# CD Reccomendations for newbie



## l_enfant_terrible (Dec 19, 2008)

Hi, I am new, and I am looking to listen to more classical music.
I'm looking for CD suggestions. I'd like something with songs that are "rousing". 

I like the song _Concerto in G Major, RV 151 Concerto alla rustica_ as played on the Marie Antoinette soundtrack, but it sounded so much more quiet & dull on some Vivaldi CD I heard, so that's why I'd like specific CD recommendations.

Thanks!


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## phoenixshade (Dec 9, 2008)

Taking you at your word, that you are an absolute newbie to classical music, here are a few suggestions. These selections should fit the bill of "rousing," and you are most likely already acquainted with them. I've linked these to amazon.com to make it easier for you to find the exact recordings I mention.

*Richard Wagner - Tannhäuser / Siegfried Idyll / Tristan und Isolde (selections)* (Karajan / Vienna Philharmonic / Norman). Wagner is one of the greats when it comes to opera. The only other two names worth mentioning in the same breath when it comes to opera are Mozart and (so they tell me ) Verdi. Don't worry; this recording focuses on the orchestral component, so you don't have to accustom yourself to the singing right away. The _Siegfried Idyll_ is about as rousing as it gets, in my opinion.

*Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony no. 9 "Choral"* (Furtwängler / Philharmonia Orchestra of London). The fourth movement is the famous "Ode to Joy." Furtwängler is regarded by many as the best interpreter of Beethoven's symphonies, and the Lucerne festival of 1954 is my favorite performance. (Note: I own the harder-to-find TEHRA recording, so I can't vouch for the mastering quality on this one, but I suspect they were made from the same source tapes.)

*Dmitri Shostakovich - Symphony no. 5 / The Bolt* (Jarvi / Scottish National Orchestra). There is much debate about what kind of statement Shostakovich was making with his fifth symphony, composed during Stalin's Soviet era, but there is no denying that the music is powerful. Probably not as familiar to a newbie as the rest of my suggestions.

The purists will crucify me for this one...
*The Stokowski Sound: Transcriptions for Orchestra by Leopold Stokowski* (Kunzel / Cincinnati Pops). Leopold Stokowski made no bones about making classical music more accessible, and as a part of that effort, he arranged many well-known pieces for orchestra. You'll get a sampling spanning about 200 years, from Bach to Rachmaninoff and some in between. Just make sure you eventually get around to hearing the pieces on this disc as they were originally written. (Incidentally, this was the very first classical CD I ever bought, so I also have a bit of nostalgia attached to it.)

and of course,
*Igor Stravinsky - Petrushka / Le sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring)* (Stravinsky / Columbia Symphony Orchestra). The _Rite_ is _the_ quintessential introduction to classical music of the modern era. There are plenty of good recordings out there, but this one is conducted by the composer himself.

These pieces were some of my first classical music purchases (but not necessarily these exact recordings). While most aficionados will point you toward more obscure pieces that are arguably of higher artistic merit than these more popular pieces, I firmly believe that one's introduction to classical music should start with the familiar. After all, most people are only familiar with short snippets of these works, so even familiar pieces will contain unfamiliar passages.

If I have overestimated the "newbie" factor, I can offer quite a few lesser-known recommendations, as well. Just let me know.


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## Christi (Nov 21, 2008)

[QUOTE Beethoven-Symphony[/QUOTE]I don't like him


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## l_enfant_terrible (Dec 19, 2008)

Yes, I am an absolute newbie. Thanks for the suggestions!


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## confuoco (Feb 8, 2008)

Hi, I offer the list of 10 CDs made really for an absolute newbie...many of these works contain well known tunes and I think it is a good start to become familiar with some piece. I also tried to do miscellaneous selection of many music periods, styles and genres to allow you to find your musical preferences.

1-5:


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## confuoco (Feb 8, 2008)

and 6-10:


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

confuoco said:


> and 6-10:


That's the way to come out with guns blazing! And they may as well be big guns. I never grow tired of any of these works.


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## confuoco (Feb 8, 2008)

Weston said:


> That's the way to come out with guns blazing! And they may as well be big guns. I never grow tired of any of these works.


Sorry, but I don't know these phrases, so I am not sure if it is positive or negative reaction :-D

Not all of these works are my favorites..but I think they are good for newbie and as I mentioned I wanted to have my list miscellaneous, I wanted something from Russian music, concertos and French music as well. Neverthless, for example La Mer is one of the greatist pieces of music ever written.


