# If you could only pick 20 classical pieces to recommend, what would they be?



## MrWD57 (Nov 17, 2020)

My tentative steps into the classical music world was about 20 years or so ago when there was a vinyl and cd classical music shop near New Eltham station in S.E. London. It sold L.P.s for £1 each, so I asked the owner to provide me with 50 classical records that he felt would be ideal for a novice to hear. It eventually led me to serious listening about 4 or 5 years ago, so a bit of a slow burn tbh. I did wonder what people on this forum would recommend in a similar situation, albeit slimmed down to just 20.


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## Isaac Blackburn (Feb 26, 2020)

There is a thread that provides something similar:
the Talk Classical Community's Favorite and Most Highly Recommend Works

Here are 20 peaks of classical music that will give you a broad base in styles, time periods, and forms.

1. Bach- St. Matthew Passion
2. Bach- The Art of Fugue
3. Mozart- Piano Concerto No. 24
4. Beethoven- String Quartet No. 14
5. Beethoven- Symphony No. 9
6. Beethoven- Piano Sonata No. 29
7. Schubert- Piano Trio No. 2
8. Chopin- Piano Sonata No. 3
9. Wagner- Parsifal
10. Brahms- Symphony No. 4
11. Brahms- Piano Quartet No. 3
12. Bruckner- Symphony No. 8
13. Mahler- Symphony No. 2
14. Mahler- Symphony No. 6
15. Mahler- Symphony No. 8
16. Mahler- Symphony No. 10
17. Schonberg- Verklarte Nacht
18. Rachmaninoff- Piano Concerto No. 3
19. Prokofiev- Piano Concerto No. 2
20. Stravinsky- Symphony of Psalms


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

And an alternate list but one that has recording recommendations:
https://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/trout/1624-recommended-recordings-intro.html


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

On a personal basis, simply what I like, off the top of my head, it would be, in the order in which it occurs to me:

1. Purcell's Rondeau from Abdelazer
2. Handel, Messiah
3. Lully, Suite from Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme
4. Bach, Double Violin Concerto
5. Holst, The Planets
6. Beethoven's Fifth
7. Vivaldi, The Four Seasons
8. Bizet, Carmen
9. Diego Ortiz, various, including Passamezzo Moderno
10. Biber, Rosary Sonatas
11. Tunes from Playford, The English Dancing Master
12. Mahler's Second ('Resurrection') Symphony
13. Songs by Barbara Strozzi
14. Rachmaninoff, Mass of St John Chrysostom
15. Tchaikovsky, 1812 Overture
16. Roderigo, Concierto de Aranjuez
17. Gregorian chant from Solemnes
18. Boccherini, quintets - Musica notturna delle strade di Madrid & guitar quintets
19. Mozart, Great Mass in C minor, K. 427
20. Vivaldi, Stabat Mater

From which you will see that I'm an unsubtle 'populist' type with a few hidden quirks, and not a good person to recommend anything. 
But thanks - I enjoyed thinking up the twenty. (No doubt for the rest of the day I'll be haunted by the ones that slipped my mind.)


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## level82rat (Jun 20, 2019)

I don’t have a list off the top of my head but I do have this piece of advice: listen to any given piece multiple times over a period of time. You may dislike it the first 4 listens and then fall in love the 5th listen


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Not in this order; maybe begin with Debussy and Ravel then where you like.

Bach - Well-Tempered Clavier
Bach - Goldberg Variations
Beethoven - Piano Sonatas
Beethoven - String Quartets
Debussy - Images (solo piano)
Debussy - Sonatas (violin, cello sonatas, and the trio sonata for flute, viola and harp)
Debussy - String Quartet
Ravel - String Quartet; Gaspard de la nuit; Miroirs
Brahms - chamber works for clarinet (two sonatas, op. 120; the trio and quintet)
Stravinsky - Petruska; Historie du Soldat; Concerto for Piano and Winds; Violin Concerto
Bernstein - Mass

That's twenty, but more from these same composers would also be good.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Bach - Well-Tempered Clavier, Art of Fugue, Mass in B minor, Goldberg Variations, Leipzig Chorales.
Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique
Chopin - Preludes, op. 28
Handel - Messiah
Mahler - Syms. 2, 4, 5
Mozart - Requiem, Mass in C minor, Oboe Quartet
Nielsen - Symphony no. 3
Pettersson - Symphony no. 7
Ravel - String Quartet
Schubert - Piano Sonata D 959
Weber - Grand Duo Concertante for clarinet and piano
Zemlinsky - String Quartet no. 2


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

Bach: Brandenburg Concertos
Bartok: Concerto For Orchestra
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4, Symphony No. 9
Borodin: String Quartet No. 2
Brahms: Violin Concerto, Symphony No. 4
Copland: Appalachian Spring
Debussy: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun
Dvorak: Cello Concerto in B minor, Symphony No. 8
Grieg: Holberg Suite
Holst: The Planets
Mendelssohn: Hebrides Overture, Symphony No. 4 ("Italian")
Mozart: Symphony No. 41 ("Jupiter")
Prokofiev: Classical Symphony
Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin
Tchaikovsky: Serenade For Strings
Wagner: Tannhauser Overture


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

Vivaldi The Four Seasons
Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
Haydn Symphony No. 83
Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Mozart Symphony No. 40
Beethoven Symphony No. 5
Beethoven Symphony No. 9
Schubert String Quartet No. 14
Schumann Symphony No. 4
Mendelssohn Symphony No. 1
Rossini William Tell Overture 
Brahms Symphony No. 4
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5
Wagner Overture to Tannhauser
J. Strauss An Der Schonen Blauen Donau
Mahler Symphony No. 6
R. Strauss Eine Alpensinfonie
Sibelius Symphony No. 5
Holst The Planets
Shostakovich Symphony No. 10


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## etipou (Dec 4, 2020)

Isaac Blackburn said:


> Here are 20 peaks of classical music that will give you a broad base in styles, time periods, and forms.


It will certainly give you a broad base in Very Long and Serious Works, Mostly by Germans and in a Minor Key...I hope it comes with a bottle of hard liquor.


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## Isaac Blackburn (Feb 26, 2020)

etipou said:


> It will certainly give you a broad base in Very Long and Serious Works, Mostly by Germans and in a Minor Key...I hope it comes with a bottle of hard liquor.


Hah! It was not my intention, but offering the supreme achievements of music _will _give you a list featuring heavily the Very Long and Serious.


