# Suggestions Please



## ArcticFox (Oct 10, 2014)

I'm new to classical music and their are several composers that I've heard a lot about but I've never actually heard any of their music so I was wondering if anyone could help me find great pieces by these composers.
Can anyone suggest at least one piece by these composers that you like a lot? I don't know where to begin with with these composers.
Schubert
Schumann
Mahler
Bruckner
Bartok
Janacek
Dvorak
Scriabin
Rachmaninoff
Chopin
Brahms
Liszt
Haydn 

Sorry that their are a lot of them. You don't have to give a suggestion for each of them although that would be greatly appreciated. 

Also, I've heard some Stockhausen and well, I haven't liked what I've heard so far but I've heard people talk about how great he is and I'd like to understand him better but I'm not into sound collages so are there any pieces that he made that didn't utilize voices, because everything so far that I've heard has voices and they either annoy me or creep me out or both. I'd like to appreciate at least one work by him though. I think that's it, sorry that this was so long. I'm just confused as to what to listen to first. 

Ooh, I almost forgot, can you recommend any good websites where you can listen to classical music for free, besides YouTube? I've tried listening to classical radio but then I have to sit through pieces that don't interest me.


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## musicrom (Dec 29, 2013)

I'll try to list a favorite piece of mine for each composer you listed (I might end up having to name 2-3 because it's too hard to choose only one):

*Schubert *- _Arpeggione Sonata_, _Symphony No. 3_
*Schumann *- _Cello Concerto_, _Piano Concerto_
*Mahler *- _Symphony No. 5_
*Bruckner *- _Symphony No. 7_, _Symphony No. 9_
*Bartok *- _Viola Concerto_
*Janacek *- _Taras Bulba_, _Lachian Dances_
*Dvorak *- _Symphony No. 9_, _Cello Concerto_
*Scriabin *- can't help you much hear, but I've listened to some decent piano sonatas of his
*Rachmaninoff *- _Piano Concerto No. 2_, _Symphony No. 2_
*Chopin *- too many to name; nearly all of them are good
*Brahms *- _Piano Concerto No. 2_
*Liszt *- _La Campanella_
*Haydn *- _Cello Concerto No. 1_

I can't help you much with the websites for classical music. Pandora is free, but you can't choose what you listen to really, and you can only skip a limited number of times. YouTube is my main source.


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## Chronochromie (May 17, 2014)

Welcome to the forum! These are some suggestions:
Schubert: Symphony No. 5, *Symphony No. 8 "Unfinished"* (one of the works that brought me to classical music apart from the famous "The Planets" of Gustav Holst) , Wanderer Fantasy
Schumann: Carnaval, Kinderszenen, Symphony No. 3
Mahler: Symphony No. 1 isn't long and it's very accesible (and also one of the few Mahler works I've heard!)
Bruckner: Christus Factus est, Symphony No. 4 "Romantic", Symphony No. 7
Bartok: Music for Strings, percussion and celesta, Concerto for Orchestra
Janacek: I don't know his music
Dvorak: Humoresques, Symphony No. 7, Symphony No. 8, Symphony No. 9 "From the New World"
Scriabin: see Janacek above
Rachmaninoff: Isle of the Dead, Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini, Symphony No. 2
Chopin: Nocturnes, Mazurkas, Ballades
Brahms: Violin Concerto, Symphony No. 1, Symphony No. 3, Symphony No. 4
Liszt: Annees de Pelerinage
Haydn: "London" Symphonies
Maybe I got a little carried away...anyway, Spotify is great, you can create playlists and everything, the only downsides are the annoying adds that show up randomly after finishing a piece or song.


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## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

Schubert: Der Erlkönig, "Trout" Quintet. 8th and 9th Symphonies
Schumann: Kinderscenen, Piano Concerto
Mahler: Symphony No. 1
Bruckner: Sorry, I don't know any Bruckner
Bartok: Mikrokosmos, Sonata for two pianos and percussion
Janacek: Sinfonietta
Dvorak: "American" Quartet, "New World" symphony
Scriabin: 24 Preludes
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2, Preludes
Chopin: Nocturnes, Preludes
Brahms: Hungarian Dances, Symphonies
Liszt: Transcendental Studies
Haydn: Trumpet Concerto, various symphonies (choose any!)


