# Suggestions?



## Incognito66 (May 5, 2009)

Hello,

I am new to classical music in general, I've just been listening to it for a short while.. and since I know so very little about it I have trouble finding works and composers that I might enjoy. 

So far I enjoy the works of:

Prokofiev
Dvořák
Vivaldi
Ashkenazy
Rachmaninov
Szymanowski
Paganini
Some of Mozart and Beethoven.

My absolute favorite would have to be the piano trios by Dvorak though.

I like minimalistic/simplistic works.. Solo's, duo's, trio's, sonatas.. anything that's not too bombastic and powerful. I favor the piano, violin & cello.

Got any suggestions for what else I might enjoy?


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## LvB (Nov 21, 2008)

Given your very eclectic list, I suspect that you would enjoy a great deal of the chamber music written between, say, 1700 and 1910, which gives you an enormous amount of territory to cover.

A few specific recommendations:

You don't mention Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, or Frederic Chopin; if you haven't heard their music, it's well worth exploring, as it fits well with what you've already discovered. Each of them wrote much for piano, all wrote trios and works for violoncello and piano, and all but Chopin much otehr chamber music (string quartets, etc.). Along with them, I'd recommend: 

Anton Rubinstein: Any of the sonatas (four for piano, three for violin & piano, two for violoncello & piano, and one for viola & piano) or the piano trios (there are five, of which three have been recorded). Rubinstein was influenced by Beethoven, and went on to influence Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev.

Franz Schubert: Any of the string quartets or quintets, but especially #14, the so-called 'Death and the Maiden" quartet) the title refers to Schubert's reuse of a melody from his song by that title, not any particular imagery, though it is a very dramatic piece. Schubert was very much an influence on Dvorak. It seems unlikely to me that you would dislike anything by Schubert.

Claude-Achille Debussy : The string quartet (he wrote only one). There's a strong link with Szymanowski.

Ravel: Introductions and Allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet and String Quartet. Absolutely gorgeous.

Felix Mendelssohn: Pretty much anything; he is perhaps the greatest child prodigy in compositional history, and having reached a peak early he remained there for the rest of his brief life. He may be vigorous or passionate, but is never overwrought or bombastic. He wrote several piano trios and violin sonatas and (stepping away from the chamber theme for a moment) an amazing violin concerto which you are almost certain to like.

I could go on, but if these appeal to you it won't be hard to find others like them. Enjoy exploring!


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## nefigah (Aug 23, 2008)

Have you listened to Bach's Brandenburg Concertos?


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