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## nv420 (Dec 15, 2020)

Georg Friedrich Haas - Limited Approximations
Kaija Saariaho - Laterna Magicka
Maurice Ravel - Gaspard de la Nuit
Tristan Murail - Gondwana
Tristan Murail - Treize Couleurs du Soleil Couchant
Toshio Hosokawa - Ferne Landschaft III "Seascapes of Fukuyama"
Toshio Hosokawa - Drawing 
Toru Takemitsu - Rain Spell
Toru Takemitsu - Bryce
Alberto Ginastera - Cello Concerto no. 2
Alberto Ginastera - Piano Concerto no. 2
J.S. Bach - Keyboard Concerto in D minor
Alfred Schnittke - Concerto Grosso no. 1
Fausto Romiteli - Professor Bad Trip, Lesson 1
Aleksandr Scriabin - Mysterium: Prefatory Action (the Alexander Nemtin completion)
Franz Liszt - Mephisto Valse no. 1
Gyorgy Ligeti - Clocks and Clouds
Giacinto Scelsi - Uaxuctum 
Sergei Rachmaninoff - Etudes Tableaux (both opuses)
Claude Debussy - Preludes Book II

NOTE: Subject to change depending on my mood :lol:


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## Burbage (Nov 27, 2007)

Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances
Prokofiev: Cinderella
Bach: Mass in B minor
Holst: The Planets
Messiaen: Des Canyons aux Etoiles
Bernstein: Songfest
Kodaly: Psalmus Hungaricus
Ravel: L'Enfant et les Sortileges
Shostakovich: String Quartet 2
Saint-Saens: Symphony 3
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique
Higdon: Southern Harmony
Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem
Hindemith: Der Schwanendreher
Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra
Franck: Le Chasseur Maudit
Tabakova: Suite in the Old Style
Chaminade: Concertstueck
Elgar: Enigma Variations
Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel


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## Axter (Jan 15, 2020)

Schumann - Symphony 4 
Schumann - Piano Concerto 
Tchaikovsky - Symphony 6 “Pathetique” 
Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto 1 
Mozart - Symphony 35 “Haffner”
Mozart - Symphony 38 “Prague”
Mozart - Symphony 40
Beethoven - Violin Concerto
Beethoven - Piano Concerto 3
Beethoven - Piano Concerto 4
Beethoven - Piano Concerto 5
Beethoven - Symphony 3 “Eroica”
Beethoven - Symphony 5
Beethoven - Symphony 6 “Pastoral”
Mahler - Symphony 5
Bruckner - Symphony 4 “Romantic”
Schubert - Symphony 8 “unfinished”
Smetana - Ma Vlast
Brahms - Tragic Overture
Brahms - Academic Overture


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## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

for an adventurous novice:

Adams: Harmonielehre
Arnold: Symphony no 5
Bach: Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, BWV 1041
Barber: Concerto for Violin, Op. 14 
Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra, Sz. 116, BB 123
Beethoven: Symphony No.5
Brahms: Violin Concerto
Debussy: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun), L 86
Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 in E minor, op. 95 "From the New World"
Elgar: Enigma Variations, Op. 36
Fauré: Requiem, Op. 48
Harvey: Mortuous Plango, Vivos Voco
Messaien: Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23
Mussorgsky (Ravel, orch.): Pictures at an Exhibition
Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto for Piano No.2
Rzewski: The People United Never Will be Defeated
Sibelius: Symphony No.5
Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring (Le Sacre du Printemps)


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

It all kind of depends on the listening experience the person has that I am recommending composers too. 

Do they have any classical music listening experience? Which composers? What other genres of music do they listen to?

Also, my tastes are strictly 20th century up through contemporary eras, so they may be a bit more 'difficult' than most people here. I am sure there will be very little overlap with most other recommendations you get. But if you are a bit adventurous, and are willing to give some of these time to sink in, you may be rewarded. 

All that being said, here is my composer list and few compositions:


Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring, A Soldier's Tale, Petrushka
Bartok - Music for strings, percussion and celeste, Concerto for Orchestra, Piano Concerto no 2
Samuel Barber - Piano Concerto, Medea's Dance of Vengeance
Alban Berg - Violin Concerto, 3 Pieces for orchestra
Anton Webern - 5 Pieces for orchestra, Variations for orchestra
Elliott Carter - Concerto for Orchestra, Piano Concerto, Three Occasions for Orchestra
Joan Tower - Concerto for Orchestra, Violin Concerto, Silver Ladders
Toru Takemitsu - From Me Flows What You Call Time, Rain Coming
Magnus Lindberg - Piano Concerto, Sculpture, Concerto for Orchestra
Arnold Schoenberg - Variations for Orchestra, Chamber Symphony
Krzysztof Penderecki - Violin Concerto No. 2: Metamorphosen, Sextet, De Natura Sonoris
Gyorgi Ligeti - Violin Concerto, Clocks and Clouds, Chamber Concerto
Thea Musgrave - Concerto for Orchestra, Turbulent Landscapes
Unsuk Chin - Concerto for Orchestra, Violin Concerto
Luciano Berio - Ekphrasis, Formazioni
Harrison Birtwistle - Earth Dances, The Triumph of Time, An Imaginary Landscape
Joseph Schwantner - ...And the Mountains Rising Nowhere, Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra, Aftertones of Infinity


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

I will cheat and group together some works:

1. Beethoven Symphonies
2. Holst The Planets
3. Handel Messiah
4. Vivaldi Four Seasons
5. Beethoven Grosse Fuge
6. Bach Mass in B Minor
7. Mozart Requiem
8. Tchaikovsky Symphony 6
9. Monteverdi Vespers
10. Bach Brandenburg Concertos
11. Schubert String Quartet no. 15
12. Mozart Piano Concertos nos. 20 to 27
13. Dvorak Symphony no. 9
14. Beethoven Violin Concerto
15. Bartok Concerto for Orchestra
16. Beethoven Hammerklavier
17. Mozart Symphonies 40 and 41
18. Schubert Trout Quintet
19. Liszt Totentanz
20. Bach Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue

This would be a good list to hook young me, at least.

Non-cheating list:
1. Beethoven Symphony 5
2. Beethoven Symphony 7
3. Beethoven Symphony 9
4. Holst The Planets
5. Handel Messiah
6. Vivaldi Summer
7. Beethoven Grosse Fuge
8. Bach Mass in B Minor
9. Mozart Requiem
10. Tchaikovsky Symphony 6
11. Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 1
12. Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 5
13. Schubert String Quartet 15
14. Mozart Piano Concerto no. 21 
15. Dvorak Symphony 9
16. Mozart Symphony 41
17. Beethoven Hammerklavier
18. Bartok Concerto for Orchestra
19. Bach Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue
20. Monteverdi Vespers


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

I don't know what I would list, but think that too many of the above are like trying to introduce someone to the novel with "War and Peace" or"Don Quixote" or "Ulysses."


