[Eric_C]

Hello all, this video was shared on a different thread just last week, but I think it addresses the same issue:
http://www.ted.com/talks/benjamin_zander_on_music_and_passion.html
 
Conductor Benjamin Zander claims to be able to get you to love classical music by the end of his wonderful 20-minute talk.

 

[khaos974]

You could always try Van Cliburn's 2nd Piano Concerto for Rachma, it's from 1957, but the quality quite good and the performance emotionally involving, very easy to enjoy.

 

[Asr]

Quote:

4.  CHOOSE THE GENRE AND INSTRUMENTS:  Symphonies have 4 pieces to them.  Concertos have 3 pieces to them with a "solo" instrument.  That’s why CDs or MP3s will have 4 tracks for a symphony or 3 tracks for a concerto.  I’ve found that I like piano concertos the best.  You might prefer symphonies, maybe cello concertos.   Brief overview on this here.

That Web site source is inaccurate - not all symphonies have 4 movements and not all concertos have 3 movements either. (Please stop using the word "pieces" - even though musicians use that word too, it's not always in the context of referring to a single movement.) While it's certainly convention to have 4 movements in a symphony and 3 in a concerto, I can think of plenty of exceptions.
 
As for beginners to classical, I'd personally recommend delving into either modern/contemporary or Romantic, as those tend to sound more similar to modern-day film soundtracks. In fact, sometimes movies will prominently feature something from the Romantic or Modern eras - one recent example being Black Swan which practically revolved around Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. And of course there are some really famous works that almost everyone knows anyway - like Ride of the Valkyries (by Wagner), Claire de Lune (by Debussy), Mars (by Holst), etc.

 

[Eric_C]

On the topic of terminology: is there ever an appropriate use of the word "song" in classical music? Or is it too vague since there are movements, concertos, etc. involved?

 

[sugarkang]

Yes.  Beginners.  BEGINNERS.  Worry about details later.  Do you not understand I'm trying to make this easy for beginners?  Classical music is daunting for ordinary people to think about.  It's a chore.  It's a mountain.  It's a nagging wife.  Stop being those things.
 
Good call on the TED lecture.  Added to first post.

 

[Markhead]

I started classical music with Beethoven symphonies. 5th is the most popular but there was something about the 6th symphony that made me want to listen to it over and over again. I used it a lot as study music.
 
Check this version out. It's suppose to have stellar audio, nice interpretation.. and it's a hybrid sacd to boot!
Beethoven: The Symphonies - Osmo Vanska
 
Also, the public library is a great resource for classical music. Just grab a handful of cds and start listening.

 

[Asr]

Quote:

On the topic of terminology: is there ever an appropriate use of the word "song" in classical music? Or is it too vague since there are movements, concertos, etc. involved?

"Song" is probably most relevant in music like arias (i.e., operas) or wherever else vocals are typically used (like choral works). For almost all other types of works, "piece" is usually used instead.

 

[Eric_C]

Ah I see. Ta, Asr.

 

[bigshot]

This has got to be the worst advice ever. I don't think the op knows what he's listening to.

 

[chrisjackson]

I think typically a song is a poem put to music for solo voice. In nineteenth century drawing rooms the obvious accompaying instrument was the piano but for a song any instument or even a full orchestra might be used (eg. for the famous Songs of the Auvergne)

(Of course there's always gonna be some smart felix who'll come up with the idea of songs without words; songs without even the human voice; oh well.)

You wouldn't normally call Nessun Dorma a song 'cos that's not a self contained unit; it's part of an opera. The sections of big works with lots of singers are typically categorised according to whether they're sung by loadsa people (the choruses), sort of half sung/half spoken (recitative), of sung as we normally understand (arias).

 

[khaos974]

I DON'T AGREE.
 
Let's stop with capital letters, after all, you are spending money to buy music, on the other hand it costs nothing to read a few commentaries to see which interpretations are good. Suppose you always stay at a beginner level, in this case, interpretations won;t matter as much, but if you ever become passionate or knowledgeable about classical, you'll save yourself some money as you won't have to buy those interpretations again. In short, choose the performers last if you want, but don't forget choosing them.
 
Quote:

5.  CHOOSE PERFORMERS LAST:   This is counter intuitive.  People usually search for performers first.  Unfortunately, for classical this is ass-backwards.  In classical music, the performer is the least important.  See #1 again.  Those ass-hats will go on and on about how this performer outshines that other performer and other useless crap that means nothing.  At some point when you turn pro, the performers will matter.  NOT RIGHT NOW.

 

[sugarkang]

I've already addressed this several times.  Clearly, the performers matter.  Otherwise, I wouldn't have mentioned it.  You classical enthusiasts don't know what it's like for a beginner.  You go on and on about which car manufacturer (performer) is the best.  But the beginner doesn't even know the difference between compact, sedan and SUV (etudes, concertos and symphonies).  How many times to do I need to repeat myself.  This is for beginners. BEGINNERS.
 
EDIT:  Actually, you know what.  I've been wasting my time.  No beginners seem interested and it's just a bunch of experts chiming in with their 2 cents.  So, why don't you guys just handle it then? 

 

[Eric_C]

Quote:

This has got to be the worst advice ever. I don't think the op knows what he's listening to.

Why?

 

[khaos974]

My opinions is that even for beginners, performers matter because in the end you end up saving money and it;s really easy to get a well performed recording.
Think of this this way, you don't know a lot about French cuisine but want to invite your significant other for Valentine's day, you'd still check the reviews before choosing simply because there are only pros and no cons to do so.
 
By the way, I'm not an "expert" in classical music.

 

[Tendolhorse]

I found Sugarkang's post to be very insightful, while it was still up.  The great thing about directions is that that is all they are.  Like a recipe in a cookbook, you can choose to follow the directions or change up a few things.
 
I probably won't follow them to a "T," but at least I know where to start and what to look for.  Sugarkang, hopefully, you will repost your original post.  Don't let others deter you from trying to help.