# Mozart and Beethoven recommendations for beginners



## Mozart123 (Oct 8, 2020)

As a newbie to the world of classical music, I am looking to expand my knowledge and appreciation of music in the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods.

To add a little context, I am familiar with famous works such as Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Morning Mood, Canon in D, Vivaldi's Spring (Four Seasons) and Mendelssohn's Octet. After some research on this site, I recently purchased my first classical music set: Beethoven's symphonies by Barenboim/Staatskapelle Berlin. I've still yet to listen to symphonies 7-9, but so far, I like what I hear. I particularly enjoyed symphonies 5 and 6, and was blown away by their first movements (especially S6).

I am now looking to familiarise myself with the works of Mozart. Where is a good place to start?
Also, which Beethoven works should I listen to next?

At this early stage, I would prefer accessible pieces over more nuanced pieces, although all suggestions are welcome.


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## poconoron (Oct 26, 2011)

For Mozart:
Piano concertos 17,20,21,22,23,24
Symphonies 25,29,35,40,41
Requiem
Clarinet quintet
Clarinet concerto
Horn concertos
Operas (when you're ready) Magic Flute, Don giovanni, Marriage of Figaro


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Mozart123 said:


> Also, which Beethoven works should I listen to next?


String Quartets Op. 18 and Op. 53
Piano Concertos
Piano Sonatas up to #23 (stay away from the later ones for now)
Cello Sonatas

Good luck!


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## Torkelburger (Jan 14, 2014)

Generally speaking, Mozart is most known for his symphonies, piano concertos, and operas. And Beethoven is most known for his symphonies, string quartets, and piano sonatas. So you may want to start there.

Mozart
Symphony 40, 41, 25, 38, 35, 31
PC 21, 20, 23

Beethoven
All Symphonies
All string quartets (best to start chronologically)
Sonatas (all, but in particular numbers 14, 8, 21, 23, 29)


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

Mozart:
Clarinet Quintet
String Quintets 3 and 4
Clarinet Concerto
Sinfonia Concertante
Piano Concerti 17, 23, 25 (these are really the only ones I like even a little, but you may like more of them)
Great Mass in C Minor

Beethoven:
Coriolan Overture
Piano Concerto 5
Piano Sonatas 14, 21, 23, 32
Kreutzer Sonata
String Quartets 12 and 15


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## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

On Beethoven, I would suggest Symphony 7 (- the "apotheosis of the dance"). If you like piano music then maybe Piano Sonata 21 (Waldstein), especially performed by Emil Gilels, or one of the Piano Concertos (- number 4 is my favourite).

On Mozart, I probably have good suggestions, as I'm not really a fan - so if I like them then anyone should! The Clarinet Quintet, as suggested by poconoron, is a great shout, as are Symphonies 25 and 40. Among Piano Concertos I'm partial to number 23, and a fan of Murray Perahia in these works.

Also, try some Haydn - Symphony 93 or Symphony 101 (say), or among earlier ones say Symphony 44 (Trauer) or Symphony 49 (La Passione). I like Pinnock and the English Concert in the "Sturm under Drang" symphonies like 49, and really like Solti's recording of 93 and 99 with the LPO. For 101 I like Reiner and the CSO, although it's not the newest recording. (Szell is also great in this stuff, but the recording quality is again not the most modern, say in 104.) I always like to push Haydn whenever possible, as I feel he is often overlooked.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

I dont know why no one ever mentions the *Sinfonia Concertante*. It is imho one of the best works by Mozart and one of the easiest to get into.


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## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

Allegro Con Brio said:


> Mozart:
> 
> Piano Concerti 17, 23, 25 (these are really the only ones I like even a little, but you may like more of them)


Yeah, I'm like you in this. I thought I'd have a go at the early ones to see if I could get into them by starting with those, as I had only really listened to the higher numbers. I was enjoying 1-4, but then I read that Mozart didn't write them - only arranged them. That wasn't really getting me very far with Mozart.  Ploughing on. I'm encouraged to believe that I'll hit a masterpiece at number nine, so fingers crossed.


