# New and need help



## chantiandeanie (Feb 12, 2008)

Hello,

I have only recently started listening to classical music and although it is really interesting I can't find exactly what I want. I know I've heard pieces by Beethoven and Bach that I really liked before but I'm not sure of the titles and having listened to a couple of CD’s of each I can't find them, anyway can't really help that without me humming to tune to you lawl. Basically I would like some advise on what I should try, I would prefer some darker sounding pieces, my favorite so far has been Scheherazade - Rimsky Korsakov but if possible I'd like something darker. I prefer purely orchestral but I'm open to suggestions I did listen to, Brahms - Requiem allemand today and quite liked it.

Anyway, it's been a ramble but I'd be grateful for any suggestions.


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Hi, chantiandeanie 

Welcome aboard to TC. 
I'm sure others will chime in here with great suggestions for you - Enjoy!


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## marval (Oct 29, 2007)

Hello Chantiandeanie


Welcome to the forum

Keep looking there are some people here who will I am sure be able to help you


Margaret


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

hi! 
try tchaikovsky symphonies 4,5, & 6.

dj


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## BuddhaBandit (Dec 31, 2007)

Welcome!

Some suggestions:

*Danse Macabre* by Camille Saint-Saëns
*Symphonie Fantastique* by Hector Berlioz
*Totentanz* by Franz Liszt

*Bonus question for TC members: what do the three pieces above have in common?

*Symphony No. 1* by Charles Ives
*Missa Solemnis* by LV Beethoven
*Adagio for Organ and Strings* by Tomaso Albinioni
*Piano Concerto No. 2* by Sergei Rachmaninoff
*"Death and the Maiden" Quartet* by Franz Schubert
*Kol Nidrei* by Max Bruch
*Cello Octet* by Philip Glass
*String Octet* by George Enescu

Except for Bach, stay away from from Baroque, and except for Beethoven, stay away from the Classical era. Focus on Romantic and 20th century music.


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## David C Coleman (Nov 23, 2007)

chantiandeanie said:


> Hello,
> 
> I have only recently started listening to classical music and although it is really interesting I can't find exactly what I want. I know I've heard pieces by Beethoven and Bach that I really liked before but I'm not sure of the titles and having listened to a couple of CD's of each I can't find them, anyway can't really help that without me humming to tune to you lawl. Basically I would like some advise on what I should try, I would prefer some darker sounding pieces, my favorite so far has been Scheherazade - Rimsky Korsakov but if possible I'd like something darker. I prefer purely orchestral but I'm open to suggestions I did listen to, Brahms - Requiem allemand today and quite liked it.
> 
> Anyway, it's been a ramble but I'd be grateful for any suggestions.


Hi There and welcome to the forum...

How about BEETHOVEN Symphonies Nos 5 & 9, Piano concerto No 3.
SCHUBERT Symphony No 8,
BERLIOZ Symphonie Fantastique
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No 1, Symphony No 4
SIBELIUS Violin Concerto, Symphony No 4 & 7
SHOSTAKOVITCH Symphony No 5


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## Yagan Kiely (Feb 6, 2008)

> Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns
> Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz
> Totentanz by Franz Liszt


Dies Irae at a guess?


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

@ *chantiandeanie*: I think you'll find some overlapping coverage for _Scheherazade_ fans in this thread.

Additionally, as I say to all similar inquries, don't overlook the resources of your local lending library. [Although I don't know _which_ "Perth" you call home.] Australia? Scotland? Ontario, Canada?.


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## BuddhaBandit (Dec 31, 2007)

Yagan Kiely said:


> Dies Irae at a guess?


Indeed it is! The inclusion of this famous plainsong almost always guarantees a dark/threatening quality.

Totentanz is usually overshadowed by the Liszt piano concertos, but, for me, it's just as great (Krystian Zimmerman has a wonderful recording of the concertos and Totentanz- on DG, I believe).


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## chantiandeanie (Feb 12, 2008)

Thanks for all the replies they have been very helpful, so far my favourite suggestions has been SHOSTAKOVITCH Symphony No 5, However I haven't had much of a chance to check out the majority of suggestions as of yet. @ *chi_town:* I'm in the Australian perth.


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## Yagan Kiely (Feb 6, 2008)

> I'm in the Australian perth.


Hi, I'm from Freo.



> Indeed it is! The inclusion of this famous plainsong almost always guarantees a dark/threatening quality.


You can add Battle of the Heros from Star Wars to that list.


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## dsunlin (Feb 19, 2008)

Welcome to the world of classical music!

If you like Rimsky-Korsakov, then you might like other Russian composers. Most of them have that "Arabian Nights" vibe, whether they do it intentionally or not.

Suggestion: Reinhold Gliere, Ilya Murometz.


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## Oneiros (Aug 28, 2006)

Check out Brahms 1st Symphony and his Piano Concerto in D minor - both are fairly dark and powerful (well, at least the first movements are).


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## hazzard 75 (Mar 4, 2008)

hey... if you just started listening to classical, i say the best thing to start up with is listen to music thats been sampled... thats how i started. i.e. with Nas - Hate me Now, i listened to Carl Orff's - Carmina Burana and with 50 Cent - In da Club, Beethoven - Symphony No. 9


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## YsayeOp.27#6 (Dec 7, 2007)

Yagan Kiely said:


> Dies Irae at a guess?


There's more Dies Irae in Rachmaninov's Paganini Rhapsody that in the Danse Macabre. Actually... where exactly is the Dies Irae at Saint-Saëns' work?

I'd rather say: the subject. And that allow me to include Mussorgsky's _A night on bald mountain._ and, why not, Liszt's Mephisto Waltzes.



> You can add Battle of the Heros from Star Wars to that list.


A nice tune, but his request is on classical music.


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## SalieriIsInnocent (Feb 28, 2008)

I really like Mussorgsky's work but it goes from dark to happy and so on and so fourth
You would really like Don Giovanni act 2 if you want something dark (come on Don Giovanni dragged into hell because his refusal of repentance, just so evil and amazing at the same time)
I also would say all of Mozarts Requiem Mass but it's more sad than dark.
Beethoven has alot of dark stuff out there
Rimsky-Korsakov = Theres your darkness.
Basically all of the FIVE russian composers are your ticket to darkness.
But really to find dark music is up to the listener.


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## SalieriIsInnocent (Feb 28, 2008)

YsayeOp.27#6 said:


> There's more Dies Irae in Rachmaninov's Paganini Rhapsody that in the Danse Macabre. Actually... where exactly is the Dies Irae at Saint-Saëns' work?
> 
> I'd rather say: the subject. And that allow me to include Mussorgsky's _A night on bald mountain._ and, why not, Liszt's Mephisto Waltzes.
> 
> A nice tune, but his request is on classical music.


John Williams is not our only hope, but as far as getting as close to classical music as possible he is our only hope....but wait there is another


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## YsayeOp.27#6 (Dec 7, 2007)

Allan Pettersson: Symphony Nº 7
Eduard Tubin: Requiem for fallen soldiers

And... why not, Richard Danielpour's Celestial Night.


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## squidgy (Jul 28, 2007)

Beethovens 7th Symphony is fantastic especially the 4th Movt.


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