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Good Classical discs for "beginners"

While i'm far from being knowledgable about Classical music, i just picked up a disc from Best Buy on RCA Victor / BMG entitled "The Only Classical CD You'll Ever Need!". This has 13 different selections from Mozart, Bach, Pachelbel, Vivaldi, Beethoven (2), Mozart, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Strauss, Rachmaninoff, Wagner and Rossini. The various "tunes" are performed by Artur Rubinstein, Zubin Mehta / NY Philharmonic, Arthur Fiedler / Boston Pops, Eugene Ormandy / Philadelphia Orchestra, Fritz Reiner / Chicago Symphony and Erich Leinsdorf / Boston Symphony.

Quite honestly, it is truly a well put together disc. There isn't one bad cut : ) To top it off, the sequencing of the selections is quite tasteful and lends an overall "flow" to the disc as you listen. I would think that this would be a great intro if someone wanted to investigate various Classical artists and at the same time, listen to the different Conductors / Orchestra's / Symphony's. For those that are interested, it is catalogue #09026-62665-2. Actual selling price was $9.99 + Uncle Sam's cut : )

How about those of you that are well versed in Classical recordings throwing us a bone and pointing us to some other discs that are worth checking out ? Individual performances are good but it would be great if we could get some "samplers" listed also. Sean
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sean
pragmatist
336 posts
 
Before I answer the question allow me to suggest these two books: 1. What to Listen For in Music,by Aaron Copland. 2. Building a cd Library, by Ted Libbey.(That may not be the exact title,but it's close.)
Here are some basic musics.
--Baroque
JS Bach,The Brandenburg Concerti
JS Bach, The Goldberg Variations
--Classic
Mozart,Piano Concertos #21 and #23
Beethoven,Symphonies #6 and #5
Hayden,Opus 76 String Quartets
--Romantic
Schubert,Trout Quintet
Chopin,Piano Preludes
--Impressionist/Modern
Debussy,Three Nocturnes
Stravinsky,Rite of Spring

Soon,you'll hear what appeals to you and you can add more as your preferences dictate.
Happy listening,P
avguygeorge
2,300 posts
 
Buy,rent something classical on lazer / dvd.Seeing; the visual helps some. I sort of cut my teeth on the great library available on lazer disc.Some,instead of the orchestra; have great scenery. Beethoven's 9th, Rachmaninoff (Herbert Von Karajan & Alexiss Wiesenberg) Piano #2 (not the 3)is one of the most melodic pieces ever written.(There are several of these melodies, within, that were recorded and made popular with a vocal.)The 2 mentioned and the 4 seasons are the 3 most popular pieces;for good reason.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Mercury Living Presence "best of" compilation, "Being There"
eldragon
707 posts
 
Listen to your radio at night. If possible with few glasses of vine.
alc777
9 posts
 
Here are some good samplers:

DGG "An Die Musik" Das 4d-Konzert 445 809-2
unforturnatly, can't find the link

B&W Present the EMI Abbey Road Classical Collection BW003
Again, no link available

HDCD SAMPLER VOL l
http://www.referencerecordings.com/SAMPLE.HTML

Proprius 1994 Classical sampler
https://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PRCD%209107&variation=&aitem=15&mitem=15

OPUS 3 TEST CD 4.1
http://www.opus3records.com/artists/samp/19400.htm

Both the DGG and the B&W sampler are those "mainstream" classical selections like the RCA title, both with good sound quality.

The latter 3 are Hi-End quality samplers. The music selections are very enjoyable, not those "technical sound only" CDs.

If you don't mind some new music, then the Narada sampler "Discovery Narada" CD-9002E (no link) would be a nice try. (Not classical music)

Individual performances:

J.S. Bach: Orchestral Transcriptions (by Stokowski) Chandos Chan 6532 [Robert Piker, Sydney Sym Orch]

Beethoven: symphony 9
http://216.239.33.100/search?q=cache:Kobzl5shEYYJ:www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000001GPY%3Fvi%3Dglance+447401+beethoven&hl=zh-TW&ie=UTF-8

Bizet: Suite from "Carmen"
IMP Classics PCD 905 [Rafael Fruhbeck De Burgos, London Sym Orch]

Haydn & Bocherini: Cello Concerto
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000002S1F/qid=1055608100/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-9344519-9894414?v=glance&s=classical

Mendelssohn: "A Midsummer Night's Dream"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000002RNC/qid=1055608735/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/002-9344519-9894414

Mozart: Piano Concerto 20 & 21
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000E4I8/qid=1055608864/sr=1-6/ref=sr_1_6/002-9344519-9894414?v=glance&s=classical

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.2
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000JQJE/qid=1055609213/sr=1-15/ref=sr_1_15/002-9344519-9894414?v=glance&s=classical

Respighi: Ancient Airs and Dances
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000057LF/qid=1055609368/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-9344519-9894414?v=glance&s=classical

Rimsky-Korsakov: "Scheherazade"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000001GJ4/bridgebooks/104-2911042-3895909

Rodrigo: Concerto de Aranjuez
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000001G6B/qid=1055609891/sr=1-15/ref=sr_1_15/002-9344519-9894414?v=glance&s=classical

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000001GQD/qid=1055610071/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/002-9344519-9894414

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005CD9Z/qid=1055610225/sr=1-6/ref=sr_1_6/002-9344519-9894414?v=glance&s=classical

Try to get the exact version and CD because there are major differences between brands and productions (mastering).

If you need more, I'll try to post some more.
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