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## SearsPoncho (Sep 23, 2020)

The best recommendation I can give is to slow down. Also, I can't resist the temptation to recommend what worked for me, which is to just focus on a small number of Music 101 pieces for about a year, maybe longer. I believe if you listen to the complete Beethoven Symphonies or Mozart String Quartets and try to fully absorb them in one or two months, you will absorb very little and the full impact of each work will be lost. Better to know a few masterpieces well than a ton of music superficially. Here are the few pieces I started with and listened to for at least a year, probably several, before moving on to anything else, and it sure worked for me:

Beethoven - Symphony #3 (Eroica)
Beethoven - Symphony #5
Beethoven - Symphony #9
Beethoven's 3 most popular Piano Sonatas - Moonlight, Pathetique and Appassionata
Beethoven - Violin Concerto
Beethoven - Piano Concerto #4
Beethoven - Piano Concerto #5 (Emperor)

Mozart - Piano Concerto #20
Mozart - Piano Concerto #27
Mozart - Symphony #40
Mozart - Symphony #41
Mozart - Overtures (was on an album w/Eine Kleine Nachtmusik-Walter/Columbia Symphony)

I was probably listening to Beethoven's 7th as well. I definitely agree with Jacck's recommendation of Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola. It's one of his best pieces. 

Regardless of what you listen to, savor and enjoy it. You are in a position we envy: hearing the greatest masterworks for the first time. Familiarize yourself with them and don't rush on to the next work.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

For Mozart, start with his last four symphonies (Nos. 38, 39, 40 & 41), his last eleven piano concertos (Nos. 17 to 27), the sinfonia concertante, the clarinet concerto, the piano sonatas from 7 to 18, the other late divertimentos/serenades (_Eine Kleine Nachtmusik_ is serenade No. 13, his last). Also the _Great_ mass and the Requiem. For operas, I suggest starting with _Le nozze di Figaro_ or _Die Zauberflöte_, and for chamber music, I suggest the quintets (the string quintets and the clarinet quintet). This should be enough in a first moment.

For Beethoven, try the other symphonies, all concertos except Nos. 1 & 2 for piano, the _Choral Fantasia_, the piano sonatas Nos. 8, 14, 17, 21, 23 and 26, the Mass in C, the ballet _The Creatures of Prometheus_, the cello sonatas Nos. 1, 2 & 3 and the _Razumovsky_ quartets. Avoid his late period for now, except for the Ninth symphony.

Follows a few suggestions of videos for you to try (more Mozart than Beethoven because I understand you know less of his music):

*Mozart - Divertimento No. 17, K. 334:*





*Mozart - Symphony No. 40, K. 550:*





*Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 20, K. 466:*





*Mozart - String Quintet No. 4, K. 516:*





*Beethoven - The Creatures of Prometheus, Op. 43:*


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

What about the Beethoven Septet to begin with?


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

Mozart *Eine Kleine Nachtmusik*, *Piano Concerto No. 21*, *Violin Concerto No. 4* and *Piano Quartets*.

Beethoven *Symphony No. 5*, *Piano Concerto No. 3*, *Piano Sonatas Nos. 8, 14 and 23*, and *Piano Trio No. 5 "Ghost"*.

To answer the above the *Septet *was his most popular early composition and remains relevant and oft-recorded. It is a favorite of mine and a great piece but many don't respond to woodwind music.


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

Mozart: 
Piano Concerto Nos. 20 to 27
Horn Concertos nos. 1 to 4
Symphonies nos. 25, 28, 29, 38-41
Clarinet Concerto
String Quartet No. 19 "Dissonance"
Clarinet Quintet 
String Quintets Nos. 2 to 6, especially No. 4
Serenade No. 10 for winds "Gran Partita"
Great Mass in C Minor
Don Giovanni (Highlights)
The Magic Flute (Highlights)
Cosi Fan Tutti (Highlights)
Requiem
Masonic Funeral Music
Violin Sonata No. 21, k304

Beethoven:
Piano Concertos Nos. 3 to 5
Violin Concerto
Egmont Overture
Piano Sonata No. 8 "Pathetique"
Piano Sonata No. 14 "Moonlight"
Piano Sonata No. 21 "Waldstein"
Piano Sonata No. 23 "Appassionata"
Piano Sonata No. 29 "Hammerklavier" (skip movement 3)
Piano Sonata No. 32
Piano Trio Op. 97 "Archduke"
Violin Sonata No. 9 "Kreutzer"
Razumovsky Quartets Nos 1 to 3, Op 59
String Quartet No. 12

Composers to try next:
Handel for his Messiah
JS Bach
More Vivaldi
Tchaikovsky
Dvorak
Holst The Planets

This list should take a long time to go through. You should just familiarize yourself with the Beethoven symphonies for now.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Mozart's Oboe Quartet is a delightful work. For more serious fare, try out piano concerto no. 24, Requiem, and Great Mass in C minor. 

