Must-have classical music

[John]

Peter,

 

First of all, I have to say go for it. You have so much enjoyment ahead of you. Some stuff needs a lot of repeated listening before it reveals itself but that usually turns out to be the stuff that sticks with you. I am with Timh - I love the Beethoven Piano Concertos. I remember a phase at age 15 listening to nothing else but #1 over and over for about a year and just sucking more out of it every night. I would go for #1, #3 and #5 as the most 'approachable' and I still like the Pollini /Berlin Philharmonic version on DG or the recent Lang Lang version of #1.

 

Prokofiev's 'Classical Symphony' is a no-brainer as is Stravinsky's Rites of Spring and, of course, Beethoven Symphony #5 (I go with Karajan). After you have memorized #5, please go and see it live with a good orchestra. Enjoy!

 

- John.

 

[VT Skier]

Wowsers! This is so impressive, thank you all for the fantastic information. I'm planning to start my education with Fantasia, because that sounds like the most fun.

 

Can we move on to Jazz recommendations for beginners now, or should I start a new thread?

 

[luddite]

For jazz, you could not go wrong starting out with:

John Coltrane- Blue Train

Freddie Hubbard- Open Sesame

Charles Mingus- Ah Um

All fifty year old performances, surprising given how they could have been created yesterday and hit top of the charts today as the most amazing new sounds ever heard.

I should add that to me there are two types of Jazz... the over the top kick-ass sort of music that you can't believe and takes you in and drains you but leaves you glad to have taken the trip, and the lounge music sort of jazz that is in its own way comparable to the classical nocturnes... late night music to sooth your overworked mind and calm your nerves... and my favorite sort is the nocturne. There are many. When I was young I didn't get it. Now that I am old I get it. It really heals the brain at the end of the day. Anyway, one of the best Jazz recordings ever is Coltrane's version of I'm Old Fashioned.

 

[luddite]

A year ago my goodwife said she was going to replace the Pioneer CD player she had gotten at CostCo that fell apart (all the parts broke one after another and all was toast within three years) and I told her to wait. I went looking for a real stereo, but did not find any in the stores. Then I discovered the vintage market. It was possible to get a super stereo, one part at a time, using Craigslist and we now have a setup that the showrooms in the 60's and early 70's would have featured for their most well healed clients (not the drooling visitors with empty pockets such as us). I then discovered that the aging boomers were selling off their father's classical record collections by the cartloads, for peanuts, and we picked up almost two thousand lp's in short order for next to nothing. It has been an education. There appear to have been several must-have compositions in each collection... such as Beethoven's 9th, Ravel's Bolero, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, and such like, which gave me an opportunity to compare the orchestras, the conductors, and the record engineering... and I can tell you it makes a huge difference. As important as the work itself is the particular recording of it. I wound up with four versions of Brahm's Symphony No. 4, and one of them, Angel records Chicago Symphony version conducted by Giulini was so very poorly recorded that it was difficult to sit through after having heard the others. So if anyone has a strong recommendation of a particularly brilliant recording of a work, it would also be useful to know.

The best recording of any Vivaldi works I have ever heard is Hogwood's Academy of Ancient Music's "Vivaldi Concertos" DSLO 544 issued by L'oiseau Lyre in the mid 70's. It is an incomparable and delightful performance and arrangement of instruments and the highest possible quality of recording.

Then there are the recording of particular virtuoso performers which are also worth seeking out, such as the Cellist Pierre Fournier, the Pianist Friedrich Gulda, the Oboists Heinz Holliger and Leon Goossen, and then there are the particular instrumental works such as Mozart's and Haydn's bassoon concertos and oboe concertos and flute concertos. You can also download excellent contemporary performances of many classical works by exploring the Classical Cat website at

http://www.classiccat.net/index.htm

I highly recommend the performances by the violinists and cellists who have posted to that site.

One of the previous posts include in their recommendations Arvo Part, the modern day choral composer from Estonia who creates medieval inspired religious music. I wish I could get a recording of the two short Christmas works he wrote that were performed during this year's European Christmas broadcast, I think it was from the Munich concert... amazing works of art.

Anyway, that's all one self-educated construction worker has to say on the subject.

 

 

[coot]

will give you an idea of the vast array of classical music available.

However one builds a list it can be overwhelming. I find still is to me and I've been collecting for over 50 years.

 

Just know that sooner or later you'll have more than one version of The Planets by Gustav Holst. I prefer the LA Philharmonic conducted by Zubin Mehta.

