The Classical Music Guide Forums

First of all, hello everyone. I am new here and I look forward to chatting about our common interests in Classical music!

But I am looking for old phonograph type classical music (the one where you put in a giant disc and needle on the record to play it) that are foreign (to me, in the U.S.). Specifically, the type of music you would hear in war movies where tragedies are happening (i.e. in the in the movie "Saving Private Ryan", just before the big battle towards the end of the movie). Music such as Mozart - Lacrimosa (the softer type of music I'm looking for) and Carl Orff - Carmina Burana - O Fortuna (the stronger type). Might anyone here have any suggestions of artist-song titles? Or can anyone refer me to an external source where I might be able to get specifc get artist-title names for this type of music?

Your help is greatly appreciated, and thank you in advance.

Hello! We need to talk about what you are looking for a little bit more. Most of the good classical music continues to be recorded today, long after the old phonograph. Are you looking for the sound effect of the old phonograph, like the part in Saving Private Ryan where they play a song by Edith Piaf, "la vie en rose"? Are you searching for more film music derived from classical compositions? Lots of very good Beethoven music, particularly his symphonies 3, 5, 6, 7, 9. Tchaikovsky also offers a whole store of melodic music.

I guess you can say that I'm still stuck in the 1940s. I guess I just haven't heard anything recently that fit my listening addiction.
The effect of the phonograph is not really necessary, but it would be nice if it sounded "authentic" with respects to still being played in one of those old devices (not that I still own one). Yes, I loved Edith Piaf's "la vie en rose". Not necessarily music from films, but these kinds of songs in general. I just absolutely LOVE the sound, music, and voice and everything about it, and I don't know why. I think it's because of the moving music accompanied by the poignant voice that depicts the emotion in the atmosphere. Sort of music to listen to when you're drunk on wine or something (just kidding). Ave Maria is another popular one that I like. But the thing is, I'm sort of picky. I do listen to other classical music, but I like these in particular. I do listen to Beethoven such as his famous Moonlight Sonata as well as Pathetiques, etc. and such, and Tchaikovsky's1812 Overture is one of my other favorites. But I am still searching for these certain type of songs, and still looking for titles as well as their composers. I hope that I've given a bit clearer definition of what I'm looking for, and once again thank you.

One of the most powerful musical moments that I've experienced in a movie is in Master and Commander when a man is swept overboard and they lose him. The music at that point is the 'Theme from Thomas Tallis' by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Judging by what you're listening to now, it's a piece I think you'd enjoy. There's a CD conducted by Leonard Slatkin you might really enjoy.

Slatkin CD at Amazon

Barber's Adagio (also on this CD) has also been used to powerful effect in a number of movies.

And if that's not enough, you also get Grainger's arrangement of the Londonderry Air (sometimes known as 'Danny Boy').

This is one of those CDs that can get people listening to orchestral music.

<3 Adagio.

Thanks for that link, I'll be looking forward to that purchase

Old recordings that we use to play on "hard" vinyl records, such as the 78 rpm monos, are still remastered today as "historical recordings" but with one caveat: the engineers improve the sound as much as is technically possible. To actually hear this music the way it sounded then one needs either to acquire the old vinyls and a turntable or to acquire old movies and/or youtube old recordings. A couple of examples:
a. on Youtube: an old montage by Alfred Cortot, called cinephonie, of three piano pieces for children by Claude Debussy -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6NLpoFfGUg
b. Classic movies: Sergei Prokofiev composed music for two Sergei Eisenstein movies: Alexander Nevsky, Cantata, op. 78, and Ivan the Terrible, oratorio, op. 116. If you can find these classic movies, you'll get to hear the music "original" sound on tape, from the 1930's and 1940's.
Melodies are very much a matter of taste and, because you are "picky" as you say, it's probably not a good idea to acquire them on the basis of somebody else's personal choices. (Carmina Burana certainly offers several types of songs). You could identify the names of famous singers, like Maria Callas or Victoria de los Angeles, and youtube these names to sample their songs.

I just bought online the 10 CD Anniversary set of Edith Piaf.

Let us know how these recordings work out for you...

sentralorigin wrote:I just bought online the 10 CD Anniversary set of Edith Piaf.

When you prepare your review, please put them in the Pub.

Sure thing. They're expected to arrive about 1-2 weeks from today.