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## Declined (Apr 8, 2014)

I'm relatively new to classical music too, but here goes:

Schubert- Symphony 9
Schumann- Symphony 1
Mahler- all his symphonies
Dvorak- Symphony 9, Cello Concerto
Rachmaninoff- Piano Concertos, Symphonic Dances, Symphonies
Brahms- Symphonies, Piano Concertos, Violin Concerto, Hungarian Dances
Haydn- London Symphonies


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

Assuming that you're not a fan of classical vocals (though I'm sorry if I'm wrong):

Schubert - String Quintet
Schumann - Kreisleriana
Mahler - Symphony No. 6
Bruckner - Symphony No. 5
Bartok - Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta
Janacek - On An Overgrown Path
Dvorak - Symphony No. 8
Scriabin - Piano Sonata No. 7
Chopin - Piano Sonata No. 3
Brahms - Clarinet Quintet
Haydn - Symphony No. 100

As for Stockhausen...I'm no expert, but maybe Tierkreis?


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## ProudSquire (Nov 30, 2011)

Hi ArcticFox! Welcome to the forum, hope you have a great time here.

As I don't have time to refer to my collection at the moment, I'll list the pieces that I listen to quite often! Hope you enjoy them too!

*Schubert*: Notturno, D 897 in E flat, Impromptu in B-flat Major Op.142 No. 3
*Schumann*: Symphony No. 2 in C Major, Trio No. 1 in d minor Op. 63
*Mahler*: Symphony No. 4 in G Major, Symphony No. 5 in C# minor
*Bruckner*: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major
*Bartok*: String Quartet No. 4
*Janacek*: Not sure :{
*Dvorak*: Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Symphony No. 6 in D Major
*Scriabin*: Preludes Op. 11
*Rachmaninoff*: Piano Trio in D minor
*Chopin:* Berceuse Op. 57 in D flat Major, Any of the Ballads and Nocturnes
*Brahms*: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Piano Concerto No. 2
*Liszt*: Au bord d'une source, Hungarian Rhapsody No 12
*Haydn*: String quartet Op. 76 No. 6 in E flat Major, Symphony No. 88


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

Schubert String Quintet, Trout Quintet
Schumann Piano Concerto, Third Symphony
Mahler Fifth Symphony, Ninth Symphony 
Bruckner Symphony #8
Bartok Concerto for orchestra, String Quartet #4
Janacek Sinfonietta, String Quartets
Dvorak Cello Concerto, 9th Symphony
Scriabin ???
Rachmaninoff Second Piano Concerto, Symphonic Dances
Chopin ????
Brahms Violin Concerto, any symphony
Liszt ???
Haydn Op 76 String Quartets, cello concerto #1


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## Avey (Mar 5, 2013)

So dangerous to ask for recommendations on this forum. The response is always overwhelming.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Janacek: Sinfonietta(hello people? is this work not cool or something, I thought it was his main piece?)
Haydn: op 76 string quartets, London Symphonies, Paris Symphonies, just buy the Hogwood box set and supplement it with Bruggen!
Schubert: Impromptu's for solo piano, Symphony 5
Brahms: String sextets, Symphony 3, op 118 for solo piano
Bruckner: Symphony 7
Schumann: Fantasiestucke, Symphony 2, Symphony 3
Mahler: Symphony 2
Dvorak: Symphonies 7, 8
Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra
Scriabin: Poeme op 32, Sonatas 3, 4
Rachmaninoff: Etude Tableau op 33, 39; Piano concerto 3
Chopin: Ballades, particularly 2 and 4
Liszt: Annees de Pelerinage, Les Preludes


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Janacek- Taras Bulba, String Quartets
Mahler-Adagio
Scriabin-Poem Of Ecstasy
Bruckner-Symphony No. 9
Bartok-Piano Concerto No. 3


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

Kill two birds with one stone - Liszt's transcriptions of Schubert's songs for piano .... and then launch off into the piano music of both Liszt and Schubert (as well as exploring other music) using inexpensive sources of CDs such as second-hand Naxos CDs.

