A few weeks back, I was tweeting and talking on the podcast about how much I enjoyed the third book in Tessa Dare's Spindle Cove series, A Lady By Midnight (A | BN | K | S). Avon kindly offered up 5 digital ARCs to help me soothe my feelings of guilt for talking about a book so far before the on-sale date. Super easy and quick giveaway ahoy!
If you'd like to win a digital ARC of A Lady By Midnight, leave a comment below and tell me your favorite piece of classical music (the heroine, Kate, is a music teacher in Spindle Cove).
I'll share one of mine: one of my absolute favorites is the second movement to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, which you can hear (and watch from a 1952 Carnegie Hall performance) on YouTube. The first movement of the 5th is pretty bad ass, but the second movement is my favorite.
And if you don't like classical music, you can still enter! TV themes, jazz, instrumental interstitials to commercials, they all totally count. Feel free to post a link to the piece of music you're suggesting, too. This will be one loud entry when I figure out how to make them auto play all at once.
There are no restrictions geographically for this giveaway but please know that winners will need an account with Edelweiss.abovethetreeline.com. The eARCs expire on the book’s on sale date, which is 28 August 2012.
If you're confused about what devices you can use, your questions may be answered at the Edelweiss site.
Standard disclaimers apply: I'm not being compensated for this giveaway, except that I read an ARC a week or so ago. Void where prohibited. Must be over 18 years of age and driving a wagon in order to win. Your mileage may vary. Objects in mirror are closer than they appear. Never sass a librarian or a music teacher.
You've got until 11:59pm ET Saturday 16 June, and I'll be picking the winners at random from all your musical suggestions. Ready, set, go!
Schumann’s Traumerei, mostly because it is my mother’s favorite, and so hearing it reminds me of her playing it at home.
Not a big fan of classical music but I like jazz and soul. Sometimes I have enjoyed parts of an opera like Don Juan.
One of my favorites is Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings.
Anything by Tchaikovsky. I once got drunk with a good friend and started crying in a bar about my love of Tchaikovsky. I’m an emotional sort…
That’s truly a toughy. I have a very soft spot for Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue (played it as a piano solo my senior year in high school). But over all, the piece that makes me swoon is Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 in F minor. Lots of heart-tugging memories for both pieces, though. *sigh* 😉
Ooh! I forgot to mention! Check out Gabriela Montero – she’s an amazing classical pianist who also does improvisations on some complex classical pieces. Her version of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in Dm is ridiculous! linking it, but if you have to remove it I understand: <iframe allowfullscreen=”” frameborder=“0” height=“315” src=“http://www.youtube.com/embed/y9VJak4Osbs” width=“560”></iframe>
Henry Purcell (1659-1695)‘s Rondeau from Abdelazar
Since I have to pick just one favorite I’ll go with one I don’t think has been mentioned yet, the Meditation from Massenet’s opera Thais. It’s one of those pieces (kind of like the flower duet from Lakme) that many people recognize even if they’re not opera fans. Okay, and the first act prelude from Wagner’s Parsifal. And Bach’s Air on the G string.
I knew I wouldn’t be able to pick just one!!
We’re supposed to pick one! Geez, that would be tough. It depends on what I’m in the mood for. Right now I’m listening to Edith Piaf—not “classical” but classic! And I have Gregorian chants in my play stack and then I always like Bach, especially the Violin Concertos.
So many to choose from. Hmmmm…. I think I’ll go with the Concierto de Aranjuez by Rodrigo. Beautiful piece that meets the needs of so many of my moods.
Not a big classical fan, but I enjoy movie scores. Have loved Last of the Mochicans for years, but recently have been enjoying The Hunger Games, especially Rue’s Farewell and The Cave.
I love The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi. I especially like “Winter”, though I like the other seasons as well.
Oh! I forgot:
I like Carmina Burana.
I adore classical music. My all time, since I was a little girl wearing a pretty pretty princess pink tutu and dreaming of pointe shoes, favorite piece of classical music is Tchaikovsky’s “The Sleeping Beauty Waltz”.
http://youtu.be/uthSz6nPg2Y
I love it so much we used it as the recessional in our wedding!
(The processional for our wedding was “Storybook Love” from the Princess Bride soundtrack.)
Not a huge fan of classical, and definitely not very knowledgeable about it, but I’ve been recently obsessed with Satie’s Gymnopedie. So mournful and beautiful. It’s great music to write to, as well.
