# New to Classical, Here is what I like. Can you Recommend Others?



## endofnight (May 28, 2013)

Hello all,

I am pretty new to classical music. My mother used to listen to Andres Segovia a lot when I was a kid so I remember liking some Bach pieces he would play on guitar and some others. 

I'm 31 now and I've decided that it's a good time for me to really explore this type of music and see what interests me. I do enjoy it, but never got around to fully explore the genre. 

Last night I went onto youtube and just started searching. I made a small list of things that immediately caught my ear. Here is the list I have so far:

‪Prokofiev - Dance of the Knights‬
‪Prokofiev - Cinderella Suite - Cinderella's Waltz‬
‪Prokofiev - Symphony-Concerto op. 125 ‬
‪Prokofiev: Symphony No. 7‬
Jerry Goldsmith - Ave Satani
Elliot Goldenthal - Two Face Three Step
‪Mussorgsky - Night On Bald Mountain‬
Beethoven 9th symphony 4th movement
‪Mahler Symphony No 6 A minor Tragic‬
‪Frederic Chopin - Nocturnes ‬(Pollini)

I think it's safe to say that I'm really into Prokofiev  It definitely caught my ear and spoke to me on some level. With repeated listening I'll be able to tell if it really stirs my soul, but for now I am convinced.

I just discovered Mahler as well. I don't know if I like all of his stuff, but his symphony No 6 caught my attention. 

The theme from The Omen (Ave Satani) is just beautiful. I know it's dark, but it just works. It gives me chills--in the best way. I'm not very fond of opera singing, although I know this is chanting, but I love it and it is fitting.

Beethoven's 9th symphony (4th movement), is wonderful. Sadly, I know it from the movie A Clockwork Orange. I really like this piece though.

I actually got to see Pollini perform some Chopin live in concert. I'm not familiar with a lot of Chopin, but I put on the Nocturnes last night and I enjoyed them. 

I've always enjoyed Eliot Goldenthal's Two Face Three Step. I don't know if you can consider this classical music or not, but I love it.

I really like Night on Bald Mountain, but I don't think I really like anything else by Rimsky-Korsakov. 

So given this information, can anybody recommend some other composers that you think I might like? I would greatly appreciate any information you have for me. Thank you!


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

I'd say you are doing fine. Things will shake out as you go. One thing: "I really like Night on Bald Mountain, but I don't think I really like anything else by Rimsky-Korsakov." Rimsky orchestrated it, Mussorgsky composed it. When/if you get into piano music, Mussorgsky may shine.

There are many recordings of guitar music out there, a lot of it on YouTube. Segovia's recordings preserve a lot of fret noise - that was no concern of his - but there is a 'school' of classical guitarists that avoids it; you could check that out.


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## endofnight (May 28, 2013)

> There are many recordings of guitar music out there


Thanks for the quick reply. I'm actually not that interested in Classical guitar at this moment. I've listened to a lot of that growing up and I like it a lot. I've explored other guitarists such as John Williams who I enjoy as well. Right now I am looking for full orchestra stuff or different instruments other than the guitar. Like I said earlier, I'm really into the Prokofiev stuff right now, so I'm looking for similar composers.


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

Welcome to the forum! I'm just going to link a few pieces of orchestral music that I think (or hope!) you might enjoy.

Igor Stravinsky - Scènes de ballet 
No, I don't understand the relevance of the images used in the video either.

Gustav Mahler - Des Knaben Wunderhorn
You've said that you don't enjoy "operatic" singing much, but the songs of Mahler might change your mind.

Olivier Messiaen - Turangalîla-Symphonie (5th movement)
I was going to post a full performance, but YouTube doesn't have my personal preference.

Maurice Ravel - La Valse
Nothing to say; just bask in it!


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

Hey endofnight,

Welcome!

You already seem to have broad tastes, why not continue with the same composers, then inch sideways for composers who plough the same path? For instance, you like Mahlers' 6th: then try his 5th, and so on. Bruckner is another great symphony composer, and he may lead you elsewhere. Chopin nocturnes will lead you to his Etudes, then onto Liszt and Schumann, etc.

But you have a broad range, and particularly Prokoviev, who seems highly regarded around here. Crudblud and Hilltroll have given wise directions...


