[etcarroll]

Ohhhhh Tyson, I dunno, for a beginner, I'm finding Shostakovich tough to 'warm up to'. Not that Ed shouldn't try, especially if he can get something from library for free to listen to.

On the other hand, a big 'thumbs up' to "Rachmaninov there's the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini...." - in fact, at end of the month I'm going to hear the Philly Orchestra and  Moscow-born pianist Nikolaï Lugansky, silver medalist at the 1994 Tchaikovsky Piano Competition, performing Rachmaninoff's tightrope-walk of a Third Concerto. 

Shostakovich is your man.  First violin concerto, first cello concerto, string quartets (all of them, but #8 in particular).  Also check out Bartok's piano concerto's #1 and #2.  And from Rachmaninov there's the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and the Symphonic Dances.  Beethoven's Piano Concerto #5 is also quite good, as is the Brahms Violin concerto and two Piano Concertos.  There's also Prokofiev's Piano Concerto's, especially the 2nd.  Others like Tchaikovsky's Symphony #4 are also worth checking out.

[Tyson]

I tend to find that people who are into jazz/blues tend to like composers like Shostakovich more than people who are into rock/pop.  Jazz especially is more complex than rock/pop and it tends to be an easy transition to composers that have a lot going on.  Besides, from his last post, I got the feeling that some of the music he's listening to bored him a bit.  Shostakovich might be many things, but boring certainly isn't one of them....

[TONEPUB]

Check out our first 11 issues, we did a long series called "classical a-z"  there's quite a bit of stuff there that might be of use to you.

[eclein]

Tyson and everyone else, its really about the performance? the quality of the orchestra isn't it?? 
Some of the stuff I listened to sounded pretty nice but it didn't sound like the orchestra was tight, or as I used to say "in the pocket".
I'm a stone cold fusion jazz guy, as a player and as a listener, so Shostakovich is my next library run!! I'm loving this stuff and it really airs out my equipment... its not sounding too bad and thats encouraging at least.
 I will check out all the stuff I can thats listed above, its the local library and I doubt there is a run on classical music here.
SO...what Orchestra's are outstanding?? I know Phila. Orch. was/is how about some others I should lean toward??
 TY

[Tyson]

It's more about the conductor than the orchestra.  Since you like "tight" ensemble, you might check out Mackerras, Szell, Jarvi, Dorati, Reiner, all had very high standards of orchestral execution.

Also, since you are into fusion jazz, you might also check out some chamber work.  It's definitely a medium that should appeal to you, as the musicians are much tighter and the ideas are more abstract.  Beethoven's middle string quartets (the Razumovsky quartets) and his Violin Sonata #9 (Kreutzer Sonata), Brahms' Piano Trio's, Piano Quartets, and Piano Quintet.  Bartok's string quartets (very angst driven), and of course the Shostakovich string quartets already mentioned.  Stay away from Mozart and Haydn for now, they are a bit too genial and easy sounding to maintain your interest (IMO). 

If you like solo instruments, then Bach's sonata's and partitas for solo violin are a must, as is Beethoven's Pathetique piano sonata, the Liszt Piano Sonata, and Chopin's second piano sonata. 

As a side note, if you love coltrane (I do), then check out some Ligeti.  Different genre, of course, but the same feeling of "holy sh!t, WTF is THIS?"  Very avant garde, very difficult music.

[Ericus Rex]

Shostakovich Sym. 11 goes up to "11"!

I have Haitink/Concertgebouw version and they ROCK!

[blackzarg]

5 CDs, eh? That sure is a toughie....

My personal picks would be:
Mahler: Symphony No. 2 - Michael Tilson Thomas / San Francisco Symphony
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6; Serenade for Strings - Daniele Gatti / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 - Herbert von Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Copland: Appalachian Spring; Rodeo; Billy the Kid - Leonard Bernstein / New York Philharmonic
Saint-Saens: Symphony No. 3, "Organ" - Charles Munch / Boston Symphony Orchestra

The first three are pretty solid choices for me, but I had a tough time choosing the other two! Anyways, my recommendations for the OP would be to find out what music you like best..."classical" as we know it is a pretty big genre. In music terms, classical refers to composers in that era such as Haydn, Mozart, and a bit of Beethoven. Find music by different composers from different time periods.

The NPR Guide to Classical Music is a pretty good start! You can buy it used off Amazon for VERY cheap and it comes with some very good standard recordings (there are newer ones with better acoustics and etc., but these performances are still very good).

Good luck!

RE: Shostakovich
Shostakovich isn't always a bad choice - we know him for many of his dissonant modernist pieces, but don't forget he was forced to write a lot of music for films and symphonies that were pleasing to Stalin in order to stay alive!

