Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › Music › help me get started with classical music
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

help me get started with classical music

post #1 of 22
3/15/09 at 9:23pm
Thread Starter 
Since reading Aaron Copland's "What to Listen For in Music" I've become interested in building up my classical collection. Problem is I have no idea where to start. I guess if anybody can recommend some good starting points that are extremely well recorded, that would be great.

I already have a fair amount of stuff for violin by Bach, which I really like. I have "The Perlman Edition - Bach Violin Concertos" and Fretwork's "Bach: The Art of the Fugue BWV 1080"
Reply
post #2 of 22
3/15/09 at 10:15pm
Broad broad question...lots of genres to think about. Let's start with some of the "named" works in classical.

If you read Copland, you should probably look at his Fanfare for the Common Man, Appalachian Spring, Rodeo, etc. Keeping with American composers, Barber's Adagio for Strings Op 11 (the haunting string music used in Platoon) is excellent also.

Look at Beethoven's symphonies (the 3rd, 5th, the 6th, the 7th, and the 9th are all very well known) as a starting point, but the man was prodigious in what he created, so there are so many choices there. Same with Mozart, so sometimes it's best to dive right in.

Baroque music by Vivaldi (The Four Seasons is an obvious place to start), keyboard (Bach's Goldberg Variations), violin concertos, etc. There is such a wide range from which to choose.

There are the European composers from the late 1800s and early-to-mid 1900s such as Stravinsky (Rite of Spring, Firebird Suite), Tchaikovsky (1812 Overature, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, again too many to choose), Mussorgsky (Pictures at an Exhibition), etc.

And then there are the more modern composers (John Adams, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, etc.).

Wikipedia may be good starting point, along with the record reviews at sites that sell classical music, or other music sites such as this, Stereophile, etc.
Reply
post #3 of 22
3/16/09 at 3:26am

A start perhaps

Here is a list that may help, at least you may get to sample some of it.

And Dobber 65 has some good suggestions as well.

Amazon.com: "Start A Basic Classical Music Collection"
Reply
post #4 of 22
3/16/09 at 4:19am
http://www.linnrecords.com is a good place to sample extremely well recorded music.

Do you have a classical music radio station where you are? In the UK Classic FM is a good place to start; BBC Radio 3 is also very good but tends to be for the more advanced listener.

Another good source of info is classical music magazines (which often have cover CDs). The Penguin Guide to Classical Music 2009 is very good once you get going and hear a piece you like but want a good recording of it. You can then sample on iTunes before buying the CD!

A word of warning though - just because a piece is extremely well recorded doesn't necessarily mean it will be an excellent performance.

Anyway, Dobber65 has given some good recommendations. For Beethoven symphonies I'd suggest the complete cycle with Harnoncourt and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe which has won numerous awards. Paul Lewis's recent cycle of Beethoven Piano Sonatas are very well recorded and excellent performances too.

If you like melody then try Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite with Paavo Jarvi and the Estonian Symphony Orchestra - In The Hall of the Mountain King blew me away when I first heard it and ignited my interest in classical music. His recordings of Grieg's Norwegian Dances are very good too.
Reply
post #5 of 22
3/16/09 at 4:38am
I think a nice way to acquire a collection in classical music after reading a book like that would be to explore various genres all at once.

I would check out:

Baroque
J.S. Bach - Brandenburg Concertos as Performed by Tafelmusik on Sony Classical
J.S. Bach - Goldberg Variations as performed by Murray Perahia on Sony Classical

Classical
Mozart - Requiem Mass as performed by Nikolaus Harnoncourt on Harmonia Mundi
Mozart - Later Piano Concertos as performed by Clifford Curzon & Benjamin Britten / Istvan Kertezs on Decca
Beethoven - Symphony 5 & 7 as performed by Carlos Kleiber & The Vienna Phil on Deutsche Gramophone
Beethoven - Symphony 9 as performed by Osmo Vanska and Minnesota Orch on Bis

