# Advice for further exploration



## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

My interest in classical music started when I was in primary school, on my musical education classes. I've heard a few pieces and they affected me much stronger than most of the pop music that I was exposed to. Furthermore, there was a woman who cared for me when I was a kid who was quite fond of classical music and respected it, so she transferred it to me. In my childhood, classical music was mostly inaccessible to me. In Bosnia in the 90s there was a war and there were no places to buy classical music CDs, and the Internet still wasn't what it is today.

My first serious exposure to classical music was in late 90s, when I got a chance to buy a CD of Beethoven's 9th symphony... it was accompanied by some sort of software. "Microsoft Multimedia Beethoven" is the name of the whole thing. I loved that CD and listened to it multiple times... to the point of knowing whole thing by heart... but apart from this, again, several years passed and I wasn't able to get any other classical music.

Then I came to Belgrade to study, in 2006... and there was a nice shop with original music CDs... Lots of classical music too. So I decided to finally start exploring. I chose chronological approach, so I wanted to get familiar with baroque first, then classicism, etc... (skipped early music though, mostly because there weren't many CDs available and I was really interested in starting with Bach...)
So first I bought Orchestral Suites, Goldberg Variations, The Art of Fugue and Brandenburg Concertos by Bach... Messiah by Handel, The Four Seasons by Vivaldi... and I was listening to this stuff for some time... I really liked all of it. Then I switched colleges and returned to Bosnia, and then again I wasn't in position to buy much stuff, but I decided to continue my exploration nevertheless, and then I started exploring on the Internet... I listened to some Haydn's symphonies, some Mozart symphonies (mostly his late symphonies), and all of the Beethoven's symphonies (which, by now, I know almost by heart). I also listened to some of Beethoven's late string quartets and piano sonatas.

That's pretty much where my systematic approach to exploration ends. Afterwards it was mostly chaotic. And it became more tricky and difficult, because I don't have a clear direction anymore. Now I am mostly exploring Romanticism but it's so huge. I listened to some 20th century and contemporary stuff as well, but when it comes to contemporary... it's also so huge, and without clear pointers, so one can easily get lost.

Generally, I've listened to quite a lot of stuff, but I still feel like I have no clue, especially in comparison to some more experienced posters here. I say that I am "into classical music", but I still feel like total noob.

Regarding my tastes... so far I can say the following:

1) Beethoven is my favorite composer
2) my favorite genre is symphony
3) I also like keyboard music, some chamber music and some concertos
4) I am not very fond of opera... I find operatic vocals too harsh at times, and I am a bit lazy when it comes to reading and translating librettos and I think without knowing the actual plot, I can't fully appreciate opera
5) Choral compositions and lieder are more interesting to me, when it comes to vocal music
6) I like some unusual contemporary pieces too... but when it comes to contemporary it's really like gambling... so many different approaches, you never know what you're getting into
7) I am also interested in exploring less known composers from different regions, starting with my region, that is Balkans... I'd also like to get familiar with Non-Western classical music traditions.
8) I consider popular music to have the same artistic potential like classical music... no automatic value judgments... the fact that most of it is crap, doesn't mean that there aren't some gems in certain genres (or in most genres) that are really high quality stuff. So I don't want to limit my musical exploration exclusively to classical music, even though it's one of my main interests

Recently I listen to classical music mostly on Youtube... some of the recent listenings:

1) Schubert's symphonies 8th and 9th
2) Schubert's String Quintet in C major
3) Berlioz Symphonie fantastique
4) Brahms 4th Symphony
5) Mahler's 5th Symphony

Any suggestions? What I could explore next?


----------



## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

I am also a noob and still exploring. I like to explore as widely as possible as I can to find out what I like. I can recommend things that I found and liked during my explorations.
1) I like Bruckner (Skrowaczewski), I listened to all his symphonies several times. I would recommend to start with his 4th symphony
2) I like Prokofiev (Weller), I listened to all his symphonies and like them all except the first. The best are 2, 3, 5
3) try Má vlast from Smetana
4) I like Vaughan Williams, try his Pastoral symphony, Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis and The Lark Ascending
5) Arthur Bliss - A Color Symphony
6) Schnittke - 4th Symphony, Choir Concerto, Requiem
7) Lutoslawski - 3rd symphony
8) Mahler - I like symphonies 1,2,3,5,7, but all are good
9) Shostakovich - 7 (Leningrad) - read the fascinating story behind this symphony
10 ) Scriabin - very bizarre music, I still cannot decide if I like him or not, symphony 3,4,5
11) Rimsky-Korsakov - very melodic music, almost like soundtracks, try Scheherazade or Christmas Eve
12) Richard Strauss - very melodic music, almost like soundtracks, try 3rd symphony or Zarathurstra
13) Gustav Holst - Planets, just amazing
14) Saint-Saëns - Organ symphony and Le carnaval des animaux
15) Rachmaninov, if you are into choir music try Vespers, All Night Vigil


