# New to Classical. Suggestions?



## MrMustard (Feb 4, 2013)

So i'm relatively new to Classical. I've heard a lot, but my personal library is limited to: Most of Chopin's works and Mozart's sonatas, Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21 and his Clarinet Concerto, Strauss's "Blue Danube" and "Roses From the South." I like all of these.

I'm looking for something in the Romantic and Classical era, more so in Romantic. Suggestions would be appreciated.


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

Beethoven symphonies, Piano sonatas/concertos, string quartets.
If its composed by Beethoven its a guarantee for quality music, some of his music might not be to your taste but there is music that yourself don't like but you can clearly hear that the notes go together.
'
" you can clearly hear that the notes go together."=Quality music.


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

May i suggest that you start with a revolutionary symphony *EROICA!*


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

Beethoven, Schubert, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, and Sibelius!
For Beethoven Piano Sonatas, Symphonies, and String Quartets. Symphony 6 and Piano Sonata #8 are my favorites of Beethoven
Schubert's Late String Quartets, Late Piano Sonatas, and Symphonies 8 and 9.
Tchaikovsky Symphonies 4-6 and Violin Concerto.
Sibelius's Symphonies. (1,2,3, 5)
Dvorak Symphonies 7-9


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

I read this excellent advice on this forum before:

Start with Mozart, for accessibility and lightness of touch. 

Then go to Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Wagner etc, The Romantics, for excessive expression, incredible energy, bombast and complexity.

Then when you've listened to enough of this, you're ready for Mozart, for depth and subtlety... :tiphat:


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

Kieran said:


> I read this excellent advice on this forum before:
> 
> Start with Mozart, for accessibility and lightness of touch.
> 
> ...


Yea, there was a actually a time when i liked Mozart more than Beethoven( Dark times ) and that was when i started to listening to classical but in a year Beethoven became my favorite.


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## Stargazer (Nov 9, 2011)

Since you mention a lot of piano works, I'd highly highly recommend starting with all of Beethoven's piano sonatas/concertos. He has 32 sonatas and 5 concertos, you really can't go wrong with any of them. I'd personally start with the later ones and work your way back but how you do it is up to you lol. From there, I'd say just start going through some of the major composers and checking out some of their works, there is a list on this forum of a few hundred of the more popular classical pieces in various genres. Don't limit yourself to just piano . I'd check out John Field also, he's pretty similar to Chopin.

Here's one to start you off!


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

For Beethoven, I would definitely never recommend the string quartets for someone starting in classical music.

Rather than the suggested overdose of Beethoven, I would suggest you spread your attention over various composers. For instance:

Mozart - Requiem
Schubert - Unfinished symphony
Beethoven - Symphony 6
Brahms - Violin concerto
Berlioz - Sinfonie fantastique
Dvorak - Symphony 9
Grieg - Peer Gynt suites


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

You can't have enough *Beethoven*.


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## Guest (Feb 4, 2013)

I suggest that you explore. 

Take risks. 

(This was good advice when I was a kid and had only radio. Now there's internet as well. So easy to explore now, it's difficult to take risks!)

Aside from Art Rock's post (which mine can be seen as a variant of), what you've gotten so far is a lot of advice to listen to other people's favorites. Well, whatever floats yer boat, I guess. But where's the sport in that?


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

neoshredder said:


> You can't have enough *Beethoven*.


Oh yes, you can.


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

some guy said:


> I suggest that you explore.
> 
> Take risks.
> 
> ...


And what is the best way to explore the internet iyo? For me, last.fm is quite easy to explore similar artists. Type in your favorite Composer and they play the stuff you will have a good chance of liking. Mozart and Chopin are about as far away from the style you like as you can get but who knows I guess. Ligeti and Schnittke are common picks for those who like Romantic Era composers and want to explore some of the more modern Composers. If you want to totally abandon the Romantic Era sound and go straight to atonal Modernism, I'd suggest Xenakis.


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## Toddlertoddy (Sep 17, 2011)

Rather than starting with humongous works (e.g. symphonies, opera), try small stuff like songs (Schubert's lieder), piano sonatas (Beethoven), and chamber music (Schubert's Death and Maiden string quartet, Schubert's Trout quintet, Dvorak's "American" string quartet, Mendelssohn's Octet, Dvorak's Piano Quintet).

Also, try some Poulenc (Flute Sonata, Sextet, Gloria)


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

We go through all this trouble making these lists, why not use them?

http://www.talkclassical.com/23630-classical-music-project-part.html

Edit: I suppose the newbie vs. veteran is a factor, but you can pick and choose a bit if you have any knowledge of the composers.

And it's much easier to taste nowadays. You don't have to buy albums without hearing something online first.


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## knarf (Jan 20, 2013)

Seconding what's above, the lists have been an incredible tool as far as guiding me in my discovery.


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