# Relatively new listener needs suggestions



## adrver (Nov 5, 2012)

Hello everyone!

I'm new here on the forums and also quite new to classical music in general. I have some thoughts about what kind of classical music I like, but I'd like to expand my horizon. And what better way is there to do that than by asking fellow enthusiasts with similar taste?

A little background on my musical preferences: I originally come from metal/rock music, but started enjoying classical more and more after I found out that many of my idols studied classical music. One of my all time heroes on the electric guitar, Paul Gilbert, is a huge fan of Bach.

*Bach* is also probably the composer I listen to the most. I absolutely love his concertos, organ works and harpsichord works. I can listen to him for hours. Especially his fugues for organ and harpsichord. But apart from Bach, I don't have any loved composers in my life (yet )

I also enjoy *Vivaldi*. His "Four Seasons" never fails to enjoy me, as well as the few other pieces I've heard by him. I'd definately want to hear more from him, if you guys have any good suggestions.

*Haydn* is the next one on my list. I'm quite familiar with his 94th, 101st and 88th, but not so much of his other stuff. Any suggestions? My guess is that you will suggest *Beethoven*, as he is the King of Symphonies, to my understanding. But I'm not sure about him. His symphonies are a bit boring to me . But I'll give it another try if I have to 

I also like "powerful" music, if you can call it that. Pieces I'm familiar with include the requiems by Mozart, Faure and Haydn. I also enjoy Dvorak's 9th and Holst's Planets. I'm not so much into Verdi and Wagner, they're a bit too heavy for me 

I just realized I probably requested 7 weeks worth of music, but as I said, I'd like to expand my horrizon a bit. 
PS: If I posted this in the wrong section, or there's already a thread for this kind of requests, can a moderator please remove this? 
Thank you


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## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

There are already several threads along this line that could be helpful if you browse the forums. This link is to one of the more recent discussions:

http://www.talkclassical.com/752-essential-classical-music-new.html

Not to mention the collection of these great lists by TC users:

http://www.talkclassical.com/17996-compilation-tc-top-recommended.html

Kevin


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## Logos (Nov 3, 2012)

Palestrina – Masses and Motets
Handel – Messiah, Concerti Grossi
Bach – Organ works, Brandenburg Concerti, Goldberg Var., Mass in B Minor, Matthew Passion
Haydn – Late Symphonies, Creation, Nelson Mass, String Quartets, Piano Sonatas
Mozart – Late Symphonies, Requiem, Piano Concerti, String Quartets, Don Giovanni, Magic Flute, Figaro
Beethoven – Symphonies, Piano Sonatas and Concerti, String Quartets, Fidelio, Missa Solemnis
Schubert – Lieder, Late Symphonies
Wagner – Ring, Tristan und Isolde, Meistersinger, Parsifal
Verdi – Otello, Falstaff


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## adrver (Nov 5, 2012)

Kevin Pearson said:


> There are already several threads along this line that could be helpful if you browse the forums. This link is to one of the more recent discussions:
> 
> http://www.talkclassical.com/752-essential-classical-music-new.html
> 
> ...


I saw that first thread, but the suggestions were very broad and included all kinds of styles and epoques. I was hoping people with similar taste would suggest pieces, so that I don't have to listen through stuff I don't really like (such as Nibelungenring, sorry Logos ) 
The second thread was nice though, I might dive into that one.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

*JS Bach*: Rousset (harpsichord); Gould (piano)
*Vivaldi*: Europa Galante/Biondi
*Haydn*: String Quartets, Op. 20 - Mosaiques Qt.; Piano Sonatas (3 Vols.) - Hamelin* 
LvB*: String Quartets, Op. 18 - Takacs Qt.; "Ghost" & "Archduke" Piano Trios - Istomin/Stern/Rose; Piano Sonatas 8, 15, 21, 22 - Gulda

Others: Corelli: Cti. Grossi, Op. 6 - Goodman; Handel: Suites for Keyboard - Keith Jarrett; D. Scarlatti: Sonatas for Keyboard - Pogorelich (piano)