Concerning Beethoven, the Septet has been mentioned and is a great place to start; I would add the 2 cello sonatas, op. 5 to this early and upbeat category. For much heavier Beethoven, check out the 9th symphony and Missa Solemnis. Listening to the latter, you'll have the opportunity to decide for yourself if Beethoven was not an excellent composer for the voice. When you are ready for the adventurous Beethoven, head to the Gross Fugue, op. 133.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

There's a ton of great music from both Beethoven and Mozart, but I'll keep the initial recommendations short.

Mozart: Pick any piano concerto in the 20's. A good set is by Alfred Brendel, Neville Marriner, and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields (ASMF for short).

Beethoven: The piano concertos are a great choice here, too. I like the set by Andras Schiff, Bernard Haitink, and Staatskapelle Dresden.


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

Ah! I made a playlist just for this!

*TalkClassical's Most Highly Recommended Beethoven & Mozart Recordings & Works*

In truth there's only *6 total works* here. I knocked it down from 11 as I didn't want to give everything away on a YouTube platform. But this is good for starters.


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

[_Message deleted_]


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## Axter (Jan 15, 2020)

As an easy way to start I would suggest,

MOZART: Symphony 35 "Haffner", Symphony 36 "Linzer", Symphony 38 "Prague", Symphony 40, and Symphony 41 "Jupiter"

_There is no Mozart 37th, it was mixed up with a Hayden symphony by error of historians and later removed, hence you will see number 37 missing on CD sets. 
As for orchestra/conductor for Mozart Symphonies, I personally like to Bohm/Vienna Phil, Bernstein/Vienna Phil, or Karajan/Berlin Phil._

BEETHOVEN: Symphony 7, Symphony 9, and I also suggest Piano Concertos 3, 4, and 5. Also Violin Concerto!
If you enjoyed Beethoven's 3rd Symphony, you will enjoy the "EGMONT" Overture, same vibe.

_Definitely Barenboim is a great Beethoven conductor, so your ears are in good hands with him.  
For Piano concertos I personally like Mehta/Askenzay/Vienna Phil. set or Solti/Ashkenazy/CSO set. Many people enjoy also Bernstein/Zimmermann/Vienna Phil set too.
For the Violin Concerto my absolute favourite is Karajan/Mutter/Berlin Phil. _

Enjoy!


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## Mozart123 (Oct 8, 2020)

Thanks everyone for the great recommendations. I think it wise not to overload my senses, but instead take the slow approach so as to savour and appreciate the music more.

I am also eager to learn what to listen for in music in order to better understand and enjoy my listening experience. I am therefore considering purchasing this book. It has good reviews on amazon and goodreads.









Any thoughts or recommendations?


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

Mozart123 said:


> Thanks everyone for the great recommendations. I think it wise not to overload my senses, but instead take the slow approach so as to savour and appreciate the music more.
> 
> I am also eager to learn what to listen for in music in order to better understand and enjoy my listening experience. I am therefore considering purchasing this book. It has good reviews on amazon and goodreads.
> 
> ...


That book is worth getting.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

Mozart123 said:


> Thanks everyone for the great recommendations. I think it wise not to overload my senses, but instead take the slow approach so as to savour and appreciate the music more.


I think it is best not to concentrate on one composer and explore him in depth, but rather sample one or two works from different composers as wide as you can.

take one work from Mozart, one from Beethoven, one from Brahms, one from Tchaikovsky, one from Shostakovich, one from Bartok etc. and find out what you like. Visit the classical period, the baroque period, the renaissance period, the romantic period and the 20th century. And in the coming years, you have plenty of time to delve deeper into composers you like.

you can use this as your guide for what to listen to
Compilation of the TC Top Recommended Lists


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## Mozart123 (Oct 8, 2020)

Jacck said:


> I think it is best not to concentrate on one composer and explore him in depth, but rather sample one or two works from different composers as wide as you can.
> ...
> And in the coming years, you have plenty of time to delve deeper into composers you like.


