# New to classic music, what to choose?



## svedel (Jun 8, 2014)

Hi all,

I suffer from a stressrelated depression deseace. I've found out that I can relax, if I hear some calming music. I've tried some new age music, but most of what's available is made with sentizisers, and not real instruments.

I like music with some rythm in it. In the radio I've sometimes find some good classical music, but they are not telling who's playing.

Can anyone recommend some classic music, with rythm. I like ***** and obo and larger orchestras. Something that doesn't change pace/rythm all the time. I've tried some spiritual/tribal music which is OK.

Best reagards
Søren Vedel
Denmark


----------



## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

Calming, rhythmic, but doesn't change rhythm/pace often? This might put you somewhere other than Classical. 

Still, maybe you could try something like Reich's Music for 18 Musicians.


----------



## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Try any of FJ Haydn's London Symphonies, #93-104, uplifting with plenty of rhythm.
The bassoon and oboe are featured quite a lot in these symphonies too!

Good luck!!


----------



## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

Try Bach's brandenburg concertos. He has 6 of them.

This is from no 3


----------



## Guest (Jun 8, 2014)

If you really like bassoon and oboe, there are many options, but I think that some of the best representatives of works featuring these instruments are found in baroque works. Vivaldi is going to have a lot of options here, as well as Bach. Albinoni would also be one to try.

If it is calming music you want, there are some that I would suggest that don't necessarily fit in with bassoon, oboe, or large orchestral works.

Thomas Tallis - Spem in alum - no instruments other than the human voice, and many of them - heavenly!
Arvo Part - Spiegel im Spiegel - two instruments - a violin and a piano. Very nice.
Chopin - Nocturnes - solo piano works that are beautifully peaceful

If you do want orchestra, there are some great works by Barber - his Adagio for Strings, or his Knoxville Summer of 1915. I also recommend his Essays for Orchestra. Barber's orchestral works, in general, are very nice.


----------



## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Søren --

Velkommen til vores musik forum.

If you really want to relax (at slappe af) to music, I would suggest you try music on the NARADA / WINDHAM HILL labels. Artists such as David Lanz (keyboards), Michael Hedges (guitar), and George Winston (piano) play real instruments, and they play them well, and their style of music might appeal to you.

As for bassoon and oboe (***** og obo) music, Nancy Rumbel (who plays oboe, English horn, and bassoon) often in a duo with guitarist Eric Tingstad offers interesting music, which again may be found on the NARADA label.

I hesitate in recommending "relaxing" classical music because I believe the best classical music, whether it is slow and quiet or loud and rhythmic, is music that excites the heart and ears. Listening to the tonal stresses and harmonic changes or the melodic developments or the forms utilized in classical music is a task for the fully alert mind. 

Of course, maybe classical music is just what you need. But don't expect it to put you to sleep.

In the meantime, I am sure you will receive many recommendations on this website. A lot of knowledgeable folks "hang out" here.

All the best.


----------



## Chronochromie (May 17, 2014)

hpowders said:


> Try any of FJ Haydn's London Symphonies, #93-104, uplifting with plenty of rhythm.
> The bassoon and oboe are featured quite a lot in these symphonies too!
> 
> Good luck!!


 Do you want to give him a heart attack? I mean, you didn't mention that #94 is called "Surprise" for a reason.


----------



## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

Michael Gordon's "Rushes" is a recent work composed for 7 bassoons. It's a minimalist work and I think many people might call it "relaxing".

Excerpt on Soundcloud:

__
https://soundcloud.com/cantaloupemusic%2Fmichael-gordon-rushes-excerpt


----------



## science (Oct 14, 2010)

In general you'll be fine with Baroque instrumental music such as Vivaldi, Bach, Albinoni, Biber, Zelenka - it usually has a nice, steady rhythm, and no synthesizers. Plenty of oboe music as well. 

Also, you might try the minimalists such as Glass or Reich (already recommended by GreenMamba). They also have a nice steady pulse. I don't remember any oboe music in particular...


----------



## Declined (Apr 8, 2014)

Can't go wrong with Beethoven's Symphonies, in particular 3, 5, and 9, though all of them are great


----------



## samurai (Apr 22, 2011)

I would also say that just about anything by Phillip Glass should fit your criteria very well. I hope your condition is getting better, and that the music might alleviate some of its harsher effects. Good luck, and please keep us posted as to what music you are listening to and if it helps at all to ally some of your anxieties; in this way, we'll know how you're faring, and perhaps will thus be able to make more appropriate recommendations for you. Good luck. :cheers:


----------



## Mister Man (Feb 3, 2014)

Try Mozart Violin Concerto No. 1 and Mozart Horn Concerto No. 1. 

Also try Beethoven Symphony No. 6, listen to the recording by Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra if you can. Not the one on YouTube, thank you.


----------



## musicrom (Dec 29, 2013)

Rimsky-Korsakov's _Scheherazade_ might be a nice choice. Full orchestra, some bassoon and oboe solos, and pretty relaxing. It was the piece that really got me into classical music, and always makes me happy whenever I listen to it.


----------



## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Arthur Honegger ~ Pastorale d'ete





Maurice Ravel ~ Piano Concerto in G, 2nd movement; Adagio assai





Claude Debussy ~ Danses sacrée et profane





Joaquin Rodrigo ~ Concierto Serenata Para Arpa Y Orquesta













Steve Reich ~ variations for winds, strings and keyboards





John Adams ~ Common Tones in Simple Time, for orchestra


----------



## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

musicrom said:


> Rimsky-Korsakov's _Scheherazade_ might be a nice choice. Full orchestra, some bassoon and oboe solos, and pretty relaxing.


Yes, there's nothing that calms me down half as much as a full-sized Romantic orchestra depicting a ship being dashed against rocks during a violent storm.
:cheers:


----------



## randy woolf (Jun 7, 2014)

try the rock band sigur ros. it's really almost classical in depth. they have done concerts with the kronos quartet. the muisic is very soothing and flowing, and and not too static.


----------



## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

randy woolf said:


> try the rock band sigur ros. it's really almost classical in depth. they have done concerts with the kronos quartet. the muisic is very soothing and flowing, and and not too static.


Yes, elevator music can be soothing.


----------



## musicrom (Dec 29, 2013)

Nereffid said:


> Yes, there's nothing that calms me down half as much as a full-sized Romantic orchestra depicting a ship being dashed against rocks during a violent storm.
> :cheers:


I know, right?

If you don't want to listen to the entire piece, the third movement is probably the calmest/happiest of its movements.


----------



## Richannes Wrahms (Jan 6, 2014)

relax, rhythm, *****? Mozart!






Vivaldi! 




'New age' 




some more 'relax, rhythm and woodwinds': 




I probably should have included some more modern and contemporary in there...


----------



## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

Nothing better than Shostakovich and Schnittke. j/k
Try some Telemann.


----------



## CypressWillow (Apr 2, 2013)

Soren, please listen to the second movement of Beethoven's Symphony #7. The strong rhythmic underpinning and the soaring, exalted melody always, always bring me to a place of peace. I have a feeling it will do the same for you:


----------

