HELP Classically ignorant, need vinyl insight


Getting back into vinyl after 20+ years and need some advice. I just purchased a TT and now I need records to play on it. I'd like to start my vinyl collection with "classical" but I'm clueless as to were to begin. I need help on what albums and composers to look for. I do like the following:

1. French horn music
2. String music
3. Melancholy music, the type that makes your bones ache.
4. Conan the Barbarian music. You know the kind that makes you want to get on your horse and impale someone.

Any and all suggestions most welcome. By the way, I wasn't sure if I should post this here or in "music". I chose this as I only wanted TT advocates advice.

Also I need to get record cleaning supplies, what do I need and where can I get it?
Thanks.
rtenyes
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Rtenyes,
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It might be best to start with Baroque that is a most approachable form of Classical and then work your way along.
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Bach and Mozart are a great place to start. Handel, Hayden and Corelli are also in the same vein.
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You are starting on a great journey....best of luck and enjoy (you will).
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Rgds,
Larry

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Rtenyes,

Here's some suggestions for string music:

Bartok Divertimento Decca SXL 6026 (Has been reissued)

EMI ASD 521 Barbirolli conducts English String Music by Elgar & Vaughan Williams. (Been reissued)

Martinu Concerto for Two String Orchestra, Piano & Timpani on Supraphon. Powerfull work written at the start of WWII in 1939 like the Bartok above.

Frank Martin wrote several pieces for string orchestra: Passacaille for String Orchestra and Etudes for String Orchestra - both on London/Decca

Bloch Concerto Grosso 1 & 2 on Mercury SR90223

Bliss Music for Strings Lyrita SCRS 33

Szervansky Sernade for String Orchestra Qualiton LPX 1085. Mono but nice, especially the middle slow movement.

Ernst Hermann Meyer Symphonie for String Orchestra Nova 885110

Sarai Sernade for Strings Hungaroton LPX 11636 (This is stereo).

David Diamond Rounds for Strings. There's a Columbia recording of this with Bernstein conducting if my memory is correct. I can't lay my hands on the record to be sure.

I have Pye record (GSGC 14042) that has the Rawsthorne Concerto for String Orchestra the Berkeley Sernade for Strings on it. I think Pye is a reissue label and these probably were originally issued on either EMI or Decca.

Have fun and enjoy.

Scott
The thing about Wagner is its not nearly as bad as it sounds. Rccc

That's Woody Allen, the best comedy is usually in bad taste. My favourite comedy film is "the Producers", by Mel Brooks
Who can forget the immortal lyrics
" Springtime for Hitler and Germany, winter for Poland and France"
Just perfect bad taste.
As far as melancholy music, may I suggest the Rachmaninov Elegiac Piano Trios. They're on the Chandos label, Borodin Trio. Also try the Dvorak "Dumky Trio," also on the Chandos Label. Definite "wrist slashers!" Some parts of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet will give you goosebumps and tears at the same time. My version I believe is on the London label with Lorin Maazel.

For Conan music, try some Berlioz overtures, Rob Roy in particular. Very demanding on the brass section. Chandos label again.

Now... string music: that spans a wide range. Do you like solo, concertos, chamber, etc. Time period? Baroque (period pitch and instruments is best IMO), Classical, Romantic, 20th century, Avant Garde? Some things that immediately come to mind are the later Mozart quarters, Brahms Serenades, Brahms Sextets. For starters, you might consider the Bach Brandenburg Concerti.

Oh, and a combination of two of your desires, string and melancholy: try music for string orchestra by English composers e.g. Vaughn Williams, Barber, Elgar, Warlock. There is a version of Vaughn Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Tallis that will make you cry. Its conducted by Morton Gould on RCA Red Seal. It would be great to snag a copy of that. Very cliche' but Barber's Adagio for Strings. Consider Elgar-Intro and Allegro. Oh, Vaughn Williams "The Lark Ascending." - Hugh Bean Solo violinist Sir Adrian Boult conducting.

If you want to hear demanding french horn music, I can't think of any solo or concertos but some symphonies where there are some very prominent and difficult french horn passages in symphonnic music e.g. Dvorak Synphony 8 and 9 (9 I suggest Slatkin on the Telarc label Slatkin conducting, 8 with Kubleik on DGG.

Hope this helps without sounding like a snob. All the best.