# Intro and same old question



## the_black_douglas (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi

My main interest in music is rock/heavy metal but despite this I try to keep a varied taste in genres. The reason for this is that in the past I would listen only to a certain genre which included rock and to a limited extent classical music until I got that scunnered with it that I could not listen to any music!!

Now, I've learned from my mistakes and try to keep my music taste a bit varied and try to keep an open mind. The other week in my car, I was flicking through the radio stations and came upon Classic FM (UK) and kept it on. I acutally found it quite intriguing and a different change of pace from the music I usually (although not too different in style of the instrumental parts that is seen in the songs of the likes of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, the Scorpians or Saxon).

Having listened to Classic FM a few times, I decided to buy a few compilations. While I recognised quite a lot of them, it didn't give me the feeling that I got from listening to Classic FM in the car. After reading reviews on the website I bought them from I noticed a complaint about them was that the songs were only excerpts. To appreciate the music I need to be buy the complete pieces rather than compilations of excerpts. 

As I mentioned, in rock and heavy metal, the instrumentals are well structured orchestrations of guitar, bass and drum with shades of light and dark, tempo, timing, soft and hard. The question I have to ask what complete pieces of composers is there that is 'accessible' and an introduction for someone who doesn't listen to a lot of classical music and doesn't know anything about it?


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## David C Coleman (Nov 23, 2007)

Hi There..well a good complete piece that springs to mind is Beethoven's 5th Symphony - It's well known, it's not too long (about 30 mins). It encompasses a great many different moods, expressions and musical landscapes. It starts dark and troublesome and ends victoriously...Give it a try...

I'm sure other people on the forum will come up with some of other stuff...best of luck..!


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## BuddhaBandit (Dec 31, 2007)

You might also want to try some symphonic/tone poems... like:

*Night on Bald Mountain* by Mussorgsky
*The Planets* by Holst
*Also Sprach Zarathustra* and *Till Eulenspiegels* by R. Strauss
*The Sorcerer's Apprentice* by Dukas

Also try some Tchaikovsky... he's written some very memorable melodies... like:

*Piano Concerto No. 1*
*Violin Concerto*


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

*Same old answer*

Visited by The Douglas! Are you "confident against the world-at-arms?" *

I will say what I've said previously... for those whose exposure has been to song-length works, a good way to enjoy complete Classical works that are not much longer than song-length is to try some overtures. (Now, I'd best make my next few sentences original... that way I won't repeat myself.)

One of the good things about overtures is that you can find outstanding examples of them in every period from the late 18th century onwards. Some of Mozart's greatest melodies are found in his overtures. Beethoven is not my favorite overture-composer, but _Egmont_ has its fans. I'll say once again that I won't quibble with anyone who asserts that _Leonore #3_ is, of its kind, the best ever. [Trumping even my belovèd Wagner!] Speaking of Wagner, he remains my overall favorite. I've said (provocatively) that he never wrote a bad overture. There's evidence to suggest that _Die Meistersinger_'s overture is the most recorded piece in Classical Music history. It takes a certain greatness to vie for that distinction. For lots of impact in a small package, there's the Prelude to Act III of _Lohengrin_.

All one needs to be is conscious and reasonably self-aware to have encountered Rossini's _William Tell_ overture. Rossini brings much more than that, though. The _Barber of Seville_ is of near-equal renown, but, given your other musical interests, I think you'll take to _The Thieving Magpie (La Gazza Ladra)_ overture. Don't overlook _La Scala di Seta_, either.

Although I enjoy them greatly, I hesitate to recommend Suppé or Tchaikovsky... it seems like you're looking for something with a little more initial "edge." [Not to say that Tchaikovsky, even in excerpt, is without edge... there's just more subtlety to it.] Let us know how it works out... CTP

* Shakespearean reference (from Henry IV).


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## Artemis (Dec 8, 2007)

the_black_douglas said:


> Hi
> 
> ....The question I have to ask what complete pieces of composers is there that is 'accessible' and an introduction for someone who doesn't listen to a lot of classical music and doesn't know anything about it?


You mention Classic FM. If you want a list of popular complete works, rather than the glitzy sections they normally play on CFM, why not take a look at their Hall of Fame results for 2007. This should provide a far more comprehensive guide to accessible classical music than the kind of random answers you can expect to get on places like this.

I really don't why this forum hasn't created a "sticky" section where beginners can go to get some ideas about where to start in classical music, rather than having to ask afresh each time and getting patchy answers that involve going around the houses all over again for the N th time. Maybe the management here thinks it's a good way of generating new business. It seems very daft and inefficient to me, however.


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## the_black_douglas (Mar 7, 2008)

Thanks to all who posted.

I went down to the local library and got Holst: The Planets and a Tchaikovsky CD (Capriccio Ialien, Suite from Swan Lake", Marche Slave and the 1812 Overture). 

I'll have a listen to those and if I like what I hear, I can pop down the library and loan out more (if they have them of course!!)


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