'Fantasia' KV 594 "for a musical clock" by W. A. Mozart

[Astro Forever]

He's done a few good ones. These are the ones I can hum to:

Overture. The marriage of Figaro
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K525, Menuetto Allegro
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K525, Allegro
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K525, Rondo
Rondo a' la Turc K331, No 3
Piano Conerto No 21 in C major, K467 ('Elvira Madigan'), Andante

You'd probably recognise the Nachtmusik ones, they're pretty famous.

Yes, especially the "allegro" one and, of course, the ouverture from Figaro. While it's not bad, it's just nothing special to me, like the other pieces, except the "Rondo Alla Turca" (or however it's supposed to be spelled in German ). That's one that stick in one's mind!

And these are the ones on my hard drive that don't have a distinct enough tune for me to recognise or hum to:

Overture- The Magic Flute
Flute concerto no. 1 in G major, K313 Adagio non troppo
Overture. Don Giovanni
Clarinet Concerto in A major,K622 Adagio

I guess they're famous and special, or at least supposed to be. *shrug* I'm no classical music expert, but Mozart's work seems kind of same-ish to me.

Indeed. Out of these, I knew only the first one.

I grew up with classical music, so that's probably why I'm that affected by it.

I'm jealous, I wish my parents had introduced me to classical music when I was young. I'm still trying to expand my culture, I feel like I know so little. Of course, it's never too late, but I would have liked to discover all of this sooner. And don't even ask me to distinguish between a good or a great interpretation: although I do have some preferences for some pieces, I don't know if I'm off or not!

You are going to laugh at me, because I thought oboes were obsolete instruments, not in use anymore!

I was going to forget: my national anthem (O Canada) has obviously been inspired by Mozart's March of the Priests from The Magic Flute.

[fafner]

If Fafner's asking kindly enough, I'll be sure to upload the wind Version on his FTP.
*where's my tongue-in-cheek-smilie? Ah, here it is.... *

I can save you troubles, as I most probably have everything available already However, it will be for tomorrow, too late right now... ( damn, still no sleepy smiley? )

[O2Destroyer]

I'm jealous, I wish my parents had introduced me to classical music when I was young. I'm still trying to expand my culture, I feel like I know so little. Of course, it's never too late, but I would have liked to discover all of this sooner. And don't even ask me to distinguish between a good or a great interpretation: although I do have some preferences for some pieces, I don't know if I'm off or not!

I suppose some of us should be thankful, although now most kids growing up don't know any classical music. Most young people don't find instrumental music particularly interesting, so there is an immediate barrier there, but sometimes listening to soundtracks is a way in, since most of this is heavily influenced by classical music.

I strongly suggest working on more than just Mozart since I think, more so than many other composers he can sound very trite (is everything he did major chord???). Really suggest hitting the library and casting out a broad net, noting different time periods, regions, etc.

The actual classical period (roughly 1700's -- when Mozart composed) is the most difficult for me since so much of the music seems like nothing but ornate trifles. The romantic period (1800's) seems to immediately offer more if you are into larger, soundtrack-ish performances with symphonies becoming massive affairs giving way to the likes of Dvorak, Mahler, Bruckner, Rimsky-Korsakov, etc.

Before the classical period there is the heavier, brooding baroque period--often stoic and sad. Both these routes I think are much more accessible than the classical period, but once you learn to hear what this period has to offer, it is great too!

I think hearing more of this will increase your appreciation of Mozart and actually quite a bit of modern music. It is all connected after all.

[Astro Forever]

I suppose some of us should be thankful, although now most kids growing up don't know any classical music. Most young people don't find instrumental music particularly interesting, so there is an immediate barrier there, but sometimes listening to soundtracks is a way in, since most of this is heavily influenced by classical music.

I strongly suggest working on more than just Mozart since I think, more so than many other composers he can sound very trite (is everything he did major chord???). Really suggest hitting the library and casting out a broad net, noting different time periods, regions, etc.

