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Suggestions for getting into classical music?

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Suggestions for getting into classical music?

Old 01-07-08, 04:49 PM
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Suggestions for getting into classical music?

What are some good CDs for a complete newbie? Any good compilation CDs? Any single-composer CDs?
Old 01-07-08, 08:18 PM
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Maybe not what you are looking for BUT my friend Sean Kelly just released a classical guitar album called "The #1 Classical Guitar Album". You can check it out here......... http://www.numberoneguitar.com
Old 01-07-08, 09:58 PM
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Not sure what you're looking for, but I would start with the usual suspects - Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, etc. There's a Very Best of series of CDs out now.

I personally like Mozart and Beethoven.
Old 01-07-08, 11:38 PM
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Originally Posted by GatorDeb
What are some good CDs for a complete newbie? Any good compilation CDs? Any single-composer CDs?
Carmina Burana by Orff
Old 01-08-08, 07:58 AM
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Eh, by "classical music" do you mean music from the classical period, or any music pre 1900s? The actual classical period only dates from around 1730ish - 1820ish.

If you just mean "pretty music written by old white guys" when you say classical, I would try a composer or two from each of the major periods of music to see what style you actually like. I tend to like the late renaissance period into the early baroque. Most of the composers in the Romantic period are also gold as well. Classical is actually my least favorite era, far too much structure and too simple for my tastes.

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Old 01-08-08, 09:25 AM
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If you don't mind doing a little reading, I'd pick up The NPR Listener's Encyclopedia of Classical Music. It does well enough as a basic intro to the format as it covers terms, people and more, and there's a companion website through the Naxos record label (major classical label) that includes something like 75 hours of listening material referenced in the entries in the book. You can browse through, and listen to samples of pieces or composers that might interest you.
Old 01-08-08, 09:45 AM
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I figure I'll have plenty of time for classical music when I'm retired.

That is not to say I don't like to listen to composed or orchestral music, but I'm not going to put enough effort into things to be able to name a Mahler symphony by ear.

I suggest Kronos Quartet.
Old 01-08-08, 02:46 PM
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The Four Seasons by Vivaldi
Beethoven's 5th, 7th and 9th Symphonies, and The Emperor Piano Concerto
Mozart's 40th and 41st, Eine Klein Nachtmusik (sp?)
Shubert's Unfinished 8th Syphony
Rachmaninoff #2

Are some of my personal faves...

This is from a Post on Yahoo I searched for you:
Composers
Titles of Works

Johann Sebastian Bach
Cantata 80 - Ein Fest Burg
Cantata 140 - Wachet Auf
Well Tempered Klavier (Volumes ! and II)
Magnificat in D Major
Toccata and Fugue in d minor
Chaconne
Prelude and Fugue in A minor
Concerto for Organ in A minor taken from Vivaldi's L'estro armonico
Concerto in D minor for Two Violins

Gustav Holst
The Planets

Igor Stravinsky
The Rite of Spring
Symphony of Psalms
Soldier's Tale

Scott Joplin
The Entertainer
Maple Leaf Rag
The Chrysanthemum
Pineapple Rag

Georges Bizet
Carmen (opera)

Giuseppe Verdi
La Traviata (opera)
Requiem Mass

Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Swan Lake (ballet)
The Nutcracker (ballet)
Symphony No. 4
Symphony No. 6

Jean Sibelius
Finlandia
Symphony No. 2

Antonio Vivaldi
L'estro armonico (string suite)
The Seasons
Gloria

John Rutter
Requiem Mass
Gloria
Magnificat
any of his cd's

Eric Whitacre
Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine
Cloudburst

Henry Purcell
Dido and Aeneas (opera)

Hector Berlioz
Symphonie Fantastique

Johannes Brahms
Shicksaslied
Symphony No. 3
Piano Concerto (any of them)

Frederic Chopin
Prelude in E minor
Nocturne in C# minor
Any of the waltzes
Fantasie Impromptu

Claude Debussy
Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun
Claire de Lune

Dmitri Shostakovich
Festive Fanfare
Fire of Eternal Glory
Opus 102, Piano Concerto No. 2 in F

Antonin Dvorak
Symphony No. 9 "New World"

Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 9 "Choral"
Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral"
Symphony No. 3 "Eroica"
Fur Elise
Any of the piano concertos
Waldstein piano sonata
Moonlight piano sonata
Pathetique piano sonata
Tempest piano sonata
Appassionata piano sonata
Any of the string quartets
Fidelio (opera)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphony No. 40
Symphony No. 41 "Jupiter"
Coronation Mass
Waisenhaus Mass
Alma Dei Creatoris
Requiem Mass
Exsultate Jubilate
Don Giovanni (opera)
The Magic Flute (opera)
The Marriage of Figaro (opera)

Richard Wagner - all opera
Tristan und Isolde
Der Ring des Nibelungen (4 opera cycle)
Das Rheingold
Die Walkure
Siegfried
Gotterdammerung
Parsifal
Lohengrin
The Flying Dutchman

Maurice Ravel
Le Tombeau de Couperin
Jeux d'eau
Concerto for the Left Hand (only!)

Percy Grainger
Lincolnshire Posey
Molly on the Shore

G.F. Handel
The Messiah
Israel in Egypt
Water Music
He wrote a lot of hymns as well, look them up.

