[pirate]

Never used to listen much to classical music, at all.

If I was to start, what's the one best cd to start with (that I could easily find in a store such as Best Buy)

 

[hempcamp]

"Classical music" has become a broad term that covers all kinds of things, and everyone has radically different tastes. Perhaps the best thing to do is start with a good classical radio station and find a few composers/songs that you are interested in, or at least a general type (vocal, instrumental, orchestral, symphonic, concertos, suites, etc). Good classical stations are usually pretty good at explaining what it is you are listening to and who it is by.

--Chris

 

[fredpb]

Why buy? Search out your local libraries, in nearby cities too, that have cd collections.

My local county library did not have cd's. The next county did, and the next city did. I paid for membership and got access to over a thousand classical cd's!

I have a cd burner? Need I say more?

 

[fredpb]

Oh yeah. You want a cd?

Look for Beethovens 5th and 6th symphonies. You will recognize the 5th I am sure. It is powerful. The 6th was in Walt Disney's Fantasia (the little centaurs), very pleasant and relaxing.

That is for symphonies.

For chamber, look for Schuberts "Trout" quintet.

For baroque, look for J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, there are 6, usually you can find 3 per cd.

For violin concertos, look for, on the same cd, Violin Concertos by Tchaikovsky and Sibelius.

For fun orchestral music look for Stravinsky's "Petruska".

This should keep you busy.

 

[mikeg]

A great way to begin is with a book entitled "The Classical Music Experience" by Julius H. Jacobson II, MD. It's beautifully and simply written, covers the major composers, and a sampling of their compositions. The book includes two CDs that provide appropriate samples of the musical compositions that are described in the book.

 

[pirate]

Thanks, I'll look into it.

 

[KR...]

I would suggest getting the The Telarc Collection Cd's there are about 10 in all and they all cost $5.98 or less. They are all audiophile quality so you can hear great music and really see what your system can do.