[ZeNmAc]

Here's the thing.  Most of the popular classical pieces that come in the 'value pack' box sets or whatever I've heard a billion times.  Most of them I don't even know the names of.  A while back I downloaded some classical from amazon for cheap (99 darkest classical and 99 dvorak).  I don't really care for most of them.  I thought I'd like the darkest classical ones but I only really like a few of them.
 
With that said, I know I like some classical.  I used to attempt to play chopin piano pieces (nocturnes and some preludes and waltzes) and liked them

.  I also like other pieces like lacrimosa.  I never had much of a repertoire for this same reason, I didn't know what I liked.
 
I'm not sure what the name for the subgenre that I like is.  I know I don't care for the earlier stuff (baroque) and less for the later 'contemporary' stuff.  I think its the 'classical' or 'romantic' period I like more.  Other than that, I'm not sure where to start.  I think I prefer smoother sounding music.  IMO that's the strength of the instruments used.  At least I always thought the slower songs sounded better when I played them.  Of course I couldn't play faster songs without mistakes but that's not the point

.
 
I guess I'm looking for smooth sounding music with good chords and interesting chord progressions.  That's generally what makes me happy in music

.  If you happen to feel like recommending any other genre that sounds good and has good chord progressions I'll be happy to take any suggestions.
 
Thanks for the recommendations

.

 

[maestrochoy]

From the information you've given me, it definitely sounds like you're more of a romantic era type of person. There's still 2 types of romantic era listeners in my opinion.
 
In a simple sense, certain type of people like epic, and others like calm and quiet. I'm guessing you're the "epic" type, so here's some good songs with great chords.
 
Wagner - Tannhauser Overture (maybe dry at places, but has a huge and sustained ending)
Mahler - Symphony #5, Symphony #6
Strauss - Don Juan
Stravinsky - Firebird Suite (probably overplayed)
Ravel - La Valse
 
Some solo instruments : 
Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto #1
Rachmaninov Piano concerto #3
Bruch Violin Concerto 1
Elgar - Cello Concerto in E minor
 
These are just few to start you off. I'm guessing depending on what you like, you'll search more in that direction. If you let me know which of them you like, I could definitely recommend you more.
 
 

 

[maestrochoy]

Oh, I totally forgot you wanted some cool chord progressions. You may want to look at :
 
Shostakovich Symphony #5, Symphony #9
Schumann Symphony #4 (I think) has some very interesting chords.

 

[Henry Flower]

You could try Schubert's late piano sonatas; there's a rather splendid Wikipedia article on them: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schubert%27s_last_sonatas

 

[sensibus]

I think you'll like this CD:
 
http://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich-Piano-Concerti-Shchedrin-Concerto/dp/B0000DJEND
 
The last piece, Shchedrin Piano Concerto #2, has some great chord progressions and the piano playing is excellent.  You may also like the Shostakovich.

 

[RamJaxed]

Hey
 
I was going to ask for similar reccomendations along the calm and quiet route if possible
 
Thanks!

 

[smial1966]

I've purchased some real gems from http://www.marecordings.com/main/default.php and the recording quality is top notch. 
 
This sampler http://www.marecordings.com/main/product_info.php?cPath=34&products_id=108 is utterly sublime.
 
Email Todd (nice guy) your classical preferences and I'm sure that he'll suggest some CD's. 
 
Cheers. 

 

[bigshot]

Handel Concerto Grossi Op 6 is a great under appreciated piece. String quartets would be a great genre for you to explore too.

 

[kmj2587]

I think part of the problem with those large collections is that you often only get the popular snippet from an overall piece.  While a single movement or section may be overplayed, there are likely more which you've never heard.  With symphonies for example, 1st and 4th movements tend to be the popular ones while 2nd and 3rd movements tend to be less well known (with notable exceptions like the 2nd movements from Beethoven's Ninth and Dvorak's New World Symphony).
 
Holst's The Planets is a pretty god example of what I'm talking about.  While everyone's heard Mars and probably Jupiter, I think Venus, Mercury, and Saturn fit your description reasonably well.
 
Mozart's Mass in C Minor, K. 427, the "Great Mass" is pretty calm and (I think) musically interesting without being as overplayed as his requiem.
 
