# Best ways to discover new music?



## NickW (Dec 6, 2015)

Hello everyone, 

I've been listening to classical music for a couple of years now and have discovered that I really love romantic orchestral works by the likes of Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky. There are lots of other orchestral works I love as well, but the huge depth of emotion i feel from these composers really does it for me. 

But I hope that in just listening to Classic FM I am missing out on less well known composers that I might also like. So, other than the radio, where could I discover more music of this kind?

thanks for your help and advice,


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## Kivimees (Feb 16, 2013)

Hang out at the Current Listening thread. :tiphat:


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

If you enjoy opera, then Verdi is another top Romantic composer to get into. His opera are composed with rich melodies and orchestral color.


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## NickW (Dec 6, 2015)

Yes I saw that Kivmees thanks. 

ArtMusic I am not keen on opera but I kind of want to be if you know what I mean  thanks. 

A particular favourite currently is Barber's adagio for strings


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

This forum and youtube will get you far.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Also, scan the Talk Classical top list sticky thread. The second or third post is a list of symphonies and it goes on from there to concertos etc. The items further down the list will be a little less known.

However, as mentioned above, the current listening thread feels less lonely.


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

YouTube is great for this, mainly because its recommendation system means that even playing something you already know will lead you to new things. You're also likely to find multiple performances/recordings of the same piece, and listening to those may over time improve your understanding and possibly enjoyment of the music. For both of these reasons it's also a good "try before you buy" tool, as you can compare and contrast multiple recordings of pieces you like and see which one(s) you would like to invest in.

As for radio, BBC Radio 3 is far better than Classic FM, if you can get it where you are, not just because they play a much wider variety of material, but they also have educational/documentary programming which attempts to give insight into composers, their work, and their lives, which can prove useful especially if you want to learn about classical music and its history. Classic FM by contrast has a very rigid playlist from which it never deviates, and the music it does play offers a very one dimensional perspective on the composers it showcases, with little insight into the music or the history behind it.


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## NickW (Dec 6, 2015)

Thanks a lot Crudblud, Weston and everyone

I am indeed now listening to Miya Balakirev Symphony #1 on youtube to see if I like it (and i most certainly do!) which i found on one of the sticky threads. They really are a goldmine. I also have Paul Dukas symphony in C (and Sorcerers apprentice of course) on their way to me. 

The only problem is, I'll be in trouble with my wife now as i'd agreed no more music in December... damn, Amazon Prime 1 Click + This Forum = definite trouble for me heh!


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## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

This forum is the best place for information. Read as much as you can, even old threads. Another very good place is arkivmusic.com, which lists composers, works and - most importantly - recordings, and even has a lot of record reviews.


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## Gaspard de la Nuit (Oct 20, 2014)

I discovered plenty in the TinyChat listening room when it's active (which is not very often, but Friday was pretty crowded).


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

NickW said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I've been listening to classical music for a couple of years now and have discovered that I really love romantic orchestral works by the likes of Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky. There are lots of other orchestral works I love as well, but the huge depth of emotion i feel from these composers really does it for me.
> 
> ...


If you like Barber's Adagio for Strings, check out Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring. Gorgeous music from a great American contemporary of Samuel Barber. I recommend the Leonard Bernstein/New York Philharmonic performance.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

Two threads that I like that have not been mentioned yet:

http://www.talkclassical.com/1006-latest-purchases.html

http://www.talkclassical.com/30292-pieces-have-blown-you.html


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

I originally created the talkclassical project with something like this in mind.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Sign up here to access Naxos Music Library. Type in any composer you like.
http://www.tso.ca/en-ca/Discover-the-Music/beethoven-on-demand.aspx


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## Guest (Dec 6, 2015)

The best thing to do is most certainly not to current listening threads or anything like that. The key is NOT to be flooded with information, most of which is not applicable to you. 

Without telling you the exact websites, blogs, lists, etc. that I use (because you are not me and your tastes are surely different), I will tell you that the secret is to:

Look at the music you like. Determine all the possible linkages between the composers or some of the composers. Look beyond "happy/sad", "baroque/classical/romantic", etc. Look at what labels you tend to be buying from. Look at what countries you like music from. Browse composer catalogues for pieces that sound appealing, if only in name, duration, and instrumentation. 

Master these methods and your problem will become "My iPod classic is perpetually full! What can i live without?!"


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

Pandora is like radio except you train it to play tunes you might like. There's a complete classical station that plays full works. Beyond that, you can just create your own Tchaikovsky station. It will only play movements of his or similar composers, but maybe you can use it to screen for works you like.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

YouTube and Naxos (you likely have free access, if you have a library card) have been mentioned many times, and I use them all of the time!

But nathanb's method is my own:

"Look at the music you like. Determine all the possible linkages between the composers or some of the composers. Look beyond "happy/sad", "baroque/classical/romantic", etc. Look at what labels you tend to be buying from. Look at what countries you like music from. Browse composer catalogues for pieces that sound appealing, if only in name, duration, and instrumentation."