Its very intersting that so many of the suggestions so far are for music from a 'full' orchestra .... there are so many other forms of 'classical' music that can give heaps and heaps of pleasure - solo piano, quartets, trios, songs, duos etc etc etc


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## GioCar (Oct 30, 2013)

Just one for each composer, otherwise the list would be too long.

Schubert - Symphony No 8 "Unfinished"
Schumann - Etudes symphoniques for piano.
Mahler - Symphony No 6
Bruckner - Symphony No 8
Bartok - Music for String, Percussion and Celesta
Janacek - Sinfonietta
Dvorak - Cello Concerto
Scriabin - Piano Sonata Op. 9 (Black Mass)
Rachmaninoff - Piano Trios
Chopin - Ballades
Brahms - Symphony No 4

Liszt - Piano Sonata in B minor
Haydn - London Symphonies (here is very difficult to choose one only...)

Re. Stockhausen, try Gruppen for 3 Orchestras.

Finally I'd suggest to start from those pieces with more preferences...


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Schubert - String quintet
Schumann - Dichterliebe
Mahler - Symphony 6
Bruckner - Symphony 9
Bartok - Violin concerto
Janacek - Sinfonietta
Dvorak - String quartet 12
Scriabin - Piano concerto
Rachmaninoff - Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini
Chopin - Nocturnes
Brahms - Clarinet quintet
Liszt - Les preludes
Haydn - Trumpet concerto


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## Musicforawhile (Oct 10, 2014)

These are some of my favourites:

Schubert: Piano trio in E flat op.100, Unfinished symphony 2nd movement 
Brahms: Symphony No.1
Janacek: The Cunning Little Vixen, Jenufa
Dvorak: Slavonic Dances No.2
Scriabin: Etude No.8, Op. 12
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No.2, Prelude in C sharp minor from First Part Preludes
Chopin: Prelude in E minor, Nocturne in F minor, Nocturne in C# minor, Nocturne in C minor, Prelude in D flat major ('raindrop')


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## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

I'll list pieces that remain my favourites but that I think would also appeal to beginners. I'll skip those composers that I'm not too much familiar with. I'll put a perhaps more difficult but a great piece in parentheses. 

Schubert - Symphony #8 "Unfinished", String Quintet. (Mass #6)
Schumann - "Genoveva" overture, Piano Quintet. (Violin Concerto)
Mahler - Symphony #2. (Symphony #7)
Bruckner - Symphony #7, Symphony #4. (Symphonies #5 and #8)
Dvorak - Symphony #9, Cello Concerto. (Stabat Mater, St. Ludmila, Requiem, Te deum)
Scriabin - Piano Sonatas
Rachmaninoff - Piano Concertos #2, #3, Symphony #2, Vespers/All-Night Vigil
Brahms - Piano Concertos #1, #2, Symphonies #1, #4, Piano Trio #1. (Ein Deutsches Requiem, Piano Quintet, Violin Concerto)
Liszt - Faust Symphony, Tasso - lamento e triumfo. (Dante Symphony, Harmonies Poetiques et Religieuses, Die Legende von der Heiligen Elisabeth, Christus oratorio)
Haydn - Missa in Angustiis "Nelson Mass" (Die Schöpfung)


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

CHOPIN - Prélude n°6 op.28 (Horowitz): 



It's often called 'Tolling Bells', but to me it recalls sylvan glades at twilight, so I call it 'Polish Forests'.


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

ArcticFox said:


> Also, I've heard some Stockhausen and well, I haven't liked what I've heard so far but I've heard people talk about how great he is and I'd like to understand him better but I'm not into sound collages so are there any pieces that he made that didn't utilize voices, because everything so far that I've heard has voices and they either annoy me or creep me out or both. I'd like to appreciate at least one work by him though.