----------



## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

thanks Jacck... forgot to mention that I also liked some Shostakovich symphonies (5th and 10th)... and some Tchaikovsky ballets and when it comes to some unusual stuff... I liked Don Gillis -- Symphony no. 5½ ("A Symphony for Fun") ... when it comes to regional composers... from what I have explored so far, from Balkans... I could recommend:
2nd symphony by Milan Ristić
Rukoveti ("Garlands") by Mokranjac - a cycle of choral compositions based on folk music traditions from Balkans
Simfonija Orijenta / Symphony of the Orient by Josip Slavenski
Ohridska legenda (The legend of Ohrid) ,a ballet by Stevan Hristić

Now listening to "Má vlast", by your recommendation... then I'll try some Bruckner


----------



## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

ZJovicic said:


> My interest in classical music started when I was in primary school, on my musical education classes. I've heard a few pieces and they affected me much stronger than most of the pop music that I was exposed to. Furthermore, there was a woman who cared for me when I was a kid who was quite fond of classical music and respected it, so she transferred it to me. In my childhood, classical music was mostly inaccessible to me. In Bosnia in the 90s there was a war and there were no places to buy classical music CDs, and the Internet still wasn't what it is today.
> 
> My first serious exposure to classical music was in late 90s, when I got a chance to buy a CD of Beethoven's 9th symphony... it was accompanied by some sort of software. "Microsoft Multimedia Beethoven" is the name of the whole thing. I loved that CD and listened to it multiple times... to the point of knowing whole thing by heart... but apart from this, again, several years passed and I wasn't able to get any other classical music.
> 
> ...


Although always loved classical, took it up seriously four years ago. Started with traditional Beethoven, Tchaikovsky etc but thanks to TC and Twitter, started to expand my tastes and discovered some wonderful pieces. Also helps when following certain musicians as everyone knows that I do, as they have brought different composers to my world.


----------



## Robert Gamble (Dec 18, 2016)

If you like Tchaikovsky's ballets you should try his 4th, 5th and 6th symphonies...

Dvorak's 9th Symphony

Sibelius's 5th Symphony...

Those would be initial recommendations.


----------



## Guest (Dec 31, 2017)

Hi ZJ,

I'm a noob compared to a lot of folk on TC. Anyhoo, looking at your pointers and the fact you've got several recommendations for symphonies already, here's something else:

- for keyboard, you've listened to Chopin? Debussy? Liszt? I love piano music probably the most, and my favourite in this is Scriabin. 

- for chamber music: Bartok's and Beethoven's string quartets.

I got my bearings with a good introductory book, helps to put things in place. I used The Vintage Guide to Classical Music by Jan Swafford.

Happy listening


----------



## Melvin (Mar 25, 2011)

If Beethoven is your favorite I think you will love Schubert. Besides Symphonies 8 & 9, all of his late chamber music is essential. (String Quartets, the 2 quintets, the 2 piano trios, and also the late sonatas). And don't overlook Beethoven's piano trios!


----------



## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Jacck said:


> 12) Richard Strauss - very melodic music, almost like soundtracks, try 3rd symphony or Zarathurstra


Strauss' 3rd Symphony?


----------



## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

ZJovicic said:


> My interest in classical music started when I was in primary school, on my musical education classes. I've heard a few pieces and they affected me much stronger than most of the pop music that I was exposed to. Furthermore, there was a woman who cared for me when I was a kid who was quite fond of classical music and respected it, so she transferred it to me. In my childhood, classical music was mostly inaccessible to me. In Bosnia in the 90s there was a war and there were no places to buy classical music CDs, and the Internet still wasn't what it is today.
> 
> My first serious exposure to classical music was in late 90s, when I got a chance to buy a CD of Beethoven's 9th symphony... it was accompanied by some sort of software. "Microsoft Multimedia Beethoven" is the name of the whole thing. I loved that CD and listened to it multiple times... to the point of knowing whole thing by heart... but apart from this, again, several years passed and I wasn't able to get any other classical music.
> 
> ...


Check out a Tchaikovsky symphony cycle. I think it would fit well with your stated preferences. I am quite partial to Karajan/BPO, but there are many estimable cycles out there (e.g. Muti/Philly).


----------



## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Neo Romanza said:


> Strauss' 3rd Symphony?



I think poster was confused with Saint-Saëns


----------