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## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

Sounds like you like 20th century music; I would recommend Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra, which is both accessible and quite thoroughly modern at the same time.

Perhaps also check out symphonies by Shostakovich.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

BASIC CLASSICAL MUSIC COLLECTION



Bach: Brandenburg Concerti 
Bach: Goldberg Variations 


Bartok - String Quartets (Complete)

Beethoven: Symphonies 3, 5, 9
Beethoven: String Quartets (Complete) 
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas (Complete)

 
Brahms: Symphonies (Complete)
Brahms: Piano Quartets
 
Bruckner: Symphonies 4 - 9
 
Chopin: Piano Cti. 1 & 2 
Chopin: Solo Piano

Debussy: Orchestral Works 
Debussy: String Quartet
Debussy: Solo Piano

Dvorak: Cello Concerto
Dvorak: Symphonies 5 - 9
Dvorak String Quartet Op. 96 "American"

Elgar: Cello Concerto 
Elgar Violin Concerto
Elgar: Enigma Variations 

Fauré: Requiem
Faure: Piano Quintets

Franck: Symphonie in D minor
Franck: Piano Quintet

Grieg: Piano Concerto
Grieg: Peer Gynt Suites 
Grieg: Lyric Pieces

Handel: Concerto Grossi, Op. 6 (Complete)
Handel: Suites for Keyboard
 
Haydn: Paris Symphonies
Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 76 (Complete)
Haydn: Late Piano Sonatas

Hindemith: Orchestral Works

Holst: The Planets 

Janacek: String Quartets 1 & 2

Janacek: Piano Music

Liszt: Piano Cti. 1 & 2
Liszt: Faust Symphony 
Liszt: Solo Piano

Mahler: Symphonies (Complete)


Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto
Mendelssohn: Symphonies 3 & 4


 
Mozart Violin Cti. 1 - 5
Mozart: Piano Concerti 19 - 27
Mozart: Symphonies 35 - 41 
Mozart: Figaro, Cosi, Don G, Flute (Highlights)
Mozart: Requiem

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition

Nielsen: Symphonies 1 - 5

Orff: Carmina Burana 

Poulenc: Concerto for Two Pianos 
Poulenc: Solo Piano

Prokofiev: Violin Concertos 1 & 2
Prokofiev: Piano Concertos 1 & 3
Prokofiev: Syms 1 & 5

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerti 2 & 3
Rachmaninov: Symphony 2
Rachmaninov: Solo Piano

 
Ravel: Piano Concerti
Ravel: Orchestral Works
Ravel: String Quartet
Ravel: Solo Piano Music 

Resphigi: Roman Trilogy

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade 

Saint-Saens: Violin Concerto 3
Saint-Saens: Symphony 3

Satie: Piano Works 

Scarlatti D: Keyboard Sonatas 

Schoenberg: Violin Concerto
Schoenberg: Piano Concerto
Schoenberg: Variations for Orchestra, Transfigured Night
Schoenberg: Solo Piano

 
Schubert: Symphonies 4, "Unfinished", 9
Schubert: Piano Quintet "Trout"
Schubert: Late String Quartets
Schubert: Arpeggione Sonata 
Schubert: Late Piano Sonatas 

Schumann: Piano Concerto 
Schumann: Symphonies (Complete)
Schumann: Solo Piano 

Scriabin: Symphonies (Complete)
Scriabin: Solo Piano

Shostakovich: Symphonies 4 - 11
Shostakovich: String Quartets 3 & 8
Shostakovich: Solo Piano

Sibelius: Symphonies (Complete)

Strauss R: Tone Poems 


Stravinsky: Violin Concerto
Stravinsky: Firebird Suite (1947)
Stravinsky: Rite of Spring

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto 1
Tchaikovsky: Symphonies (Complete)

Vivaldi: "Four Seasons"


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## endofnight (May 28, 2013)

Anything else? :lol:



> Bach: Brandenburg Concerti
> Bach: Goldberg Variations
> 
> Bartok - String Quartets (Complete)
> ...


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## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)




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## endofnight (May 28, 2013)

LordBlackudder,

Thanks for that! I actually love Nobuo Uematsu's music. I'm very familiar. I'm not a huge video game nerd, but Final Fantasy II & III for SNES are some of my favorite games. I love their soundtracks as well!


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