# Can You Recommend Some Music?



## MERIDIUS (Apr 5, 2009)

Hello, I really do not know much about classical music, but I really enjoy certain songs. I do not know the names of many composers or their music so I'm having a hard time finding more of what I like.

I really enjoyed the music in the film Master and Commander (for instance, Violin Concerto No. 3 K216, 3rd Movement, Suite for Solo Cello No. 1 in G, BWV 1007: I. Prélude or even String Quintet in C Major, Op. 30, No. 6) and am looking for more music in that style. I'm particularly looking for pieces with a distinct melody if that makes any sense.

I'm also looking for any "powerful" or "moving" songs like Adagio for Strings Op.11 by Samuel Barber.

Basically, I have no idea what I'm talking about and I was hoping to get some advice and recommendations from you guys.

Here are some of those songs I mentioned earlier if you care to listen:


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## Margaret (Mar 16, 2009)

Bach did 5 more of those suites for the unaccompanied cello. Much to my great joy!

As someone new to classical music, as you liked Bach, you might try his Brandenburg Concertos. They're quite easy to get into.

I also loved the classical music usage in "Master and Commander" plus watching it reminded me of the "Horatio Hornblower" novels I read as a kid.

But, really, you've got your start list already. You know the composers of the some of the pieces you liked (it's on the youtube clips), try listening to more by them. You could get "essentials" CDs for the composers. Some people on this site don't like them, but I find them a good way to sample a composer and see if I like his work.


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## Margaret (Mar 16, 2009)

Since you weren't sure about who composed all the classic music I looked something up:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0311113/soundtrack

In addition to the ones you mentioned it's got

"Adagio from Concerto Grosso Op. 6, no. 8 in G Minor Christmas Concerto"
Composed by Arcangelo Corelli

"Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis"
Composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams

I noticed they've got the Yo-Yo Ma performance of the Bach cello suite. I've got that one (well, I've got three recordings of the Bach cello suites), the Yo-Yo Ma one is excellent.

I also notice you like Baroque music. Welcome to the club.


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

hi, meridius! 

the usual greats are great for a reason, give them all a listen.
tchaikovsy, rimsky-korsakov, bach, beethoven, mozart, chopin...so many to have fun hearing.

dj


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Margaret said:


> "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis"
> Composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams


Aha! I was going to recommend that one. Of course I manage to to work it into my replies to any requests for recommendations somehow.

Here's a couple more recommendations for strong melody, pieces by Gabriel Fauré:


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## MERIDIUS (Apr 5, 2009)

Thank you for the recommendations everyone! I really enjoyed "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" and "Gabriel Fauré's Sicilienne Op78" If anyone thinks of anything else they would like to recommend I'm all ears! This is great. Thanks again!


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## Margaret (Mar 16, 2009)

You can listen to all six of the Bach cello suites in their entirety here:

http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/paternoster-cellosuites1/
http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/paternoster-cellosuites2/

Then if you like them, you can purchase the download.

The magnatune.com site has a nice bit of classical music:
http://magnatune.com/genres/classical/

It's always free to listen to any of it.


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## ecg_fa (Nov 10, 2008)

Good suggestions. Vivaldi's '4 Seasons' is good for strings too & good place to start for
him as a composer. Barber's Cello Concerto too-- also maybe the Dvorak Cello
Concerto. Boccherini certainly if you like strings is fantastic IMO. And the Mozart 
'Sinfonie Concertante' for cello and violin is one of my favorite WAM pieces. 

Ed


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## LvB (Nov 21, 2008)

You will probably very much like the Adagio in G Minor by Albinoni (despite the fact that he's a Baroque composer, this piece is actually a 19th century expansion of a fragment). Boccherini has already been mentioned, but I'd specifically recommend his quintets for guitar and strings, especially the fourth, known as the 'Fandango' Quintet; it's got some lovely writing, and the last movement, the fandango in question, is a veritable whirlwind with a few surprises.


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## Contrapunctus666 (Mar 22, 2009)

Unlike those people that want to sound cool by mentioning some obscure things I prefer quantity over quality so I have only one recommendation for today:

Beethoven - 9th symphony (Furtwangler)

Haunting and amazing. Takes time to appreciate(not as much as some other classical works like Bach's works)



> the usual greats are great for a reason


Seconded.


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## JTech82 (Feb 6, 2009)

Perhaps this will get you into Ravel, I'm not sure, but these are good performances I found on YouTube with Pierre Boulez (a top Ravel interpreter) conducting the Berlin Philharmonic. Enjoy:





















From here perhaps you can start getting into recordings, which I suggest Jean Martinon's Ravel cycle on EMI, then you can start filling in the gaps. Ravel's piano concertos are also worth acquiring. I would get the Krystian Zimerman/Pierre Boulez/Cleveland Orchestra/London Symphony on Deutsche Grammophon, then you would have a very solid Ravel collection.

From Ravel, you can work backwards a bit. Debussy is the next composer I would seek out. He was a revolutionary composer. Seek out Martinon's recordings on EMI and Boulez's recordings on Deutsche Grammophon.

Happy listening.


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## Contrapunctus666 (Mar 22, 2009)

> I prefer quality over quantity


Fixed(it was my mistake, can't find edit button)


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