# Newbie seeking help...



## Ruprecht (Jul 29, 2013)

Greetings!

Have just joined this website.

A bit of background:

I'm 42 y.o. and living in Melbourne Australia.

My main musical love is hard rock/heavy metal - looking forward to checking out some of the "metal posts" in the Non-Classical Music section, just to see what the general view of members is to this genre.

That said, I like many different types of music and have recently started getting into classical - as might have already been noted, there are definitely similarities between some types of metal and some types of classical - the time changes, sense of dramatics & atmospherics etc.

I'm planning on starting with the "heavier" end of the classical spectrum - Tchaikovsky/Wagner, alongside some particular pieces, like Ride of the Valkyries, Hall of the Mountain King and Holst's Planets.

So are there any particular conductors/orchestras whose interpretations of these works that stand out from the others? Or any particular recordings that are generally regarded as "the best"?

Would really appreciate any feedback/advice.

Many thanks!


----------



## hreichgott (Dec 31, 2012)

Haven't listened to much metal, but I do think they borrow a lot from composers like Tchaikovsky and Wagner. Try Mahler, Sibelius, and Prokofiev too, in that order. I could suggest Tchaikovsky's 4th symphony, anything from Wagner's "Ring" operas, Mahler's 6th symphony, Sibelius's 5th Symphony and Prokofiev's ballet scores Romeo & Juliet and Cinderella, but there are tons of other excellent works from all these composers.
This time period is the later Romantic era and the beginning of the 20th century, by the way.

You might maybe (maybe) like some of the later/darker Mozart pieces too, like the 40th symphony and the Requiem. Brahms and Fauré wrote some great Requiems as well.
Brahms and Fauré are in the same late Romantic and early 20th century periods; Mozart is earlier (Classical era).


----------



## WavesOfParadox (Aug 5, 2012)

I also came from a metal background, so I'll give you some suggestions for some pieces to listen to based on that.











This is the piece that started it all for me -


----------



## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

Some other suggestions:

Bartok's Concerto for orchestra
Some symphonies by Shostakovich, e.g. no. 5
Some by Prokofiev (his no. 5 also comes to mind).


----------



## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

This smacks the listener in the face fairly well.


----------



## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)




----------



## Guest (Jul 29, 2013)

Hello fellow metalhead/classicalite


----------



## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

Try the Fifths quartet (Op. 76 No. 2) by Joseph Haydn:


----------



## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Welcome to the forum Ruprecht. I am not from a metal background but have listened to it from time to time. American composer Huang Ruo has been influenced by metal, and much else besides. Born in China, his music draws upon its musical tradtions as well as things like WEstern classical, jazz, rock, metal, and so on. Here is one of his chamber concertos:





Might be hit or miss but no harm in giving it a go, I think?


----------



## themysticcaveman (Jul 9, 2013)

you into metal, you ever given the great Bruckner a listen? if not i suggest you do, his second symphony will wow you, if you looking for a quick fix, try the scherzo from symphony 3


----------



## Guest (Aug 2, 2013)

Ruprecht? I can't resist:






From Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, an excellent movie!


----------

