[beastie]

hello there,

i'm listening to my fav classical piece right now in the wee hours of morning while studying. i just realized how much i love this piece! the piece being "Air" from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major by Bach. now i know almost nothing about classical music. i need your help. can anyone (preferably a lover of classical music) recommend a few cds for me that have similar style to air? can be old or modern. i've read many here like that godspeed emperor band or somehting. are they good? i downloaded some of their stuff. first listen, they are a bit too abstract and nothing like the classical orchestra that i listened to.

thanks for reading

 

[DarkAngel]

BACH
-Brandenburg Concertos 1-6
-Violin Conceros 1,2

HANDEL
-Water Music & Music for Royal Fireworks

VIVALDI
-Op 3 L'estro Armonico (12 concertos)
-Op 4 La Stravaganza (12 concertos)
-Op 8 Trail between harmony & Invention (12 concertos including famous FOUR SEASONS Op 8 1-4)
-Op 9 La Cetra (12 concertos)
-Op 10 Flute Concertos (6 concertos)

These are all similar and Vivaldi IMO is far superior. There are all baroque style concertos made around the same time and therefore having similar style and sound. Bach and Handel are German and sound very similar, Vivaldi is Italian and has much more vigor in his prolific works.

All these can be purchased at budget priced CD sets from major labels.

 

[MusicJunkie]

I second the recommendation of Vivaldi. I have a lot of recordings of his concertos performed by the Academy of Ancient Music including most of the pieces listed by DarkAngel. They are all excellent and very easy to get into. I think the music really comes alive and has a great sound when played on baroque era instruments.

Below is a link to amazon.com to a sampler type disc by the Academy. It has Concerto No 10 from L'estro Armonico which is Vivaldi's most rocking concerto. Awesome! Every piece on here is a winner and you will definitely recognize some of them:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...ce&s=classical

I highly recommend this disc to someone that is just starting to listen to classical music.

MJ

 

[beastie]

thanks peeps,

ya i have pacabel's cannon piece. long time ago, mom bought me a box set of classical music with ocean sounds. haha. so i have a sample of all the well known composers.

i'll definitely give vivaldi a try as soon as i go the record store

thanks

ps- all the recommendations are sufficient. don't need anymore since i'm not into classical stuff in general, just some really good pieces.

 

[Arzela]

I would recommend
J.S. Bach's "Mass in B minor", "The Well-Tempered Claiver" (both books), and "A Musical Offering".

My favorite conductor for the Mass is John Elliot Gardiner. His ensemble uses period
instruments; so, you might prefer the
work performed on modern instruments
and with a larger chorus, e.g. Marriner.

In my humble opinion the best WTK is Andras Schiff.

I like Mariner for A Musical Offering.

 

[Uncledan]

I also a newbie of classical music, and I really love VIVALDI "The Four Seasons". I plan to get another VIVALDI disc in SACD format, any suggestion??

 

[Sweet Spot]

For studying hu ? Let me change the roster here a bit...

First, let me tell you that, if you can get onto usenet, I'll post many things for you if you'd like. I know what its like being a poor student. But I have a really decent classical, jazz, blues collection so...I can either post them as lossless, Ogg, or MP3.

Modern American composer by the name of Alan Hovaness. The works that he composed for the Shanghai string quartet are georgous. And his piano pieces are very soothing as well. He's got alot of good stuff. It's mostly inspired by Japanese landscapes..and his wifes art work..she is Japanese, and they I believe, live there.

Claude Debussey: Too many beautiful works to begin naming...I'd randomly pick pieces according to your taste.

Gustov Holst: Mostly choral works that he's done would suit you.

Ralph Vaughan Williams: I also have many of his works..one of my favorites is Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis. It's part of a 6 cd set:
"The 9 symphonies" with Leonard Slatkin as the conductor

Power thinking goes to: Bethoven's Piano concerto #1 I love that piece...Especially done by Murray Perahia on piano and Bernard Haitink as conductor. Shoot.....I'm looking in the case, and I just realized that my ex girlfriend stole it from me. DAMN IT !

I have alot more in the way of suggestions, but gotta go for now....

S.S.

 

[Guardian]

Hi guys. I really need to have music by Debussy. Really. But classical music is always a scary purchase because of different performers' different interpretations.

So can someone please recommend excellent Debussy cds?

 

[Arzela]

Check out the "Penguin Guide to
compact discs" from your library.

I've found they have excellent recommendations.

They give thier highest ratings to:

Etudes, Books 1-2. Philips digital 422 412-2. Mitsuko Uchida.

"[not only] one of the best Debussy piano records in the catolog...[but]...one of the best ever recordings of the instrument"

Images: Iberia BMG/RCA GD 60179. Chicago SO/ Fritz Reiner.

"immaculate in conception and magical in atmosphere" "it is amazingly realistic even without
considering its vintage".

 

[Wilson]

Seiji Ozawa's Telarc "Four Seasons" has been re-released
in SACD. It has quite a remarkable performance, and
is very well recorded.

http://www.telarc.com/sacd/title.asp...05AFURQWR7ET75


A few months ago I came across Angelika Kirschschlager's
BACH Arias, it is available in SACD and redbook CD formats.
I am addicted to the music, has been playing it everyday since
I got it. Check it out if you like this type of music.


Cheers,
W

 

[AIM9x]

I love brahms's 3rd... i highly recommend it

 

[Sweet Spot]

Wilson, Seiji is one of my favorite conductors.

Still one of my favorites that he and the BSO have done is Stravinskys "Rite of Spring". I've never heard a better version.

 

[Wilson]

Yes, I love their stunning performance on Stravinsky. And there is also the five Beethoven Piano Concertos they recorded with Rudolf Serkin, I was overjoyed when I saw that the Telarc set was released in SACD format.

Cheers,
W

 

[00940]

I just wrote a long post and... the computer crashed.

If you like Vivaldi, give a look to the concerto grossi by Corelli.

The Holy Week is a perfect time to discover the Stabat Mater by Vivaldi. Don't miss the St John Passion of Bach too.

Brahms wrote one of the most beautiful requiem ever; would be nice to listen.

The Pump and Circumstances by Elgar are an easy start too.

Btw, don't spent your money. Just go to the nearest public library and they probably have a nice selection of classical music. Narrow down what you like and try to understand why by learning a bit about the context. And slowly buy what you like.

 

[Arzela]

Quote:

St John Passion of Bach too.

Good choice, but you might find the
equally excellent St. Matthew Passion
more accesable. I prefer Gardinner on
period instruments, but Solti has a nice
St Matthew also.