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

22 Talk Classical members teamed together to design a giant representation of greatest works. This post explains why you should look at this list and its ordering, it's quite different from other lists:

Talk Classical's Favorite Works: Stat Charts


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## etipou (Dec 4, 2020)

MarkW said:


> I don't know what I would list, but think that too many of the above are like trying to introduce someone to the novel with "War and Peace" or"Don Quixote" or "Ulysses."


Absolutely. New listeners usually need a good proportion colourful and tuneful works that aren't too long*. We forget how big a step it is even to move from 4 minute songs to 10 minute symphonic allegros. Handel's Water Music, Chopin's Nocturnes, Dvorak's Slavonic Dances, suites from Carmen and Tchaikovsky, a disc of opera highlights etc should make up plenty of it. A few repertoire staples from Beethoven & Mozart & co for the rest.

Though I don't think Don Quixote is a bad place to start reading adult novels, especially taken half at a time.

*As, I might suggest, do seasoned listeners too - or they are in danger of becoming morbid...


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## julide (Jul 24, 2020)

etipou said:


> It will certainly give you a broad base in Very Long and Serious Works, Mostly by Germans and in a Minor Key...I hope it comes with a bottle of hard liquor.


Not many people go to classical music for whimsical and fun when pop music and disco exist.


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## julide (Jul 24, 2020)

etipou said:


> Absolutely. New listeners usually need a good proportion colourful and tuneful works that aren't too long*. We forget how big a step it is even to move from 4 minute songs to 10 minute symphonic allegros. Handel's Water Music, Chopin's Nocturnes, Dvorak's Slavonic Dances, suites from Carmen and Tchaikovsky, a disc of opera highlights etc should make up plenty of it. A few repertoire staples from Beethoven & Mozart & co for the rest.
> 
> Though I don't think Don Quixote is a bad place to start reading adult novels, especially taken half at a time.
> 
> *As, I might suggest, do seasoned listeners too - or they are in danger of becoming morbid...


People recommending minor works and whimsical dance suites to people who want to get into classical music do the opposite.


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

Beethoven Fifth symphony Piano Concerto No. 3

Handel Messiah choruses, Water Music

Vivaldi 4 Seasons

Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture

J.S. Bach Brandenburg Concertos, Magnificat

Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Piano Concerto No. 21

Dvorak New World Symphony, Cello Concerto

Sibelius Violin Concerto, Symphony No. 2

Debussy La Mer

Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4 "Italian"

Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1

Rossini Overtures

Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique

Strauss Blue Danube waltz


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## etipou (Dec 4, 2020)

julide said:


> People recommending minor works and whimsical dance suites to people who want to get into classical music do the opposite.


Every one of those is a major work. And they were the pieces I and millions of others were hooked by.


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## Chilham (Jun 18, 2020)

I started listening to classical music in a "serious manner" six months ago. I'd listened to popular classics and occasionally visited the opera for many years, but not in any serious way. I've listened to many of the pieces highly recommended by both this site, and other sources like Classic FM. I also listen to the 'Tune-of-the-day' from the "Year of Wonder" book, and if I enjoy it, expand to listen to the whole piece. I'm currently working my way chronologically from Plainchant to Modern day, currently in a month of Early/Mid-Baroque; Monteverdi last week, Purcell this week. I'm working my way through the highest-rated symphonies too, one a week (a Saturday symphony).

In those six months, here are the twenty pieces I've most enjoyed, and, if you'll allow me, the next twenty (I've included the recording I've listened to if it helps). Your mileage may vary, and remember that I've still only scratched the surface:

- Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 in D minor "Choral", Harnoncourt, 1991, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Charlotte Margiono (soprano), Birgit Remmert (alto), Ridolf Schasching (tenor), Robert Holl (bass), Arnold Schoenberg Choir
- Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Harnoncourt, 1991, Chamber Orchestra of Europe
- Tchaikovsky, Violin Concerto in D, Ozawa, 1985, Viktoria Mullova, Boston Symphony Orchestra
- Pachelbel, Canon and Gigue in D, 2010, Voices of Music
- Glass, String Quartet No. 3 "Mishima", 1995, Kronos Quasrtet
- Zipoli, Elevazione for Cello And Oboe, Haydon Clark, 2011, Consort Of London
- Tchaikovsky, Festival Overture in E-flat major "1812 Overture", Davis, 1997, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir
- Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique, Tilson Thomas, 1997, San Francisco Symphony 
- Smetana, My Fatherland (Má Vlast), Harnoncourt, 2003, Wiener Philharmoniker
- Bruch, Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Sargent, New Symphony Orchestra of London, Jascha Heifetz
- Bach, Cello Suite, 2010, Yo Yo Ma
- Mendelssohn, Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, 2009, Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Emmanuel Ax
- Gluck, Orfeo ed Euridice, Fasolis, 2018, Philippe Jaroussky, Amanda Forsythe, Emőke Baráth, I Barocchisti, Coro della Radiotelevisione Svizzera
- Rimsky-Korsakov, 4 Songs, Op. 40, Anush Hovhannisyan, Sergey Rybin & Yuriy Yurchuk
- Bach, Mass in B minor, Herreweghe, Philippe, 2011, Collegium Vocale Ghent, Dorothee Mields, Hana Blažiková, Damien Guillon, - Thomas Hobbs, Peter Kooij
- Dvořák, Symphony No. 9 in E minor "New World", Kubelík, 1995, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
- Mozart, Symphony No. 40 in G minor, Savall, 2017, Le Concert des Nations
- Schubert, Symphony No. 9 in C major "Great", Harnoncourt, 1992, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