Franz Haydn
Symphony No. 94
Joke string quartet
Bird string quartet
Insanae et Vanae Curae




Gian Carlo Menotti
Amahl and the Night Visitors

Arvo Part
Magnificat
Spiegl im Spiegl
Te Deum
Berlin Mass
Symphony No. 3
De Profundis
Fratres
Festina Lente
Cantus for Benjamin Britten
Silouans Song
Old 01-08-08, 03:49 PM
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If you have any interest in Opera, I highly recommend this cd:

Aira: A Passion for Opera.

It's a compilation of various Arias (surprise, surprise) and they choose some of the best renditions for many of them, IMO.

As for symphonies and such, Mozart is probably the most boisterous and easily likable and is a great place to start, but you'll probably find a different composer to be your favorite. There is a reason that Mozart, Bach and Beethoven are some of the most recognized though. Of the three, Bach is my least favorite.

Somebody else here recommended Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. While it's an absolutely outstanding piece, it may be a fairly brutal introduction to choral music. However, there's a good chance you might recognize its opening piece ("O Fortuna") as it has popped up in movies here and there - it's actually on the soundtrack to The Doors and to boot, it is also the only non-Doors track on it.
-ringding-
Old 01-08-08, 04:00 PM
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John Cage - 4' 33"
Old 01-08-08, 04:07 PM
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I will second the personal fave of Gustav Holst's The Planets. It is an accessible piece with a modern feel to it and it has influenced many movie soundtracks.
Old 01-08-08, 04:29 PM
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Do they have a classical FM station in the real vice city? Start there.
Old 01-08-08, 06:00 PM
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mphtrilogy - don't hold out now

Thanks for the suggestions! I think I will start with the Aria one.

Isn't there like a Best Classics compilation with one each of Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, etc.?
Old 09-22-08, 08:30 AM
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I thought I would resurrect this thread to mention a show I saw recently on PBS: Keeping Score: Stravinsky's Rite of Spring with Michael Tilson Thomas.

Whether you are new to classical music or an aficionado it is a fascinating look into Stravinsky's innovative masterpiece from its origins in Russian folk music, Nijinsky's ballet (which I did not know that much about), and examination of the various orchestral elements and performers. Highly recommended.

EDIT: Available via youtube... embed vids spoilerized for size.
Spoiler:
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-7QgPgG4c-g&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-7QgPgG4c-g&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Keeping Score: Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (I)
Spoiler:
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QhO_UitWjs8&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QhO_UitWjs8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Keeping Score: Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (II)
Spoiler:
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AXkbr97Qd0g&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AXkbr97Qd0g&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Keeping Score: Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (III)
Spoiler:
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Xv1EdSXlGwQ&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Xv1EdSXlGwQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Keeping Score: Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (IV)
Spoiler:
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0EaU7q3QOdI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0EaU7q3QOdI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Keeping Score: Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (V)
Spoiler:
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/n9nKrHE-6eI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/n9nKrHE-6eI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Keeping Score: Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (VI)

Last edited by wishbone; 09-22-08 at 12:42 PM.
Old 09-22-08, 10:08 AM
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Start with one of those "classical thunder" type CDs. Heavier, shorter pieces like Carmina Burnana or Verdi's Dies Irae are easy to get into and abit more accessible. Then slowly dive into other works which need a bit more "involvment".
Old 09-22-08, 10:09 AM
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Originally Posted by DaveWadding
John Cage - 4' 33"
...not nice dude
Old 09-22-08, 10:48 AM
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mph pretty much nailed all the big ones...

I'm partial to Russian Romantic-Era composers. I cannot possibly listen to enough Rachmaninoff. Dark, whimsical, passionate, and just plain beautiful. The man may have been the greatest pianist in the last century as well. In fact, if anyone has any recommendations on newer compositions that are in the same vein, drop me a line - I'd love to check out some actual living composers like that.

I would say to check out a few of the streaming classical channels online. WQED.org has a fantastic stream, and they list everything that is being played for that hour.

Another way to get into stuff is to start by grabbing some soundtracks of your fave films. Composers like Hans Zimmer (gladiator), Horner (braveheart), Greame Revell (the crow), etc.
Old 09-23-08, 12:47 AM
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You'll find there are an infinite array of CDs for every major classical work, and an infinite number of opinions as to their quality. At this point, you should really only care about the music itself rather than worrying about whether you should listen to Vivaldi on period instruments or not, or whether you want Bach's Italian Concerto on harpsichord or piano, or whether you want the classic Beethoven's Ninth (that's recorded in mono) or a contemporary recording (in stereo). You'll also find there are plenty of cheap budget CDs of most works - that isn't an indication at all of quality. I've had a lot of success with Naxos discs for some of the standard warhorses - and a lot of them are available at emusic or amazon.com as cheap downloads.

Overtures are a nice way to get a complete piece that doesn't demand a lot of effort. Try those of Mozart, Offenbach, von Suppe, and Rossini, or Strauss waltzes, Debussy & Satie solo piano pieces, Vivaldi concerti, Sibelius tone poems.

My current favorite classical CD is the Best of the Renaissance, by the Tallis Scholars.

WCPE.org is another great internet radio station.

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