A "composer catalogue" of sorts is Wikipedia. Go to the composer's page and scroll down to the music section. Here will usually be a paragraph telling you about the composer's basic approach to composition (conservative, radical, early-to-late period changes, influences, criticisms, etc.). Often, there will be a link to a page dedicated to listing all of the composer's works. If not, a list of the major works will typically appear below. Some of the works even have their own pages!

You can see at a glance what the composer wrote and when. Scan orchestral, chamber, piano, opera... whatever you are the most interested in and listen to them on your favourite site. You'll be in beyond your eardrums in a movement—but don't fret! They'll still be there tomorrow.


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## NickW (Dec 6, 2015)

nathanb said:


> The best thing to do is most certainly not to current listening threads or anything like that. The key is
> Master these methods and your problem will become "My iPod classic is perpetually full! What can i live without?!"


That's awesome. And my music system IS an ipod classic hooked up to speakers hhh!


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## NickW (Dec 6, 2015)

hpowders said:


> If you like Barber's Adagio for Strings, check out Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring. Gorgeous music from a great American contemporary of Samuel Barber. I recommend the Leonard Bernstein/New York Philharmonic performance.


Marvellous. Thanks so much. I can't wait to play it. Im currently listening to Alexander Scriabin Symphony 1, which is absolutely lovely. Found via youtube recommended after viewing Rachmaninov Symphony 2, perfect.


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## Bluecrab (Jun 24, 2014)

Try this website:

http://www.live365.com/

Under the "Genres" tab, click "Classical." There are loads of streaming stations that you can listen to free, and other "VIP" stations that you have to pay for. I'd recommend one called "Contemporary Classical." They play a very nice variety of classical and modern music from about 1875 to the present. And it's free.


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## NickW (Dec 6, 2015)

Bluecrab said:


> Try this website:
> 
> http://www.live365.com/
> 
> Under the "Genres" tab, click "Classical." There are loads of streaming stations that you can listen to free, and other "VIP" stations that you have to pay for. I'd recommend one called "Contemporary Classical." They play a very nice variety of classical and modern music from about 1875 to the present. And it's free.


Found it here: http://www.live365.com/stations/20classics

looks like a really interesting station, thanks. I'll put it on when im working in the morning.

Currently listening to Bruckner's Symphony 8. Right up my street. Heard the name before but never listened to him. It's been quite a day for discoveries thanks to all the kind replies to this thread. So thanks once more!


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## pianississimo (Nov 24, 2014)

YouTube brought classical music to me and I still use it all the time.
I have a theory that most people like some classical music - a film or TV theme or a piece from a half remembered childhood cartoon.
I liked Grieg's morning mood. At certain times of the year I could walk down to the bus stop through a local housing estate and watch the sun come up at the distant end of the valley. This piece of music on my cassette player (god I'm old! ) was uplifting at such moments and I enjoyed it. Other than that I listened only to heavy metal!

For some reason I became interested in Rachmaninov's transcription of Rimsky Korsokov's Bumblebee. I found performances on youtube and was struck by the softness of the low left hand notes below the frantic buzzing of the right hand. Searching for more I found Rachmaninov piano concerto 3. I liked this immediately and downloaded (legally) a version of it for my little mp3 player. Listening every day for a couple of weeks, I grew to understand more what was going on. 
I researched more on youtube and found more music. I added more to my classical playlist, pushing the rock music - of which I'd grown somewhat tired - further back until there was no room for it on the mp3 player any more.
Then I bought a 160gb ipod.
I attended my first live concert (2011) and, being utterly blown away by it, I have since filled my ipod to 2/3 full and attend 70+ concerts a year.

So I don't agree with the likes of K. Zimmerman who believes that youtube is evil and robs artists. Youtube is a free and non-judgemental way to listen to whatever you want. It helpfully lists all kinds of similar things down the right hand side, meaning that discovering different artists, composers and genres is just a click away.

15 years ago you'd have to have found a classical radio station or found some miraculous means of discovering classical music from scratch. How could you if you don't have any real previous exposure? a TV theme is a TV theme if you don't know the origin. If you can't easily find out then you probably won't.

Extending your journey through music can happen the same way too. I tend to discover new composers from concerts or multi-composer recordings of artists I like. I still use Youtube though and one of the best things about it is that a large number of people have uploaded rare and beautiful recordings which I would never get to hear otherwise and which so often send me down a new path to more discoveries.

Any lover of great music will want a decent recording of great artists. Youtube doesn't have the top sound quality - at least not with my PC's sound capabilities. Youtube has encouraged me to buy more music and attend more concerts. It brings new composers to me and also new orchestras.


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## Gordontrek (Jun 22, 2012)

Grab a Pandora account. Don't just listen to "Classical Music Radio" because that's all cookie cutter stuff (how many times can you listen to the Four Seasons and Beethoven's 5th, I mean come on). Go for something like Schoenberg stations for some really grotesque modern stuff, or you can find stations for a specific period.


