classical suggestions

Great suggestions so far... Newbee, I agree with every one of your recommendations. Great works! I'd add Beethoven's 7th and 9th, Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5,
and Mahler's Symphony No. 2 (the "Resurrection"). Those last two especially will blow you away! Enjoy!

OK. Some other specific suggestions:

Wagner, Symphony in C major, Berlin Classics 0094082BC

Pachelbel Canon and Other Baroque Hits, RCA Victor 09026-60840-2

Yo Yo Ma, Simply Baroque, Sony

Mozart for your Mind, Philips, 446 377-2 (BMG D207364-2)

Respighi, Ancient Airs and Dances (Lopez-Cobos) Telarc 80309

Wagner, Orchestral Music, (Levine) Deutsche Grammophon 447 764-2

Charlie

Next time you're in a bookstore or a libray,check out Ted Libbey's "Guide to Classical Music". He offers short essays about musicians and their musics,and makes recommendations of specific recordings. One more thing,you are ,of course,entitled to your tastes, but don't rule out of hand all small ensamble string music;like everything else,some of it stinks and some of it is excellent. Happy Listening.

Here's another starter book that might be useful:
"The Vintage Guide to Classical Music" by Jan Wafford, Vintage Books (1992).

This gives short biographies of the great composers of western classical music, and will provide great descriptions of the signifance of their works to read about while you are listening to your new classical cd collection.

Beethoven's 5th Piano Concerto, late Mozart Piano Concertos..pretty "big" sounds and great music in addition to those listed already. To see how "big" a sound can come from a string quartet--Beethoven's Op 130 with the Grosse Fuge. (some of the best music ever written, Beethoven's late quartets). I guess I feel composer is more important than size of sound.. Good Luck!