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## adrver (Nov 5, 2012)

Vaneyes said:


> *JS Bach*: Rousset (harpsichord); Gould (piano)
> *Vivaldi*: Europa Galante/Biondi
> *Haydn*: String Quartets, Op. 20 - Mosaiques Qt.; Piano Sonatas (3 Vols.) - Hamelin*
> LvB*: String Quartets, Op. 18 - Takacs Qt.; "Ghost" & "Archduke" Piano Trios - Istomin/Stern/Rose; Piano Sonatas 8, 15, 21, 22 - Gulda
> ...


Ahh! Thank you! 
That's the kind of stuff I'm looking for! I actually have Scarlatti Sonatas, but on harpsichord. Pogorelich plays it very well on the piano though, from what I'm hearing right now.


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## davinci (Oct 11, 2012)

I suggest listening to Schubert's Symphony #8 (Unfinished). He, like Beethoven, bridged the Classical period into the Romantic. Also, Dvorak Symphs #7, 8, 9 for some Romantic exposure. And since you like Haydn, give a listen to Boccherini who was a contemporary of his; some beautiful sounding strings.


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

Here is the cd I recommend from Boccherini.


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## Guest (Nov 7, 2012)

adrver said:


> And what better way is there to do that than by asking fellow enthusiasts with similar taste?


Exploring on your own?


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Keep trying with the Beethoven symphonies - they're anything but boring ! Also try his five piano concertos, the violin concerto, the various piano sonatas , miscellaneous orchestral things such as the overtures, Leonore no 3, Egmont, Coriolan, etc. 
Fidelio, his only opera, is one of the greats of the operatic repertoire. 
The Schubert 9th is absolutely stunning . Ditto the quintet for strings in C major.. For Robert Schumann, try his four symphonies, the piano concerto . And Mendelssohn's symphonies 3 and 4, repsectively the so-called Scottish and Italian symphonies, the violin concerto , Midsummer night's dream overture, etc.
Then the four Brahms symphonies, the violin concerto, the two piano concertos, the double concerto for violin and cello, the Haydn variations. 
There's plenty mpore you'll really enjoy,too.


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

Music isn't boring. Listeners who aren't committing to listen to it carefully are.

My advice is to assume that great music is great. If you aren't getting it, it's probably not the fault of the music. You probably just need a little more frame of reference, or you need to listen and not multi task. Read the liner notes. Google info on the composer and the work. If you still don't get it, don't write it off. Set it aside. When you get a little more experience it will start to make sense to you.


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## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

For "powerful" music, it doesn't get much more forceful than some of Mahler's symphonies. Try the 1st and 6th, in particular.


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## davinci (Oct 11, 2012)

This version of the Triple Concerto is a great introduction to Beethoven. Maybe you should be starting with this or the piano concertos rather than the symphonies.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

If you already like Haydn, try his piano sonatas and piano trios, I find them very enjoyable. Also, his cello concertos and Nelson Mass.

Brahms: Piano concerto #2, Clarinet quintet, violin sonatas

Mendelssohn: string quintets, piano trios, symphonies. Check out his choral music as well, underapprecuated in my opinion.

And I second Mahler.


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## BurningDesire (Jul 15, 2012)

I recommend exploring the music of Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Mussorgsky, Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov, Debussy, Ives, Ravel, Satie, Bartok, Richard Strauss, Mahler, and Schoenberg. I can recommend specific works too for all of them if you want.


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

Schoenberg for new listeners? Ives? Sorry I would not recommend those. Stick with the Romantic Era and Impressionism (and everything before that which you ignored).


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## BurningDesire (Jul 15, 2012)

neoshredder said:


> Schoenberg for new listeners? Ives? Sorry I would not recommend those. Stick with the Romantic Era and Impressionism (and everything before that which you ignored).


