New to classical..looking for recommendations

The Beethoven Symphony Cycle --- including all 9 symphonies --- is an absolute must for anyone wanting a taste of the greatest classical music ever written. There are over 25 complete box-set cycles available on CD (most w/5 CDs and most costing under $20 for the set). For the best sound quality (this is, after all, an audiophile site) I recommend the cycle by conductor Jos van Immerseel on the label called Zig Zag Territories. It is amazingly well recorded and is a small ensemble playing on period instruments and is simply transcendent. For a large ensemble, modern instrument cycle --- which is VERY different from the small ensemble/period instrument recordings, I suggest Beethoven: The 9 Symphonies by Leonard Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra --- his interpretation is outstanding (and the sound is pretty good... 1963 recording remastered). If you chose only one and sound is the criteria... go Immerseel.

Enjoy!

Many good suggestions, just buy one nice romantic pretty work and chew on that for awhile.

Try Brahms Violin Concerto, 2 lovely recording are, Itzhak Perlman with the Chicago Symphony and Anne=Sophia Mutter with the Berlin Philharmonic.

Another good start could be his Double Concerto for Violin and Cello, almost every recording available of this is good, the ones with David Oistrakh on violin are lovely .

VERY good introduction to Classical Music is "The NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collectio" by Ted Libby, readily available on Amazon.

Classical Music may well be the greatest achievement of Western Civilization, like a beautiful women you'd like for a wife, it may be best to start out slow.
Is there no Classical on Public Radio where you are?
Easiest way to hear what appeals to you, and its ALL good.

Good post, Schubert!

Thank you, Rushton.

Basic information at this link may be helpful: http://www.good-music-guide.com/index.htm

I also suggest searching around on YouTube and just listen to a random variety of classical music. This may help you discover which classical forms you might prefer (for example, full symphonies versus concertos, small group recordings, choral works, operatic, etc ). It should also help you realize if certain instruments (piano versus strings, woodwinds, brass, etc.) capture your fancy more than others as well as which composers might appeal to you the most. Once you have a feel for those things, you can be a lot more focused in your search for recommendations.

Some of the labels that are geared to classical and that have a reputation for consistently putting out CDs that are exceptionally well recorded include Chandos, Delos, ECM, Erato, Harmonia Mundi, Helios, Hyperion, Mercury Living Presence, Naxos, Reference Recordings, and Teldec.