The actual classical period (roughly 1700's -- when Mozart composed) is the most difficult for me since so much of the music seems like nothing but ornate trifles. The romantic period (1800's) seems to immediately offer more if you are into larger, soundtrack-ish performances with symphonies becoming massive affairs giving way to the likes of Dvorak, Mahler, Bruckner, Rimsky-Korsakov, etc.

Before the classical period there is the heavier, brooding baroque period--often stoic and sad. Both these routes I think are much more accessible than the classical period, but once you learn to hear what this period has to offer, it is great too!

I think hearing more of this will increase your appreciation of Mozart and actually quite a bit of modern music. It is all connected after all.

I've always liked classical music, even just instrumental music. The thing is, nobody could tell me me who did what, or even what was the name of the pieces, so I had absolutely no point of reference. Classical music is such a large world that it's easy to be at lost.

I think I just can't help it, I don't think I'll ever enjoy Mozart. I was trying to reserve judgment, thinking maybe I just hadn't found some Mozart pieces I would like better, but after listening to the pieces mentioned here and a few others, it's just not appealing to me at all. It just doesn't make me feel anything. I never really tried to classify the music I liked by genre or period, but romantic music is the one I am attracted to. Give me Brahms's dances, traditional Slavic music or Tchaïkovsky and I'm a happy girl! I even managed to appreciate Chopin's funeral march! I won't name everything I like, but it tends to be from that period. However I also like Beethoven's piano concertos, Bach's and some other pieces from their time.

[O2Destroyer]

I think I just can't help it, I don't think I'll ever enjoy Mozart. I was trying to reserve judgment, thinking maybe I just hadn't found some Mozart pieces I would like better, but after listening to the pieces mentioned here and a few others, it's just not appealing to me at all.

You aren't the only one. Really. It has taken a long time for me to get anywhere with Mozart, and sometimes it is just like banging my head into a wall.

I never really tried to classify the music I liked by genre or period, but romantic music is the one I am attracted to.

Then I would delve deeper into this period. As you say, Classical music is huge and there's no reason not to dig really deep into one period if you are enjoying it. No reason to feel pressured into listening to Mozart at all.

[jeffbert]

...
I even managed to appreciate Chopin's funeral march! I won't name everything I like, but it tends to be from that period. However I also like Beethoven's piano concertos, Bach's and some other pieces from their time.

Which do you like, the whole thing, or just the "dah Dah de dah dah de dah de dah de dah" part?

Does anybody know the name of the piece that so often accompanied scenes of machinery in cartoons? I know this was used in "Honey, I shrunk thre kids" for the scene when they were shrunk.

[Astro Forever]

Which do you like, the whole thing, or just the "dah Dah de dah dah de dah de dah de dah" part?

After the main part you've just described, there is some kind of variation of it with higer notes; I especially like that part. It's at 00:32 of the midi file that can be found here. There are also parts in the slow section that I like very much. (That said, the pace in that midi file is just way to fast for my taste! ) I think I can say I like the whole thing, even though I found it depressing at first. It was on a Chopin cassette I had bought, and after "stumbling" on that piece a few times, I ended up appreciating it!

[Astro Forever]

You aren't the only one. Really. It has taken a long time for me to get anywhere with Mozart, and sometimes it is just like banging my head into a wall.

Then I would delve deeper into this period. As you say, Classical music is huge and there's no reason not to dig really deep into one period if you are enjoying it.

Yes, why not? I had never thought of doing this. Thanks for the idea! It's so easy to get stuck in the well-known repertoire and overlook the rest.

No reason to feel pressured into listening to Mozart at all.

I wanted to give it another chance! It's like, Mozart is so well-known that it's kind of strange that it's not appealing to me at all, except for one single piece!

[Astro Forever]

Awwww, now the Funeral March is stuck in my head!!! And I have this compulsion to buy immediately those Chopin tunes I had planned to buy someday...

[O2Destroyer]

Yeah, forget the 'well known repertoire'--some of that stuff we've all heard so much we're sick of it. Go mess around with Bruckner. All his stuff is great, but mostly nobody ever listens to it (you won't hear cues from his symphonies used in movies or cartoons or anything). Definitely one of the greats from the romantic period!