Thanks Jacck, I think you raise a valid point here. I guess I was just eager to see what all this hype about Beethoven and Mozart was all about.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

Mozart123 said:


> Thanks Jacck, I think you raise a valid point here. I guess I was just eager to see what all this hype about Beethoven and Mozart was all about.


I started listening to CM 4 years ago, so I have still plenty of memories of how my journey of discovery went. To be honest, I did not start with either Mozart or Beethoven and found them not that approachable at the beginning. My entry was A Color Symphony by Arthur Bliss (a rather fringe composer) and then the Bruckner and Prokofiev symphonies. It took me almost 2 years to start appreciating Mozart. As you will find out, you will like some composers almost immediately and for others you will have to work (expose yourself repeatedly to their music).


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

poconoron said:


> Operas (when you're ready) Magic Flute, Don giovanni, Marriage of Figaro


I second that. I don't really like opera, but I like all three of these.

Would you recommend Ingmar Bergman's film of the Magic Flute as an introduction? He made a few changes and deletions, but it kept my attention.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Manxfeeder said:


> I second that. I don't really like opera, but I like all three of these.
> 
> Would you recommend Ingmar Bergman's film of the Magic Flute as an introduction? He made a few changes and deletions, but it kept my attention.


When VCRs were the new thing, I asked myself was there any movie I liked enough that I'd want to own it. The first one that occurred to me was Bergman's "The Magic Flute."


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## Coach G (Apr 22, 2020)

If I had to pick one each by Mozart and Beethoven it would be:

Mozart: Clarinet Concerto
Beethoven: Symphony #6 "Pastorale"

Two of my favorite works bar none.


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## SearsPoncho (Sep 23, 2020)

poconoron said:


> For Mozart:
> Piano concertos 17,20,21,22,23,24
> Symphonies 25,29,35,40,41
> Requiem
> ...


These are great recommendations. Although I concur with the idea of waiting a while to listen to operas, I have to add my favorite opera, Cosi Fan Tutte, to the excellent list. When you're ready. I probably waited about three years to listen to any opera, and Cosi was my first recording. It was also the first opera I ever attended. I'm glad you're taking your time. I read the Copland book a long time ago. It's very good. A book I also purchased in the late 80's was called The Hammond Illustrated Guide to Classical Music (or something like that). It's an excellent reference tool I relied on in my early classical music explorations. It's very basic and easy to follow, and it gives a good overview of the core orchestral and operatic repertoire, great composers, and even brief summaries of the great orchestras, conductors and instrumentalists. There isn't a ton of information on chamber music or solo piano compositions. I don't know if you can even find it anymore; my guess is that it's out of print. If you do find it, pick it up! Priceless information for those new to classical music without overloading you with too much information. Take your time...and welcome to our world.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Manxfeeder said:


> Would you recommend Ingmar Bergman's film of the Magic Flute as an introduction?


Try Kenneth Branaugh's


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## BachIsBest (Feb 17, 2018)

I'll just recomend one work from each that I think is extremely approachable and very good to keep it reasonable.

For Beethoven, try his piano conerto no. 5. It's really something you can't listen to without smiling:
Movement 1:




Movement 2:




Movement 3:





For Mozart try the commandant scene from _Don Giovanni_. Obviously an excerpt, but it's really dramatic engaging music and easier to approach than a three hour opera:


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## Clairvoyance Enough (Jul 25, 2014)

I thought Mozart was mostly boring until I heard the finale of string quartet 14. It had more rhythmic drive than seemed typical of him. Other pieces I liked at first for similar reasons were the Confutatis from his requiem, the finale of symphony 34, and the first movement of violin sonata 35. The finale of string quartet 18 was quirky and different in a way liked, and the moody first movement of quartet 16 really struck me immediately.

