Classical music newbie needs your suggestions

Took Music Appreciation 101 while at community college decades ago where, among other music, we studied Mozart's Symphony #40 in G minor as mentioned above. It is still one of my favorite pieces of music all these years later.

I highly recommend sitting in on a class.

Glen Gould playing the Bach Goldberg Variations;

the first recording ! Also someone recommended Gershwin’s rhapsody in blue. Listen to the Dallas Symphony recording with Andrew Litton. I was the principal clarinetist at that time & it is I playing the opening glissando.

I second the support of Mozart symphony works.  Also Bach Goldberg.  Good starting points

I also would suggest going to a used record store or craigslist and buying a bunch (2 or 3 movie theater movies worth... or a week of Starbucks worth) of used classical vinyl or CDs ... and explore.   IMHO it is a fun (and relatively inexpensive way) to discover new music.

So there.

Some great suggestions, but I'm not going to add any more as they've already bust your budget two times.

@drawding   I bought up all the used golden period classical vinyl in the late 80s for £1 a disc or less.

It's all being sold at collectible money now as many have come to realise a lot of digital recordings suck and are going back to vinyl.  The market is streaming vs. vinyl now.  But most current vinyl has nothing on the Deccas etc of the late 50s and 60s.