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Classical music newbie needs your suggestions

I purchased around 300 like new classical albums last summer. Music from a wide range of composers. I also purchased around the same amount of operas. (I may sell those).

I’m finally retired and able to pursue a lifelong desire to understand and enjoy classical music.

Pieces that move you to tears, or pluck heart strings. Your all time favorites.
The albums you’d take to that desert island.
Any suggestions are welcome.

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Showing 1 response by a100

a100
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There are lots of good suggestions above which I will try not to repeat. Here are some I highly recommend:

  • Bach - Brandenburg Concertos
  • Bach - organ music, especially Toccata in F (BWV 540), Prelude & Fugue in A minor (BWV 543), and Prelude & Fugue in D major (BWV 532). Since this is an audio forum, you have to test your woofers with some really low bass, and only the pipe organ can really do that (16 Hz). 😁
  • A Bach Festival, Empire Brass and Douglas Major, organ
  • Music for Organ, Brass, and Percussion, Empire Brass and Michael Murray, organ (Telarc).
  • Handel's Messiah
  • Saint-Saens - Symphony No. 3
  • Charles-Marie Widor - Symphony 5 for organ
  • Rachmaninoff - Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini, all four piano concertos, 24 preludes for piano.
  • Holst - the Planets (especially the Charles Dutoit/Montreal Symphony performance).
  • Basically anything by Tchaikovsky.
  • Sibelius' violin concerto.
  • Smetana - Ma Vlast, especially the Moldau.

I'm sure I can think of more if I look at my CD collection, but that's a good start. Have fun!  Some of these will take multiple listens to really understand, but they're all great music.

More to discover