# Looking for suggestions what to hear-- early romantics



## Melvin (Mar 25, 2011)

Hey forum! 
Well its been a few months now since I began listening to classical

So, I started off listening to the basics. the evolution comes together very cleanly untill about 1800..
it goes, Bach -> Haydn -> Mozart -> Beethoven -> but then... 

after beethoven, everything abruptly careens out of control!! now there's a whole mess of prominant composers- sudenly its Chopin, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Wagner, Liszt, and who else.. its like Berlizio or somthing??

I want to understand the progression better, and eventualy work my way up to the 21st century!

But before I get ahead of myself, first thing's first: Weber

I havn't heard any of his music, but he seems to be important, no? I feel like i've seen his name being thrown around on this forum from time to time, i'm a bit curious about him.

What are his best pieces? Which are most significant towards the evolution of Romantacism?

Assistance would be apreciated! :tiphat:


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

For Weber get recording of opera Der Freischutz conducted by Rafael Kubelik, with Rene Kollo as Max.










I also highly recommend this CD:










Especially for the sake of magnificent trio.


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## gridweb (Jun 19, 2011)

Hi,

For the broader picture:
These are two composers from the early romantic era that I really appreciate:

Ferdinand Ries
Louis Spohr

Sometimes the evolution of classical music can be more easily understood when you listen to the works of minor masters instead of the top names.

Hope this helps,
Willem


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

I'd say go with Schubert. Rough contemporary of Beethoven, but he really gave the next generation something to work with. His lieder are pure gold, and some of his late chamber music is unsurpassed. Check out Winterreise and the string quintet in C major in particular.


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## Fsharpmajor (Dec 14, 2008)

Some of Weber's orchestral music:

Clarinet Concertos 1 and 2, _Grand duo concertant_, _Concertino_ for clarinet, Piano Concertos 1 and 2, _Polacca brillante_ (orchestrated by Liszt), _Konzertstück_.

You should be able to find videos of most, if not all of these on YouTube.


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

Looks like you're doing pretty good on your own there...nice stuff


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## Webernite (Sep 4, 2010)

It's a bit silly to try to represent the history of classical music as a straightforward progression. But roughly, from a sort of Germanic point of view, I guess it would go something like this:

Bach/Handel > Mozart/Haydn > Beethoven/Schubert > Chopin/Schumann/Liszt > Wagner/Brahms

It gets more complicated once you get into the 20th century.


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## jaimsilva (Jun 1, 2011)

Weber Piano concertos and Konzerstück










Pleyel Clarinet Concertos










Spohr Violin concertos


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## Meaghan (Jul 31, 2010)

I second the Winterreise recommendation; that is something of a must-hear work. Also, if you are looking for more Weber, check out his clarinet concertos. They are wonderful and rather theatrical. They sounded to me like they were written by an opera composer before I knew that Weber was an opera composer. 

edit: Looks like people have already mentioned them, as well as his other clarinet works. But do listen!


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## Melvin (Mar 25, 2011)

ahh yes thank you!
I'll definatly give Spohr and Ries a listen - helpful tip!

hmm seems like Weber had a pretty limited output, im a bit surprised- was expecting more i geuss
I know his Clarinet Concertos are sposed to be good, and i'll certainly pick up that CD
..and that should about do it for Weber!

OK moving on from Weber then 

next would be Schubert- But we can skip him, I already know his music verrry well!! 

so then next we've got.. a whole bunch at once: Schumann ,Chopin, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Wagner, Berlioz

I think we can divide them into 2 different groups (corect me if im wrong about this though)

First I'd like recomendations for these three. I've heard 1 or 2 pieces from each of these guys, but I'd like to go further in depth with them- its great stuff; sounds like a continuation of the beethoven -> schubert style. They were more conservative compared to Liszt/Wagner, and still clung partialy to clasicism? (corect me if im wrong)
They all lived at about the same time from 1810 to 1850.
-Schumann
-Mendelssohn
-Chopin (I don't know enough about Chopin but I think he probably fits here)
I want to focus on these 3 before i delve into Liszt/Wagner, because im a bit more familier with them already.
..so Forum, what are their essential pieces? (try to give some opus numbers if you know them)


and then the "New German School"- I think that these composers were more focused on pushing boundries, and experimentation, begining to abandon classical trends? I havn't heard any of these composers yet. 
-Wagner
-Liszt
-Berlioz
(Hold off on recomendations for these composers for now)

..and again, corect me if im wrong about this stuff :lol:


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

For Schumann, you _must_ hear Dichterliebe, Op. 48. It's one of the best song-cycles out there.

With Mendelssohn, you could probably go with a lot of things, but probably the best introduction would be his Octet, Op. 20. It's one of his earlier works, but it's one of the masterpieces of the chamber literature.


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## Webernite (Sep 4, 2010)

*Schumann:*

_Davidsbündlertänze _Op. 6
Toccata in C major Op. 7
_Carnaval _Op. 9
_Kinderszenen _Op. 15
_Kreisleriana _Op. 16
Fantasie in C major Op. 17
_Dichterliebe_ Op. 48
Symphonies Op. 38, Op. 61, Op. 97, Op. 120
Piano Concerto in A minor Op. 54
Piano Quintet in E flat major Op. 44

Those are the most well-known works.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

You want Chopin? Get this:










Chopin: Ballades, Fantasia and Barcarolle by Krystian Zimerman on Deutsche Grammophon

I promise you one of most atonishing discoveries in your musical life, this CD is a treasure and I almost envy you thinking that you will (hopefully) get it and discover it as something new.