 

What an amazing hobby this is!

 

[christian u]

I recommend the Bach cello suites as a must have.

There are many excellent recordings of them.

My favorites of the moment are Pieter Wispelwey and yo yo ma.

[mav52]

A pretty nice collection: Vivaldi - Greatest Composed Moments ; The Vivaldi Philharmonic Orchestra

[Audio_ELF]

I see this is an old thread thats been re-awakened. Anyway for those starting to discover classical music; I can recommend the Bowers and Wilkins Society of Sound "club".

 

For £34 a year each month you get a recording from the extensive London Symphony Orchestra library at 16/44.1 or 24/48 FLAC or ALAC. This is in addition to another recording from Peter Gabriel's Real World Studio.

 

Eloise

[MikeJazz]

I see this is an old thread thats been re-awakened. Anyway for those starting to discover classical music; I can recommend the Bowers and Wilkins Society of Sound "club".

 

For £34 a year each month you get a recording from the extensive London Symphony Orchestra library at 16/44.1 or 24/48 FLAC or ALAC. This is in addition to another recording from Peter Gabriel's Real World Studio.

 

Eloise

 

Thanks to remember to renew my subscription!

Going for the 3rd year now...

[coot]

A friend once commented to me that the trouble with classical music musicians is that they are so busy playing the right notes they don't really put their soul into the music. He was heavily into Blues. Obviously he had never seen Perlman or any of a host of other Classical masters.

 

In this vein I submit this video cycle as required watching (well, at least one):

 

 

LB: "I feel I must act out what I want the orchestra to do."

Indeed he does!

[mav52]

A newbie to classical as well, I picked up the The Planets by Gustav Holst - LA Philharmonic, which I did like and the Vivaldi - Greatest Composed Moments ; The Vivaldi Philharmonic Orchestra I noted above which I brother in-law recommended.. What I have found out, there is something about the how the music just wakes up my speakers.

[Audio_ELF]

A friend once commented to me that the trouble with classical music musicians is that they are so busy playing the right notes they don't really put their soul into the music. He was heavily into Blues. Obviously he had never seen Perlman or any of a host of other Classical

The musicians play the notes. A good conductor provides the soul!

[firedog]

Two suggestions for music that is very accessible to those not used to listening to classical:

Mozart, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition, orchestral version (Ravel)

 

BTW, I was listening to The Who, "Quadrophenia" as I read this thread. The thread reminded me of the Mozart Symphony No. 40 and I hadn't listened to it in a long time. What a wonderful piece of music.

 

But I must say that the segue from "Love, Reign O'er Me" to the Mozart probably wouldn't put me in the DJ hall of fame. Of course, being able to do that a the flick of a finger is why I love computer audio.

[integriscdp]

I recommend the Bach cello suites as a must have.

There are many excellent recordings of them.

My favorites of the moment are Pieter Wispelwey and yo yo ma.

 

 

+1...

 

This is a great release.

[mordante]

Let me first say that I have very very very limited experience with classical music. While I grew my parents played a lot of classical music and on occasion I go to see opera, ballet etc. But that is about it. I maybe own 5 recordings.

 

But what I would recommend is:

 

Faure - Requiem, it has some of the IMHO best cello parts ever written in classical music. But is has been a while since I listend to it.

Mozart - Requiem by far the best version IHMO is from Karl Böhm.

Straus - Eine Alpensinfonie, Herbert von Karajan made a nice recording.

Tsjaikovski - Ouverture 1812 if you get a good version it will rock you speakers

[Boris75]

Straus - Eine Alpensinfonie, Herbert von Karajan made a nice recording.

+1, in my view this is really a terrific recording of a superb piece. Those who are into mountain climbing are going to like it, I am sure.

 

Tshaikovski - Ouverture 1812 if you get a good version it will rock you speakers

My favourite version musically is Dorati with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, but the problem is that the CD mastering is very poor and full of hard limiting and clipping, so that you can't play it very loud or you put your speakers at risk. Perhaps my favourite version sonically is the SACD recorded by Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops although it is not as good musically as Dorati. A good compromise is Neeme Jarvi and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, a recording that I discovered thanks to Musicophile's recommendation on this forum. Finally, Karajan's recording is good musically and decent sonically, but you don't get true cannon fire, and to me the 1812 Overture without cannon fire is not a satisfactory experience.

