Now that I have headphones, I need to find some good music!

[Jonny K]

I'm pretty new to lots of music. I know the music that's on the radio (rock, rap, light rock), but I'd like to branch out a bit more...but I have no clue.

For instance, how do I buy classical music? I walk into the classical section and there are a million CDs, and I don't know anything about any of them! Even getting something as simple as Mozart, there are about 100 mozart CDs containing wierdly named songs (Minuet in E Minor? But there could be a million minuets in E minor! Which minuet in E Minor is it?).

The same goes with other genres such as regge, blues, r&b, and what I think is "world" music.

So to try and experience new music that I like, I've been downloading songs from the internet to sample some different things. (with the intent of buying the music I like, of course).

So what do I like? Well first of all, I just love the two soundtracks for Kill Bill Volume 1 and 2. The flutes, the trumpets, some of that was really great. And of course, Santa Esmeralda's "Don't let me be misunderstood" - excellent. I particularily like the guitars strumming and the many different sounds in the song. I did hate the 5678's singing "Woo Hoo" though. *shiver*

I recently downloaded a copy of "Buena Vista Social Club" and I kinda like that too. I think it's cuban music? On that note, I think I like...um...acoustic music? What is acoustic? Spanish Guitar? I know I did some searching for "acoustic guitar" and it wasn't what I wanted. But then again, what do I want?

So I guess what I'm asking is - could you please suggest some sample tracks in different genres that would point me in the right direction? Any notable songs that you really enjoy? And any good songs that would work well for testing a new pair of headphones? I'm looking for all kinds of music, including rock, regge, classical, etc.


Thanks.

 

[Asr]

I own very few classical CDs but I can offer you some info since I'm a classically-trained violinist.

Classical has so many composers, I'd think it'd be impractical to NOT buy something according to its composer, since the composers all have their own unique styles. If you already like a composer's music it's likely you'll like the rest of his/her work.

Like Mozart as you mentioned, he has a light "airy" tendency. Most of his works are called "divertimentos" that are short & fun pieces, meant for banquets and the like. Of course Mozart was also a real character so then you have other pieces by him that sound almost dark and brooding, like his Requiem Mass.

As for that "Minuet in E Minor" part, well I doubt even Mozart (who composed over 1000 songs) did more than 1 minuet in the key of E minor. Do you know how many key signatures are available to use? (No offense meant if you aren't familliar with music theory.)

And there are LOTS of other classical composers, like Handel, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Beethoven, et al. Someone like Handel, he did a lot of music appropriate for church settings (like his famous "Messiah").

You also have the "late classical" period leading into the Romantic period where you have the famous composers & pianists like Chopin (sorry, I'm drawing a blank on the other famous composers in this time) where music went back to its emotional roots. I'm a huge fan of Gustav Holst's "The Planets", the nine-part symphony that has an entire movement devoted to each planet. Epic stuff, if you haven't heard "Mars - The Bringer of War" then you should probably check out The Planets first.

 

[Jahn]

insane acoustic guitar work - Michael Hedges "Aerial Boundaries"
jazz - well, i'm lovin' "Time Out" by Dave Brubeck right now.
classical - someone suggest a good recording of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" please!

 

[tattoou2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn classical - someone suggest a good recording of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" please!

Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741): The Four Seasons
Giuseppe Tartini (1692 - 1770): The Devil's Trill
Anne-Sophie Mutter , violin
Trondheim Soloists
Deutsche Grammophon 463259-2 (1999)


Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741): The Four Seasons
Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741): Concerto in D Major for Violin and Double Orchestra
Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741): Concerto in C Major for Violin and Double Orchestra
The London Mozart Players
David Juritz, conductor
DART1202-CD01-00

I prefer the second-listed version.