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## Guest (Dec 20, 2008)

I think that is a great effort on your part *confuaco* I am a little surprised that you have not included any Haydn which is always an accessible composer for those new to the Classics, but I realise that you can't include everything.
It will be interesting to see what* l_enfant_terrible* makes of it all perhaps he/she will keep us up to date on his thoughts.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

confuoco said:


> Sorry, but I don't know these phrases, so I am not sure if it is positive or negative reaction :-D


It was positive, though loaded with quaint American idiosyncrasies.


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## confuoco (Feb 8, 2008)

Weston said:


> It was positive, though loaded with quaint American idiosyncrasies.


OK, I got it


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## confuoco (Feb 8, 2008)

Andante said:


> I think that is a great effort on your part *confuaco* I am a little surprised that you have not included any Haydn


If you will look one more and precise, you should find some Haydn


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2008)

confuoco said:


> If you will look one more and precise, you should find some Haydn


Sorry old chap,
I see; 
Vivaldi, Handle, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Bruch, Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, Puccini, Debussy, Prokofiev. So where did you put Papa ??


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## phoenixshade (Dec 9, 2008)

Andante said:


> Sorry old chap,
> I see;
> Vivaldi, Handle, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Bruch, Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, Puccini, Debussy, Prokofiev. So where did you put Papa ??


He's "Haydn" in there behind Mozart, on the third disc... Mozart's "Hunt" and "Dissonance" quartet; Haydn's "Emperor" quartet.


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2008)

phoenixshade said:


> He's "Haydn" in there behind Mozart, on the third disc... Mozart's "Hunt" and "Dissonance" quartet; Haydn's "Emperor" quartet.


Yep OK got it,


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## Rondo (Jul 11, 2007)

confuoco said:


>


Quite a good start for Beethoven's fifth, but it doesn't come without warning. If this recording leads to your first time hearing the _Fate_ Symphony, most other recordings may sound a bit slow. Take it from me! Years ago, my first exposure to Tchaikovsky's _1812_ Overture was the Karajan/BPO recording. For several years afterward, any recording I heard which did not have cannons blasting in the background and tumultuous bells ringing seemed dead.

Maybe it's just me, but thinking you have all of the "best" (note the quotations) recordings of the works in your music collection takes a lot of the fun out of looking for more (this begs for some clever metaphor, but I am at a loss for one at the moment...).


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## confuoco (Feb 8, 2008)

Rondo said:


> Maybe it's just me, but thinking you have all of the "best" (note the quotations) recordings of the works in your music collection takes a lot of the fun out of looking for more (this begs for some clever metaphor, but I am at a loss for one at the moment...).


On the other hand, "newbies" look for some composers and works and understimate importance of interpretation very often. It is good to start with some work in really good interpretation, because bad one can give to listener false impression of work's quality. Than he can put aside it (or even all composer's works) for months or years and it's a pity.


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## confuoco (Feb 8, 2008)

confuoco said:


> On the other hand, "newbies" look for some composers and works and understimate importance of interpretation very often. It is good to start with some work in really good interpretation, because bad one can give to listener false impression of work's quality. Than he can put aside it (or even all composer's works) for months or years and it's a pity.


Sorry, but now I see a lot of mistakes and must just correct it:

On the other hand, "newbies" look for some composers and works and understimate importance of interpretation very often. It is good to start with some work in really good interpretation, because bad one can give listener false impression of work's quality. Then he can put it aside for months or years (or even all composer's works) and it's a pity.


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## Rondo (Jul 11, 2007)

confuoco said:


> Sorry, but now I see a lot of mistakes and must just correct it:
> 
> On the other hand, "newbies" look for some composers and works and understimate importance of interpretation very often. It is good to start with some work in really good interpretation, because bad one can give listener false impression of work's quality. Then he can put it aside for months or years (or even all composer's works) and it's a pity.


I know what you mean. It is good to have a great first impression. However, if you start with a performance which goes out on a limb so to speak, then it can give an impression of the composer that may not be reflected in many other recordings (despite how good or bad it is). Of course, an exception would be if you were to have only one or two conductors you listen to for any particular composer, such as Walter/Beethoven, Karajan/Sibelius, or Solti/Mahler.


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