Verdi's Requiem would be another recommendation from me.  While Verdi's Dies Irae probably qualifies as especially overplayed, much of the rest of the piece is much calmer.  I am particularly fond of Verdi's Agnus Dei
 
While this is outside your suggested time frame, I'm also personally quite fond of Prokofiev's Piano Sonatas (particularly 2,4,7, and 8).
 
I would be careful with Mahler and recommending him because his symphonies tend to be looooong (The ones recommended above both run over an hour and fifteen minutes in the recordings I have, as opposed to a rough average of 45 minutes for other symphonies I have recordings of).  If you're not worried about listening to an entire piece in one sitting or are especially patient, then don't worry about it.  Personally, I really like Mahler's fourth symphony, especially the soprano part in the last movement.  It also manages to come in under an hour (though just barely).  Mahler's second symphony is also pretty amazing, but it's more on the "epic" side and may not be what you're looking for.
 
It might also be worth your time to explore some classical guitar and see if you like it.  I'm just getting into this myself, but John Williams seems to be a good starting point if it's something you would be interested in looking at.

 

[ZeNmAc]

Thanks for the recommendations everyone.  I didn't listen to (parts of) all of them yet, but I'm getting there.

Quote:

Handel Concerto Grossi Op 6 is a great under appreciated piece. String quartets would be a great genre for you to explore too.

 
This one surprised me.  Pretty good for baroque.
 
Quote:

I think you'll like this CD:
 
http://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich-Piano-Concerti-Shchedrin-Concerto/dp/B0000DJEND
 
The last piece, Shchedrin Piano Concerto #2, has some great chord progressions and the piano playing is excellent.  You may also like the Shostakovich.

No joke there.  Most classical pieces I've heard that try to be (idk whats the word, 'scary'? 'dark'? sry I listened earlier today) usually end up sounding cheesy.  Not this one.  I've never heard of shchedrin before but he must('ve?) been a disturbed person.  Definitely not something to listen to while trying to get to sleep

.  With that said, those were some crazy chords.  Sounds like a nightmare to play.
 
Again, thanks for recommendations, I'm slowly working through listening to them on youtube at work

.

 

[sensibus]

 

Really???  You listened to it?  I was semi-trolling!!  

 
I figured with everyone recommending romantic stuff a la Chopin I would throw something in there just for fun, didn't think you'd actually listen to it.  I love that piece though, all of it, it's just very dark but extremely interesting, I love how in the third movement he just throws in some loungy jazz passages, very humorous.  A lot of the music that Marc-Andre Hamelin performs is not "mainstream" repertoire, mainly because he is such a super-human pianist that he can learn so much music, but also because he wants to bring a lot of underplayed repertoire to the audiences.
 
If you liked that then there may be more suggestions down the pipeline.

 
Quote:

 
No joke there.  Most classical pieces I've heard that try to be (idk whats the word, 'scary'? 'dark'? sry I listened earlier today) usually end up sounding cheesy.  Not this one.  I've never heard of shchedrin before but he must('ve?) been a disturbed person.  Definitely not something to listen to while trying to get to sleep

.  With that said, those were some crazy chords.  Sounds like a nightmare to play.
 
Again, thanks for recommendations, I'm slowly working through listening to them on youtube at work

.

 

 

[ZeNmAc]

Quote:

 

Really???  You listened to it?  I was semi-trolling!!  

 
I figured with everyone recommending romantic stuff a la Chopin I would throw something in there just for fun, didn't think you'd actually listen to it.  I love that piece though, all of it, it's just very dark but extremely interesting, I love how in the third movement he just throws in some loungy jazz passages, very humorous.  A lot of the music that Marc-Andre Hamelin performs is not "mainstream" repertoire, mainly because he is such a super-human pianist that he can learn so much music, but also because he wants to bring a lot of underplayed repertoire to the audiences.
 
If you liked that then there may be more suggestions down the pipeline.

 

Haha yea I didn't catch that.  I only listened to the first two movements though, I'll have to check out the third.
 
Romantic was just a starting point for me since I haven't found that a lot of classical music sounds good to me.  TBH romantic pieces are the kind of music that I find calming and at times almost put me to sleep (in a good way, not boredom

).  I'm trying to get more variety in the genres I listen to.  Point being, I'm cool with weird music

.  Heck, I prefer progressive metal so I guess that explains it all

.
 

 

[chickpea]

Claude Debussy - Suite Bergamasque.  The third movement Claire de Lune is probably overplayed, but the rest of the suite is not and it is a wonderfully relaxing and enchanting piece.