For the specific goal of getting into Beethoven's weird late quartets, I'd suggest 16, the finale in particular. It has some nice conventional melodies to sustain the acclimation process to his weird style in that mature period. What may sound odd and offputting at first slowly becomes fascinating in an ugly-beauty sort of way.

I also find historically informed performances on period-accurate instruments to be essential for all classical era composers. Mozart in particular sounds clumsy, "heavy," and smothered in an awful way on modern instruments to me. I highly suggest you try some stuff by Rene Jacobs, Gardiner, Immerseel, Hogwood, and etc.


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

Jacck said:


> I started listening to CM 4 years ago, so I have still plenty of memories of how my journey of discovery went. To be honest, I did not start with either Mozart or Beethoven and found them not that approachable at the beginning. My entry was A Color Symphony by Arthur Bliss (a rather fringe composer) and then the Bruckner and Prokofiev symphonies. It took me almost 2 years to start appreciating Mozart. As you will find out, you will like some composers almost immediately and for others you will have to work (expose yourself repeatedly to their music).


The Bliss Colour Symphony is an extraordinary place to start, but not a bad one! I wish it were better known. 
My general advice to new listeners, for what it's worth, would be not to force it. If, for example, Mozart just doesn't 'speak' to you or hold your attention, that's not your fault and maybe not some thing that will change if you spend a lot of time making yourself listen to it. I quite enjoy a bit of Mozart now and then, but he's not high on my wish-list.

The one 'big' Beethoven work that I would recommend to anyone as a starting point is the Violin Concerto, preferably played by someone with a big, warm sound such as Oistrakh.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

Pat Fairlea said:


> The Bliss Colour Symphony is an extraordinary place to start, but not a bad one! I wish it were better known.


I think it was actually a great place to start. Another symphony I started with was the Vaughan Williams Pastoral symphony. I would actually recommend it as a start over any Mozart or Beethoven. It is much more melodic and closer to the ears of 20th century listeners who are unacustomed to the aesthetics of classical era


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## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

Jacck said:


> I think it was actually a great place to start. Another symphony I started with was the Vaughan Williams Pastoral symphony. I would actually recommend it as a start over any Mozart or Beethoven. It is much more melodic and closer to the ears of 20th century listeners who are unacustomed to the aesthetics of classical era


My classical music listening started with LPs that my parents had. Sibelius Symphony 1 was probably the first piece I really got into. They also had his 2nd and 5th symphonies kicking around, plus the violin concerto. I also liked Tchaikovsky's 4th symphony.

Now I still listen to a lot of Sibelius (but the above works among the least of the major works), and only rarely listen to Tchaikovsky at all.

For me it was certainly late 19th/early 20th century romanticism that was my path into classical music - not Beethoven, and definitely not Mozart. Always liked JS Bach though!


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## Skakner (Oct 8, 2020)

My advice to new listeners is not to rush things and give themselves time to absorb what they listen to.
Given that classical music is not so digestible like 3-minute pop songs, my proposals would be very carefully chosen. When you throw someone who now learns how to swim, into deep ocean, he will get drowned or he'll quit learning. For example I would never recommend a Beethoven's String Quartet or ''Hammerklavier'' to a newbie. He will run away scared! I've seen it many times. Instead I would recommend some ''easy listening'' orchestral pieces like
*Overtures* (Egmont, Coriolan etc)
*Romances for Violin and Orchestra*
maybe *Choral Fantasy*.

If the newcomer likes piano music, I would recommend some accessible Piano Sonata parts like the
*Adagio Sostenuto (I) of no. 14 (Moonlight)*, 
*Rondo (III) of no.8 (Pathetique)*, 
*Allegretto (III) of no.17 (Sturm)*.

Selected parts of Symphonies would be
*Scherzo (III) from Symphony 2*
*Scherzo (III) from Symphony 3*
*Allegro con brio (I) and Allegro (III) from Symphony 5*
*Allegro ma non Troppo (I) from Symphony 6*
*Presto (III) and Allegro con brio (IV) from Symphony 7*
*Allegretto Scherzando (II) from Symphony 8*
*Molto Vivace (II) and Presto-Allegro Assai (IV) from Symphony 9*.

If the above (or some of them) attract his attention and he doesn't get bored, then we can recommend something else. Progression is the key word. From the easily accessible to the more complex.

Just my 2c.


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