# Help Wanted: Legally Blind Classical Music Newbie



## lovenhim (Jul 23, 2016)

Hello everyone. I was born legally blind with Optic Atrophy and my eyes are getting worse. I mention this because it plays a roll in what I am trying to do. I would like to learn the basics of listening to classical music but do not know where to start. I live on a fixed income. I have slow and data capped satellite internet so streaming music is out. I have access to my public library and what they may have on hand for classical music. I do not consider myself an audiophile and I do not have the budget for high end gear as I live on a fixed income. That being typed, here is what I do have to work with. 

GEAR:
iPod Touch 4th Gen 64GB
Apple iMac
Headroom Total Bithead
Fiio E7 & E9 bundle
Sony MDR-V6
Audio Technica ATH M50
Shure SE215
Onkyo C-7030 single disc cd player
These items were either gifts over the years or saved up for, etc. 

Using the gear that I have, where do I start with Classical Music? I have a $5 app on my iPod Touch BUT it can not longer update as the iPod only supports up to iOS 6.1.3. The app is called Classical Music 1 Masters Collection. The issue that I have with the app or at least for me is that the quality is poor. The loud parts are badly distorted as if they were recorded with too much gain or something. It makes the music sound like a cheap boombox or something.Here come the questions:

Knowing what you know about me, where do I go from here?
What pieces of classic music should I start with that can be obtained free legally, borrowed, from a library, etc? 
Where can I learn the very basics to help understand about classical music? For example what all the terms mean, basic differences/styles of composers? 
Using the gear that I have, is there a better combo of gear to use that will do the music justice?

I will be going to a rehab center for the blind in my home state to get training for blindness. The training will be for walking with a white cane, cooking, daily living, braille, etc. It will be a resident live in 6-9 month training course. I want to learn about classical music and have some music with me on the iPod before I leave my mobile home and head to the school in a few weeks. Thank you very much for the help with this different/strange request.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

You do have a unique situation as far as this forum goes. I am no expert and if I recommend works, they will be things I like more than general pieces for a well rounded experience, but others here will make some good recommendations. What I have to offer is a site that has a lot of free download classical music, but I have found when I used it a few years ago that not all the music was of the best quality (being that it is free I think some or much of it is by amateurs and students), but much was pretty good, and in some cases you only got part of a work. But for what it is worth:

http://www.classiccat.net/

As an aside, my dad was legally blind from about the early 1970s or about his mid 50s. He listened to a lot of music and especially loved Beethoven.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> You do have a unique situation as far as this forum goes. I am no expert and if I recommend works, they will be things I like more than general pieces for a well rounded experience, but others here will make some good recommendations. What I have to offer is a site that has a lot of free download classical music, but I have found when I used it a few years ago that not all the music was of the best quality (being that it is free I think some or much of it is by amateurs and students), but much was pretty good, and in some cases you only got part of a work. But for what it is worth:
> 
> http://www.classiccat.net/


Very good advice Florestan .:tiphat:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Pugg said:


> Very good advice Florestan .:tiphat:


I should use that site more. There is some good music on it. I must just like spending money.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I don't want to keep you waiting for recommendations so I will tell what I would be inclined to include on my player for a similar situation. My choices are fairly limited as my music listening has never been the eclectic approach, but instead is very cautious, narrow, and limited. It takes something special to move me out of my comfort zone to something completely different such as my recent excursion to Mahler.

At a minimum I would have a lot of symponies including any or all of Beethoven (definitely all 9 here), Mendelssohn, Saint-Saens, or Franz Berwald. Mahler symphonies 1, 5, and 7 (this because I have never heard the others yet so cannot say). Vocal musoc: Handel's Messiah and a dozen of my favorite operas. I would add some violin music and just about any Composer's violin concertos are worthwhile, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Saint-Saens being great ones to start.


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## regenmusic (Oct 23, 2014)

I always advise people new to classical music to try to hear as much of it as possible, sooner rather than later. There are many surprises that really can't be described, one has to hear them. And, you won't find out what you really like until you've heard many things. Have fun!