- Chopin, Piano Concerto No.1 In E Minor, Op.11, Abbado, Martha Argerich, London Symphony Orchestra
- Brahms, Cello Sonata No. 1 in E minor, 2017, Alexandre Tharaud, Jean-Guihen Queyras
- Strauss, Vier Letzte Lieder, Solti, Dame Kiri Te Kanewa, Vienna Philharmonic
- Saint-Saëns, Clarinet Sonata in E-flat major, Martin Fröst, Roland Pöntinen
- Bach, Keyboard Partita No. 1 in B-Flat Major, Andreas Schiff
- Dvořák, Serenade for Strings in E major, Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
- Korngold, Violin Concerto in D major 
- Mozart, Clarinet Quintet in A major 
- Bach, Goldberg Variations, 1981, Glenn Gould
- Vivaldi, Andromeda liberata, Serenata Veneziana 
- Goodall, And the Bridge is Love, 2019,	Julian Lloyd Webber, English Chamber Orchestra
- Couperin, Pièces de Clavercin, 2003-05, Angela Hewitt
- Barber, Adagio for Strings, Previn, André, 1976, London Symphony Orchestra
- Mozart, Symphony No. 41 in C major, "Jupiter", Savall,	2018, Le Concert des Nations
- Bach, Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin BWV 1001-1006, 1988, Itzhak Perlman
- Vivaldi, Four Seasons	Chandler, La Serenissima
- Dvořák, Piano Quartet No. 2 in E flat major 
- Pejačević, Dora, Impromptu in B-flat major 
- Bruch, Kol Nidrei, Volkov, Ilan, 2012, Nathalie Clein, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
- Grieg, Piano Concerto in A minor, Jansons, Mariss, 2002, Leif Andsnes, Berliner Philharmoniker
- Mahler, Symphony No. 2 in C minor "Resurrection", Jurowski, 2009, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Adriana Kucerova
- Dowland, Lachrimae, 2019, Phantasm, Elizabeth Kenny


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## julide (Jul 24, 2020)

etipou said:


> Every one of those is a major work. And they were the pieces I and millions of others were hooked by.


How is it a major work when all you recommend to them are the fun and dancey bits from major works.


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## Fabulin (Jun 10, 2019)

1. Star Wars (Williams)
2. The Nutcracker (Tchaikovsky)
3. Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven)
4. Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven)
5. Brandenburg Concertos (Bach, J.S.)
6. Violin Concerto in E minor (Mendelssohn)
7. Tosca (Puccini)
8. Requiem in Dm (Mozart)
9. Quattro stagioni (Vivaldi)
10. Piano Concerto No. 1 (Tchaikovsky)
11. Messiah (Haendel)
12. La Mer (Debussy)
13. Symphony No. 40 (Mozart)
14. The Firebird (Stravinsky)
15. Symphony No. 6 (Beethoven)
16. Requiem (Verdi)
17. Piano Concerto No. 2 (Brahms)
18. Symphony No. 9 (Dvorak)
19. Uaxuctum (Scelsi)
20. Die Meistersinger (Wagner)

I think that (as a first pick) Star Wars is the most versatile, having a strong start, strong finish, great diversity, and some of the best melodies. It's simply reliable. Not to mention it is proven to be able to get contemporary(!) people not only into listening to classical music, but into playing in orchestras or even conducting them.

The rest of my recommendations try to strike some balance to not turn anyone off twice in a row, for any reason.


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## MrWD57 (Nov 17, 2020)

I agree completely-it took me four or five listens to get into Sibelius 1 and 4. On the flip side I listened to about 12 highly rated versions of Mahler 1, and still don't feel any empathy for it.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

etipou said:


> Absolutely. New listeners usually need a good proportion colourful and tuneful works that aren't too long*. We forget how big a step it is even to move from 4 minute songs to 10 minute symphonic allegros. Handel's Water Music, Chopin's Nocturnes, Dvorak's Slavonic Dances, suites from Carmen and Tchaikovsky, a disc of opera highlights etc should make up plenty of it. A few repertoire staples from Beethoven & Mozart & co for the rest.
> 
> Though I don't think Don Quixote is a bad place to start reading adult novels, especially taken half at a time.
> 
> *As, I might suggest, do seasoned listeners too - or they are in danger of becoming morbid...


The basic problem with the above list is that it's "one size fits all". I sure wouldn't want as a newbie a string of unappealing pieces, especially suites from Carmen and Tchaikovsky and a dreaded disc of opera highlights. Encourage new folks to find their own way.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Bulldog said:


> Bach - Well-Tempered Clavier, Art of Fugue, Mass in B minor, Goldberg Variations, Leipzig Chorales.
> Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique
> Chopin - Preludes, op. 28
> Handel - Messiah
> ...


I totally forgot about Shostakovich, so I'm adding his symphony no. 10 and op. 87 preludes and fugues.


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## etipou (Dec 4, 2020)

Bulldog said:


> The basic problem with the above list is that it's "one size fits all". I sure wouldn't want as a newbie a string of unappealing pieces, especially suites from Carmen and Tchaikovsky and a dreaded disc of opera highlights. Encourage new folks to find their own way.


Well, any one list is one-size-fits-all. It's certainly varied, though incomplete (Debussy, Bartok, Prokofiev in a similar vein would also be great). And how could anyone find out whether they like opera - a notably populist genre on the whole - without a disc or two of highlights? Obligatory in my view.

It's mostly from my experience as a listener. What I found most difficult with classical music was concentrating during 10min+ pieces with no words. The idea of sitting down to Mahler 2 or Shostakovich 10 at that point is inconceivable. (And the idea of sitting down to the Art of Fugue - remains so!)


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## Agamenon (Apr 22, 2019)

A list in order to hook up people on classical music:

1. Tallis: Spem in alium.
2. Monteverdi: a madrigal
3. Bach: Cello suite #1
4. Bach:Brandenburg concerto # 2 or 3 or 4.
5. Haydn: Symphony 104
6. Mozart: Piano concerto #21
7. Beethoven: any Piano sonata. 
8. Rossini. Overture to William Tell
9. Schubert: Quintet in C major.
10. Schumann: Carnival.
11. Rimsky Korsakov: Scheherazade.
12. Chopin: any Nocturne.
13. Bellini/ Donizetti: arias from operas.
14. Brahms: Piano Quintet opus 34.
15. Wagner: Overture to Tannhäuser.
16. Tchaikovsky: Symphony #5
17. Debussy: La Mer.
18. Bizet: Carmen.
19: Puccini/ or Verdi: La Boheme/La Traviata.
20: Górecki: Symphony #3


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## Andrew Kenneth (Feb 17, 2018)

Antonio Vivaldi : Le Quattro Stagioni
Johann Sebastian Bach : Goldberg Variations
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart : Horn Concertos
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart : Cosi Fan Tutte
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart : Die Zauberflöte

Felix Mendelssohn : The Hebrides
Felix Mendelssohn : Violin Concerto
Frédéric Chopin : Piano Concerto no.1
Richard Wagner : Tristan und Isolde
Richard Wagner : Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

Jacques Offenbach : Les Contes d'Hofmann
Franz Lehar : Die Lustige Witwe
Richard Strauss : Der Rosenkavalier
Richard Strauss : Ariadne auf Naxos
Arnold Schönberg : Moses und Aaron

