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Recommendations for Classical Music

A hoy again, all!

My music tastes are fairly spread across the spectrum, but recently I found a wide, gaping, enormous hole in my library. I began dating a girl recently who can only work to classical music. It was then that I discovered not only my lack of understanding of nearly everything to do with classical music, but what I have been missing out on. As a student at a small liberal arts college, and a philosophy major, I feel it is my responsibility to learn about classical music. I have two CDs at the moment (albums?): The Brandenberg Concertos and The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2. Taking music from my lady friend is not an option--the quality of her recordings is horrific.

After stumbling around for a big ringing my hands I realized this would be a perfect thing to ask the fellows over at B&B about. You are all distinguished, cultured gentlemen. What are the odds that you could point me towards some materials or recordings suitable for the complete neophyte? Essentially, my question boils down to this:

Classical music: teach me, please!
 
I know very little about classical music, except that it was divided up into different styles: Baroque from 1600-1750, Rococo, Romanticism, Impressionist, post Romanticism, the Second Viennese School, and Expressionism music. And that's a lot of music. If your school has a media center with music in it, I'd suggest looking up several different works from these styles and time periods, or see if they have compilations of different works from the same style and time period.
 
Opening a big can of worms here, but I will offer a sampling to help figure out what types of classical music you enjoy.

If you enjoy the Bach recordings you already have listed, I would recommend checking out the 2 and 3 Part Inventions, Goldberg Variations, Orchestral Suites, and Cello Suites.

Other than Bach, as a starting point I would suggest checking out recordings of works by Mozart (I especially enjoy the later Symphonies, Requiem Mass, and Operas), Beethoven (Symphonies, String Quartets), Tchaikovsky (Symphonies, Ballets), Prokofiev, and Brahms.

The most common style periods you will hear about are (specific dates get argued about all the time, and as always there are exceptions.... these are reasonable guidelines, though)
-Medieval (think gregorian chant, roughly everything before 1400 or so)
- Renaissance (ie Monteverdi, 1400-1600)
- Baroque (Bach, Telemann 1600-1750)
- Classical (Mozart 1750-1810)
- Romantic (Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Brahms, 19th century)
and then stuff splits off into a bunch of different directions in the 20th century

This should give you quite a bit of variety. Feel free to IM any specific questions you may have. I have a Master's in music performance, and currently teach lessons and do a lot of freelance work.

Libraries are you friend in checking this stuff out. Many public library systems have very extensive classical music selections
 
The Brandenburg Concertos and Well-Tempered Clavier are pretty good representations of Baroque music. Hector Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique is from the Romantic period along with Chopin's Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Claude Debussy's Children's Corner is an Impressionist work, Arnold Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire-"The Moonfleck" is an example of the Second Viennese School with its chromatic scales, and John Chance's Water Walk is an example of avant-garde "chance" music which is a lot of fun to listen to, lemme tell ya.

I notably left out Beethoven, though he was from the Romance period, but his, J.S. Bach's, and Mozart's works are widely played, so you've probably heard a good deal of his stuff before.
 
If your college has a music history course for non-majors, take it. It is one of the few courses that has stayed with me over the years.
 
NPR has a great book called the Classical Music Companion. Also, I recommend listening to NPR to get a feel for what you like.

For instance, I find Gregorian chant music very good to study/concentrate to, and similarly, that Bach is so mathematical and predictable, and beautiful, that it, too, is great for studying and concentrating. Beethoven does so much and is so intricate that I can't concentrate very well while listening to it, since there's so much to take in.

Bach, Mozart, Haydn and Haendel are probably the most accessible "classical" music. You'll find stuff you've heard in there and it's hard to go wrong with most works you'll find. Mozart's Requiem is one exception -- it's so dramatic, beautiful, terrifying, difficult, that it may take a while to approach.

Also, while I'm less a fan of opera, you should listen to some to see how it strikes you.

But the range and variety are nearly limitless. What have you heard so far that you liked?
 
I simply haven't heard enough to develop enough of a vocabulary to tell you what I've liked and haven't. I can tell you, basically, that I tend to like more variation in sound and less of a dark, clashy sound. I find that a lot of times what NPR plays at night is very cacophonous and grating. Beyond that... I can't say much. Yet.

Thanks a bunch for all of the help! I'll keep y'all posted as I explore some.
 
