Classical Music: - Please introduce me...........

Posted by: JackRabbitSlims on 31 August 2011

Hello.

 

I've never been a fan of Classical Music, purely because I've never actually sat down and truly listened to it. 

For me, Classical Music has a certain stigma attached to it.......Music for the older generation perhaps?? Not intending to offend anyone here at all.

 

Recently I've noticed that with the outstanding sound coming out of my Naim set-up, along with a recently upgraded Portable Rig with IEM's, I'm hearing things in my music collection I've never heard before. This is really enjoyable!

 

My Music taste is wide and varied but I have no Classical Music at all.

 

Would some of you fine folk be kind enough to recommend 4-5 "must have" Classical Albums (CD or Vinyl) that you think would be a great introduction to this Genre.

 

Cheers.

Posted on: 02 September 2011 by Sniper

I would add:

 

Handel's Water Music & Firework Music

 

Rodrgio's Guitar Concerto

 

Smetana - Ma Vlast

 

Wagner - Siegfried's Funeral March" from Götterdämmerung

 

The great thing is you can check out all of the suggestions on Youtube before dipping into your wallet or you can join a music library.

 

 

Posted on: 02 September 2011 by JackRabbitSlims

Once again.....thanks so much!!

 

Much to choose from and the YouTube preview is always a bonus.......although the SQ is rubbish eh!!

One of the reasons fro dipping my toe in the "Sea of Classical" is that I'm hearing layers in my music I've never heard before!!

 

IMHO a great pair of IEM's is so much more analytical of the music that I'm beginning to prefer them over my Floorstanders!!    maybe i need an upgrade - 

 

Posted on: 03 September 2011 by onip

My father and brother are classical musicians, but I never appreciated it enough until I got a decent audio system. There have been great suggestions here already, but let me add my two cents...

 

- Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra (preferably Reinner conducting the Chicago Symphony).  This will blow you away.  Probably my favorite classical work, period.

-Stravinsky's ballets already mentioned, particularly the Rite of Spring

-Wagner ring opera highlights (eventually get the full operas).  The four ring operas are one of the greatest works of art ever produced in any media IMHO.

- Others mentioned Beethoven's symphonies (3 and 6 are most often recommended I imagine, along with # 9). 

- Beethoven or Bartok string quartets. 

- Cello concertos with Janos Starker

- Bach of course. Check out the brandenburg concertos, the Magnificat, and his organ music.  Organ sounds awesome on a good system

- I played trumpet back in the day, so I am partial to trumpet concertos and brass choirs.  Maurice Andre's trumpet concertos are amazing, particularly the baroque stuff by Telemann and others.

- Symphonies by Mozart, Tchaikovski, and Brahms

 

Ok, that's enough... Welcome to the classical world!