John Cage : Sonatas and Interludes
La Monte Young : The Well-Tuned Piano
Luigi Nono : Fragmente - Stille, An Diotima
Georg Friedrich Haas : In Vain
Chaya Czernowin : Hidden


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), K. 492 (1786)
Scriabin: Piano Sonata #5, op. 53 (1907)
Scriabin: Piano Sonata #4 in F-sharp, op. 30 (1903)
Debussy: String Quartet in G minor, L 85 (1893)
Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, op. 61 [1842]; including the Overture, op. 21 (1826)
Bach: Orchestral Suites, BWV 1066-1069 (1724)
Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem, op. 20 (1940)
Mendelssohn: Symphony #3 in A minor, op. 56 "Scottish" (1842)
Scriabin: Prometheus: The Poem of Fire, op. 60 (1910)
Haydn: Symphony #104 "London" (1795)
Bach: Cantata #21 "Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis" (1713)
Prokofiev: Piano Sonata #6 in A, op. 82 (1940)
Sibelius: Symphony #6 in D minor, op. 104 (1923)
Schmidt: Symphony #3 in A (1928)
Mendelssohn: Cello Sonata #2 in D, op. 58 (1842)
Haydn: Piano Concerto #11 in D, Hob. XVIII/11 (1783)
Alfvén: Swedish Rhapsody #1, op. 19 "Midsommarvaka (Midsummer Vigil)" (1903)
Haydn: Symphony #96 in D "Miracle" (1791)
Nørgård: Symphony #6 "Når alt kommer til alt (At the End of the Day)" (1999)
Haydn: Symphony #88 in G (1787)


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Maybe this (Keeping it one work per composer):

Machaut: Messe de Nostre Dame
Dufay: Se la face ay pale
Josquin: Missa Pange lingua
Monteverdi: Vespers of 1610
Allegri: Miserere
J.S. Bach: The Well Tempered Clavier
Mozart: String Quintet in G minor
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4
Schubert: Symphony No. 9
Brahms: Symphony No. 4
Wagner: Götterdämmerung
Debussy: Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp
Ravel: Miroirs
Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
Stravinsky: The Firebird
Bartok: Piano Concerto No. 2
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 2
Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez
Partch: Delusion of the Fury
Takemitsu: From Me Flows What You Call Time


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## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

MarkW said:


> I don't know what I would list, but think that too many of the above are like trying to introduce someone to the novel with "War and Peace" or"Don Quixote" or "Ulysses."


It's a valid point, though where to start is a tricky thing to settle. Here's a list that is even more beginner friendly.

Twenty for relative newbies:

Sibelius 2
Stravinsky Firebird
Tchaikovsky 4
Beethoven 5
Adams Chairman Dances
Puccini La Boheme
Brahms Violin Concerto
Bach Toccata and Fugue in D-minor
Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition
Bernstein Chichester Psalms
Elgar Enigma Variations
Faure Requiem
Vivaldi Four Seasons
Bartok Concerto for Orchestra
Dvorak Symphony No.9
Holst Planets
Palestrina Missa Papae Marcelli
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.2
Prokofiev Symphony No.5
Schuman Piano Concerto in A
Barber Adagio for Strings


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## etipou (Dec 4, 2020)

^These are all great and likeable works - as are many others suggested - but I really think there is a tendency to overvalue symphonies, concertos and other big works at the expense of smaller ones. Shakespeare wrote great tragedies but he also wrote great sonnets; and if you've never read any Elizabethan English, you might want to at least flick through the latter before committing to a big course of the former.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

I guess the idea is something like, the first 20, and aiming at a fairly representative sample of the canon, but also a bit of an introduction to some of the Olympians....

So, in order:

1. *Bach: Goldberg Variations*. More accessible than WTC, plus it has a nice story, so it's a great intro to Bach, to counterpoint, and to the idea of theme and variations, to the harpsichord and the HIPPI debates, to the entire tradition, and to the idea of actually _listening_ to music.

2. *Handel: Messiah*. This will have to do for all those grand Baroque cantatas and oratorios and masses. Probably a better intro than Bach's Mass in B minor because of its familiarity. Also, surely the first work anyone would want to know by Handel, and a fine contrast to the Goldbergs because of its unapologetic grandiosity.

3. *Haydn: String Quartet, op. 76/3 "Emperor."*. This will be the intro to CPP chamber music, to the classical style, and to Haydn. There are a lot of tempting choices, but this is also a nice intro to Haydn's art, and great practice with some of the basic classical forms (sonata form, theme and variation, minuet and trio).

4. *Mozart: Don Giovanni*. Maybe the quintessential opera, and definitely one of the most popular ones.

5. *Mozart: Piano Concerto #20*. Hard to pick a particular CPP concerto, but this is at least a reasonable choice.

6. *Beethoven: Symphony #5*. Maybe the best and most accessible introduction to the classical symphony, and of course to Beethoven.

7. *Beethoven: Piano Sonata #14 "Moonlight"*. Hard to settle for a single CPP piano sonata, but I choose this one for an intro because the first movement is so pretty and familiar and then the transformation from movement to movement is easy to hear.

8. *Schubert: Winterreise*. The quintessential art-song cycle.

9. *Chopin: Nocturnes*. A great introduction to the romantic piano and to the virtues of "miniature" pieces.

10. *Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker*. Only room for one traditional ballet.... It's this or _Swan Lake_. I'll judge that Nutcracker is more accessible because of its familiarity. Also good for romantic orchestration.

And so with that we have a solid introduction to the basic forms of CPP music, the most common instruments, and a bit of a sense of the flow of musical history. That is of course all that many people are interested in, but I ask that we continue moving forward in time....

11. *Debussy: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune*. This will have to do for impressionism, and of course it is a great bridge between romanticism and modernism.

12. *Stravinsky: Le Sacre du printemps*. Actually a very accessible work and _the_ quintessential modern work.

13. *Berg: Violin Concerto*. Hate to skip Arnold, but this seems to be the most popular work of the Second Vienna school.

14. *Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez*. The Spanish guitar. Also, a reminder that not everyone in the 20th century adhered to the modernist, progressive agenda.

15. *Reich: Music for 18 Musicians*. Post-modernity, USA-style. The quintessential introduction to minimalism. Glass and even Riley have to wait.

16. *Crumb: Black Angels*. I regret leaving off composers like Cage, Babbitt, Stockhausen, Xenakis, and perhaps especially Nono, though of course also Ligeti, Boulez, Varèse,... but this might be the most unforgettable baptism by fire to the post-WWII progressive tradition.