 

[NightWoundsTime]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonny K So what do I like? Well first of all, I just love the two soundtracks for Kill Bill Volume 1 and 2. The flutes, the trumpets, some of that was really great. And of course, Santa Esmeralda's "Don't let me be misunderstood" - excellent. I particularily like the guitars strumming and the many different sounds in the song. I did hate the 5678's singing "Woo Hoo" though. *shiver*

The Kill Bill soundtracks are solidly rooted in Funk (Quentin's a funk-junkie . For the most popular examples of this type of music check out Curtis Mayfield's "Superfly", James Brown's "Hell", any Earth Wind & Fire album, and Stevie Wonder's "Talking Book" and "Innervisions" albums.

For some extremely good spanish influenced acoustic guitar check out "Friday Night in San Francisco" by DiMeola, Mclaughlin, and Delucia. For spanish influenced rock (a lot like the Esmerelda track) try Santana's "Abraxas".

 

[viator122]

Friday Night In San Francisco and Abraxas are great albums. For funk, I like Tower of Power and Maceo Parker.

 

[Jonny K]

Ok...is Isaac Hayes a funk artist? I don't think this is my cup of tea (although it isn't bad). The stuff on the Kill Bill soundtracks I prefer would be songs like "Meiko Kaji - The flower of carnage", "Zamfir - The lonely shepherd", "Shivaree - Goodnight moon", "Ennio Morricone - L Arena", "Chingon - Malaguena Salerosa", and "Meiko Kaji - Urami Bushi" (great trumpet in that one).

 

[hciman77]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonny K For instance, how do I buy classical music? I walk into the classical section and there are a million CDs, and I don't know anything about any of them! Even getting something as simple as Mozart, there are about 100 mozart CDs containing wierdly named songs (Minuet in E Minor? But there could be a million minuets in E minor! Which minuet in E Minor is it?). Thanks.

Generally a sleeve will give enough information to identify a work unquely. There will often be a catalog reference such as "opus 111" or "BWV565"(Bach) or "D944"(Schubert) or K205(Mozart) or "HobVIII" (Schubert.).

For some works you will also get a "title" i.e "Eroica" "pathetique" , "Unfinished", "New World" blah drone etc.

But you are right it can be confusing for instance Bach wrote several "Prelude and Fugue in C Major" , I know I have them all.

The best way to find out what you like is to borrow stuff from your local library (if they have a music section) or you can get a "music Guide" such as "The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs & Dvds" or similar. If you have a classical music radio station.....

 

[Davey]

Over the last decade on the world music scene my biggest favorite would have to be Cesaria Evora, and the CD I would recommend to anyone is her first US release on Nonesuch in 1995, Cesaria. It's even shown up occasionally on top 10 alltime favorite lists of mine. Very nice sound quality as well. I even remember at one stereo show walking into a room playing one of her songs from this CD and immediately feeling right at home. Her vocal is mixed very big so it softly dominates the soundstage and I love the way the musicians support that beautiful voice. I have a few of her releases now but this has remained my favorite album both for the music and the recording. You can't go wrong with any of her albums and the newer ones are quite good but to me none have the warmth and glow of this one. The true voice of the Morna, that slow song-form that expresses love, sadness and longing. Blues from the islands of Cape Verde as sung by the barefoot diva, Cesaria Evora.

 

[kenneth]

If you want to try out classical pieces, I would try the freebies first - see what your public library has, listen to the sound samples at Amazon.com. Naxos has a webpage where you can listen to entire CDs - http://www.naxos.com/mainsite/default.asp

 

[Jahn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tattoou2 Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741): The Four Seasons Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741): Concerto in D Major for Violin and Double Orchestra Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741): Concerto in C Major for Violin and Double Orchestra The London Mozart Players David Juritz, conductor DART1202-CD01-00 I prefer the second-listed version.

AWESOME they have this on DVD-Audio! Hello 1st DVD-A purchase!

Edit - em, got "How the West was Won" on DVD-A too. I see it's not reviewed yet so I'll leave my impressions when it comes.

 

[yage]

Here's some more good starting points for jazz...

Getz/Gilberto - Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto
Kind of Blue - Miles Davis
Blue Train - John Coltrane