Classical Music for Dummies

[KONGO]

So I'm trying to jump into some classical music, but it's such a wide range that I'm always really daunted by it. Like with translated novels, I feel like the orchestra is as important as the work itself in classical music, and that adds to my wariness. Any tips on where to start would be great.

Right now the only classical work that I've really listened to is Keith Jarrett's rendition of Shostakovich's 24 Preludes and Fugues, which I liked.

[KONGO]

So I've just tried out Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 4 in D and it was nice. It didn't captivate me, though there were a lot of flashes of interestingness. Think I'll keep exploring his works some.

[KONGO]

Brahms and Shostakovich have done real well for me. I liked The Rite of Spring as well but it was a bit short and I guess didn't hit all the notes for me, but Stravinsky definitely deserves more exploration.

Classical music so far is very strange for me because I appreciate it more than I have a visceral reaction to it the way I would listening to sludge or rap. Not that I dislike it or I'm just paying lipservice, but I can't really see myself headbanging or going FUCK YEAH to any part, it's just good music.

[KONGO]

Stravinsky's stuff always feels so short, ends way before I think it will.

[TroutMaskReplica]

Beethoven and Mahler's 9th Symphonies are essential. THE greatest two pieces of music in existence.

[Gazz]

After 'Freaxxx' by BrokeNCYDE of course.

[LittleDaniel]

After 'Freaxxx' by BrokeNCYDE of course.

LIAAAAAAAR, LIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!

[KONGO]

Yup, Shostakovich is fantastic. May go on a deep kick of his stuff before moving on to others.

[KONGO]

Mahler's 9th Symphonies

Just started this and I'm not sure I like it. It's in technicolor, kind of garishly dramatic. Will give it a listen through, though, only nearing the end of the first part.

[KONGO]

Yeah... it's pretty but subtle as a brick. I don't always think subtlety is necessary but if you're writing an hour long suite, punching me in the face with every emotion is probably not the way to go.

[GhostMachine]

Rossini's William Tell Overture. its over 12 minutes, long and you may have already heard the finale, March Of The Swiss Soldiers. Because its also The Long Ranger theme.

Maurice Ravel's Bolero. An amazing piece that surprisingly, Ravel himself didn't really care for. (Legend is, its also a great song to have sex to )

Agree with TMR's recommendation of Beethoven's 9th Symphony, and will also recommend Fur Elise and Moonlight Sonata.

Edited June 20, 2013 by GhostMachine

[KONGO]

Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 2 is pretty great.

[METALMAN]

I've bolded the best ones.

I love Shostakovich. I went to see a couple of his symphonies at the Barbican recently - it was splendid. They did his 8th which is seldom played, so I was quite lucky there. Incidentally my main reason for going was that they were also doing "Chairman Dances" by John Adams. Give that a go too. Fantastic rhythmic piece.

Stravinsky is really good - the logical next step is Firebird. This is the 100th anniversary of Rite of Spring, so it should be fairly easy to find an orchestra playing it if you are so inclined.

I genuinely think Beethoven is perfection.

Mahler is cool. Stylistically, he's probably the first "20th Century" composer. Him or Dickie Strauss. if you didn't like #9 try #5.

Hmm...Penderecki does some really cool jarring stuff, if you like that.

Antonin Dvorak does lovely, melodic, wistful pieces. Kind of like a synthesis between symphony and trad. folk music in places. I love his stuff because of the poltical significance behind it, 19th century nationalism and so on. It's fascinating.

Mind you, 19th century nationalism makes a lot of this fascinating. Listen to Wagner's Parsifal.

Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saens is fantastic.

La Mer by Debussy is one of the most atmospheric suites you could ever hear. I like the 19th century French style a lot.

Liszt is one of the most versatile composers. Most of his things are good. I prefer it when he is quieter.

This might be my favourite classical piece of all. it sounds like fountains!

Faure's Requiem. Brilliant and haunting.

George Gershwin - Rhapsody In Blue still sounds modern and exciting.

Try Nabucco by Verdi. If you like opera. If you don't give it a go anyway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh31j6L95Ok

Actually, no, this is my favourite piece and probably my favourite song ever. Classical or pop. Another piece with a sublime story behind it.

Concerto de Aranjuez by Rodrigo. Listen to the orchestral one, then listen to the Miles Davis one.

Steve Reich is really cool as well.

[KONGO]

Dvorak is always one I've felt I'd like but I think that has a lot more to do with the Eastern Europeanness than me actually having a good head for the sound going in. Will have to put him on my list of next guys to check out. Stravinsky's alright, thought I'd like his stuff a lot more than I have so far, though I purposefully avoided The Firebird after Rite of Spring as I wanted to check out some lesser known works. I'll give Mahler another shot, but after trying out some Bach, there seems to be little point other than variety.

Thanks for the more contemporary and sort of left field suggestions, though. I'll be keeping them in mind.

[KONGO]

Yeah, Dvorak is pretty quality. Dug pretty much everything of his I have listened to so far. Think I might try out Elgar soon, the subject of The Planets has always interested me and I want to hear the interpretations he's done for them.

Ha ha, at the beginning of Dvorak's Op. 104 part III, Dvorak basically does "Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie Land."

[METALMAN]

Planets is Holst! But listen to some Elgar too, he's nice. When I listen to him I think of the British Empire which makes me feel all cosy inside.

[KONGO]

Ah, mixed 'em up. You Brits have so few composers of note (like I'm one to talk...), guess I thought "Elgar, English composer, must be right!"

[METALMAN]

Yeah we are pretty shit for composers. It's why we count Handel as one of our own because he lived here for a little while. In fact, in the 19th century Britain was known as the land with no music!

There a few good ones though. Here and there.

[KONGO]

Listening to Copland's Billy the Kid. I imagine this is what you must feel when listening to Elgar, metalman.

[METALMAN]

Oh absolutely. Listening to Billy the Kid is like watching one of those Ken Burns,documentaries.