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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
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
An interesting feature of classical music is that you can find many recordings of some of the great pieces, and compare the style of various performers. The variation of interpretations is remarkable, and I am talking of performances which all are good, by highly regarded musicians. For example: I have five or six recordings of the Tchaikovsky violin concerto, and while I don't have time to listen to all of them at one sitting, I do enjoy playing just one movement several times as played by different artists, and reflecting on the different interpretations.

As you expand your experience with the music, pay attention to the performers. You will probably find one or more whose style pleases you more than others, and this should guide your purchases when you must choose from several recordings of a work with which you are unfamiliar.

PS: You can't go wrong with Mozart.
gabbro
88 posts
 
I really don't like compilations either, since they sound "fragmented" to me. If you like violin, you can't go wrong with one or both of the following discs performed by John Holloway: Unam Ceylam (Biber) or Unarum Fidium (Schmeltzer). I cannot stop listening to both...They sound absolutely superb on audiophile systems and are definately approachable for the beginner. An interesting "cross-over" recording to try might be Silk Road Journeys by Yo Yo Ma. Nice sonics with a dynamic range from very soft to briefly explosive and a somewhat improvisationary feel (same goes with the first two suggestions as well). Cheers.
jlamb
150 posts
 
In contrast to others, I feel that a good (emphasis good) complilation is wonderful means for introducing beginners to any musical genre. For classical, there are two fine recordings from the RCA Red Seal series: Romantic Violin and Romantic Cello. Don't let the title fool you, this is not shmaltzy stuff but rather classical music from the 'Romantic' period. Great perfomances from the likes of Perlman, Ma, Starker, Zukerman, etc. including excerpts from the works of Brahms, Dvorak, Saint Saens, Mendelssohn, Bruch, etc.
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
Has anyone here read the NPR guide to building a classical music collection ? I understand it provides a path into classical for those (like myself) who are not very broadly familiar with it. It always seemed like this book, plus the penguin guide might provide a good entry point to clasical, but I have not got around to buying the NPR guide.
bomarc
501 posts
 
SDT: Better than the NPR Guide, if you can find it, is "The Virgin Guide to Classical Music" by Jeremy J. Beadle. It takes things chronologically, rather than alphabetically by composer, and provides more historical context and less of the "the first movement begins with a lilting melody" stuff of the NPR Guide. Someone who knows little about classical music will learn more from the Virgin Guide. It also covers more works, and generally recommends more alternatives for each work, which can be helpful if your local shop isn't Tower.

The Virgin Guide is out of print, but used copies are currently available through bn.com, and probably Amazon as well.
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