# Concert recommendations for a newbie



## Guest (Jun 14, 2014)

I've become acquainted with what you might call the big names of classical and am now going to venture into live performances. I've found a local music society and am going to be attending some of the concerts there...

http://www.themusicsociety.org.uk/43/concerts.htm

I'm thinking of attending concert numbers 1, 5, 6 and 8 but could do with some enlightened input into some of the others as they are mostly composers I do not know. I'm particularly thinking of concerts 2 and 4. What would you say about some of these composers? I'm keen to delve more into contemporary works but would welcome some guiding comments from esteemed members here. (So far I would say I like Chopin, Debussy, Liszt and Bruckner particularly).


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

If you're going to a few of these, put the wind quintet in there (no. 4) - they're playing solid repertoire for the ensemble as well as giving you a sighter for more contemporary styles in the Ligeti- it will be a fun concert! The flute/harp and sax/piano shows? You wouldn't drag me to those ;-)

Otherwise, just dig in and enjoy


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Don't miss no. 5, Faure piano quartets are not so often heard gems and Mozart/Dvorak are safe choices too. No. 6 is just as interesting, even more for the sake of Martin Roscoe, pianist that must be at least a little bit famous because I own his CD recordins. And it has _Kreutzer_ Sonata in program, one of most famous chamber works. No. 8 has two more modern, but accessible works in-between romantic standards and Beethoven, so it would be like carefully putting your finger into water before diving into it.


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## spradlig (Jul 25, 2012)

I highly recommend concert #1 since it contains Tchaikovsky's Quartet #1. The entire work is great, not just the familiar slow movement.

I advise against going to #2. The classical saxophone repertoire is tiny, so by necessity, the program looks like it's almost entirely transcriptions. I don't care for transcriptions in general. That's my taste, and my advice.

Thumbs up for #6. The Beethoven _Kreutzer sonata_ is as great as its reputation. The other works on the program look good too.

I'd recommend against #8. Piano recitals are pretty easy to find. If you have the opportunity, attend concerts with different instruments. Plus I dislike the theme from Beethoven's _Eroica_ variations. I cannot understand why he used it in at least two major compositions.

The concerts I didn't mention (as well as those I did) feature works by great composers, but my knowledge of chamber music is limited, and I didn't see any "warhorse" type chamber works (e.g. Dvorak's "American" quartet, Schubert's Trout Quintet or "Cello Quintet"), so I don't know if the pieces in them are instantly accessible.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

spradlig said:


> Piano recitals are pretty easy to find.


But not "50 minutes of flawless poetry" recitals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!


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## Guest (Jun 14, 2014)

Thanks for all these words of advice, duly noted. I have an aversion to both flute and harp, so that was the only one I'd really have ruled out. The society has trips to the Halle too so I can see myself making this a regular jaunt (especially since I live in a cultural desert, by any measure).


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## Guest (Jun 14, 2014)

I'd like to see you decide which concerts to go to on your own, and then you tell us what you heard and what you thought of it.

Your experiences, not our guesses as to which future concerts might possibly be productive of good experiences according to us. Your actual experiences that you have after making your own decisions.

Make a nice change, anyway.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Come back and tell us your impressions of what you heard. I'm interested.

Have fun!


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

It is a no-brainer choice for me:

Avoid the recitals of one or two instrumentalists and choose the programs with the larger ensembles.

As per thinking of _your_ experience (other than the piano recital, which you might like) the simple fact is that the larger ensembles will be making a fuller sound of music which is of a different breadth than, say, a piano and saxophone recital. There will be more variety of instrumental color, and more to keep you fully engaged. So, String ensemble and the woodwind ensembles, I think then are a must.

Piano recital -- a good pianist can bring an array of color and dynamics to the music they play, and that program will likely have a variety.

The down side, unless I did not look further, and it is something which severely annoys me, is the actual programs of which works are to comprise those concerts is absent 

But _do go, _choose the larger ensembles, and probably that piano recital, because _there is nothing like live._

... and have a great time, my guess is you will!


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## Guest (Jun 15, 2014)

some guy said:


> I'd like to see you decide which concerts to go to on your own, and then you tell us what you heard and what you thought of it.
> 
> Your experiences, not our guesses as to which future concerts might possibly be productive of good experiences according to us. Your actual experiences that you have after making your own decisions.
> 
> Make a nice change, anyway.


Indeed, I shall certainly make my own decisions and feed back. I'm wanting to consult before I commit as so much of this is new territory for me. So far I have been to a grand total of one classical concert (Bartok string quartets); if it was opting within the "popular" music genre I'd feel no desire to canvas opinion. I would certainly go to see Secret Chiefs 3 and certainly avoid Coldplay


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## Guest (Jun 15, 2014)

gog said:


> I'm wanting to consult before I commit as so much of this is new territory for me.


Where in the world has the spirit of adventure gone?

Consulting is exactly what I would advise against.

Do not consult. Why? _Because_ it is new territory.


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2014)

hpowders said:


> Come back and tell us your impressions of what you heard. I'm interested.
> 
> Have fun!


So... I went to see the Wu String Quartet. They performed works by Haydn, Tchaikovsky, Shubert and Mendelssohn. I enjoyed it all very much; perhaps the Mendelssohn most of all. Next stop, two orchestral concerts...


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