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Classical music - starting points

Various posts in a number of threads, most recently "Audiophiles who refuse to listen to classical" suggest there are a number of people who are looking to find a way to get into classical music. I thought it might be worthwhile if some of us who have found a way, even stumbled into one perhaps, could give some advice. If possible we might try to recall what first hooked us on classical music, identify the piece and, if relevant the performance, and describe what grabbed our attention.

I hope that others will use this as a guide to pick an approach which fits their musical tastes.

I'll start with three critical pieces for me.

Beethoven's 7th Symphony, Second Movement, Bruno Walter conductor. This was 11th grade, and quite simply the first time I was ever moved by a piece of classical music. I was caught up in the force, the drama, the inevitability of the music.

Mozart Symphony 35, George Szell conductor. I think this was as a sophomore in college. The sheer energy, the exuberance and speed of the piece had me putting it on repeat in a manner previously reserved for the Beatles.

Mussorgsky/Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition, Fritz Reiner conductor (my current favorite version). The color and shattering power of the orchestra. I bought into CDs early and for a while my favorite track was The Great Gate at Kiev, the last portion of Pictures, from a demo disk that came with my player. I'm surprised I wasn't thrown out of my apartment.

While my tastes have broadened since then, each of these three works still remains a favorite.
jgreenwood
rushton's avatar
rushton
2,445 posts
 
Nice set of recommendations. Newbee, Gary17 and Beemerrider: thanks for posting such extended and excellent suggestions for specific works as starting points for people beginning to explore classical music. I agree with the suggestions.

My contribution here will be to reinforce the suggestion that one start with borrowing some music from your local library. Sample some of these works at no cost and see what you connect with. And, if you have a classical music radio station (or webcast) available to you, spend some time with that as background music while you do other things.

Also, remember that each of us may connect via different styles of classical music. For a friend of mine, the normal starting points I'd suggested (e.g., Mozart) just didn't connect for him. But, when he heard some Shostakovich, that resonated immediately for him. Shostakovich is not where I'd normally think of starting someone on a classical journey, but this music really spoke to him and nailed him as a classical music listener. Now he's branching into other things.

So, for those who are just not getting into classical from the "normal" points of entry, here are some 20th Century music recommendations to consider in case your tastes are a bit more twisted and you need something a bit more out of center to catch your interest (not normally the best starting point for most people, but for some...):

Shostakovich, Sym 5 (Previn/LSO, RCA) and String Quartet No. 8 (Borodin Qt or Fitzwilliam QT, Decca)

Kodaly, Hary Janos Suite (Kertesz/LSO, Decca)

Varese, Ionisation (Mehta/LAPO/LAPercussionEnsemble on Decca or NJ Percussion Ensemble on Nonesuch)

Bartok, Music for Strings, Percussion & Celeste (Reiner/CSO, RCA or Solti/LSO, Decca)

Crumb, Vox Balaenae (Voice of the Whale) or Ancient Voices of Children

Larsson, Concertino for Bassoon & String Orch, op45,4

Lutoslawski, Cello Concerto (Lutoslawsk/OrchParis, Rostropovich -cello, EMI)

Panufnik, Concertino for timpani, percussion & strings or Sinfonia Rustica

Poulenc, Concerto for Organ, Strings & Timpani (Pretre/FNRO, Durufle -org, EMI)

Schoenberg, Five Pieces for Orchestra, op16 (Dorati/LSO, Mercury)

Schuller, Seven Studies on Themes of Paul Klee (Dorati/MinneapolisSO, Mercury)
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newbee
4,767 posts
 
Rushton, Where's Mahler in your list! :-)

Believe it on not, I recently exposed my adult daughter to classical music using my two favorite composers, Sibelius (Sym #4), and Mahler (Sym #6). She found Sibelius bland and just loved Mahler. Go figure!
jgreenwood OP
20 posts
 
Rushton - your post captures exactly what I had in mind when I started this thread. There are countless entries into classical music, each right for someone.

It seems to me that Baroque music may be under-represented so far. I would guess that most people have heard Vivaldi's Four Seasons at some point or another. If you liked that you might also try.

Bach - Brandeburg Concertos

Handel - Water Music and Fireworks Music

Also try Glenn Gould or Andras Schiff playing Bach's 2 and 3 Part Inventions. There is something about Bach on piano that clears my head and seems to restore the natural order of the universe. (The Modern Jazz Quartet does this for me as well.)
rushton's avatar
rushton
2,445 posts
 
Newbee, good question. I love Mahler, but if someone is not finding an entry point from some of the other music suggested, I'd take 'em a bit further out on the edges. ;-)

Interesting story about your daughter, as I keep Sibelius and Mahler tied together in my pantheon of two of the greatest orchestral composers coming out of our western european musical tradition. Hard to imagine liking one and not gravitating to the other.
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beemerrider
63 posts
 
Thanks, Rushton. Yours is the voice of reason vis. a vis. how a given piece of music will "resonate" with an individual. In my case I like stuff all the way from Renaissance and Baroque to Bernstein when it comes to classical. However, when I asked a friend who is heavily into Mahler to help me break into his music he suggested I get Symphony #2. I'm trying to like it but after a few passes I'm not there yet!

In a broad sense it is likely that folks new to classical music will be happiest with pieces heavy on melody (IMHO).
Most of what has been listed here qualify. A few more of this type that grabbed me upon first listen include Barber's "Adagio for Strings," Pachelbel's "Canon," "Nimrod" from Elgar's "Enigma Variations," and Bach's "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring" to name a few more.
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