17. *Takemitsu: From Me Flows What You Call Time*. An excellent introduction to the post-modern globalization of the classical tradition.

18. *Haas: in vain*. Finally, a sip of the music of our century, and an intro to microtonality and spectralism.

This is as close to the music of our time as we can get, but another important development over the past generation has been the enthusiastic rediscovery of Renaissance and Medieval music. So we conclude by looking all the way back to the beginning of the tradition:

19. *Hildegard: Ordo virtutum*. This will have to do for the entire middle ages, but it is probably one of the better introductions to Medieval music. Hildegard will be the only woman on this list!

20. *Tallis: Spem in alium*. A great introduction to Renaissance vocal music. If I had a second, I'd go with Allegri's Miserere, because it has such a fine backstory as well as such pretty music, but the polyphony in Spem in alium is probably more impressive.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

But if I could please just have ten more (and I think I should be allowed)... 

- Pérotin: Viderunt omnes. Really need a Notre Dame School work. 

- Moniot d'Arras: Ce fut en mai. A trouvère. 

- Machaut: Messe de Nostre Dame. The ordinary of the mass. Pointing from the Medieval world toward the Renaissance. 

- Dufay: Nuper rosarum flores. So it's not actually an isorhythmic motet. 

- Josquin des Prez: Missa L'homme armé super voces musicales. A cantus firmus mass, and maybe the most famous Medieval work. And there is still so much more Renaissance and Medieval music... 

- Monteverdi: L'Orfeo. This will have to do for the entire Baroque opera tradition. 

- Bach (attributed): Toccata and fugue in D minor. The most famous work for organ. 

- Lucier: I am sitting in a room. A fine example of the electroacoustic tradition. 

- Górecki: Symphony #3. Going to let this super-popular work stand for holy minimalism. 

- Pärt: Spiegel im Spiegel. Tintinnabuli.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

A combination of personal favorites that have sustained me for decades, and pieces that also might attract others and perhaps with explanation outline some of the major forms most often heard (or, better heard and seen on YouTube as live concert performances). One piece per composer. Twenty is not nearly enough: I would have loved to add another 20 to capture more chamber pieces and other unlisted gems: Saint-Saëns Symphony No.3 "Organ", for example; Ravel: Introduction and Allegro; Prokofiev Symphony No.3, Quartet No.2; Shostakovich Symphony No.5, more Bartók; it goes on and on.......

Bach: Keyboard Concerto in D-minor 
Mozart: Symphony No.41 "Jupiter"
Beethoven: Symphony No.3 "Eroica"
Schubert: String Quartet "Death and the Maiden"
Schumann: Piano Concerto
Brahms: Piano Concerto No.2
Dvořák: Violin Concerto
Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No.2
Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps
Debussy: La Mer
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No.3
Sibelius: Pohjola's Daughter
Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé Suite 2
Respighi: Church Windows
Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra
Martinů: Symphony No.1
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No.5
Orff: Carmina Burana
Hovhaness: Piano Concerto No.1 "Lousadzak"


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

Maybe 5 more... 

Pettersson: Symphony #7
Shostakovich: String Quartet #8 
Cage: Music of Changes 
Ligeti: Le Grand Macabre 
Fauré: Requiem


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## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

As a side note, from my experience with non-classical friends and family, the one piece that is the most sure fire hook into the classical realm is Barber's Adagio for Strings.


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## Coach G (Apr 22, 2020)

20 essential classics for a beginner:

1. Bach: _Brandenburg Concertos_ (Benjamin Britten, un-HIP/Masaaki Suzuki, HIP)
2. Haydn: Take your pick among the _"Paris"_ and _"London"_ _Symphonies_ (Bernstein/NYPO)
3. Mozart: _Clarinet Concerto_ (Robert Marcellas/Szell/Cleveland)*
4. Beethoven: _Symphonies #6 "Pastorale"_ (Walter/Columbia)*
5. Schubert: _Winter's Journey_ (Dietrich Fischer-Diskau)
6. Schumann: _Symphonies #3 "Rhenish"_ (Bernstein/NYPO)
7. Mendelssohn: _Symphonies #5 "Reformation"_ (Bernstein/NYPO)
8. Berlioz: _Requiem_ (Colin Davis/London Symphony & friends)
9. Brahms: _Piano Concerto #2_ (Andre Watts/Bernstein/NYPO)
10. Wagner: _Siegfried Idyll _(Karajan/Vienna Phil)*
11. Tchaikovsky: _Symphony #6 "Pathetique"_ (Bernstein/NYPO, DG rec)
12. Sibelius: _Symphony #2_ (Bernstein/NYPO)
13. R. Strauss: _Alpine Symphony_ (Karajan/Berlin Phil.)
14. Shostakovich: _Symphony #5_ (Bernstein/NYPO, 1959)
15. Stravinsky: _Rite of Spring_ (Monteux/Boston SO)
16. Schoenberg: _Serenade_ (Members of the Marlboro Festival Orchestra)
17. Ives:_Symphony #4_ (Stokowski)
18. Copland: _Appalachian Spring_ (Bernstein/NYPO)
19. Barber: _Knoxville: Summer of 1915_ (Leontyne Price or Eleanor Stebber)*
20. Britten: _Serenade for Tenor,Horn, and Strings_ (Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten/Barry Tuckwell)*

Not necessarily my desert island favorites (except where noted), but my favorites in terms of a basic and roughly chronological survey


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## HerbertNorman (Jan 9, 2020)

Good list , well thought out.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

to a relative new comer? I would aim for variety and diversity to show him the breadth of classical music, so for example (without much thinking about it)

Beethoven - Sonata No. 23, Op. 57, "Appassionata"
Mozart - Sinfonia concertante
Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem
Bach - Goldberg Variations (or French suites)
Prokofiev - Symphony 5
Shostakovich - Symphony 11
Sibelius - Symphony 7
Dvořák - Symphony 5
Debussy - Preludes
Schoenberg - Piano concerto
Messiaen - Des canyons aux etoiles
Allegri - Miserere mei, Deus
Machaut - Messe de Notre Dame 
Monteverdi - Vespers
Tchaikovsky - All Night Vigil
Saint-Saens - Symphony 3
Puccini - Turandot
Schubert - String Quartet "Death and the Maiden"
Vivaldi - Four Seasons

and if the person was Czech, then possibly Janáček - Liška Bystrouška, since the fairy-tale that the opera is based on is fairly well-known


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

Ethereality said:


> 22 Talk Classical members teamed together to design a giant representation of greatest works. This post explains why you should look at this list and its ordering, it's quite different from other lists:
> 
> Talk Classical's Favorite Works: Stat Charts


