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Classical music - starting points

Various posts in a number of threads, most recently "Audiophiles who refuse to listen to classical" suggest there are a number of people who are looking to find a way to get into classical music. I thought it might be worthwhile if some of us who have found a way, even stumbled into one perhaps, could give some advice. If possible we might try to recall what first hooked us on classical music, identify the piece and, if relevant the performance, and describe what grabbed our attention.

I hope that others will use this as a guide to pick an approach which fits their musical tastes.

I'll start with three critical pieces for me.

Beethoven's 7th Symphony, Second Movement, Bruno Walter conductor. This was 11th grade, and quite simply the first time I was ever moved by a piece of classical music. I was caught up in the force, the drama, the inevitability of the music.

Mozart Symphony 35, George Szell conductor. I think this was as a sophomore in college. The sheer energy, the exuberance and speed of the piece had me putting it on repeat in a manner previously reserved for the Beatles.

Mussorgsky/Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition, Fritz Reiner conductor (my current favorite version). The color and shattering power of the orchestra. I bought into CDs early and for a while my favorite track was The Great Gate at Kiev, the last portion of Pictures, from a demo disk that came with my player. I'm surprised I wasn't thrown out of my apartment.

While my tastes have broadened since then, each of these three works still remains a favorite.
jgreenwood
rushton's avatar
rushton
2,445 posts
 
Jgreenwood, good catch to point out that we've not covered many entry points using Baroque music (Bach's Mass in B can be a challengin entry point). I like your Bach and handel suggestions above. To those, I'd offer:

Telemann's Tafelmusik (Music for Table). The Reference Recordings disc with the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra is not bad, but I'd recommend Bruggen/ConAmsterdam on Telefunken as a better entre.

Albinoni, Adagio in g (Marriner/ASMF, Brown -vn, EMI)

Allegri, Miserere (Tallis Scholars or Willcocks and the Choir at King's College on Argo)

Buxtehude, Sonatas for Violin and Cello (Boston Museum Trio on Harmonia Mundi)

Gabrielli, just about anything, particularly his music for brass

Monteverdi, Selva morale e spirituale (Christie/Les Arts Florissants on Harmonia Mundi)

Collections:
"Laudate!" or "LaudateII" (Drottingholm Baroque Ensemble, Uppsala Academia Kammarkor, Proprius)

"Recital" and "In Concert" and "A Second Recital" by the Academy of St. Martins in the Field, with Marriner on Argo.
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rushton's avatar
rushton
2,445 posts
 
Beemerrider, I agree with you about pieces with greater melodic content as better points of entry for most of us. You've suggested good works for starting points.
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brownsfan
1,508 posts
 
How about starting with a live performance! The vast majority of classical music was written before Edison was a gleem in anyone's eye. I've got cheap tickets in the front row,(the ones everyone hates)right in front of the cellos. Watch the drops of sweat fly from the conductors brow, watch how hard the players work during a Beethoven symphony, make eye contact with the performers, hear first hand the complex harmonics of the instruments. No recording and no equipment can really reproduce the total experience of a live performance. Get yourself some cheap tickets to a couple of concerts and see what happens!
newbee
4,767 posts
 
Beemerrider, Don't give up on Mahler. I'm not at all sure that #2 is the best place to start though. The last movement is certainly a big part of this piece's attraction but it sure takes a long time to get there and even then it can seem uneven and overlong. Personally I would have recommended #1, which is much more conventional, direct, dramatic and brief (for Mahler) or his greatest Symphony, IMHO, #6 which while long in duration is anything but long in listening. It is full of moments of contrasting drama, bleakness and great beauty. #7 is fairly assessible as well. Stay away from #3 & #9 'til you have gotten a handle on Mahler. They aren't tough musically, but will seem endless until you are more musically acquainted with Mahler. Also, FWIW, because of the uniqueness of Mahler it does help to read a bit about what he was up to....makes a bit more sense out of what what you are hearing and why. The opposite of what you noted as a good thing for newbies exists in Mahler - there is not a lot of symplistic melody to initially draw you in. But, as your friend will attest, once its in your blood it is very moving stuff. Keep trying, but don't get stuck on #2 - borrow some others.

Rushton (and anyone else), I've spent this morning listening to some very assessible neo- romantics (Arnold, Copland, Barber, Bantock) but as I was trying to make recommendations for newbies I kept away from them as much because of the obscurity of some of their names and music as anything else, but their music is very assessible and melodic. See any point in making an addendum to my list? Also, perhaps someone would volunteer to consolidate the lists by era (I demur - I'm too lazy).
beemerrider
63 posts
 
Newbee, thanks for your encouragement. I will give Mahler's First a go...why don't you go ahead and recommend the one you like best. I'll add it to my next Amazon order. I know practically nothing about the composer and will do a little reading. One thing I do know, however, is that Mahler once said that all of Puccini's music sounded the same to him. I took that one personally!

By the way, were we separated at birth? I also very much favor Tyler Linbrook Monitors driven by a 30 watt tube integrated, and agree right down the line with your comments on music.

Regards, Lee
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