I ignored prior music because that is stuff he said he liked, I am recommending things for him to explore that he will probably like that will expand his horizons, and Ives and Schoenberg I put at the end because they aren't a huge leap from Romanticism. They're both Romantic composers at heart, in addition to their modernistic tendencies. People aren't likely to grow if you assume they are incapable of enjoying something. I enjoyed Ives the first time I heard his music years ago.


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

I actually find Schnittke more enjoyable than Ives or Schoenberg. But yeah the listener can grow over time. I disliked Modernism at the beginning. Especially stuff that didn't seem to have a lot of emotion to it but rather just being atonal for the sake of being atonal. I found Shostakovich and Schnittke more emotional and would be my choices if they wanted to get into some of that late 20th Century works.


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## BurningDesire (Jul 15, 2012)

neoshredder said:


> I actually find Schnittke more enjoyable than Ives or Schoenberg. But yeah the listener can grow over time. I disliked Modernism at the beginning. Especially stuff that didn't seem to have a lot of emotion to it but rather just being atonal for the sake of being atonal. I found Shostakovich and Schnittke more emotional and would be my choices if they wanted to get into some of that late 20th Century works.


With Shostakovich, some of his music you could argue is tonal just to be tonal (or rather because he might be killed for writing more dissonant music, those conservative Soviet leaders would likely get along fine with some of the folks on this forum).


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

Here is a *very short* best of Beethoven list that i made a while ago.
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlqAua4LizbBo5S5bYTe_CTohyx7kOl_2


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

jani said:


> Here is a *very short* best of Beethoven list that i made a while ago.
> http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlqAua4LizbBo5S5bYTe_CTohyx7kOl_2


Great list my friend.


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## BurningDesire (Jul 15, 2012)

jani said:


> Here is a *very short* best of Beethoven list that i made a while ago.
> http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlqAua4LizbBo5S5bYTe_CTohyx7kOl_2


No Op. 131? No cello sonatas? No Hammerklavier? No Egmont Overture? Son I am disappoint.


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## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)




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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

BurningDesire said:


> No Op. 131? No cello sonatas? No Hammerklavier? No Egmont Overture? Son I am disappoint.


I said *VERY SHORT*.


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## adrver (Nov 5, 2012)

jani said:


> Here is a *very short* best of Beethoven list that i made a while ago.
> http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlqAua4LizbBo5S5bYTe_CTohyx7kOl_2


VERY short = 8 hours


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

adrver said:


> VERY short = 8 hours


Yes it i when you take to consideration how much music he wrote.
It was really hard to pic that list from all of his masterpieces.


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

You should also try some Sibelius.


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## davinci (Oct 11, 2012)

One of my favs from the Classical period... Joseph Martin Kraus. Very influenced by Haydn.


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## davinci (Oct 11, 2012)

jani said:


> You should also try some Sibelius.


Sibelius is a must !! Even though he is more modern, 1865 - 1957.


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## Ramako (Apr 28, 2012)

I am a huge *Haydn* fan myself.

My recommendation is to start with the London symphonies (93-104). You are already familiar with some of these. The important ones particularly are nos 94,(99),100,101,103,104. After that you should look for his Sturm und Drang symphonies - starting with the Farewell no. 45 (for this one you should read up about it, or watch it on Youtube - even see it live - to appreciate the theatrical element), the Lamentation (26), also the Trauer 44, Mercury 43, and Imperial 53. In terms of performers I would recommend Adam Fischer for 44, 45, 53 and maybe 26, Antal Dorati for 43 and Trevor Pinnock is a good second for most of these as well. For the London symphonies I would recommend Colin Davis.

For the quartets I would advise starting with op. 33, then 76.

Late Haydn is much more Mozartian and more accessible than the early works, but that should not stop you from having a go at some of the finest music in the repetoire


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## davinci (Oct 11, 2012)

"I am a huge Haydn fan myself.
My recommendation is to start with the London symphonies (93-104)"

Agree....An excellent collection with great sonics on Philips.


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