I am now realizing this list is probably the greatest, most objective list this forum's ever made (or capable of making), moreso with its Top 100 which seems near perfectly ordered. Not by personal preference, but in an objective analysis of the works. Allow me to dissect:

Pros of Science's superior project (not list, imo):
- Tons more popularity and spotlight
- Much more participation and sampling
- Daily games give the potential for members to listen to all works in a lineup to compare (if many do it's doubtable) but it's a great benefit to our community

Pros of Talk Classical's Favorite Works (above)
- Because the mechanism this project used to rate its works, described in the OP, is much more accurate in weighting, a sample of 22 of the most dedicated list-makers seems to be the magic number somehow giving this list the edge. It's the mechanism that makes this list still turn out more accurate
- It will be collecting more Top 10-Top 50 lists it locates on this forum, so we can bring this number higher than 22. But still, 22 has proven to be enough to beat any 1,000 sampled from Science's

I'm much more blown away by Science personally and his hard work and passion. I give more props to him than the producers of this link. But it seems to me our new list is the most objective analytically (and I'm someone who favors the people having their own opinions, not conforming to some list) but I needed to share my conclusions. These lists are for the sole purpose of finding _recommendations_.

Mahler's 2nd is the second greatest work of the forum (maybe 3rd place if the list becomes more adjusted to favorites, bringing WTC to 2nd. You can see the tally # next to 'points earned', and that means works with a lower tally will be brought higher because they earned more points for being on less lists. In other words, more peoples' favorite works.) All this math is still up for debate, for the slight adjustments. But one thing I've analyzed about Mahler's 2nd is this grand superiority of design that's hard for newcomers to grasp. It's a work I'm still becoming acquainted with; while I may 'like' other works more, for some reason I'm having a really hard time explaining why Mahler's 2nd isn't 'greater.' In any case this is just one example.

The next aspect to consider, is the notion that this list seems superficially similar to Science's, so why don't we just go with the more popular list to search recommendations. Well, the answer is, because the similarities _are_ superficial. Within comparing the lists you will find just as many differences as you will similarities. Additionally, if the list becomes adjusted slightly more to favor favorites (the less mentioned but higher rated), these differences will undoubtedly increase even more. Stay tuned and feel free to submit your own Top 10, 20, 50, or 200 to that thread.


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## etipou (Dec 4, 2020)

Ah, happy day! - to see at last a truly objective assessment of the relative merits of Perotin and Haydn...


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

Haydn always receives a lot of love, his oeuvre is much higher ranked than Perotin's on composer totals. His quality is more spread out. But what I've noticed in Science's project are works that a subgroup of people absolutely admire (I'll just go with the Mahler's 2nd example) being beaten by lesser works that more people upvote with less concern or interest (like Brahms' 4th and Beethoven's 5th always beating Mahler's 2nd) and objectively I know how incorrect that is. These lukewarm judgements happen in every tier game I've spectated, and our mechanism prevents it all from happening. This list is much more accurate in my experience of objectively appreciating new, unfamiliar works that tend to show up on lists like these: I've gained a sense for evaluating the unfamiliar. I put a disclaimer above that the list doesn't represent any 'perfect objectivity' as you claim, I just meant it's the most objective mechanism we have probably gotten for ranking works as a _community_. We usually have quality restrictions on submissions, you need to be an active member for more than a year to submit your list.

Here are some differences between it and Science's. Some composers' ranks have moved on this list (in other words, a high + means they're placed a lot lower on Science's [who is awesome ]).

*Bruckner +19
Handel +15
Sibelius +9
Chopin +9
R. Strauss +7
Tchaikovsky +5
Debussy +2
Wagner +1
Mozart +1
Mahler +1*
*Brahms -1
Schubert -1
Dvorak -3
Stravinsky -3
Prokofiev -5
Mendelssohn-7
Shostakovich -7
Schumann -9
Haydn -19*

Works were ranked way higher and lower as well, a big example I notice is Scheherazade. The total tally is 1,313 recommendations by 22 dedicated members, therefore the Top 200 or 300 works we have are quite solid. The list accepts anyone elses' submission, so we'll achieve a more complete Top 1,000 as some of the 22 may miss some rarer works.


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## Bxnwebster (Jan 5, 2021)

Allegri: Miserere
Bartók: Piano Concerto No. 3
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4
Brahms: Intermezzi, Op. 117
Chopin: Ballade No. 1
Debussy: Prelude to an Afternoon Faun
Dvorak: Serenade for Strings
Elgar: Enigma Variations
Haydn: Symphony No. 49
Ives: Central Park in the Dark
Mahler: Symphony No. 1, 3rd Movement
Mozart: Clarinet Quintet
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5
Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2
Ravel: String Quartet
Saint-Saens: Carnival of the Animals
Schubert: Impromptus, Op. 90
R. Schumann: Kreisleriana
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5
Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras (No. 4 and 5)
Wagner: Prelude to Tristan und Isolde
Zelenka: Miserere


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

20 recommendations, but I cheated with complete sets.

Bernstein - Mass
Bach - Goldberg Variations
Bach - Well-Tempered Clavier
Bach - B Minor Mass
Bach - St. Matthew Passion
Golijov - Passion of St. Mark
Duruflé - Requiem
Debussy - String Quartet
Debussy - Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp
Debussy - Pelleas et Melisande
Brahms - Clarinet Sonatas, Op. 120 Nos. 1 & 2
Cage - Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano
Weinberg - String Quartets
Shostakovich - String Quartets
Carter - String Quartets
Haydn - Piano Trios
Beethovan - Piano sonatas
Beethoven - String Quartets
Bartok - String Quartets
Gershwin - Porgy and Bess


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

For me today (many more I could add), 

Beethoven's nine symphonies
Beethoven's Missa Solemnis
Rachmaninoff's 5 piano concertos (yes I call the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini his 5th concerto)
Handel's Messiah
Bellini's La Sonnambula
Flotow's Martha
Mascagni's L'amico Fritz
Wagner's Tannheiser


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## advokat (Aug 16, 2020)