Romantic
Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique as performed by Colin Davis & Royal Concertgebouw on Philips
Chopin - Ballades & Scherzos as performed by Arthur Rubinstein
Brahms - Symphony No. 4 as performed by Carlos Kleiber & Vienna Phil on Deutsch Gramophone
Tchaikovksy - Symphony No. 6 as performed by Marris Jansons and Oslo Symphony on Chandos
Mahler - Symphony No. 2 as performed by Zubin Mehta and the Vienna Phil on Decca

20th Century
Debussy - Preludes Book 1 & Images as performed by Arturo Bennedetti Michelangeli
Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring as performed by Valery Gergiev and the Kirov Orchestra on Philips
Bartok - Conerto For Orchestra & Music For Strings, Celesta & Percussion as performed by Seiji Ozawa & the Saito kinen orchestra on Philips
Copland - Appalachian Spirng as performed by Michael Tilson Thomas (I forget which label)

I think this 15 words will give you a nice overview of classical music

One thing the list is lacking overall is vocals. If that is essential to your enjoyment I would add
Handel's Messiah - as performed by John Elliott Gardiner on Philips
Wagner's Tristan und Isolde (my favorite opera ever) as performed by Karl Bohm on Deutsche Gramophone
and lastly, a taste of Schubert's Lieder - Winterreise song cycle as performed by Dietrich Fischer Dieskau on Deutsche Gramophone

If the lack of an Italian composer offends anyone ....... I will add Verdi's Aida or Puccini's La Boheme, but I feel one opera is enough for a beginner in this music
I've been talking headphones with you for years. Now I can help you with your purchase:) Sales Specialist & Headphone Guru @ Headphones.com
Reply
post #6 of 22
3/16/09 at 5:55am
Search out Beethoven recordings with Wilhelm Furtwangler as conductor.
Reply
post #7 of 22
3/16/09 at 4:24pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all the recommendations.
Reply
post #8 of 22
3/16/09 at 4:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bixby View Post
Here is a list that may help, at least you may get to sample some of it.

Amazon.com: "Start A Basic Classical Music Collection"
that's my list. i'm spock2 on amazon.
Reply
post #9 of 22
3/16/09 at 6:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by moogman View Post

A word of warning though - just because a piece is extremely well recorded doesn't necessarily mean it will be an excellent performance.
Absolutely!

Quote:
Originally Posted by split_brain View Post
Search out Beethoven recordings with Wilhelm Furtwangler as conductor.
Yes!
Reply
post #10 of 22
3/16/09 at 10:28pm
You may want to explore the music at Classical Radio – Last.fm and see what you like!
Reply
post #11 of 22
11/3/09 at 3:47pm
NO CANON IN D????? THREAD FAIL!!!!
Reply
post #12 of 22
11/3/09 at 4:29pm
I've been using member Tyson's list:
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f9/cla...0/#post2471547

In reality, I haven't bought many classical CDs, because I can't afford even the bargain sets. Instead, I've found buying classical on vinyl at $.25-$.50 a piece a much better deal. I look for London or Deutch Grammophon recordings.

AC
Reply
post #13 of 22
11/3/09 at 5:13pm
I'd suggest checking out your local library. My library has a huge classical music collection. You can sample a lot more that way and figure out what you like before buying.
Reply
post #14 of 22
8/17/10 at 1:43am

I am in the same boat as the o.p.

Reply
post #15 of 22
8/17/10 at 5:47am

If the OP wants something with vocals I would recommend... Katherine Jenkins. I know that she is thought to be some 'pop star of classical', but I think it is the right place to start with classical music if you enjoy classical or operatic singers' performance. While I believe there are many better artists I would say that her music is very 'friendly' in the way that her music is easy to listen and relax. As she said some time ago - her goal is to expand people's interest in classical music.

 

Other than that I would recommend Chopin, Beethoven, Mozart etc. I think this is also the right music to start with as listening to classical not knowing such 'classics of genre' is some sort of crime.;)

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Music
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › Music › help me get started with classical music