Classical music: where to start?

[St. Jerry]

Never really been into it but I figure I should give it a more serious try. So, where should I start?

[Jer]

The boroque guys are who most associate with "classical music". Handel, Bach, Vivaldi, etc.

Personally, I've never much liked the boroque era. Way too ornate and I never warmed to opera.

For something different try some more recent stuff like Stravinski, Bartok, Prokofiev..

For something even more different try Part, Ligeti or even Penderecki.

[Tippster]

Symphonic/Chamber, or Opera(vocal?)

I'd start with the "Three B's" (Bach, Beethoven, Brahms) for the former, Mozart and Puccini for the latter.

[Hugh Conway]

Beethoven, Mozart. Some Russians: Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky

Opera: Barber of Seville, Marriage of Figaro, Carmen, Tosca, Aida

[PNWbrit]

First make sure you know how to spell Baroque.

[Tye 1on]

[Hugh Conway]

[Schemeboat]

Get a few compositions or concertos under your belt

Try some of the very famous classics
Vivaldi - four seasons
Beethovens symphonies 1-9 and note the progression of his deafness. (most are quite common, you will recognize many movements)
Gustav holst - the planets (incredible!)
Bach - Brandenburg concertos

Move onto
Pablo casales - Bach suites, a mellow yet outstanding cello concerto

[warthog]

Go see a live orchestra.

Clare De Lune always did it for me.

The Nutcracker is a good staple too. Just saw that here locally. My 5 y/o loved the ballet.
I was pissed there wasn't a full orchestra.

If you are in Manhattan, try to get over to see the Radio City X-Mas show. Not sure if it is still going.
I grew up going to that, and it really gives you a good sample of a live orchestra and the power of it all.

Or you could just hit one of many performances in NYC on any given night.

[Jer]

First make sure you know how to spell Baroque.

The thing I really like about you is that you never ever break charactor.

Do you have any recommendations for Jerry, or are you once again just here for the douche?

[PNWbrit]

charactor

You can't really go wrong with Mozart for starters.

[Dickeymotto]

Check out Bedrich Smetana's Ma Vlast. Easily one of my favorite pieces of music in any genre. Get Spotify, it makes it so much easier to discover new music.

[Ski to Be]

Probably the easiest way is to pick up some favorites & classics compilations that are super cheap on CD of various styles and play them in the car. These can be had for very cheap as there are no royalties to be paid. It would be like someone asking where to start with Rock. Tastes and styles vary a lot. Once you find some works you like then the fun begins. Performances and interpretations of whatever piece you like will differ quite a bit. You will find 2 or 3 performances that you love and others not so much. Example( I love the 2nd movement of Dvoraks New World symphony played with a slower tempo and some conductors like it at a quicker pace and it feels rushed to me). Than you can delve deeper into other works of that composer if you like what you hear. It is a rewarding hobby if you take the time.

[schindlerpiste]

Quoting Alan Alda, "AHHHH BACH!"

seriously Vivaldi Four Seasons
Rossini Overtures (Think Bugs Bunny or William Tell)

Behtoven's 9th
any Mozart (but especially Eine Kleine Nachtmusik or the Requiem)

Debussy for piano


or

my personal favorite:

Wagner's Die Valkure

"I love the smell of napalm in the morning. It reminds me of....VICTORY!!!"

[Hugh Conway]

Probably the easiest way is to pick up some favorites & classics compilations that are super cheap on CD of various styles and play them in the car.

There's also a wide range of legitimate free MP3's out there from various Orchestras, or Orchestra podcasts now

[Tippster]

Well - if we're going with the chart toppers:

[Hugh Conway]

Oh yeah?






edit and

[Bunion 2020]

Aaron Copland;

Easy classical to get into and go from there.

[Tippster]

You mean somebody other than Pavarotti sang Nessun Dorma?

1980 - at the height of the fat man's vocal ninja powers:



At least you didn't post Jose Carreras' version. My mom thinks all that dude does is yell.

[iscariot]

For easy accessibility, Yngwie Malmsteen. Not just furniture from Ikea, but also a modern baroque musician that has accompanied classical orchestra.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Bump

"Woman's ‘loud and full body orgasm’ heard during LA Philharmonic concert"

https://news.google.com/articles/CBM...S&ceid=US%3Aen


https://twitter.com/macrodosingpod/s...64/mediaviewer

[PB]

Good choice to pop to.

What's a full body orgasm? Can it be initiated from sound, or does it require actual direct physical contact? Can I get one from my toe?

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

If you use it right

[Lvovsky]

For easy accessibility, Yngwie Malmsteen. Not just furniture from Ikea, but also a modern baroque musician that has accompanied classical orchestra.

Haven’t listened to Malmsteen in decades. Looks like a prolific recording artist.


And I’m, like a jong, quoting a post from 2012 thread where CDs are recommended while I looked up Malmsteen discography on Spotify in 2023 and had several albums downloaded in minutes.

[billyk]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EAqHQM...4gbGUgc3RlbGxl