interested in exploring classical


Can anyone direct me in the right direction? I want to start exploring classical music and not sure where to start. My playback is CD. Is there a high quality company that is better? New to Audiogon and any help I would be grateful for
finnman

Showing 1 response by classicjazz

Find a way to learn about the structure of music from a listening/theory standpoint. I recommend the Teaching Company website. They offer a superb series on various kinds of music (series dedicated to Mozart, opera, Beethoven etc.). You really can learn a great deal and begin to appreciate the skill and creativity behind classical music. Getting the Beethoven set and watching it changed my life---or at least it made me move Beethoven's symphony #3 up to the top of my list. BTW, I've been listening to classical music all my life and played piano and violin in an orchestra through HS and still I learned something. It will also expose you to a whole gamut of composers and you may find yourself gravitating to one or another composer or period (Haydn, Mozart, Bach, Brahms, Stravinsky etc.).

Or: start with Mozart piano sonatas, Beethoven symphony no. 3 (Furtwangler is good, sound is not so good). Bach Goldberg variations, Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 3 for an overview.