So you've probably heard Gesange der Junglinge and Stimmung - not everyone enjoys those as much as I do (the first is one of the great pieces ever, for me). From his earlier period I can thoroughly recommend Kontakte (I personally prefer the electronic only version to the one for live instruments and electronics) and from a bit later on, in a more accessible vein, Tierkreis for orchestra is excellent. Best place to find his work is youtube

Of course, Stockhausen is not the only great modern/contemporary composer - so if you want to go exploring that world, there are plenty of threads on here with good recommendations. Allow me two:

Grisey: Partiels





Boulez: Repons





Two distinct sound worlds - but only a tiny glimpse of what the latter half of the C20 and our century has to offer! Of course, enjoy (or not as the case may be) on your own terms


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## MagneticGhost (Apr 7, 2013)

I've chosen the pieces in the main that I fell for first and which fed my early love for classical music.
Enjoy your explorations.

Schubert -Unfinished Symphony
Schumann - Cello Concerto
Mahler - Symphony No.2 - 1st mvt (if the whole piece feels too daunting at first)
Bruckner - Symphony No.7 - Adagio (as above)
Bartok - Concerto for Orchestra
Janacek - Sinfonietta
Dvorak - Symphony No.9 'From the New World' 
Scriabin - Piano Concerto
Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No.2
Chopin - Ballade No.1
Brahms - Symphony No.4
Liszt - Piano Concerto No.1
Haydn - Cello Concerto in C


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

Strictly picking one favourite work each here.

Schubert: Winterreise
Schumann: Fünf Stücke im Volkston, op.102
Mahler: Symphony no.6
Bruckner: Locus iste
Bartok: Sonata for two pianos and percussion
Janacek: Sinfonietta
Dvorak: String quartet no.12, 'American'
Scriabin: Vers la flamme
Rachmaninoff: The Isle of the Dead
Chopin: Preludes
Liszt: Ballade no.2
Haydn: London symphonies - just pick one randomly!


As for where to listen to music, I'd suggest Spotify if you can get it.


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## Guest (Oct 15, 2014)

Anyone else here believe that it doesn't matter where you start? Or where you go from that point?


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

some guy said:


> Anyone else here believe that it doesn't matter where you start? Or where you go from that point?


Well, _I_ believe that, but when someone asks for help I see no reason not to offer some help. Particularly if they're a new member, it makes them feel welcome.

If it doesn't matter where ArcticFox starts, then why can't ArcticFox start _the way ArcticFox wants to_?

*Edited to add*: Apologies to ArcticFox and everyone else. This is turning into a threadjack, which is the exact thing I wanted not to happen.


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## Guest (Oct 15, 2014)

Ooooh. Nice alteration to the question there Nereffid! "Where you start" is now "the way you start."

Subtle change, but not subtle enough. And with my super-powers of ratiocination, I have discovered that they are two quite different things.

Anyway, of course ArcticFox can do whatever s/he wants. That's not the issue. If you insist on making it the issue, then I can certainly address that. That is, if I want to. But it is a separate issue and nothing to do with either of my questions.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Aaron Copland Appalachian Spring, Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic.


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

some guy said:


> Anyone else here believe that it doesn't matter where you start? Or where you go from that point?


Agreed! There are many roads to Rome (or even to 'roam' - :lol


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

GioCar said:


> Re. Stockhausen, try Gruppen for 3 Orchestras.


There's a good live performance on YouTube. But I agree with some guy. If you're sitting in front of a computer, just start listening. There's all kinds of streaming services available, and you can do the genre related radio thing at Pandora and last.fm.