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## TurnaboutVox (Sep 22, 2013)

No-one has mentioned Spotify yet, if you live somewhere where you can access it, Nick. I audition stuff a lot on Spotify and then buy some of what I have particularly liked. I have never bothered to get the premium service as the adverts don't faze me (and on a linux system you can just turn the sound off till they're over anyway ).


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## Janspe (Nov 10, 2012)

If you enjoyed Barber's _Adagio for strings_, I can wholeheartedly recommend his beautifully lyrical *Violin Concerto, Op. 14* - it is full of sweet melodies, I'm sure you'll enjoy it! The brilliantly exciting finale will leave you gasping for air.

Hilary Hahn has made an excellent recording of the piece with The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, lead by Hugh Wolff.


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## pianississimo (Nov 24, 2014)

itunes now offers stations. I don't really know what its about but I suspect it is an attempt to get subscribers paying regularly for something they can get for free. Does anyone else use this type of thing?


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## Mal (Jan 1, 2016)

TurnaboutVox said:


> ... I audition stuff a lot on Spotify and then buy some of what I have particularly liked. I have never bothered to get the premium service as the adverts don't faze me...


Try ad blocker, or (better) actually pay for it - the higher bit rate brings it up to hifi standard, to my ears; you might then not feel the need to buy at all(!)

Spotify have recently added a new feature called Discover Weekly that pops up automatically in your playlists each Monday. It recommends tracks based on what you have listened to, and what others have chosen. I'm into my second week of using this and am amazed by how good it is at suggesting new stuff that I like - much better than Classic FM and BBC Radio 3. The playlist is generated by an algorithm that looks at others playlists to generate recommendations - this gets away from carols, the same old stuff, DJ's chums, atonal rubbish, and keeps out the banal adverts, previews, news, and gormless chat.

Also - get a good guide book(like "Third Ear") and see what is recommended alongside pieces you like.


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## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

Crudblud said:


> As for radio, BBC Radio 3 is far better than Classic FM, if you can get it where you are, not just because they play a much wider variety of material, but they also have educational/documentary programming which attempts to give insight into composers, their work, and their lives, which can prove useful especially if you want to learn about classical music and its history. Classic FM by contrast has a very rigid playlist from which it never deviates, and the music it does play offers a very one dimensional perspective on the composers it showcases, with little insight into the music or the history behind it.


They also play more complete works.
I was looking through the playlist of ClassicFM and thought what is this? What use is there to play only one moment of a Haydn symphony?
BBC provides by the way the night music for radio stations in several countries in Europe. Radio is a good way to discover new music I often hear works never or seldom mentioned on this forum and that are not on Youtube.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

Best ways to discover new music?

By listening with an open mind.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

brotagonist said:


> Best ways to discover new music?
> 
> By listening with an open mind.


Or call up your local classical station and ask them to play something from the 20th century! They're kind of timid about this prospect! But they get more confident if you call and make a pledge while they slip in some Takemitsu or Schnittke.


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## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

starthrower said:


> Or call up your local classical station and ask them to play something from the 20th century! They're kind of timid about this prospect! But they get more confident if you call and make a pledge while they slip in some _Takemitsu _or Schnittke.


Sorry when they play Takemitsu I want to listen to the music and not speak in the phone.
I can however call when they play Ligeti then the most played work by Ligeti is his first string quartet and that is rather nice so I will not call then either. Maybe if they play Lux Aeterna.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

*$potify* should pay their bills.  
http://www.billboard.com/articles/b...on-royalties-david-lowery-cracker-150-million


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## Fugue Meister (Jul 5, 2014)

DeepR said:


> This forum and youtube will get you far.


Second this... Just take recommendations write down some names and hop over to youtube to sample almost anything.


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## Open Lane (Nov 11, 2015)

My favorite resource is www.rateyourmusic.com

You can use it to search other people's top 10 (100 or w/e) lists etc. i've found a lot of good music through using that site.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I used to use it before I came here. I have deleted my ratings and all of my account. It's pretty weak on classical, as far as I am concerned.


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## kartikeys (Mar 16, 2013)

nathanb said:


> The best thing to do is most certainly not to current listening threads or anything like that. The key is NOT to be flooded with information, most of which is not applicable to you.
> 
> Without telling you the exact websites, blogs, lists, etc. that I use (because you are not me and your tastes are surely different), I will tell you that the secret is to:
> 
> ...


I agree about not being flooded. 
I know my liking, and what I cannot stand. I use YouTube to listen and to learn. And at times, podcasts, where you may learn more about the music and the composer.


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## motoboy (May 19, 2008)

kartikeys said:


> I agree about not being flooded.
> I know my liking, and what I cannot stand. I use YouTube to listen and to learn. And at times, podcasts, where you may learn more about the music and the composer.


And the joy I find is when a composer/piece/conductor on my "cannot stand" list moves to my "one of my favorite" list. I love this pursuit!


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