# Thoughts and Experiences After 3 Years



## Centropolis (Jul 8, 2013)

Around this time of the year 3 years ago, I started my journey into classical music. I forgot the exact reason behind it but I'm glad I did.

I've amassed what I think would be one of the bigger classical music CD collection that one would expect someone who's been in this for 3 years and have a mortgage.  I just want to share some random thoughts and rants that I've had in my head after 3 years of this journey.









I've mentioned a while ago here that Bach is not something that I enjoy as much as maybe I should, because I don't have the musical knowledge. I was told that I don't really need the knowledge to enjoy the music. Which is probably right but after 3 years, nothing has changed here for me. I have all the essential Bach pieces but don't listen to them much except for Rostropovich's Cello Suites.

In these 3 years, I listen to an average of only 2 or 3 full CDs in a week. I've tried to find more time for active listening but between everything else (no....not Pokemon GO), just haven't had the time to just sit down and really listen. I plan to somehow change that soon. I find that even though I recognize the pieces when I listen to them, most of the time I cannot determine or remember the name or opus etc. When I am out in the restaurant I hear something I recognize, I wish I can remember who the composer was, what piece and what movement. But I can't unless it's something I am super familiar with like a Beethoven's 9th or something. I know the goal isn't to remember and recognize everything I listen to but it would be nice if I did sometimes.

Early music still escapes me. No Despres, Monteverdi, Tallis or Byrd. Nothing wrong with that I guess. I know I am missing some masterpieces but when you can't get into it, why force it? I've listen to Schubert's lieder. They are good but it would help if I understood the words. I think it's the same reason why operas are not big for me either.

I've somewhat got over the mono/early recordings quality thing and am now able to enjoy the music in a way that at least I don't actively avoid them.

I have a lot of books on certain composers but when they get too technical, my mind starts drifting. No I don't hear that fugue in that movement, I can barely tell the viola from the violin in the recording. 

Been to about 6 concerts and have tickets for 3 more in the upcoming season. Saw some great artists, Paul Lewis, Valentina Lisitsa, Stewart Goodyear, Marc-Andre Hamelin, Sol Gabetta. Enjoyed all of them.

Favourite piece from non-standard repertoire is Wojciech Kilar's Orawa. It's flipping amazing. Check it out if you don't know it.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Centropolis, I probably know less about music than you, but have enjoyed classical music now for maybe 60-some-odd years. My philosophy is that there are no rules about what to like or how or why to like it. I started with The Russians, as the air was full of Russian composers' music in the late 1940s and 1950s, then, as the years went by, added on more 20th century composers of many nationalities, then the standard Germans from Bach through Bruckner as the mood struck me. There is no hurry, no exam, no need to meet some goal in your pursuit of this music. YouTube is a fabulous resource--you read that somebody says Prokofiev's Second or Third piano concertos are great, so you go to YouTube and check it out. Ditto with other suggestions. Find out what you like, and then be secure in the validity of your opinion.


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## Guest (Jul 13, 2016)

@centropolis

I like Orawa too. If you've not heard it, check this out: Musica Profana by Sumera.


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## Centropolis (Jul 8, 2013)

Strange Magic said:


> Centropolis, I probably know less about music than you, but have enjoyed classical music now for maybe 60-some-odd years. My philosophy is that there are no rules about what to like or how or why to like it. I started with The Russians, as the air was full of Russian composers' music in the late 1940s and 1950s, then, as the years went by, added on more 20th century composers of many nationalities, then the standard Germans from Bach through Bruckner as the mood struck me. There is no hurry, no exam, no need to meet some goal in your pursuit of this music. YouTube is a fabulous resource--you read that somebody says Prokofiev's Second or Third piano concertos are great, so you go to YouTube and check it out. Ditto with other suggestions. Find out what you like, and then be secure in the validity of your opinion.


YouTube is great and I go there often. I also go to Spotify a lot for this purpose. I agree with what you said about no rules.....


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I've been listening in earnest since about 1967 or so. I still haven't managed to appreciate early/mono recordings. I liked Bach right off the bat. It was Mozart and other early and middle classic era composers I had trouble with, but after this long a time I've come around even to them. There is time, as others have said -- and SO much to explore even now.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

There are people who will disagree, who think listening to music is an all or nothing proposition, but:

1) There is nothing wrong with finding a piece you like (or pieces you like) and playing them repeatedly as a sort of playlist. But concentrating on a few at a time, you will learn a lot of music a lot better.

2 There is nothing wrong with having pieces on in the background while you are reading, eating, doing laundry, etc. You'd be surprised how much you can absorb that way.

There's a lot to learn and you can take the process way too seriously.


