# Classical newbie seeks reccomendations



## Breach (Dec 16, 2007)

I work in a music store, and decided to try out a classical cd that caught my eye. I picked up Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5, 1812 Overture by the Berlin Philharmonic and Seiji Ozawa. The cd has great reviews so I figured that it was worth the $5 it cost me, ($4.55 actually). Needless to say, all the reviews were right, as it is fantastic, I absolutely love it. Could anyone please reccomend the best places to start for some of the other famous composers? Ive also heard some Wagner pieces and really enjoyed them as well. Classical is really not my usual taste in music (I usually listen to Jazz and Thrash Metal) so Im really lost as to where to go next. Im more interested in purely instrumental stuff, but Im not opposed to listening to something with vocals. Any help would be great, thank you in advance.


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## Ephemerid (Nov 30, 2007)

Hello, Breach! 

As far as exploring, just to listen to stuff to make sure it's something you want to get, I think YouTube is really handy, just to get a taste of the composition (though this would still leave the question open of what _recording _to get.). Just type in the keywords of a composer and/or composition and give it a listen. Very handy tool.

The company Naxos offers a wide range of classical CDs which are usually inexpensive, good quality recordings. You can get all the basics there. I'm sure there are other record companies as well that sell CDs inexpensively.

Now, as far as WHICH composers to investigate, that's a whole different can of worms!

~josh


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## Breach (Dec 16, 2007)

Yea I think whats confusing to me is that for every composition, there can be a dozen different recordings. And then (from what Ive read), different Conductors will do a piece very differently, some faster some slower. The CD I got of Tchaikovsky's is by 'eloquence', distrubuted by Universal, this one http://www.amazon.com/Tchaikovsky-S...r_1_26?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1197828127&sr=8-26


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## Breach (Dec 16, 2007)

Using Youtube, Ive found that I quite enjoy the Mozart pieces Ive heard so far by Neville Marriner. Would the Amadeus soundtrack be the best place to start for Mozart? Or any other good ones of Mozart by Neville Marriner you could reccomend?


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## YsayeOp.27#6 (Dec 7, 2007)

Breach said:


> Yea I think whats confusing to me is that for every composition, there can be a dozen different recordings. And then (from what Ive read), different Conductors will do a piece very differently, some faster some slower. The CD I got of Tchaikovsky's is by 'eloquence', distrubuted by Universal, this one http://www.amazon.com/Tchaikovsky-S...r_1_26?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1197828127&sr=8-26


The Eloquence series seem to be great. I checked online and what they release with the Decca logo was originally LPed... If it was recorded 40some years ago and is reprinted... it must be good.

I know how to download (ehem, piracy) audio files, but every now and then I feel ashamed and run to the stores to purchase discs, a time at which Universal and Naxos usually catch my attention (read _budget comfort_ here).


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