I see that many posters here suggest their own favourites, without much regard for the topic – recommendations for a newbie. I suspect some recommendations, such as Cage or Messiaen, would serve to repulse rather than attract any newbie to CM. Such suggestions, I gather, aim more at converting the unsuspecting rather than assisting the newcomer. Also, while Goldberg Variations are great, they are perhaps not necessarily the best place to start. So this is my list for newbies, that takes into account the perception of a person who has not spent hundreds of hours training himself for the CM. On the other hand, this is not a list of candies in the manner of “the best 20 classical tunes” CDs. The list also gives a tase of all periods, including the (good) 20-th century music. On the other hand, these works are likely to stay with one for the whole life, even beyond the newbie stage.
Vivaldi – Four seasons
Corelli – Concerti Grossi
Monteverdi – Selva Morale e Spirituale
Rameau – one of the “artificial” symphonies, complied by Currentzis, Minkowski or Frans Bruggen.
Handel – Dixit Domini
Handel – Organ concerti
Bach – Brandenburg concerti
Bach – Keyboard partitas
Mozart – Piano concerto N 23
Mozart – Symphony N 40
Beethoven – Bagatelles
Beethoven – Symphony N 3
Mendelssohn – Symphony N 3
Tchaikovsky – Seasons
Tchaikovsky – ballet orchestral suits
Rachmaninov – Piano concerto No 1
Chopin – preludes
Schumann – Carnival
Debussy – Suite Bergamasque
Poulenc – Melancholy


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## Chilham (Jun 18, 2020)

Not everyone has the same allergies you have.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

A Beginner's Guide to Classical Music


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## advokat (Aug 16, 2020)

Chilham said:


> Not everyone has the same allergies you have.


Another vicious personal attack from a lover of modern music, for whom a lack of appreciation for Cage or Messiaen is a pathology (allergy) and not a legitimate individual preference. My my.


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## Chilham (Jun 18, 2020)

:lol: ......................


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

In no particular order:

Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, you can also just go 1-9, they are all great
Tchaikovsky Symphonies Nos. 2, 4, 5, 6 and his Piano Concerto No. 1, Violin Concerto and any/all of his ballet music
Bach Solo Cello Suites, later add his Goldberg Variations on the piano
Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade
Elgar Cello Concerto
Borodin Symphony No. 2
Mendelssohn Violin Concerto and Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4
Sibelius Violin Concerto and Symphonies Nos. 1, 2 & 5
Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1
Chopin Nocturnes, you can also add almost any Chopin solo piano work. Also his Piano Concerto No. 1
Dvorak Cello Concerto and Symphonies Nos. 5-9, add his "American" (No. 12) String Quartet later or first if that person likes chamber music
Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez
Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3
Grieg Piano Concerto, Incidental Music to Peer Gynt. You can also explore his Lyric Pieces for solo piano
Mozart Piano Concertos 20-27, Symphonies Nos. 35-41, add later his Violin Concertos Nos. 3-5
Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1, also his Symphonies Nos. 5 & 9, his String Quartet No. 8
Vivaldi Four Seasons
Orff Carmina Burana

Plenty more to explore, but this should provide a good intro. Of course the above exhibits my musical taste biases. I am personally not a fan of Opera, so I can't help you there, but of course it is loved by many. Chamber music is also loved by many, and I do enjoy much chamber music, but it is not my main love when it comes to Classical Music.

For what it's worth, my introduction to classical music was a cassette tape of Beethoven's 5th and 6th Symphonies that I borrowed from a friend in High School around 1979 or 1980. I have been hooked since then. My family had no interest in any kind of music, let alone classical.


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

Jacck said:


> to a relative new comer? I would aim for variety and diversity to show him the breadth of classical music, so for example (without much thinking about it)
> 
> Beethoven - Sonata No. 23, Op. 57, "Appassionata"
> Mozart - Sinfonia concertante
> ...


If my first introduction to Classical Music was Schoenberg's Piano Concerto, it would have have sent me running, screaming, for the hills. It still does!


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

I think this should best be a bit tailored to the background of the person one gives the recommendations. Pieces should best be not be too long with is bad luck for most full operas etc. Still not a great overview, still skewed towards orchestral and against chamber and vocal; one needed probably at least 50.

1 Monteverdi: Zefiro torna e di soavi accenti
2 Dowland: In darkness let me dwell or song anthology
3 Purcell: Dido & Aeneas
4 Vivaldi: 4 Seasons
5 Bach: Passacaglia c minor (or organ anthology)
6 Handel: Messiah (or Dixit Dominus which is much shorter)
7 Haydn: String quartet op.74/3 "Rider"
8 Mozart: piano concerto K 453
9 Beethoven: Symphony Nr. 5
10 Schubert: Lieder recital
11 Schumann: Carnaval
12 Chopin: Preludes
13 Verdi: La traviata
14 Brahms: piano quintet
15 Tchaikowsky: piano concert b flat minor
16 Mahler: Wunderhorn-Lieder
17 Strauss: Don Juan
18 Janacek: Sinfonietta
19 Debussy: La Mer
20 Ravel: Piano trio
21 Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps
22 Bartok: Music for strings, percussion etc.
23 Prokofieff: Piano concerto Nr. 2
24 Hindemith: Kammermusik Nr. 1


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

I think the guides to Classical in general are plentiful into pre-20th Century music like Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, etc. If I was to name works as an intro to 20th Century Classical music they would be the following. Probably better to listen to the works chronologically.

Debussy: Prelude to an Afternoon of a Faun
Bartok: Music for Strings Percussion and Celesta (don't listen to the adagio when you're sleeping, gave me nightmares); Mikrokosmos (complete, definitely a great guide into increasingly complex modern)
Britten: Young (not necessarily in age) Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Violin Concerto
Schoenberg: 5 Pieces for Orchestra
Stravinsky: Firebird, Petrushka, Rite of Spring
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto 2
Varese: Integrales
Shostakovich: String Quartet 15, Symphony 10
Schnittke: String Quartet 3
Ligeti: Atmospheres, String Quartet 2
Murail: Desintegrations
Boulez: Repons
Carter: String Quartet 3 (Not the latest in the list, but you're an ace if you can get through it)


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## Aries (Nov 29, 2012)

For a novice I would recommend rather well known pieces, that are not too difficult. A wide spectrum would be good and not too much of the same composer. And I have to like it too, so I can explain what is good about it.

Pachelbel - Canon in D
Bach - Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
Vivaldi - The four seasons
Mozart - Requiem
Beethoven - Sonata No. 14
Beethoven - Symphony No. 6
Schubert - Symphony No. 9
Wagner - Der fliegende Holländer
Strauß I - Radetzky March
Smetana - My fatherland
Tchakovsky - Ouverture 1812
Rimsky-Korsakov - Scheherazade
Dvorak - Symphony No. 9
Alfven - Swedish Rhapsody No. 1
Ravel - Bolero
Orff - Carmina Burana
Barber - Adagio for Strings
Herrmann - Psycho Suite
Sviridov - The Snowstorm Suite
Williams - Star Wars Suite


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