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From: doug@cornell.UUCP (Douglas Campbell)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: The best rock & classical music (to me)
Message-ID: <6073@cornell.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 3-Feb-84 20:11:28 EST
Article-I.D.: cornell.6073
Posted: Fri Feb  3 20:11:28 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 8-Feb-84 04:51:14 EST
Organization: Cornell Computer Science
Lines: 84

I've tried to restrain myself, but I can't.  Here's my comments on my
favorite rock and classical music.  Rock first, then classical.

First, my list of indispensable, absolute favorite rock albums:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes       - The Yes Album          Pink Floyd  -  Dark Side of the Moon
            Fragile
            Close to the Edge      King Crimson - Court of the Crimson King

Brian Eno - Another Green World    Soft Machine - Soft Machine
                                                  Soft Machine Volume II
Beatles   - White Album (The Beatles)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Explanations of the choices:

Yes:            These three Yes albums have been correctly identified by
                others on the net as their best.  This is the peak of
                sophisticated art rock, especially Close to the Edge.

Brian Eno:      Though I usually find Eno too weird and unimaginative, this
                album is lyrical (for him) and emotionally pleasing.  It
                even gets (dare I say it?) *funky* at times.

Beatles:        I refuse to discuss the Beatles for political reasons.

Pink Floyd:     Dark Side is possibly the greatest bluesy rock ever made.
                My favorite tune is Any Colour you Like.  It's a shame that
                Gilmour and the rest faded out and Waters took over with
                his pretentious drivel.  (Shields on, Scotty - flames ahead.)

King Crimson:   The only album from them that I like, this disc has excellent
                haunting imagery.  Sort of a mixture of Yes and Pink Floyd.

Soft Machine:   Soft Machine in the '70s has turned into a progressive
                jazz group.  This is not the Soft Machine that I like,
                though jazz fans have told me that it is good jazz.  The
                Soft Machine albums I like were made in '68 and '69 when
                they were an experimental rock group like Pink Floyd, but
                much more talented and imaginative.  Unfortunately, these
                are now out of print.  I managed to get them packaged
                together from ABC's Command records label (RSSD 964-2)
                in a cut-out bin.  If your tastes are similar to mine, you
                should try desperately to get a hold of them.

Random Comments:

This list does not cover every bit of rock I like, just the peaks.  I've
noticed that a disturbingly high percentage of rock music I like was done
before 1974.  Anyone else notice a 10 year drought?


And now, classical.

Much classical music has been covered well on the net - I have only a few
suggestions of albums not yet mentioned:

Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra - Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic

        This recording finds my favorite bunch at their best.  Karajan
        is especially good with his string section in this record - they
        cry out yearningly.  The rest of the orchestra is in top form.

Wagner: Orchestral Masterpieces from the Ring - Leopold Stokowski, LSO

        The second side of this record has Sigfried's Rhine Journey and
        Siegfried's Death and Funeral Music performed gorgeously.  The
        first side ain't bad, either.  Available as a London Treasury
        reissue STS-15565.

Beethoven 3rd Symphony (Eroica) - Otto Klemperer and the Philharmonia Orch.

        I've had a hard time finding a good Eroica, but this one seems
        to capture all the emotional depth.  On the Angel label.

Random Comments:

Thanks to all you netters that contributed to the intelligent, informative
discussions on Mahler.  Let's have more of the same dealing with some other
composers, e.g. Richard Strauss, Wagner, Beethoven ...

                                 Still looking for a good Beethoven 9th,
                                                Doug Campbell
                                            ARPA:    doug@cornell
                                            UUCP:    cornell!doug