[Musicophile]

Let me first say that I have very very very limited experience with classical music. While I grew my parents played a lot of classical music and on occasion I go to see opera, ballet etc. But that is about it. I maybe own 5 recordings.

 

But what I would recommend is:

 

Faure - Requiem, it has some of the IMHO best cello parts ever written in classical music. But is has been a while since I listend to it.

Mozart - Requiem by far the best version IHMO is from Karl Böhm.

Straus - Eine Alpensinfonie, Herbert von Karajan made a nice recording.

Tsjaikovski - Ouverture 1812 if you get a good version it will rock you speakers

While Strauss (at least Richard) leaves me cold, I fully concur with the requiems from Fauré and Mozart.

 

The 1812 is a nice showpiece, but I can only listen to it every once in a while. But both Requiems are amazing.

[Robert Hutton]

Let me first say that I have very very very limited experience with classical music. While I grew my parents played a lot of classical music and on occasion I go to see opera, ballet etc. But that is about it. I maybe own 5 recordings.

 

But what I would recommend is:

 

Faure - Requiem, it has some of the IMHO best cello parts ever written in classical music. But is has been a while since I listend to it.

Mozart - Requiem by far the best version IHMO is from Karl Böhm.

Straus - Eine Alpensinfonie, Herbert von Karajan made a nice recording.

Tsjaikovski - Ouverture 1812 if you get a good version it will rock you speakers

 

Karajan's Alpensinfonie is an excellent performance but sounds like what it is - early digital crap.

 

There are a number of essential, better recorded Alpensinfonies. Kempe on EMI - easily Karajan's equal, more recently Luisi on Sony (DSD - excellent) - Haitink/LSO on LSO Live (great, great reading, sonics good but limited by the hall), and very recently - Daniel Harding with the very unique sound of the Saito Kinen Orchestra.

[Snowmonkey]

While Strauss (at least Richard) leaves me cold,

Even Vier letzte lieder?

[Jud]

Caveat: I am an unabashed Jordi Savall fanboy. (He made British classical music magazine Gramophone's Hall of Fame this year, by the way.) I'd highly recommend his version of the Mozart Requiem, and for another old warhorse (but by gosh it is beautiful and I keep coming back to it after years and years), his rendition of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. Period instruments and an incredible amount of research into playing styles, so you hear things as the composers would have.

[Musicophile]

Even Vier letzte lieder?

Will have to give it a try. Gave up after Alpensinfonie and a couple of others.

[Boris75]

Caveat: I am an unabashed Jordi Savall fanboy. (He made British classical music magazine Gramophone's Hall of Fame this year, by the way.) I'd highly recommend his version of the Mozart Requiem, and for another old warhorse (but by gosh it is beautiful and I keep coming back to it after years and years), his rendition of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. Period instruments and an incredible amount of research into playing styles, so you hear things as the composers would have.

 

+1 on Savall's recording of the Brandenburgs, which is available on SACD. I was not aware he had recorded Mozart's Requiem; I am tempted...

[mfaoro]

Some that have not been mentioned...

 

Classical

• Smetena : The Moldau
  
• Dvorak: New World Symphony
  
• Janos Starker's versions of the Bach Solo Cello Suites
  
• Yo Yo Ma plays Ennio Morricone
  
• Chopin's Complete Nocturnes (played by Claudio Arrau)
  
• Chopin's First and Second Concertos (played by Rubinstein)
  
• Respighi: Ancient Airs and Dances
  

 

Jazz

• Miles Davis: Kind of Blue (where I started with Jazz)
  
• Brubeck: Time Out
  
• Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong: Ella & Louis
  

 

+ 1 on Jordi Savall. I have really been enjoying his Armenian Spirit

[Savage]

While Strauss (at least Richard) leaves me cold, I fully concur with the requiems from Fauré and Mozart.

 

The 1812 is a nice showpiece, but I can only listen to it every once in a while. But both Requiems are amazing.

 

Musicophile, always love your recommendations...which of the Mozart Requiems do you like?

Ages ago, in college I had a version that was very visceral and raw, loved it, and of course it went missing...damn you anonymous girl friend. It was replaced by this - Amazon.com: Mozart: Requiem: Music which isn't so great. A visit to the local classical CD store found some 15-20 different recordings and me leaving in confusion.

[Boris75]

 

 

+ 1 on Jordi Savall. I have really been enjoying his Armenian Spirit

 

I too like this SACD very much.