# Recommend pieces to get started on classical music?



## fealypino (Mar 12, 2014)

I've been liking classical music for a few months now and I've mostly only heard from Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and Chopin, and a little of Schubert, Schumann, Liszt, Saint Saens, etc

I want to know more good music. I have only just scratched the surface.
Thank you


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Leo Ornstein: Piano Quintet
Boulez: Dérives I & II
CPE Bach: Symphony in D major (not from his string symphonies)
Farrenc: Trio for Flute, Cello, Piano op. 45


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## opus55 (Nov 9, 2010)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Leo Ornstein: Piano Quintet
> Boulez: Dérives I & II
> CPE Bach: Symphony in D major (not from his string symphonies)
> Farrenc: Trio for Flute, Cello, Piano op. 45


Umm.. are you serious?


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## Chronochromie (May 17, 2014)

fealypino said:


> I've been liking classical music for a few months now and I've mostly only heard from Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and Chopin, and a little of Schubert, Schumann, Liszt, Saint Saens, etc
> 
> I want to know more good music. I have only just scratched the surface.
> Thank you


It would help if you told us what exactly have you heard and what did you like. But here are some suggestions:
Schubert: Unfinished Symphony in B minor, Impromptus op. 90 and op. 142, 6 moments musicaux
Schumann: Kreisleriana, Symphony No. 3
Brahms: Hungarian Dances
Debussy: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, Nocturnes for orchestra, Suite Bergamasque, Preludes Book I and II
Ravel: Jeux d'eau, Piano Concerto in G major, Pavane pour une infante defunte, String Quartet
Stravinsky: Petrushka Suite, Pulcinella Suite, The Firebird


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Perhaps some Schoenberg or Webern to add some dimensions to your listening? Or Steve Reich or John Adams?


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## Chronochromie (May 17, 2014)

albertfallickwang said:


> Perhaps some Schoenberg or Webern to add some dimensions to your listening? Or Steve Reich or John Adams?


I didn't want to scare him off just yet :lol: 
For a slightly less wild suggestion:
Ligeti - Etudes


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

opus55 said:


> Umm.. are you serious?


Why not? If our newcomer has heard Liszt and Saint-Saëns, Ornstein might be a good next choice. Boulez is just one composer to throw in really, at least fealypino's reaction might be "that was _interesting_" and then with CPE Bach's music you get a bit of Baroque and some ripper Classical period music (fealypino knows Bach and Mozart) and finally Farrenc is one of the more obscure composers of the 19th century who _excelled_ in writing melodies (like Schubert, for example) but with the emotional intensity of big names like Schumann or Brahms.


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## Chronochromie (May 17, 2014)

Hmm... I haven't heard any Ornstein, I think. And little of the others. But when I saw Boulez in there I thought the new member's reaction would be "Run for the hills!" or something to that effect.


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## opus55 (Nov 9, 2010)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Why not? If our newcomer has heard Liszt and Saint-Saëns, Ornstein might be a good next choice. Boulez is just one composer to throw in really, at least fealypino's reaction might be "that was _interesting_" and then with CPE Bach's music you get a bit of Baroque and some ripper Classical period music (fealypino knows Bach and Mozart) and finally Farrenc is one of the more obscure composers of the 19th century who _excelled_ in writing melodies (like Schubert, for example) but with the emotional intensity of big names like Schumann or Brahms.


Just checkin'  CPE Bach and Farrenc I'd recommend too. But I thought Boulez might be too much of a challenge; me thinks so anyways.

To OP, my recommendation is no recommendation. 'Just listen to whatever' is my philosophy. Try discovering yourself too - that can add to the joy of listening experience.


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

Don't forget Joseph Haydn - try his Symphony No. 94, his Trumpet Concerto or the 'Emperor' or the 'Fifths' quartets, for example.


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## Guest (Dec 6, 2014)

If you like symphonies...

Mahler 6
Prokofiev 5
Haydn 99 and 100
Shostakovich 5
Messiaen 'Turangalila'


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Here's some more in the mainstream Repertoire works.