Some favorites:

-Chopin Nocturnes played by Ivan Moravec. Really amazing. One of the best recordings of Chopin ever made. If you enjoy Chopin, the recording of his Etudes played by Maurizio Pollini is also a must.
-Vivaldi's Four Seasons...I'm especially partial to "Summer."
-Bach's Goldberg Variations played by Glenn Gould.
-Bach's "Air on a G String"
-Mozart's Concerto No. 21 in C, K. 467. I'm especially partial to the second movement, Andante.

These are all very approachable, and they get better and better with repeated listening. Enjoy!
 
Buy or borrow a 'History of Western Music' (or something like that) and read it to get an idea. Or just use wikipedia...
 
Many times dollar stores, discount stores, etc will have CDs of classical music for around $1.00 and wal-mart ussually sells 3-5 CD packs for $5-10 these aren't always the best versions of these pieces but are a very inexpensive way to see what you like. Personally I find the Romantic Era works to be some of the most easily approachable.
 
I prefer learning about classical music by type, not by composer or era. You can divide most classical up into sections:
Solo Keyboard
Orchestral
Chamber Music
Opera
etc...

By studying music this way, you can see how it evolved over time and I learned a lot more and was exposed to composers I might not have listened too I think. As far as music goes, I particularly like Beethoven's string quartets, piano sonatas, and piano concertos. I really enjoy Mozart's piano concertos and string quartets as well. His piano sonatas sound "simple" but really are beautiful (those sonatas are usually the Baby Einstein-type stuff you here for kids). I also enjoy most of Schubert's work (pity he died so young - here's a string quartet and a quintet). Another way to go is to find a favorite player and go through their work. Jascha Heifetz is by far my favorite violin player - try his violin concertos (swoon....) - Brahms, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky or even Paganini.

So if you haven't figured it out, YouTube is an excellent resource for classical music.... lol. Other favorites are Chopin (his ballades, preludes, waltzes). That should keep you busy for a while.
 
A hoy again, all!

My music tastes are fairly spread across the spectrum, but recently I found a wide, gaping, enormous hole in my library. I began dating a girl recently who can only work to classical music. It was then that I discovered not only my lack of understanding of nearly everything to do with classical music, but what I have been missing out on. As a student at a small liberal arts college, and a philosophy major, I feel it is my responsibility to learn about classical music. I have two CDs at the moment (albums?): The Brandenberg Concertos and The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2. Taking music from my lady friend is not an option--the quality of her recordings is horrific.

After stumbling around for a big ringing my hands I realized this would be a perfect thing to ask the fellows over at B&B about. You are all distinguished, cultured gentlemen. What are the odds that you could point me towards some materials or recordings suitable for the complete neophyte? Essentially, my question boils down to this:

Classical music: teach me, please!

OHH I love the Brandenburg Concertos, some of my favorite peices to listen too. Saint-Saëns is another great composer, a little less known perhapes, my favorites are the Piano and Violin Concertos. Holst is great as well. A Moorside Suite, particularly First Suite in Eflat Major for Military Band, I'm not particular to martial music, but this one is good. Others by Holst include the Planets, Mars is my favorite, it is even being used in a commercial on television right now.

I hope you enjoy going down this road. There is a lot of feeling and emotion to be found in the classics...
 
A hoy again, all!

My music tastes are fairly spread across the spectrum, but recently I found a wide, gaping, enormous hole in my library. I began dating a girl recently who can only work to classical music. It was then that I discovered not only my lack of understanding of nearly everything to do with classical music, but what I have been missing out on. As a student at a small liberal arts college, and a philosophy major, I feel it is my responsibility to learn about classical music. I have two CDs at the moment (albums?): The Brandenberg Concertos and The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2. Taking music from my lady friend is not an option--the quality of her recordings is horrific.

After stumbling around for a big ringing my hands I realized this would be a perfect thing to ask the fellows over at B&B about. You are all distinguished, cultured gentlemen. What are the odds that you could point me towards some materials or recordings suitable for the complete neophyte? Essentially, my question boils down to this:

Classical music: teach me, please!

Bach = John Dunne (writing equivalent). Super serious, ultra exquisite complex music, the genius that is often not acknowledged by the masses in favor of other (although laudatory) greats that still cannot match his brilliance.

My recommendation: The Goldberg Variations (Gould's rendition). It is simply the piano at its finest. If you have but one piano recording, this is the one to have (with the possible exception of the Well-tempered Klavier).

