New to Classical Music - advice?

Here is the best recommendation you're going to get...

 

Amazon has a series of MP3 downloads called "Rise of the Masters". They are box sets of music running hours and hours for only $2 apiece. The music is culled from the audiophile BIS label and sounds fantastic. Buy them all and start sampling them. You'll quickly figure out which direction you want to go.

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=rise+of+the+masters

That is how you are supposed to dress when you listen to them!

The powdered wig becomes you.

 

Thanks for the tip, bigshot. I took your advice, and I bought and downloaded the first one, which is the various artists mix of 100 tracks. It's going to take me quite awhile to digest and find my favorites. It sounds great so far and I'm delving into it.

 

I'm basically a rock 'n roll guy (think Mick Taylor era Stones), but I've been listening to a lot of Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins. I'm digging the jazz, so why not the classical?

 

Who's Next? (pun intended)

 

I'll probably keep dressing like Keith Richards though...

There are a million kinds of great music in the world, but there's just one you. Give Mick my regards.

Bigshot, how come you always come up with the best info available on music I like?  :)

I am in the process of discovering other classical music than Baroque, this 'll surely help me.

I am quite the collector though, so I'll "need" them all.

 

A few questions though:

- They are performed by good orchestras?

- There are 13 albums so far?

- Are they available on physical CDs as well? Or high res?

- Where can I buy the wig collection?  :P

I've been seriously collecting music for about 40 years now. My collection is massive... tens of thousands of records and CDs and a iTunes library with a year and a half's worth of music. I love digging up the good stuff.

 

The Rise of the Masters series is a repackaging of recordings from the BIS label. They are very highly regarded performances and the sound quality is top notch. The same recordings in these collections are available on CD and SACD too, but it would cost hundreds and hundreds of dollars. Hard to beat $1.99 for that much music. Thankfully, Amazon is offering these as 256 LAME VBR MP3 files, so they are pretty much identical in sound quality to the full price CD and SACD versions. I played the Grieg Peer Gynt through my big stereo and it sounded spectacular... much better than any CD version I have. No need to worry about sound quality. It probably doesn't make much of a difference, but the iTunes store has these same sets for more money in 256 AAC VBR. Theoretically, that would sound a little better, but in practice, probably not that much.

 

There is another series called "99 Most Essential Masterpieces" that includes composers that the Rise of the Masters doesn't, like Mendelssohn and Brahms. Those are worth picking up too. Another great series is put out by the Bach Guild. You can find those by searching for the terms "big box bach guild". They have a fantastic Mahler set with a symphony cycle by Abravanel. Great stuff.

 

I'll see ya at the wig store!

Edited by bigshot - 12/9/12 at 2:24pm

That's very reassuring re the quality. Thanks Bigshot.

I will check out the other two series you mention tomorrow, pretty late here already and if I start that there's no telling when I'll find my bed.

Meanwhile I ran into a li'l problem, Amazon US doesn't wanna sell mp3s abroad.
On Amazon Uk and Germany they cost 7 GBP and 7 EUR but they don't sell them abroad either.
iTunes has them for 7 EUR as well.
So the quality from the iTunes store would be a little better theoretically you say?
I downloaded the free mp3 album straight from the RotM website and bought one of the songs on iTunes. The AAC shows 256, the MP3 320 but that's probably not the whole story.
4 times the price though, I'm gonna sue Amazon for discrimination.

What if we both want the same wig? Duel?

7 euro is still a steal. 320 MP3 and 256 AAC are about the same quality. Either would sound as good as a CD.

Couldn't resist taking a peek anyway.

 

I see there is a "50 most essential masterpieces" next to the "99 most essential masterpieces". Probaly not worth getting the 50 series if you get the 99 ones?

 

And is it useful to get all three the series: "99 Most Essential Masterpieces", "The Rise of the Masters" and "Big Box Bach Guild" or do you get a lot of doubles then? If not, which series would you recommend most?

Or just buy the Masters series and fill in the missing composers with the 99 series?

I guess it's best to stick to the composers albums and leave the ones like Adagios, Flute and Summer alone? Gets confusing otherwise?

Thinking out loud here.

I tried the little "Rise of the Masters" iPhone app to see which composer relates to me. I'm a Tchaikovsky.

The I tried again giving all the worst answers. I can tell you Chopin must be a sick little bugger.