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## ArcticFox (Oct 10, 2014)

Oh wow, I wasn't expecting so many answers, thank you all for being so helpful. I'll start checking these suggestions out right now  
Yeah, I sort of agree that it isn't ultra important where you start but I think that it does matter. Sometimes the first thing that you hear from an artist/composer is great so you check out more stuff from them but sometimes the first things you hear from this is not that great and you often just don't check them out anymore so I wanted to make sure that the first things that I hear by these composers are actually good


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## ArcticFox (Oct 10, 2014)

@Mahlerian- I like classical vocals, just not the way Stockhausen does it lol


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## Guest (Oct 15, 2014)

Schubert - Symphonies 8 & 9, Death and the Maiden String Quartet No. 14
Schumann
Mahler - Symphonies 1 & 2. 
Bruckner - Symphony 4
Bartok - Concerto for Orchestra
Janacek - Glagolitic Mass, Taras Bulba
Dvorak - Symphony 9, String Quartet No. 12, Slavonic Dances, Cello Concerto
Scriabin
Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 2, Symphony 2, Piano Trio No. 2
Chopin - Polonaises, Etudes
Brahms - German Requiem (Ein Deutsches Requiem), Piano Trio No. 1, Violin Concerto
Liszt - Sonata in B minor
Haydn - Symphonies 94, 96, 101, 104, The Creation, Lord Nelson Mass


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## Guest (Oct 15, 2014)

I like www.classicalcdguide.com for helping identify works to hear if you are just starting out.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

ArcticFox said:


> I'm new to classical music and their are several composers that I've heard a lot about but I've never actually heard any of their music so I was wondering if anyone could help me find great pieces by these composers.
> Can anyone suggest at least one piece by these composers that you like a lot? I don't know where to begin with with these composers.
> Schubert
> Schumann
> ...


I passed over this thread several times before now returning to it, with a feeling of some envy for you, having the opportunity that you have to hear the music of the above listed folks for the first time. Wow.

The suggestions you've received thus far are good, and there is so much to hear that you have a lifetime of joy awaiting you. And though I thought any offerings I could suggest would be merely futile, I decided to play ... probably for my own enjoyment.

One "starter work" for each of the composers listed? A tough chore, to be sure, but here goes:

Schubert -- Symphony No. 5 in B-flat
Schumann -- Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 97, the _Rhenish_ 
Mahler -- Symphony No. 2, _Resurrection_ 
Bruckner -- Symphony No. 4, the _Romantic_ 
Bartok -- Concerto for Orchestra
Janacek -- _Taras Bulba_ 
Dvorak -- Symphony No. 9, _From the New World_
Scriabin -- The Piano Concerto in F sharp minor, Op. 20
Rachmaninoff -- The Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
Chopin -- Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23
Brahms -- Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77
Liszt -- _Les préludes _ (the Third Symphonic Poem)
Haydn -- Symphony No. 94 in G major, the _Surprise_ Symphony

Enjoy.


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## Guest (Oct 15, 2014)

ArcticFox said:


> I wanted to make sure that the first things that I hear by these composers are actually good


:lol:You will get to the point, and probably pretty soon, too, where you too will find this remark to be outrageously hilarious.


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## Musicforawhile (Oct 10, 2014)

Der Leiermann said:


> (one of the works that brought me to classical music apart from the famous "The Planets" of Gustav Holst)


Me too regarding Holst. I think 'Jupiter' must have been the first classical piece that I heard or at least remember hearing, I didn't know it was classical, I just loved it.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

I tried to give suggestions that have not already been said. If a work shows up in my list that is a repeat, it is because it really is among that composer's best.

Schubert: Ave Maria (any language, it is beautiful in all of them, although it is better with vocals than just instruments)
Schumann: Symphony No. 4
Mahler: Symphony No. 1
Dvorak: Scherzo Capriccioso, B 131
Scriabin: Piano Concerto
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 4
Chopin: Scherzo No. 3, Op. 39
Brahms: Scherzo in E-flat minor, Op. 4
Liszt: Totentanz
Haydn: Symphony No. 51 (I recommend Fischer or Dorati for Haydn symphonies; Hogwood sounds nice but takes every repeat possible and drags some of the symphonies out too long)


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