I’m a big fan of Sibelius from Finland. I especially like Sibelius Sym 2 Op 43 1 Allegretto
Either Palchelbel’s Canon or Ode to Joy. We used both at my wedding
And since everyone else is linking to the music – here you go.
Creedence Clearwater is classic rock I think, that sorta counts….
It’s gotta be the beginning of Beethoven’s 5th symphony. Incidentally, the beginning (the death knocking upon your door part) is my ringtone for my mother-in-law. 🙂
Absolutely LOVE Chopin Nocturne Op. 72 No. 1 it is so soulful you can just feel the emotion that went into it, very beautiful! Here is a link:
One of my very favorite pieces is Gustav Holst’s Jupiter Suite, particularly the hymn section in the middle. Here’s a lovely small ensemble arrangement of just the hymn:
Though I do prefer the full orchestral version by the London Symphony Orchestra:
I don’t really know anything about classical music, but I love a few purely instrumental songs. Okay, well, it’s not really instrumental but The Penny Whistle Song from the Power of One makes it impossible to be in a bad mood.
Although I like the 1995 BBC miniseries P&P version better than the 2005 movie, I LOVE the soundtrack—-especially Meryton Townhall. Makes me want to dance SO MUCH.
Die Moldau…when you hear it, you can see the river.
Anything that Paul Weller has done (The Jam, Style Council, his solo work) will always have a place in my heart.
Difficult – I’d say mine is a tie between Beethoven’s 6th Symphony (or Pastoral), which I absolutely adore for it’s 2nd movement (“scene by the brook”), which fun fact! uses calming repetition of notes to mimic the gently rushing water in the country. 😉
I also really love Bach’s Cantata No. 208 “Sheeps May Safely Graze” which my mother calls the “Australia” song, because Baz Luhrman used it, a lot, in his long movie. Still an awesome piece of music though.
Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite – I love listening to it at Christmastime.
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini by Sergei Rachmaninoff
I never get tired of Mussorgsky’s Picture at an Exhibition
I don’t know that much about classical, but I tend to love piano pieces like Moonlight Sonata. I also really love TV and movie scores. My favorites are Dario Marianelli (Pride & Prejudice, Atonement), Clint Mansell (The Fountain), and Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica, Sarah Connor Chronicles). Bear McCreary actually put out a cd of Battlestar songs arranged for solo piano which is really amazing!
Classical is great but a true “classic” for me is “These Arms of Mine” by Otis Redding. Talk about ROMANCE!!
Jenny, I love that!
Music for the Royal Fireworks by George Frideric Handel.
OMG, this music makes me so happy. I played the french horn for 20 years, so I have fond memories of playing the music.
I found a pretty good version here: http://youtu.be/I38Kw-oG0kE
I love lots of classic music. Tchaikovsky because I am a former ballet dancer. All sorts of opera especially Pucini (La Boheme and Tosca). Debussey which I was recently listening to when reading I Captured the Castle by Dodie Smith. Lots more which I can’t think of.
I am Amatuer singer, ok pretty decent. To sing my favorite music is:
the Hallelujah Chorus, which I think is so much fun (I like other stuff in the Messiah as well that’s just a favorite.)
and as a solo
Der Holle Rache from the Magic Flute.
I usually just sing part of it; anytime I’m alone. I ain’t that bad if I say so myself. 🙂
I really love the first movement of Beethoven’s 9th. The beginning is so unique and evocative and the end is just epic and smashing! I like to pretend like most of the 3rd and 4th movements don’t exists. It’s abstract but it takes you on such a clear journey.
I don’t know the name of the piece – I tried Google and YouTube – but it’s the music from those old (“vintage”) Geritol commercials.
I didn’t even know it was famous until I heard it at a Jewish wedding. I was surprised to hear it and actually said, “Why is the Geritol music playing?” a little too loud. My table mates loved that, lol.
I love “Sarabande” by Claude Debussy from his Suite Pour le Piano. I’m also a fan of Brahms’s Requiem – that was maybe the most fun concert I’ve ever performed in.
Barber’s Adagio for Strings is the piece that led me into appreciating classical music … I used to slip the cassette single in my Walkman while on the bus and lose myself.
For TV themes – right now, the theme to HBO’s Game of Thrones … I have a thing for cellos (love Rasputina!) and double bass, and it just hits me.
Opera – Delibes’ Lakme, the Flower Duet
And just to be playful and include something that the crosses between classical, jazz and pop – Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue
I like “Expression” by Helen Jane Long … and pieces by Philip Wesley.
is a link to Expression..