[mshan]

http://www.amazon.com/Listen-Textbook-DVD-Set-6th/dp/0312469659/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_2

Could also check your local library or close by university library and see if they have copy you can borrow for free.

[lonewolfny42]

This may be useful....

"This is a guide CD. Each track is the 'familiar tune' that you have probably heard on TV or int he movies. When you hear your favorite snippit, go to the track listing and find the composer and title and then buy a CD that contains the entire work. "

http://www.amazon.com/Idiots-Guide-Classical-Tomaso-Albinoni/dp/B000003FPT

[mark funk]

Here are three more.

Telarc: Dvorak Symphony No. 9 ( From the New World )

Telarc: Rainbow Body ( Barber: Symphony No. 1, Copland: Appalachian Spring, Higdon:blue cathedral, Theofanidis; Rainbow Body

Telarc: Richard Wagner ( The " Ring" Without Words )

                                                                                     

[MorganE]

I love classical music I just have no clue what is good, what is not, I like full orchestra stuff, modern wild stuff would be nice. I have no classical CD's at all..is there like a top 100 list somewhere..LOL!!
If you could only have say 5 CD's of classical music what would they be????
 Thank you in advance...Ed L.

1. Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet
2. Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2
3. Wagner: Choruses
4. Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 (or 9th)
5. Grofe: Grand Canyon Suite
6. Falla: Nights in the Gardens of Spain

I can't easily limit it to 5 or 6, and I personally favor solo piano and piano with orchestra, but that may not be your taste.  Cheers.

[Randy]

Re' Shostakovich, I wouldn't recommend anything other than Syms. 1 & 5 for someone just getting into classical.  A can't miss warhorse is the Grieg piano concerto. Beautiful meodies, beautifully scored. His Peer Gynt suite or the complete music is also great for starters.  Did anyone mention the Tchaikovsky piano concerto no. 1?  Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream and his violin concerto are good for starters, and also, of course, the Tchaikovsky violin concerto.  Tchaikovsky's 5th symphony, Capriccio Italien. This is the music that got me hooked 50 yrs. ago.  Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra. Then Hindemith's Mathis de Maler. Vaughn-Williams's Tallis fantasy, and the Greensleeves fantasy. There's just so much great starter music out there.

[mjosef]

I subscribe to this ...
http://www.bbcmusicmagazine.com/
A great resource for classical music...you get a free disc with every issue... every Monday you can download a free track (after registering...free)...
The whole world is open to the thirsty mind. 

[thunderbrick]

If you want to paint pictures in your head listen in the dark to:

Smetana's "The Moldau"  In college that turned me on to classical for good.  You could all but feel the river drive to the sea!
Wagner's "Forest Murmurs".  Perfect music for creeping through the dark woods and scaring the hell out of you.  Melodic, but very dark.
Wagner's "Siegfried Idyll" is also gorgeous, especially if you can find the Sheffield DTD LP.  Awesome!
Vaughn Williams:  "Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis"  The perfect sound track for an eagle soaring across the sky.
Beethoven's "Pastorale" Symphony (#6?)  Similar in some ways to "The Moldau"

+1 On Telarc's "Wagner without Words"

If these tracks don't move you, call 911 and check for a pulse!   

[canzld]

Having drifted through this circle a few times on my way to other places on Audiocircle, this seemed like a good place to make a first post in Classical Music and add my extra few cents.

With regards to the discussion above, as a long time listener, I believe it is all in the conductor/orchestra – I have to say that I don’t believe piece recommendations without specific details serve much use to the beginner –other than alerting them to their existence. I strongly suggest newbies don’t buy random cds in order to discover repertoire – they are just as likely to be bored, disinterested or generally turned off - there are lots (and lots) of indifferent, workmanlike interpretations out there (and usually at very good prices  ). And ultimately that’s what classical music is about – interpretation - the conductor’s, the soloist’s. Personally, I have found that the version you use to familiarize yourself with a piece plays a critical role in how you view all subsequent interpretations that you hear, kind of sets your biases, and not always in a good or useful way - so why not start with one of the best received takes. Of course, as always, YMMV  .

Not really my top 5 – that changes frequently depending upon the season, phase of the moon and time of day– but some favourite discs

Beethoven Piano Sonata #32   -  Levy or Brendel or Arrau

Tchaikovsky #6     -  Mravinsky/Leningrad Phil

Dvorak Cello Concerto - Rostropovich/Karajan
(partnered with Tchaikovsky – Variations on a Rocco theme  - well worth the time alone)

Mahler #5  Barbirolli/New Philharmonia Orch

Beethoven late string quartets (15,16) – the Busch Quartet – not really recommended for beginners because of somewhat limited recording quality.