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

There are a lot of ways that you could do this. I would suggest that you visit your public library and go through their classical CD's. I think you would find what are called in classical circles the old war horses the best place to start. These are works that are played regularly in concerts because they are popular and will almost always guarantee a full house. They are popular because they can speak to people who do not have a lot of knowledge about classical music. Often they are very melodic as well. Always a positive thing in my book. Beethovens fifth symphony is always at the top of this list. Works by Tchaikovsky are also in the war horses list. His Fourth, Fifth and Sixth symphonies and the Romeo and Juliet Overture are perennially popular while the 1812 Overture really needs no introduction with the cannons and church bells in the finale. Very often a record company will put together a compilation disc of a composers most popular works. These are often named The Best Of (whoever). These compilations are a good way to get to know a particular composers works. When you are listening to these compilation cd's you will often hear something and say "I have heard this before" or "So that's the name of this piece". You have actually heard more classical music than you realize. Remember that you can order CD's from other libraries if yours does not have a cd you are interested in. Interlibrary loans are very handy. 

Good listening to you. If you could let us know what your tastes in music are or, as you listen and want more in a particular vein, let us know on this site and we will be more than happy to give you further suggestions.


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## Johnnie Burgess (Aug 30, 2015)

ReDiscovery is also very good. They have 320kbps downloads.

http://www.rediscovery.us/


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

regenmusic said:


> I always advise people new to classical music to try to hear as much of it as possible, sooner rather than later. There are many surprises that really can't be described, one has to hear them. And, you won't find out what you really like until you've heard many things. Have fun!


You are right, don't overdo it though, just like eating to much.......feels uncomfortable.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Are there any classical music radio stations in your area?
Always a good way to listen to a variety of new music at low cost


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## Five and Dime (Jul 8, 2016)

I think your best bet is to borrow classical CDs from the library, then copy them onto your computer. You can build up a fairly substantial collection in this way. Most libraries also have exchange programs which allow them to get for you albums which are not in the local library from a different branch or even system.

The cheapest way that I know to buy downloads these days is eMusic, which has albums from dozens of excellent labels available for $6 or $7. Even better, they frequently sell half-price booster packs, which effectively lowers the price per album to about $3. Most of the newer releases are in 320 kbps.


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## lovenhim (Jul 23, 2016)

Haydn man said:


> Are there any classical music radio stations in your area?
> Always a good way to listen to a variety of new music at low cost


It looks like I do have a local station. It is a BBC/NPR station. They seem to have times of classical music but not a 24/7 classical station. Going through the FM dial I do not hear any classical music so my guess is that the BBC/NPR station is my classical station when they play it.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Five and Dime said:


> I think your best bet is to borrow classical CDs from the library, then copy them onto your computer. You can build up a fairly substantial collection in this way. Most libraries also have exchange programs which allow them to get for you albums which are not in the local library from a different branch or even system.


Is this legal? Most CDs seem to have warnings printed on them against this.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

lovenhim said:


> It looks like I do have a local station. It is a BBC/NPR station. They seem to have times of classical music but not a 24/7 classical station. Going through the FM dial I do not hear any classical music so my guess is that the BBC/NPR station is my classical station when they play it.


We have one here in Detroit that is classical during the day but around 5 or 6 pm it goes over to jazz. Try tuning in at a different time.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

Florestan said:


> Is this legal? Most CDs seem to have warnings printed on them against this.


It is not. This sort of blithe disregard for the law is the reason for Amazon and other retailers' insistence that opened CDs/DVDs/etc. cannot be returned.


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## lovenhim (Jul 23, 2016)

Florestan said:


> We have one here in Detroit that is classical during the day but around 5 or 6 pm it goes over to jazz. Try tuning in at a different time.


The station website lists this info for Classical Music playing times:

Monday - Thursday: 12 AM - 5 AM; 10 AM - 3 PM; 10 PM - 12 AM

Friday: 12 AM - 5 AM; 10 AM - 3 PM

Saturday: 12 AM - 7 AM; 10 PM - 12 AM

Sunday: 12 AM - 6 AM


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

lovenhim said:


> The station website lists this info for Classical Music playing times:
> 
> Monday - Thursday: 12 AM - 5 AM; 10 AM - 3 PM; 10 PM - 12 AM
> 
> ...


Wow, looks like you would have to stay up at night to catch the better part of the classical programming.


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## lovenhim (Jul 23, 2016)

Yes this is true. I have been looking at my local library and am finding some CDs to put on hold. Once they arrive I will get to town and pick them up. The CDs are:

Beethoven collection : vol. 2 : Symphony no. 3 ; Symphony no. 8. [sound recording]

Beethoven collection : vol. 1 : Symphony no. 5 ; Symphony no. 4. [sound recording]

Mad about Tchaikovsky [sound recording] : the greatest stars, the greatest music.

