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Just wondering;
suppose, they send of a new unmanned space probe of which they are sure it will reach a recently discovered alien civilization at some point in the near future.

They hold a global vote in which everyone can pick up to 3 pieces of music which will be recorded, and put in the probe to represent humanities sublime/unique musical tradition to the aliens.

if you would like to share which three pieces would have your vote if this scenario would occur...?

Also, I am very interested in music, I have never had any formal education in it (though I'm trying to learn about it myself), but it is a fierce passion of mine, and I'm sure that if we ever find we share the stars with another intelligent species, our music will be something truly distinct that sets us appart from the mobs of vogons/turians/eldar/younameits.

what is your viewpoint on music? Do you think we humans are unique in our creation of it, and the way we experience it? This is a slightly philosophical question, but I find it rather fascinating to think about, and I would love to get to know other peoples's viewpoints on this matter.

As far as I'm concerned these pieces would be put into the probe:

Alfred Schnittke: Choir concerto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGc-Tu_1yGw
(If you don't feel like listening to all of it, you should skip to 10:00 and listen up to 11:15, it nearly makes me weep)

Vasily Kalinnikov: Symphony No. 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVakXOkE2G4
This is my favourite pre-Soviet Russian composer. Listen ahead and find out why...

Matthijs Vermeulen: Symphony No. 2 "prelude a une nouvelle journee"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-U1nT3OoOQ
This is the greatest Dutch Composer I know (and I looked up a lot of them out of curiosity, my being belgian).
He is an avant garde composer of the early interbellum-cold world war period, and if you are as much into this kind of stuff as I am, you really should look him up. to people who don't fully appreciate it; Yes, it is a bit extreme and you have to get into this kind of stuff to be able to fully get to grips with it, but I find it to be an incredibly evocative piece and very fun to listen to. You really should clench your teeth and listen past the first few minutes, the middle piece is softer.

15:20 onwards for example somehow reminds me of the Sacre Du printemps, but I find this to be slightly better actually, it has something throbbing through it along with the notes which I simply can't put my finger on, but which really appeases me. And if you like his music, spread the word a bit; this genius is virtually unknown :(

Here are two pieces which I took into consideration, but which narrowly didn't make the cut:

Kurt Atterberg: Symphony No. 6 "Dollarsymphony"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ySSn7UFxQA
Oh my, the melody at 2.00 and onwards...It makes my hearth melt. The final (third) movement is equally joyfull.

Carl Nielsen: Symphony No. 4 "The Inextinguishable"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niF6Y7ZNqys
(great piece all the way through, but I can imagine it wouldn't be enjoyable if you aren't into music from this symphonies's time. Still, I think it's a great symphony, and Nielsen a great composer)


So, go ahead! I'm curious ;p
Oh, and it's not because I'm a classical music geek that you can't post your favourites if they belong to a more modern genre ;)
Hitman film: Ave Maria. I know there is a longer version of the same song, but I cannot remember who does it off the top of my head.
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Vnlr: Oh, and it's not because I'm a classical music geek that you can't post your favourites if they belong to a more modern genre ;)
The Rite of Spring as performed by Yoel Levi and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFPjFjUonX8
I like so many different kinds of music that picking a single piece and calling it my favorite is somewhat futile.

However, sticking purely with the classical theme, I'd say that Cantique de Jean Racine by Gabriel Fauré is certainly, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written.
Usually when someone forces me to pick one I pick the one that introduced me to a type of music. Like Queen for rock music.

Queen - Radio Ga-Ga

If there's something this planet is not missing, that's music talent for sure.
Peter Gabriel - Solsbury Hill
I thought about that for a while, but i can't choose anything because it drives me a little crazy, i have too many favourites! :D

And for anyone who doesn't happen to know it, we've already done it! ;-)
Three pieces of music. The first expansion to AI's theme song, that song brings me to tears.

Something from David Anthony

The third and last would probably be from Bjorn Lynne... Thief of Walaria probably...
Post edited February 01, 2015 by rtcvb32
Ah sometimes one only have to listen to know there is a Go(o)d on this world.
At first i was attempted to post:
this song
;-)

But this ones are some of which i would think of being the right ones to bring music to another planet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1-TrAvp_xs or his Requiem in D minor

also its a must for one of Beethovens:

and one interpretation of an Ave Maria

And a modern approach of music which touches something deep inside:
the wonderful OST from a wonderful movie

Im pretty sure also an alien species which evolved would have something like art and music as also here on this small blue ball different tribes in different times have invented their music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il5TVnQw30g

With a note that says "Stay out."
The John Rutter version of a Requiem

The theme from Jurassic Park

For the third, there is also a recording of "Quanta Vita" by Nimrod, featuring Miriam Stockley that I've never been able to find a clip of online without having to buy it. Miriam Stockley's awesome so I thought it was worth the dollar or whatever. I would have put it first, but I couldn't actually find a sample!
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Vnlr: Oh, and it's not because I'm a classical music geek that you can't post your favourites if they belong to a more modern genre ;)
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Elmofongo: The Rite of Spring as performed by Yoel Levi and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFPjFjUonX8
The Rite of Spring is so freaking good.

I'm not sure I can come up with only three--too many choices. But my favorite piece of all time is Copland's Symphony No. 3.

I've actually never heard of any of the composers you mention, but I'm going to check them out.
sure, I had the same problem; there is simply too much great music.

If you want a peek at some different composers, I've made it a hobby to skim the internet looking for ones that have gone largely unnoticed by the masses. I still have a thread floating arround here somewhere where I listed a few of them...

...but I can't seem too find it, sorry :( (a few minutes later)

I always reccomend a few dutch ones because they do have some lovely music (even though you shouldn't expect anything that hasn't been done before from them, with exception of Vermeulen)

I'll just hurl some names your way ;)

-Bernard Zweers (Dutch)
-Paul Gilson (Belgian- has a very beautifull 'la mer')
-Richard Hol (Dutch)
-Matthijs Vermeulen (a Dutch visionary and no one knows him)
-Jan van Gilse (Dutch)
-Johan Wagenaar (Dutch)
-Karlowicz (Polish-great symphonic poems)
-Noskowski (Polish, I still have to look deeper into him)
-Lutoslawski (Everyone can't stop talking about Gorecki and his third, but Lutoslawski portrais the horror equally well)
-Nosyrev (Russian-spent a few months in Siberia)
-Jon Leifs (an icelander, and he wants you to know it- a volcanic eruption with a percussion orchestra, heavy hammers hitting anvils, jingling chains and air raid sirens are the kind of stuff he excels at, the piece is called Hekla, and it's a must ;) )
-Stenhammar (Swedish)
-Nielsen (Danish-hits just the right spot across all of his works)
-Attterberg (Swedish, and a must look up. the sixth symphony is a good starting point)
-Schnittke (Russian?, lovely avant garde from the late 50ies onwards)
-and a few others, but this is enough for the moment I think...
I don't really care if the stripper is good looking. Of course aliens might have different ideas.
This arrangement of Claude Debussy's Clair De Lune by Helmuth Brandenburg and an arrangement of Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun by Lee Ashley.
Post edited February 01, 2015 by Lugamo