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Centropolis. I've been enjoying classical music a bit longer than you but there is still so much to experience and enjoy for the first time. One thing I've learned is that there are no rules; no composers you 'must' enjoy (like Bach); and no repertoire you 'must' become familiar with. For me the greatest enjoyment I've gotten from classical music has been from live concerts - nothing else comes close -and I envy you having heard some of the artists you mentioned. Enjoy your journey. It truly lasts a lifetime.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I listened to classical quite a bit around the early 1980s, then pretty much not again until 2011. I have listened to mostly classical since 2011 and am just now getting into Mahler. I never thought I would but I think the live Mahler 1 performance last fall (I went to see Beethoven's 5th) was great and so eventually I got the bug and just ordered a complete cycle which I plan to savor one symphony at a time. In reading brief synopses of Mahler's life and works, it appears he is a giant in the realm of classical music. 

I think if one lives long enough they might get to appreciate a good bit of the music out there, but I can see there is so much yet that I have not explored. And much of it has to be at the right time too. Just keep listening to what you like and don't try to force listening to what you don't like. Someday you may come around to it anyway and enjoy it much more than now. Or maybe not, but it does not matter because there is so much good music out there that one should never feel they must listen to something that is popular, but that they don't like, and try to get it.


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## OldFashionedGirl (Jul 21, 2013)

Like you I joined this forum 3 years ago. Wow!! Time flies!! Reading your thread I identify myself in many aspects. Classical music is a wonderful journey, and there are always new paths to discover. Which paths will be discovered depend on you.


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## juliante (Jun 7, 2013)

Is there a sense of frustration? I did have that after a couple of years of getting onto CM, when I was obsessed with it and felt compelled to listen every day and wanted to gain and overview of all CM! Happily for my sanity i let go of that and am now 6 years in just loving exploring...admittedly still quite obsessed, but in a good way... 

There is a balance to be struck - some CM is complex and challenging and like much great art requires focus, commitment and some knowledge of context to be able to properly appreciate. However, there are some pieces that one will simply just not like - and when do you conclude that a piece is just not for you, rather than that you have just not yet put the work in / sufficient number of listens to appreciate? Particularly if they are much praised or well established in the canon. 

With Mahler, I was initially unable to appreciate him (having mainly enjoyed classical and early romantic). But with such love expressed for him on this forum, and guidance from members, I kept at it and came to love 2, 4 and Das Lied, but that's as far as it went. So I gave him a break - and have recently just returned to 'try again' with his Fifth - to find that i get it with ease! (And now i find Mozart boring in general....but that's fine, I think i will grow out of that !). 

I too have no musical knowledge and intend to maintain that ignorant bliss for now. I think i do generally recognise counterpoint now, but far from always. When i feel i am really missing out i will think again. But i am not sure i ever will. That said, I imagine one needs to understand what serialism and tone clusters are all about to appreciate the music of shoenberg and his followers (?)

My 3 favourite books so far out of quite a few are: The Symphony by Michael Steinburg (particularly for Mahler), the NPR Listeners Guide and Jan Swafford's general guide (Jan writes so well i find.)

It's all good . Thanks for the post.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

juliante said:


> That said, I imagine one needs to understand what serialism and tone clusters are all about to appreciate the music of shoenberg and his followers (?)


Nope. Just listen, like with anything else. None of them really used tone clusters anyway.

As for the OP, keep going, don't worry if your tastes don't match up with others', explore at your own pace in your own way.


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## juliante (Jun 7, 2013)

Mahlerian said:


> Nope. Just listen, like with anything else. None of them really used tone clusters anyway.
> 
> As for the OP, keep going, don't worry if your tastes don't match up with others', explore at your own pace in your own way.


Well that's good to know.


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## AndorFoldes (Aug 25, 2012)

That's a nice collection you have there. I just need readable zoom!


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

AndorFoldes said:


> That's a nice collection you have there. I just need readable zoom!


First thing I noticed = the RCA Box


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

A nice collection indeed, especially since I can see at least one Wagner's Ring in it  Is it Böhm/Bayreuth orchestra?

My own classical journey also began around this time six years ago, in July 2010. About the beginning of it I wrote earlier in this post: http://www.talkclassical.com/30306-how-did-you-get-3.html#post599968

I feel that I have come a long way since that time. I have learned to appreciate genres that at first seemed nothing but boring to me: solo piano music or string quartets, and have heard much music that had me awestruck at first listen. And I have not given up my first love either. In fact it only becomes greater with each night I spend in the company of the Sorcerer of Bayreuth.

But I also feel that so far I have only discovered a small part of all the beauty and wonder that classical music is. There is a long journey ahead as yet.