Contents
The sleeping beauty. Waltz -- Romeo and Juliet. Love theme -- The nutcracker. Dance of the sugar plum fairy ; Chinese dance ; Trépak (Russian dance) ; Waltz of the flowers -- Swan Lake. Theme (act II) -- Symphony no. 6 in B minor ("Pathétique"). 3. Allegro molto vivace -- Marche slave -- Symphony no. 5 in E minor. 2. Andante cantabile (part I) -- Symphony no. 4 in F minor. 4. Finale -- 1812 overture.

Mad about Bach : [sound recording] the greatest stars, the greatest music.

Contents
Brandenburg concerto no. 3 in G major. Movement 1 -- Oboe concerto in D minor. Adagio (Douglas Boyd, oboe) -- Zion hears the watchmen singing (Anthony Rolfe Johnson, tenor) -- Orchestral suite no. 2 in B minor. Badinerie -- Orchestral suite no. 3 in D major. Air on a G string -- Orchestral suite no. 3 in D major. Gavotte I/II -- Concerto in D minor for 2 violins. Largo ma non tanto (Simon Standage, Elizabeth Wilcock, solo violins) -- Suite in G minor. Bourraee -- Jesu, joy of man's desiring -- Brandenburg concerto no. 2 in F major. Allegro assai -- Concerto for oboe and violin in C minor. Adagio (Simon Standage, violin ; David Reichenberg, oboe) -- Gavotte in E-flat major -- Partita no. 3 in E major. Preludio -- Brandenburg concerto no. 4 in G major. Presto -- Sonata no. 1 in G major. Adagio -- Mass in B minor. Et resurrexit -- Two-part invention no. 8 in F major -- Italian concerto in F major. Allegro -- Brandenburg concerto no. 5 in D major. Allegro.

Best of the millennium, top 40 classical hits [sound recording] / concept and compilation: R. Peter Munves.

this contains:Adagio in G minor / Albinoni ; Giazotto -- Jesu, joy of man's desiring / Bach -- Moonlight sonata. Adagio sostenuto / Beethoven -- March of the toreadors / Bizet -- Celebrated minuet / Boccherini -- Polovtsian dance no. 1 / Borodin -- Cradle song / Brahms -- "Minute" waltz / Chopin -- Clair de lune / Debussy -- Largo / Dvorak -- Pomp & circumstance march no. 1 / Elgar -- Rhapsody in blue. Andante & Finale / Gershwin -- Morning / Grieg -- Hallelujah chorus / Handel -- Liebestraum / Liszt -- Intermezzo / Mascagni -- Wedding march / Mendelssohn -- Rondeau (first symphonic suite) / Mouret -- The Great Gate Of Kiev / Moussorgsky. 2. Eine kleine Nachtmusik. Allegro / Mozart -- Cancan / Offenbach -- Carmina burana. O fortuna / Orff -- Canon in D / Pachelbel -- Lieutenant Kije suite. Troika / Prokofiev -- Nessun dorma / Puccini -- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. 18th variation / Rachmaninoff -- Bolero. Conclusion / Ravel -- Flight of the bumble-bee / Rimsky-Korsakov -- William Tell overture. Finale / Rossini -- The swan / Saint-saens -- Gymnopedie no. 3 / Satie -- Ave Maria / Schubert -- Blue Danube waltz / J. Strauss -- Thus spake Zarathustra. Sunrise / R. Strauss -- Firebird suite. Finale / Stravinsky -- 1812 overture. Finale / Tchaikovsky -- Fantasia on "Greensleeves" / Vaughan Williams -- Anvil Chorus / Verdi -- The four seasons. Winter. Largo / Vivaldi -- Rise of the Valkyries / Wagner.


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

that is a good starting place.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

lovenhim said:


> Yes this is true. I have been looking at my local library and am finding some CDs to put on hold. Once they arrive I will get to town and pick them up. The CDs are:
> 
> Beethoven collection : vol. 2 : Symphony no. 3 ; Symphony no. 8. [sound recording]
> 
> ...


This will keep you busy for a while.


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## lovenhim (Jul 23, 2016)

I have a small update. Through services that I receive, I have found a book that I am listening to. It is called Classical Music For Dummies 2nd Edition. I am enjoying the book so far. The book is helping me to understand some of the terms and how to pronounce names and that those goofy numbers at the end of a selection of music are catalog numbers to help you find the right music in a music store, iTunes, library, etc. I am enjoying my basic learning so far. From reading the book I think I would like to hear some Chopin and Brahms. In my few day old newbie mind, I am enjoying Mozart the most right now and Bach the least ( I think because of the harpsichord).


