quiet classical music

Try searching for "tafelmusik" in your music streamer catalog or online.

I like Mike's suggestions for listening above, but for me 5 Beethoven Piano Concertos and Beethoven and Mahler symphony recordings would never remain "in the background."

Specific names in addition: Gibbons, Byrd, Telemann, Corelli, some Scarlatti, Lully, Purcell, Geminiani

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Baroque_composers

I often listen to lyrical jazz like Stan Getz while reading.

Chayro’s pointed you in some good directions. In addition to the Goldberg Variations, Bach’s other solo piano music and transcriptions for piano of his other pieces are excellent, e.g., the Well-Tempered Clavier; Partitas for Keyboard; the Art of the Fugue; Musical Offering. I enjoy listening to Angela Hewitt’s playing and Alfred Brendel’s also. There’s so many good recordings, it’s hard to point out just one or two. As Chayro also recommended, Bach on guitar is wonderful.

Scarlatti’s music on piano fits your needs, and Brahm’s Intermezzi should be added to any list. Many artists have recorded these. I enjoy Hewitt and Andras Schiff on Scarlatti, and Arcady Volodos for Brahm’s Intermezzi and other solo piano music.

I highly recommend that you try Vikingur Olafsson’s recording of Bach’s music transcribed for piano and his recording of music by Couperin and Rameau. They are outstanding recordings and wonderfully played.  Of course, Couperin and Rameau may lead you to Debussy’s piano music.

One more pat on the back for Chayro for his suggestion of Mozart’s piano sonatas (I have Uchida’s recordings) and piano concertos.

I want to include Schubert’s late piano sonatas. There are many fine recordings to choose from.

Aw, heck, if this isn’t already overlong: Haydn’s String Quartets. Lots of good recordings are out there.

Hope this helps. Good luck exploring.

Jim

@jayctoy

Mike what are your 10 Ten classical vynil you like to listen on a daily basis?

my classical vinyl choices are in a wide rotation; rarely played more than once a month. i am likely to sample different performances of the same composition, and pressings of the same performance, occasionally in the same session, when i’m on a particular theme. but that is not a frequent occurrence.

tonight when i’m home i will try to list 10 current classical vinyl fav’s i have played recently.

@hilde45 

I like Mike's suggestions for listening above, but for me 5 Beethoven Piano Concertos and Beethoven and Mahler symphony recordings would never remain "in the background."

i think the point where that music can be complimentary to reading is variable, and relative to individual sensitivities and even a system's ability to play them realistically at moderate volume levels. i own and play those so much that their bombast just hits me subconsciously and does not distract my reading. my room is large and so large scale music breathes and does not get hard or intrusive. it stays natural. obviously i don't play them at Warp 9 when i'm reading.

i've been deep into a book where i get from Beethoven's 1st to 5th before i know it.