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## Centropolis (Jul 8, 2013)

D Smith said:


> Thanks for sharing your thoughts Centropolis. I've been enjoying classical music a bit longer than you but there is still so much to experience and enjoy for the first time. One thing I've learned is that there are no rules; no composers you 'must' enjoy (like Bach); and no repertoire you 'must' become familiar with. For me the greatest enjoyment I've gotten from classical music has been from live concerts - nothing else comes close -and I envy you having heard some of the artists you mentioned. Enjoy your journey. It truly lasts a lifetime.


Concerts are great. I want to go to more of them but they are not that cheap once you start going on a regular basis. I usually pick and choose the ones that have familiar pieces to go to. I also listen to them repeatedly before the concert to get more familiar with them before I attend.


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## Centropolis (Jul 8, 2013)

juliante said:


> My 3 favourite books so far out of quite a few are: The Symphony by Michael Steinburg (particularly for Mahler), the NPR Listeners Guide and Jan Swafford's general guide (Jan writes so well i find.)
> 
> It's all good . Thanks for the post.


Thanks for the suggestion on the NPR guide. I will take a look at that one too. I already own the other two. I've been through the Swafford book. The Symphony I go to only as a reference when I want to find out more on a specific symphony before and after listening.

But yes, great books.


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## Centropolis (Jul 8, 2013)

Pugg said:


> First thing I noticed = the RCA Box


Yeah, I enjoy that box very much. I also have the Mercury Living Presence Vol 1. The sound is good but not as good value on the MLP box as it includes many non-classical music.


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## Centropolis (Jul 8, 2013)

SiegendesLicht said:


> A nice collection indeed, especially since I can see at least one Wagner's Ring in it  Is it Böhm/Bayreuth orchestra?


Yes it is. I also have the James Levine with the Met.


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## Iean (Nov 17, 2015)

I discovered classical music and heavy metal music almost simultaneously when I was around 10 years old. My love for heavy metal music grew faster than my love for classical music maybe because it is cheaper to buy heavy metal CDs than classical CDs in my country. Now that youtube and spotify are here, I realized that I still have a lot of catching up in classical music. And after almost two decades of listening to classical music, Bach was and is still my ultimate favorite. No other composer's ouvre can come close to Bach's body of work ( Beethoven's is a far second ). :angel:


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## Centropolis (Jul 8, 2013)

Iean said:


> I discovered classical music and heavy metal music almost simultaneously when I was around 10 years old. My love for heavy metal music grew faster than my love for classical music maybe because it is cheaper to buy heavy metal CDs than classical CDs in my country. Now that youtube and spotify are here, I realized that I still have a lot of catching up in classical music. And after almost two decades of listening to classical music, Bach was and is still my ultimate favorite. No other composer's ouvre can come close to Bach's body of work ( Beethoven's is a far second ). :angel:


I think one of the "problems" I have for not getting into Baroque and earlier music is that I don't like the sound of the older instruments. Harpsichords for me is not pleasing to listen to. I don't particular like the sound of keyboards either. So for Bach, I usually pick up the piano versions.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Centropolis said:


> I think one of the "problems" I have for not getting into Baroque and earlier music is that I don't like the sound of the older instruments. Harpsichords for me is not pleasing to listen to. I don't particular like the sound of keyboards either. So for Bach, I usually pick up the piano versions.


Regarding Baroque music, a great way into it is via Vivaldi's _The Four Seasons_. Big accessable melodies, and most recordings are on modern instruments. Hard to go wrong. Also, though purists may howl, the pioneering recordings of Bach and other Baroque composers in the late 1960s by Walter/Wendy Carlos on the synthesizer are another fine path into such. _Switched-On Bach_, and then _The Well-Tempered Synthesizer_, Carlos' premier recordings, brought a lot of people into a love of Baroque music. Carlos' reading of the Brandenburg #4 is still a thing of joy and wonder. If you haven't heard them, give them a try.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

MarkW said:


> There is nothing wrong with having pieces on in the background while you are reading, eating, doing laundry, etc. You'd be surprised how much you can absorb that way.


I suppose we all do it, but this approach never worked for me. I need to give music my undivided attention to really learn and absorb a piece. Especially classical music. Looking around my living room I can see I've already bought way too much music of which to devote my undivided attention. So I've put the brakes on, and only make the occasional classical purchase.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Update: Someone named Carey R. Meltz has recently followed in Wendy Carlos' footsteps and re-rendered some of the Brandenburgs as synthesizer performances, pretty much replicating the Carlos sound. Here is Meltz offering the BB #4 Presto, one of the most ecstatic of Bach's utterances....


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