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

If there is a classical music radio station in the area where the rehab center is, then be sure to take a radio with you.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> If there is a classical music radio station in the area where the rehab center is, then be sure to take a radio with you.


Naughty .............:lol:


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## lovenhim (Jul 23, 2016)

I just looked up classical music radio stations in the area where the school is located. It is the local public NPR/BBC station. Monday-Friday I can hear classical music from 10PM-5AM (that is when people in a school situation will be sleeping LOL) & from 11AM-3PM. There is hope so we will just see what happens and how it all works out.


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## lovenhim (Jul 23, 2016)

I am currently listening to Classical Music For Dummies. It is an audiobook that I got from the BookShare service for people with disabilities. With it there are nine selections of music to help you understand the concepts in the book. I am enjoying the book so far. The music included via the books website is listed here:
Handel: Water Music Suite No. 2: Alla Hornpipe 4:18	For Dummies	Classical Music For Dummies	Classical 0	1
Bach: Well Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue in C Major Piano 4:14	For Dummies	Classical Music For Dummies	Classical 0	
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat, Third Movement 11:18	For Dummies	Classical Music For Dummies	Classical 0	
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, First Movement 7:27	For Dummies	Classical Music For Dummies	Classical 0	
Brahms: Symphony No. 4, Third Movement 6:13	For Dummies	Classical Music For Dummies	Classical 0	
Dvorak: Serenade for Strings, Fourth Movement 5:47	For Dummies	Classical Music For Dummies	Classical 0	
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6, Fourth Movement 10:12	For Dummies	Classical Music For Dummies	Classical 0	
Debussy: La Mer: Dialogue du Vent et de la Mer 8:08	For Dummies	Classical Music For Dummies	Classical 0	
Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring: Opening to the End of Jeu de Rapt 8:14	For Dummies	Classical Music For Dummies	Classical 0	


The book offers many suggestions and is helping me understand the different periods of music as well. So far from the Classical Music For Dummies selection, I do not care for track two:Bach: Well Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue in C Major Piano. I am enjoying the music that I can get my hands on for the most part. Thanks for the help.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

lovenhim said:


> I am currently listening to Classical Music For Dummies. It is an audiobook that I got from the BookShare service for people with disabilities. With it there are nine selections of music to help you understand the concepts in the book. I am enjoying the book so far. The music included via the books website is listed here:
> Handel: Water Music Suite No. 2: Alla Hornpipe 4:18	For Dummies	Classical Music For Dummies	Classical 0	1
> Bach: Well Tempered Clavier, Book 2: Prelude and Fugue in C Major Piano 4:14	For Dummies	Classical Music For Dummies	Classical 0
> Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-flat, Third Movement 11:18	For Dummies	Classical Music For Dummies	Classical 0
> ...


Do visit us again, you might see what others members like ( or don't like) .


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## lovenhim (Jul 23, 2016)

Oh No, I am not leaving.  I am finding "Best Of" and "Greatest Hits" collections from my local library. My favorite piece of music from the Classical Music For Dummies listing above is by far Dvorak: Serenade for Strings, Fourth Movement. The first time that I heard it...well it made me weep. It is a beautiful piece of music. I can not make it through the Bach piece on this collection. LOL


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

lovenhim said:


> Oh No, I am not leaving.  I am finding "Best Of" and "Greatest Hits" collections from my local library. My favorite piece of music from the Classical Music For Dummies listing above is by far *Dvorak: Serenade for Strings, Fourth Movement*. The first time that I heard it...well it made me weep. It is a beautiful piece of music. I can not make it through the Bach piece on this collection. LOL


Now you need to hear the whole thing.

Do you have internet up at the rehab center? If so, you can also listen to music on You Tube. Also can keep posting to this site what music you are discovering.


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## lovenhim (Jul 23, 2016)

At home I have satellite internet. It is slow and data restricted so FaceTube, YouBook, and YouTwitFace are pretty much out. Yes the Rehab Center For The Blind has high speed interweb and free wifi. I will or hope to be starting that school in September. For now my public library is my best source. Also listening to books from the services that I receive for being legally blind. These include NLS/Bard and Bookshare. Bookshare is where I found Classical Music For Dummies 2nd edition.


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