Classical recommendations
Discussion
It's a very broad church, and recommending stuff is difficult.
If you're on FaceFart, join this group. Many people (including myself) post up video links to some great classical performances, and it's varied stuff that covers most classical genres. For example, a few days ago I posted up a clip of Richard Strauss' Deutsche Motette, a little known choral piece that I heard on Radio 3 recently. The harmonies are stunning.
That's another thing; preset one of your car's radio channels to ClassicFM (100.1FM) as it'll give you a good introduction to classical.
If you're on FaceFart, join this group. Many people (including myself) post up video links to some great classical performances, and it's varied stuff that covers most classical genres. For example, a few days ago I posted up a clip of Richard Strauss' Deutsche Motette, a little known choral piece that I heard on Radio 3 recently. The harmonies are stunning.
That's another thing; preset one of your car's radio channels to ClassicFM (100.1FM) as it'll give you a good introduction to classical.
There are distinct periods in 'classical' music (well with very blurry edges). Classical actually only refers to about a hundred year period, before that was Baroque and after Romantic. I'd try and listen to a couple of composers from each period and see which you prefer. I'm sure Wiki will help you in this regard.
I'm a big fan of the early stuff, Bach, Handel etc. but it's a bit of an acquired taste. I now write *mostly* orchestral music for a living, and if I ever need reminding how rubbish I am, I listen to these guys.
I'm a big fan of the early stuff, Bach, Handel etc. but it's a bit of an acquired taste. I now write *mostly* orchestral music for a living, and if I ever need reminding how rubbish I am, I listen to these guys.
If nothing more than to reinforce Mr C's excellent points, my favourite examples of period would be:
Baroque : Bach BWV1001 - essence of JSB and the Baroque style; very structured (but in typical Bach style, not lacking in either quality nor quantity of notes)
Classical : Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata (Presto) - Dan Barenboim at full throttle on this one
Romantic : Lizst's Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 - Maksim Mrvica plays a blinder on this, despite looking like an Alice Cooper reject.
Modern : Elgar's Cello Concerto - Husband & Wife (Barenboim & Du Pre) on this excellent recording
Baroque : Bach BWV1001 - essence of JSB and the Baroque style; very structured (but in typical Bach style, not lacking in either quality nor quantity of notes)
Classical : Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata (Presto) - Dan Barenboim at full throttle on this one
Romantic : Lizst's Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 - Maksim Mrvica plays a blinder on this, despite looking like an Alice Cooper reject.
Modern : Elgar's Cello Concerto - Husband & Wife (Barenboim & Du Pre) on this excellent recording
I can't remember who said it, but it's about right: Mozart tells us how to be the world. Beethoven tells us how to be Beethoven. Bach tells us how to be the universe.
GetCarter said:
There are distinct periods in 'classical' music (well with very blurry edges). Classical actually only refers to about a hundred year period, before that was Baroque and after Romantic. I'd try and listen to a couple of composers from each period and see which you prefer. I'm sure Wiki will help you in this regard.
I'm a big fan of the early stuff, Bach, Handel etc. but it's a bit of an acquired taste. I now write *mostly* orchestral music for a living, and if I ever need reminding how rubbish I am, I listen to these guys.
Totally agree about the acquired taste. I was completely dismissive of Baroque music in my teens and twenties, despite being highly musical I preferred late C19th and early-mid C20th to both play and listen to. In the last year something's just clicked and now I listen to a lot of Bach. I'm sure I'll start getting round to others but there is something simply exquisite about much of his work. In fact I just got in from a 2 hour drive in which I listened to a dozen of his organ preludes/fugues and the first third-or-so of his Matthew Passion whilst storming up the M40 in heavy spray. Would you say it's part of growing up, in musical terms? I have started drinking ales in a similar timeframe I'm a big fan of the early stuff, Bach, Handel etc. but it's a bit of an acquired taste. I now write *mostly* orchestral music for a living, and if I ever need reminding how rubbish I am, I listen to these guys.
kiteless said:
It's a very broad church, and recommending stuff is difficult.
.... ClassicFM (100.1FM) as it'll give you a good introduction to classical.
/\ This..... ClassicFM (100.1FM) as it'll give you a good introduction to classical.
Classic FM will give you a (populist?) précis of what's out there.
Take a note of the kind of stuff that YOU enjoy or hate and then come back here for more specific recommendations, and maybe the very dangerous ground of which performances.
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