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## jaimsilva (Jun 1, 2011)

for Schumann try this one:










and this:










regarding Mendelssohn i would go for his Violin concerto:










and his symphonies:










for Chopin don't miss Maria João Pires


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## Melvin (Mar 25, 2011)

thanks for that Schumann list webernite! great info!!! anyone wanna do that for mendelssohn or chopin by any chance? 

yessir Aramis, that chopin CD shall be mine!

many excellent looking CDs jaimsilva, I'll be sure to pick these up!

im excited, look at all this great music!!


By the way, my method is succesful: I remember listening to schumann a few months ago, and it just didnt realy do anything for me. Well, after i've listened to schubert and beethoven extensively, and have come to understand their music well, now that I come back to it, it turns out that Schumann is tha ****! I feel like I've attained a greater comprehension of the aesthetic. It's great! I can just pick up one of these pieces, and I'll often find myself already enjoying it, first listen!


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## Guest (Jul 5, 2011)

Melvin said:


> and then the "New German School"- I think that these composers were more focused on pushing boundries, and experimentation, begining to abandon classical trends? I havn't heard any of these composers yet.
> -Wagner
> -Liszt
> -Berlioz
> ...


OK. If by "New German School" you're referring to Franz Brendel's problematic designation, then it should be pointed out that his inclusion of Berlioz (a French composer) was part of a feeling in Europe generally and Germany particularly that Berlioz had taken up modern music where Beethoven had left it off. And since the Germans were the best (in their own minds), Berlioz had to be adopted as an honorary German. Liszt was Hungarian, so closer to being Germanic than Berlioz. Wagner was hyper-German, as it were!

Otherwise, most composers we now revere were interested in pushing boundaries. Be fair, a creative artist wants to create not mimic. Not sure what you mean by "abandon," but the efforts of the three you mentioned were clearly to expand and elaborate. Not to abandon anything (though some things did not continue to be done, as had always happened) but to _add_ new things.

Berlioz, particularly, was always interested in precision and clarity and balance--all good "classical" traits! Of course, the things he was balancing were on an unprecedented scale, it's true, and the precision and clarity were so all the new, wild things he was doing could actually be heard.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Essential Mendelssohn:
Symphonies 3 (Scottish), 4 (Italian)
Violin concerto
Ouverture Hebrides
A mid summernight's dream
Octet
Lieder ohne Worte


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

Webernite said:


> *Schumann:*
> 
> _Davidsbündlertänze _Op. 6
> Toccata in C major Op. 7
> ...


Perfect! I'd just add on the Liederkreis (op. 39), _Frauenliebe und -leben_, Symphonic Etudes, 3 Piano Sonatas, and the Piano Quartet. And his other concertos too if you like the Op. 54 (which you will!) .


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

*Alkan:*

_Trois morceaux dans le genre pathétique_, Op. 15
Grand duo concertant for violin and piano, Op. 21
Grande sonate_ 'Les quatre âges'_, Op. 33
_Douze études dans tous les tons mineurs_, Op. 39
-Nos. 4-7 Symphony for solo piano
-Nos. 8-10 Concerto for solo piano
-No. 12 _Le festin d'Esope_
Sonate de concert in E major for cello and piano, Op. 47
48 _Esquisses_, Op. 63
13 _prières_ for organ, Op. 64


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## Melvin (Mar 25, 2011)

oooo Alkan? I never would've heard about this guy- more great info!:tiphat:

Ok, I've still got ALOT more to listen to, but so far these ones stand out:
-Schumann: the Piano Quintet, and _especialy_ the Piano Quartet (Op. 44, Op. 47). I found recordings of these with glenn gould on piano- Daaang these are good!! So much energy! wow this stuff is great!
-Mendelssohn: Anyone heard his String Quartet #6? I don't think it's been mentioned yet on this thread, but let me just state- Daaaang its good!:lol: it gives you that one insane feeling that you get whenever you listen to death and the maiden!


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

Melvin said:


> -Schumann: the Piano Quintet, and the Piano Quartet (Op. 44, Op. 47). I found recordings of these with glenn gould on piano- Daaang these are good!! So much energy! wow this stuff is great!


Wonderful! Next up - and I know you'll love it - try the Piano Concerto, op. 54.


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## Melvin (Mar 25, 2011)

Suggest a great recording of op 54?


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

Melvin said:


> Suggest a great recording of op 54?




This is also coupled with my favorite recording of the Quintet. It's one of the crown jewels of the entire Schumann catalogue as well as of my collection too.


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## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

Some quick and easy suggestions for early romantics (also, make sure that you've searched the Beethoven catalogue thoroughly):

Schubert: Symphonies 8 & 9
Schumann: Piano Concerto, Symphony 1
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique, Harold en Italie, Requiem
Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto, Hebrides/Fingal's Cave

and then you can get to the really exciting stuffs: the mid and late romantics!


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## Pieck (Jan 12, 2011)

Art Rock said:


> Essential Mendelssohn:
> Symphonies 3 (Scottish), 4 (Italian)
> Violin concerto
> Ouverture Hebrides
> ...


IMO, his best compositions are the SQs, particulary 1,2,6


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