Classical Music Actually Moved Me...

[Shwamdoo]

My girlfriend plays in the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra and a few nights ago I watched their performance. It was really one of the first times that I had ever sat down and listened deeply to classical music. I was supprised to find that I could actually enjoy classical music. Besides, I am only 17 years old and I mainly listen to rock, blues, and jazz. Anyways, I found the music to be very moving and even exciting. At points I even found myself on the edge of my chair. For me classical music was more like watching a play. All in all, I must say that it is a musical experience entirly of its own.

Anyways, since I am new to the classical music world, any recomendations as to great composers and recordings would be appreciated. I'm open to anything. Thanks.

[dean_martin]

My girlfriend plays in the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra and a few nights ago I watched their performance. It was really one of the first times that I had ever sat down and listened deeply to classical music. I was supprised to find that I could actually enjoy classical music. Besides, I am only 17 years old and I mainly listen to rock, blues, and jazz. Anyways, I found the music to be very moving and even exciting. At points I even found myself on the edge of my chair. For me classical music was more like watching a play. All in all, I must say that it is a musical experience entirly of its own.

Anyways, since I am new to the classical music world, any recomendations as to great composers and recordings would be appreciated. I'm open to anything. Thanks.

My wife and I went to Couples Night at the Symphony for Valentine's Day last year. The selections were incredible. My favorites were:

Samson et Dalila: Bacchanale by Saint-Saens
Selections from Romeo And Juliet by Prokofiev

But where to start? You might start with something familiar or vaguely familiar like Beethoven's 9th and Holst's The Planets. You'll quickly find that there are numerous recordings of most classical music and once you've chosen the piece then you must choose the performance. Choosing the performance is the most difficult part, especially when starting out, because you have to rely on reviews and recommendations from others. But, with a little research, it won't take long to discover, for example, who are generally considered the top 1 or 2 directors of Beethoven. Now your search is narrowed by work, composer and director but you still might find more than one recording.

IMO, you should mix it up. I can't always take or don't have time to listen to one work that covers 2 discs. A few compilations that include famous Overtures like William Tell, 1812, etc. or various Sonatas, Concertos, (or Bach's organ music) etc. might be more enjoyable. Check the Naxos label for compilations. They're cheap and the recordings are usually very good. (Check out Stravinski's Firebird Suite and The Rite Of Spring on Naxos.) Amazon has a power search for classical and opera that allows you to search by label.

You might also study the RCA In Living Stereo catalog at www.acousticsounds.com (and the Mercury Presence catalog).

I'm just getting started, too, so I don't have much more to add.

[Bert]

Anyways, since I am new to the classical music world, any recomendations as to great composers and recordings would be appreciated. I'm open to anything. Thanks.

I will point you to useful thread from a while back. I still believe that my post in that thread leads to a very good list.
Can somebody recommend some more Classical for me?.

The most important is to listen you your gut and dabble lots in a wide variety of styles/eras/composers/ensemble sizes.

Enjoy the beginning of the wonderful trip on which you are embarking.

Bert

[Pat D]

My girlfriend plays in the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra and a few nights ago I watched their performance. It was really one of the first times that I had ever sat down and listened deeply to classical music. I was supprised to find that I could actually enjoy classical music. Besides, I am only 17 years old and I mainly listen to rock, blues, and jazz. Anyways, I found the music to be very moving and even exciting. At points I even found myself on the edge of my chair. For me classical music was more like watching a play. All in all, I must say that it is a musical experience entirly of its own.

Anyways, since I am new to the classical music world, any recomendations as to great composers and recordings would be appreciated. I'm open to anything. Thanks.

It might help if we had some idea of what sort of classical music you like already. What was on the concert program, for example? 'Classical' music covers a great many types of music of different styles and from different periods.

I'll throw out a few orchestral works.

Mussorgsky (orchestrated by Ravel), Pictures at an Exhibition

Holst, The Planets

Overtures are usually opera overtures, but some are simply concert pieces called overtures. Some of the best composers of overtures are Mozart, Beethoven, Berlioz, Weber, Rossini, Auber, von Suppe, Mendessohn, and Wagner. There are also CDs of popular overtures by several composers. I would think any respectable classical collection should have some overtures by Mozart, Rossini, von Suppe, and Wagner.

Haydn, Symphony No. 94 (Surprise Symphony)

Mozart, Symphonies Nos. 35 (Haffner), 40, and 41 (Jupiter).

Mozart, Piano Concertos Nos. 17 and 21 (Elvira Madigan Concerto!)

Beethoven, Symphonies Nos. 3 (Eroica), 5, 6 (Pastorale), 7 and 9 (Choral)

Beethoven, Piano Concertos Nos. 3, 4, and 5 (Emperor)

Mendelssohn, Violin Concerto

Schumann, Symphonies Nos. 1-4, Piano Concerto

Brahms, Symphonies Nos. 1-4. Start with No. 1.

Grieg, Peer Gynt Suite, Piano Concerto

Depending on your area, you may be able to listen to a variety of classical music on FM radio, and your public library may have CDs.

[Dusty Chalk]

In addition to Pat D's excellent list, which I will not repeat, I would add:

Tchaikovsky, Nutcracker Suite
Sibelius, Finlandia
Rachmaninoff/Rachmaninov, Piano Concerto No. 2
Bruch, Violin Concerto (No. ?)
Saint-Saens, Symphony No. 3 (The "Organ" Symphony), Piano Concerto No. 2, Carnival of the Animals
Prokofiev, Peter and the Wolf

and just because you need some chamber music to mix things up:

Schubert, Piano Trio No. 2 in E flat, Death and the Maiden Quartet, Trout Quintet

and some solo piano music:

Chopin, Nocturnes
Schubert, Wanderer Fantasy