New to classical..looking for recommendations

Dvorak's "New World Symphony," Jascha Horenstein conducting the Royal Philharmonic, Chesky CD31. Unfortunately out of print, but available at highish prices.

Great music, great performance, and one of the best sounding CDs of a classical symphony I have ever heard. You won't believe it was recorded in 1962!

Regards,
-- Al

The Beethoven Symphony Cycle --- including all 9 symphonies --- is an absolute must for anyone wanting a taste of the greatest classical music ever written. There are over 25 complete box-set cycles available on CD (most w/5 CDs and most costing under $20 for the set). For the best sound quality (this is, after all, an audiophile site) I recommend the cycle by conductor Jos van Immerseel on the label called Zig Zag Territories. It is amazingly well recorded and is a small ensemble playing on period instruments and is simply transcendent. For a large ensemble, modern instrument cycle --- which is VERY different from the small ensemble/period instrument recordings, I suggest Beethoven: The 9 Symphonies by Leonard Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra --- his interpretation is outstanding (and the sound is pretty good... 1963 recording remastered). If you chose only one and sound is the criteria... go Immerseel.

Enjoy!

Tboooe,

This thread may be of use to you:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?gmusi&1107016344&openusid&zzRushton&4&5#Rushton
.

You're going to get a lot of recommendations here. Start by sampling at Amazon. It will also link u to similar composers.

Since Vivaldi falls into the Baroque category, maybe start with the early composers... JS Bach, Handel, Joseph Martin Kraus, Mozart, Haydn, then move forward to Chopin, Beethoven, Schubert, Dvorak, Mendelssohn.
Since you like concertos, u can enter for example "Beethoven Concertos" and his piano and violin concerto will be displayed.

YouTube has many samples, but I think Amazon gives you more help by suggesting similiar artists.

Then, once you've found artists you like, you'll want to find the best quality mastered CDs. Certain Record labels excel in high quality classical...Chesky, EMI, Philips, Decca.

Please read Rushton's recommended threads. "Starting Points" is an excellent place to begin, but don't stop there. There are about 300 threads on Agon in it's Archives relating to classical music and several would be very informative to you.

FWIW, if from this reading you develop specific questions don't hesitate to ask. There are quite a few currect contributors on Agon with both the knowledge of classical music and the willingness to share with others.

Basic information at this link may be helpful: http://www.good-music-guide.com/index.htm

I also suggest searching around on YouTube and just listen to a random variety of classical music. This may help you discover which classical forms you might prefer (for example, full symphonies versus concertos, small group recordings, choral works, operatic, etc ). It should also help you realize if certain instruments (piano versus strings, woodwinds, brass, etc.) capture your fancy more than others as well as which composers might appeal to you the most. Once you have a feel for those things, you can be a lot more focused in your search for recommendations.

Some of the labels that are geared to classical and that have a reputation for consistently putting out CDs that are exceptionally well recorded include Chandos, Delos, ECM, Erato, Harmonia Mundi, Helios, Hyperion, Mercury Living Presence, Naxos, Reference Recordings, and Teldec.

Many good suggestions, just buy one nice romantic pretty work and chew on that for awhile.

Try Brahms Violin Concerto, 2 lovely recording are, Itzhak Perlman with the Chicago Symphony and Anne=Sophia Mutter with the Berlin Philharmonic.

Another good start could be his Double Concerto for Violin and Cello, almost every recording available of this is good, the ones with David Oistrakh on violin are lovely .

VERY good introduction to Classical Music is "The NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collectio" by Ted Libby, readily available on Amazon.

Classical Music may well be the greatest achievement of Western Civilization, like a beautiful women you'd like for a wife, it may be best to start out slow.
Is there no Classical on Public Radio where you are?
Easiest way to hear what appeals to you, and its ALL good.

Good post, Schubert!

Thank you, Rushton.

I don't have any specific suggestions but elusive disc is discounting some classical sacd's http://www.elusivedisc.com/Save-On-Classical-SACDs/products/2281/

Sorry but it looks like the sales ends today the 31st.

Chuck

You can hardly go wrong with Rushton's posts on this site, but I would also recommend the Classics Today and Audiophile Audition websites, which offer guidance on new releases. You'll find that opinions about artists and recordings, new and old, can vary enormously, which is part of the fun of classical music. And now I'm going to toot my own horn, by recommending two sites for which I write reviews occasionally, sa-cd.net and pstracks.com. They are specifically oriented toward audiophiles -- you might as well get the best sound while you're at it!

I second Lowrider 57’s “Amazon" suggestion. It’s a terrific source that allows you to audition before buying and provides you with the option to buy new or used from a variety of customer rated sellers.

Begin with a search of the "Living Stereo” catalog. You’ll be introduced to a number of fine classic recordings, by storied conductors and orchestras, in both CD and hybrid SACD. The prices for these are usually very reasonable. I’ve taken note that there is a 60 CD box set being offered for less that $83. That’ll get you up and running.