Tchaikovsky No. 5/Marche Slav
Dvorak No. 9
Beethoven No. 6
Rimsky Korsakov - Russian Easter Overture/Capriccio Espanol
Vivaldi-The Four Seasons
Mussorgsky-Pictures At An Exhibition/Night On Bald Mountain
Borodin-In The Steppes Of Central Asia/Polovtsian Dances
Debussy-La Mer
Franck-Symphony In D
Copland - Appalachian Spring/Symphony No. 3
Stravinsky- The Firebird/Petrushka/Symphonies Of Wind Instruments
Grieg-Peer Gynt

Popular Overtures:
Beethoven-Egmont
Bizet-Carmen
Rossini-The Barber Of Seville
Glinka-Ruslan & Ludmila


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

I too have the philosophy that one should start anywhere.
I don't know you; I have no idea what might "click" for you and what might not.
So as far as I'm concerned any advice is as good as any other advice.
With that in mind, I created a random playlist from my music collection, and here's the 10 pieces of music that came up:

Donizetti: Lucia di Lamermoor
Copland: Symphony no.1
Grainger: The Jungle Book
Schnittke: Concerto grosso no.5
Elgar: Scenes from the Saga of King Olaf
Bach: Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach
Shostakovich: Symphony no.3
Handel: Almira
Boulez: Notations
Rorem: Orchids

I'd be surprised if there was nothing you didn't like in there. But if not... I can give you 10 more...


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Nereffid said:


> I too have the philosophy that one should start anywhere.


Agreed! Now that we've tossed up a bunch of works, it should be easier to dive in anywhere.


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## musicrom (Dec 29, 2013)

Nereffid said:


> I too have the philosophy that one should start anywhere.
> I don't know you; I have no idea what might "click" for you and what might not.
> So as far as I'm concerned any advice is as good as any other advice.
> With that in mind, I created a random playlist from my music collection, and here's the 10 pieces of music that came up:
> ...


That sounded like a fun thing to try so I decided to do that too. Here's what I got:

Prokofiev - Symphony No. 1 "Classical"
Beethoven - Symphony No. 3 "Eroica"
Tchaikovsky - Violin Concerto in D Major
Sibelius - Symphony No. 2 in D Major
Glinka - Valse-Fantaisie, for orchestra
Mozart - Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major
Corelli - Concerto Grosso in G Minor "Christmas Concerto"
Vivaldi - The Four Seasons
Cannabich - Symphony No. 68 in B Flat Major
Borodin - Prince Igor, Polovtsian March

Somehow, this turned out to be almost exactly what I'd recommend for you or anyone just starting out with classical music.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I think you just need to fealyourway around


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

starthrower said:


> Here's some more in the mainstream Repertoire works.
> 
> Tchaikovsky No. 5/Marche Slav
> Dvorak No. 9
> ...


Those look like good suggestions to me
Just jump in and try stuff, with YouTube and music streaming services the choice is endless 
I am no expert but would give a plug for Haydn e.g. The last 12 symphonies


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

No one has yet mentioned that we have several fantastic lists of music in certain genres (TC's top 150 symphonies, top 272 operas and so on) which are great to go through for new classical music fans.


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## candi (Nov 15, 2014)

just add a touch more baroque on that list

handel - water music
Giuseppe Torelli : Concerto D Major for Trumpet and Strings
vivaldi - Mandolin Concerto in C major, RV 425


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

If I were to recommend Boulez's Notations as an introduction to classical music, I think that I would get clobbered .


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## Giordano (Aug 10, 2014)

Biber - The Mystery Sonatas (aka The Rosary Sonatas) part1 part2
Biber - Sonata Representativa 
Telemann - 12 Fantasias for Solo Violin 
Handel - Water Music & Music for the Royal Fireworks
Handel - O ecstasy of happiness! (Semele)
Handel - Lascia ch'io pianga (Rinaldo), alternate version (from _Farinelli_) 
Handel - Va tacito (Giulio Cesare)


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## Declined (Apr 8, 2014)

Dvorak
Tchaikovsky
Rachmaninoff


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