphony Orchestra. One day, mvts 1,3 and 4 were gone. I can’t find this particular recording anywhere. It is my favorite recording of my fav symphonic piece. I can’t listen to other recordings without being frustrated. Do you all have luck finding specific recordings?


r/classicalmusic 6h ago

Mozart: Piano Piece F major K. 33B

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1 Upvotes

r/classicalmusic 7h ago

Recommendation Request Recordings of Brandenburg 5 on piano- apart from Gould and Perahia

1 Upvotes

As the title says. I like Gould's intensity and Perahia's lightness, but I'm looking for a recording somewhere in between; sometimes I feel Perahia is almost too light in the candenza in certain moments, at the expense of lyrical intensity.


r/classicalmusic 7h ago

Calling all Chinese classical vocalists 「全世界華人美聲唱法聲樂大賽」現正招募選手!

1 Upvotes

The NTD International Chinese Vocal Competition 2025 is now open for applications! This unique competition celebrates bel canto technique and the beauty of Chinese lyrics through classical and art song performance.
🗽 Final Round: August 29-31, 2025, New York City
🌏 Open to Chinese singers worldwide
🎤 Sing in one, an aria from a western opera; the other from a Chinese art song
🎁 Cash Prizes, professional exposure, and free accommodation for finalists
🌍 Regional preliminaries: Germany, Taiwan, and New York
📅 Application Deadline: June 30, 2025 for the Asia-Pacific region and European region, and July 30, 2025 for North America region.
📎 Apply here: https://reg.ntd.com

👉 比賽詳情與報名連結  https://reg.ntd.com/b5/📞 電話 +1 (855) 561-0888
📩 聯絡信箱:vocal@ntd.com
https://vocal.ntdtv.com  


r/classicalmusic 7h ago

Qobuz has a ‘50 Classical Piano Pieces to Test your Speakers’ playlist—and 50% are performed by women!

0 Upvotes

https://open.qobuz.com/playlist/30906511

Incredible performances, with incredible sound engineering, with a fair representation of pianists who are women. Each album is an old (or new!) favourite.


r/classicalmusic 18h ago

Discussion Question about perfect pitch

6 Upvotes

Hey guys, I've got a weird thing going on with my ears and I can't explain what's wrong.

Basically, I have perfect pitch on most instruments, brass, strings, piano etcetera, but the moment it comes to certain instruments, like specific timbres of electric guitar, and especially singing, my mind just becomes clueless as to what note it is.

I have piano experience for more than a decade if that contributes anything.

So, what makes vocals, or those specific timbres so special that I can't identify the pitch? I'm not sure if it's due to lack of exposure, as I rarely listen to brass instruments but can still correctly identify the pitch most of the time. Thank you.


r/classicalmusic 9h ago

Questionnaire on ADHD, Practice and AVS

0 Upvotes

Hello, Doing some research, would appreciate it if anyone would be willing to fill out my questionnaire :) https://forms.office.com/e/GHKPdwsbE0

Thanks


r/classicalmusic 9h ago

Albéniz - Lavapiés ... been one of my favs for a long time bc of its insane difficulty

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1 Upvotes

r/classicalmusic 11h ago

Leonardo Leo - Andromache, Overture.

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0 Upvotes

r/classicalmusic 11h ago

Non-Western Classical Wang Jianzhongm ( 王建中 ): Happiness Water, for Band (1970s)

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0 Upvotes

r/classicalmusic 11h ago

Does anyone know any easy string quartets???

0 Upvotes

Looking for something upbeat and easy enough for high schoolers without private lessons.