Recommendations

[RadiGen]

Been Listening to Classical for a year or so now, i started listening general (popular classical music) for the purpose of selecting a good list of composers, after listening to various "Best" compilations, i've been able to narrow down a list to start from, then i moved to something more specific, i've been able to acquire Chopin's Complete Piano Works, and a portion of Liszt's, but after listening to solo piano music, I yearn for the complexity and magnitude that other forms of compositions have to offer (most notably, symphonies of course)
Basically, i'm looking for recommendations, I'm only beginning to scratch the surface of classical music, so i'd like help from you guys
I have the complete symphonies of haydn in my library, which symphonies do you recommend to me to listen first?
I'd also appreciate other recommendations from other composers
If you're acquainted with Last.fm, here's my account for a more comprehensive list of my music library: http://www.last.fm/user/mikeedols

[North Star]

Welcome, you have lots to discover.

Some recommendations:

Mozart: piano concertos, late piano sonatas, late symphonies, Requiem
Beethoven: piano sonatas (start with e.g. no. 8, 13-18, 21), symphonies (all 9)
Bach: Brandenburg concertos, Goldberg variations

[mc ukrneal]

Welcome to the forum! There have been past threads on this topic that may interest you as well.

For Haydn, the most well known symphonies are those grouped as the Paris symphonies or London symphonies. Any one of these could be a good place to start exploring. Though, I must add, there really isn't a bad symphony in the bunch and you really could start anywhere. I think symphony 82 makes a nice place to start.

There really is so much to hear and explore, it can be difficult to choose where to start, so I'll just throw out a few pieces that might give you a spread of instruments, ensembles, and periods. I must caution you that everyone will have different recommendations and this may be overwhelming. It's only because we all get excited sharing some of our favorites with you.

Other ideas:
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherezade
Elgar: Cello Concerto
Bach: Brandenburg Concertos
Beethoven: Symphony no 6 (Pastoral)
Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf
Brahms: Piano Concerto 1 or 2
Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake
Debussy: La Mer
Rachmaniniov: Isle of the Dead

For Choral, any of the requiems from Verdi, Faure, Brahms or Mozart make a nice entry.

There are so many other options though, especially once you start to find something you like. I have stuck to orchestral pieces, but there are many choral pieces, chamber, opera, songs, and other genre that might interest you.

[North Star]

Neal's list is very nice (although La mer is by Debussy)

Some additions:
Ravel, I'd recommend Ma mère l'oye (Mother Goose), the string quartet, and the piano trio. All of his mature piano works should be of interest.
Stravinsky: Firebird, Rite of Spring
Schumann: Violin Sonatas, Symphonies
Schubert: Piano trio no. 2, The unfinished (8th) Symphony, Die schöne Müllerin
Debussy: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, Children's corner, Suite Bergamasque
Bartók: Dance Suite, Rhapsodies for violin & orchestra, Piano Concerto no. 3
Sibelius: Lemminkäinen, Op.22, symphonies
Rachmaninoff: Piano concertos nos 2 & 3, Paganini Rhapsody
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique
Holst: The Planets
Dvorak: Slavonic Dances, Cello Concerto, Piano Quintet no. 2
Vivaldi: concertos
Saint-Saëns: Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso, Havanaise
Pergolesi: Stabat Mater
Satie: Gymnopédies, Gnossiennes
Brahms: Piano Quintet
Mahler: 1st symphony


It's probably best to try everything you can and research those periods/composers that you like further.

[DavidRoss]

Welcome, Radigen!

Take a look at these two threads, intended just for that purpose:

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,17151.0.html

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,17174.0.html

[mc ukrneal]

Neal's list is very nice (although La mer is by Debussy)

HA! I accidentally deleted the piece by Ravel and the Debussy name, thus uniting Ravel with La Mer! I do this a lot on these forums (one day I will figure out how to disable the mouse pad on the laptop)! I didn't bother to add it back since you did (and more).

[Daverz]

I have the complete symphonies of haydn in my library, which symphonies do you recommend to me to listen first?

Aside from the Paris and London symphonies (82-87, 93-104), here are a few others to start with:

26, 31, 44, 45, 49, 60, 61, 88, 90, 92

Of the London set, my favorites are probably 93 and 96.  But really, you should also try just dipping in at random.  Here's a Haydn symphony selector in Python:

Code Select Expand


import random
print random.randint(1, 104)


[RadiGen]

Thanks for all the recommendations, I think i'll be able to manage from now, I've listened to some of your suggestions that are included in my library, I can't believe that i was missing all those compositions even though they're in my library waiting to be heard

After seeing this list: , I think i'm gonna have a wonderful time listening to all that music

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,17151.0.html

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,17174.0.html

cheers! see ya around people