Classical music newbie needs your suggestions

I didn't know anything about Jazz, untill I was given about 50 lps. Played, hey, I like trombone, hey, I like Red Garland, hey I don't like big bands. Armed with that start, off I went into the world of Jazz.

You will discover what you truly like,

and you will listen to LP's you will more than likely never listen to again. Sell/trade/give away those, keep room on your shelves for more like the ones you really respond to.

After you discern what you like, then research and buy similar, as well as what types/composers/conductor/orchestra are not included in what you bought.

What a nice Xmas gift you guys (and gals?) have given me. Thanks so much.

I'm adding postit notes on each album as I listen to them, rating them, and describing the mood, etc. Then I'll sell/give away the questionable ones. I'll pull out any Mozart that happens to be in the Opera section. I already found I love the Russian composers that I have, and Hayden. But I've only just begun...

btw, do you live near me, Plainfield, NJ? After you learn more about what you respond to, I inherited a lot of LP’s and have many classical I will part with for very low price. I am more interested to have more room on my shelves.

It took me over a year to appreciate (some) music from the 40's through 50's when I bought 12 feet of albums (for $75!).

This will be a much more enjoyable experience. I listened to the whole Solti Wagner epic and some Puchinni when I was a young man.

Hi, I could write at length with suggestions, but I’ll try to limit myself.

Some folks above have suggested some accessible beautiful pieces, such as Pachelbel’s Canon. I’ll add Handel’s concerto grosso Alexander’s Feast, and three discs by pianist Vikingur Olafsson consisting of collections of short pieces by Bach (some transcribed for keyboard), Mozart, and Debussy/Rameau. Outstanding collections.

Bach’s music for solo instruments is varied and wonderful. For keyboard (which I prefer played on piano over harpsichord), there are the Goldberg Variations (many to choose from; I prefer Jeremy Denker’s and Murray Perahia’s versions, along with Sitkovevski’s rendition for string trio), the Well-Tempered Clavicle I and II (again, many to choose from; I like Jennifer Hewitt’s); French Suites (not discussed on this forum much; I like Gavrilov’s); English Suites (Andras Schiff is my favorite). For violin, the Sonatas and Partitas, and I suggest starting with Partita #2 in D, and I like Hilary Hahn although there are many great ones to choose from. Someone above mentioned the Cello Suites (Yo-Yo Ma’s are terrific).

Handel’s concerto grossi are a gateway to his very listenable works; Andras Schiff made a recording of three piano sonatas by Hadyn; and speaking of accessible sonatas, try Uchida’s recordings of Mozart’s sonatas for piano. And, well, speaking of Mozart, his piano concertos, esp. nos. 18-26 (and extra especially no. 21’s second movement (the theme from the movie “Elvira Madigan.”)

Brahms: his Ballades for piano (try Pollini) and for late-night meditation, his Intermezzi (Arkady Volodos).

I’ve gone on way too long and probably suggested too many piano pieces, but here’s one more, which I think is a highpoint of Twentieth Century music, Shostakovich’s 24 Preludes and Fugues, our times’ Goldbergs.

Enjoy!