Beethoven. Then 800 pound gorilla of classical music. A genius of almost no parallel (except see, Bach). The first to pair symphony with choir in the hugely significant 9th Symphony (and the "Ode to Joy" 'An die Freude', incidentally a poem by Friedrich Schiller). He was stone deaf when he wrote the 9th. Possibly one of the most stirring pieces of music the world has ever known.

Notable works: 9th Symphony
3rd Symphony, The Eroica symphony, written for Napoleon, and then retitled as Napoleon declared himself Emperor of France. It is THE watershed classical symphony, thought too lurid, sexual, and violent for young audiences. It caused quite a commotion. Think Marilyn Manson of Classical Music.

Mozart, the prodigy. He is the James Dean of Classical musicians. He died young and left a, well, decrepit anemic corpse. He was notoriously of poor health, due to his obsession for composing. His music is irritatingly perfect, in contrast to Beethoven, who makes notable errors in composition.

Notable works: Eine Kleine Nachtmusic (A Little Night Music)
Don Giovanni
Piano Concerto No. 24.

There are literally thousands of others a quick list of very notables:

Chopin
Mendelsohn
Berlioz (Symphonie Phantastique)
Strauss
Brahms
Grieg (In the Hall of the Mountain King)
Debussy (Clair de Lune)
Sibelius
Ravel
Rachmaninoff
Tschaichovsky
For a new comer to classical, I would advise against any works by Schubert, especially Erlkoenig, it's just a little too weird for newbies.

EDIT: how could I forget my favorite fall music

Vivaldi, The Four Seasons.
 
I am a professional classical musician by trade and I clicked on this post expecting to provide some erudite commentary, but it seems everything is well in hand with some great replies already!

I second everything said above, but would like to add that the original poster should give some approachable 20th century composers a listen along with the Beethoven and Chopin. Try Prokofiev's Symphony No.1 , the "Classical" - it's a modern twist on an old form and easily digestible. Other good options are the British orchestral guys: Holst, Elgar, and Vaughan Williams; they generally write with a modern style but in a more Romantic language. Holst's "The Planets" of course, Elgar's Cello Concerto and Symphonies, and Vaughan Williams' folk song settings, The Lark Ascending, and other tone poems such as In the Fen Country, The England of Elizabeth, and Variants on Dives and Lazarus.

If you get bored with some of this, remember that most great film music is orchestral as well. Pop in some John Williams or even older stuff from Erich Korngold (Robin Hood, The Sea Hawk) for a change.
 
I am a professional classical musician by trade and I clicked on this post expecting to provide some erudite commentary, but it seems everything is well in hand with some great replies already!

I second everything said above, but would like to add that the original poster should give some approachable 20th century composers a listen along with the Beethoven and Chopin. Try Prokofiev's Symphony No.1 , the "Classical" - it's a modern twist on an old form and easily digestible. Other good options are the British orchestral guys: Holst, Elgar, and Vaughan Williams; they generally write with a modern style but in a more Romantic language. Holst's "The Planets" of course, Elgar's Cello Concerto and Symphonies, and Vaughan Williams' folk song settings, The Lark Ascending, and other tone poems such as In the Fen Country, The England of Elizabeth, and Variants on Dives and Lazarus.

If you get bored with some of this, remember that most great film music is orchestral as well. Pop in some John Williams or even older stuff from Erich Korngold (Robin Hood, The Sea Hawk) for a change.


Ahh, how could I have forgotten the new "classics" like the williamses (vaugh and john).

Great tip. Also, check out an interesting and fun christmastime music is the Firebird, by Stravinsky. A fun russian folk tale.
 
Excuse the low fidelity:

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLFVGwGQcB0[/YOUTUBE]


[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzCWSnHxc4M[/YOUTUBE]


[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME6i0Rcnk58[/YOUTUBE]


There's just so much to listen to... :walkman:
 
Oh, I can't help myself. Here are some early hits:


[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqvoB4uN1Qs[/YOUTUBE]


[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2tEt5q7Glo[/YOUTUBE]


[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVnVhX-JthA[/YOUTUBE]
 
Find a library with a good CD collection, and get a card. Easiest way to find out what your tastes are. FWIW, this wasn't necessarily an option ten or 15 years ago.
 
Try Rachmaninoff's Morceaux de salon, Four Pieces, and Three nocturnes. As well as piano concertos 1&2. Good for afternoon tea chat.
 
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