A novice trying to pick out classical music?!?!
Question: A novice trying to pick out classical music!?!!?
So, I really like classical and opera music but I've ever really gotten into it!. I can't tell who is "good" or "bad", I just like the way it sounds!. I want to buy some music though and I obviously don't know what to pick out!. What are some good classical and opera pieces!? What should I look for!? Who are the best composers/musicians!?
Thanks in advance!. Www@Enter-QA@Com
Thanks in advance!. Www@Enter-QA@Com
Answers:
Youtube is a great resource because you can listen to lots of stuff for free!. You should listen to a variety of music to see what you like!. Listen to music from the main time periods of classical music!.
Baroque period- from the late renaissance until 1750!.
Notable composers: Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frederick Handel, Henry Purcell, Georg Philip Telemann
Classical period from 1750 until about 1820 or so!.
Notable composers: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Joseph Haydn, Ludwig Von Beethoven (though his later works blend into the romantic period style)!.
Romantic period- from about 1820 until the early part of the 20th century, though some 20th century composers continued to compose in the romantic style well into the 20th century!.
Notable composers: (later Beethoven works), Felix Mendelssohn, Johannes Brahms, Robert Schumann, Franz Liszt, Fryderic Chopin, Richard Wagner (operas), Giuseppe Verdi (operas), Giaccomo Puccini (operas), Anton Bruckner, Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Piotr Illitch Tchaikovsky, Antonin Dvorak, Sergei Rachmaninov
The end of the romantic period coincides with what is sometimes called the Nationalistic period, in which composers used their home countries as a source of musical inspiration!. Nationalistic composers include Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, Edward Elgar, Bedrich Smetana, Antonin Dvorak, and Jean Sibelius!.
The 20th century period-
Notable composers include, Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Igor Stravinsky, Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, Charles Ives, Dmitri Shostakovich, Sergei Prokofiev, Gustav Holst
Finally there is a more avant garde, or modern category!.
Composers include Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, Anton Webern, John Cage, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and John Adams
In addition to the different periods of music, you should also explore the different types of music!. One type is chamber music, which is music for solo instruments or small groups of instruments!. Search for "Piano Sonata" "String Quartet" or "Trio" for example!.
A second category is music for full orchestra, such as symphonies or concertos (which are written for a large ensemble with a featured solo instrument)!.
A third category are vocal songs, sometimes called "lieder" which is german for "song", and operas!.
Once you know what styles you enjoy, you can explore more intensely within each style!. Wikipedia is also a great resource!. If you are really interested in listening to lots of music, I recommend a music streaming service such as the one provided at www!.naxos!.com!. It costs around $25, but you can listen to all the music you want for a full year!. Nearly every piece of music that has ever been recorded is available for streaming from that site!. It is definitely worth it if you want to learn more about music!.
Anyway, hopefully this is a good overview of some things to consider when getting into classical music as a new listener!. I hope this helps!. Happy listening!
Update- I obviously left off lots of great composers from my lists!. Wikipedia should have good lists of notable composers!. Or buy a "music for dummies" book at a bookstore, which should be a good beginners guide!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
Baroque period- from the late renaissance until 1750!.
Notable composers: Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frederick Handel, Henry Purcell, Georg Philip Telemann
Classical period from 1750 until about 1820 or so!.
Notable composers: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Joseph Haydn, Ludwig Von Beethoven (though his later works blend into the romantic period style)!.
Romantic period- from about 1820 until the early part of the 20th century, though some 20th century composers continued to compose in the romantic style well into the 20th century!.
Notable composers: (later Beethoven works), Felix Mendelssohn, Johannes Brahms, Robert Schumann, Franz Liszt, Fryderic Chopin, Richard Wagner (operas), Giuseppe Verdi (operas), Giaccomo Puccini (operas), Anton Bruckner, Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Piotr Illitch Tchaikovsky, Antonin Dvorak, Sergei Rachmaninov
The end of the romantic period coincides with what is sometimes called the Nationalistic period, in which composers used their home countries as a source of musical inspiration!. Nationalistic composers include Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, Edward Elgar, Bedrich Smetana, Antonin Dvorak, and Jean Sibelius!.
The 20th century period-
Notable composers include, Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Igor Stravinsky, Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, Charles Ives, Dmitri Shostakovich, Sergei Prokofiev, Gustav Holst
Finally there is a more avant garde, or modern category!.
Composers include Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, Anton Webern, John Cage, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and John Adams
In addition to the different periods of music, you should also explore the different types of music!. One type is chamber music, which is music for solo instruments or small groups of instruments!. Search for "Piano Sonata" "String Quartet" or "Trio" for example!.
A second category is music for full orchestra, such as symphonies or concertos (which are written for a large ensemble with a featured solo instrument)!.
A third category are vocal songs, sometimes called "lieder" which is german for "song", and operas!.
Once you know what styles you enjoy, you can explore more intensely within each style!. Wikipedia is also a great resource!. If you are really interested in listening to lots of music, I recommend a music streaming service such as the one provided at www!.naxos!.com!. It costs around $25, but you can listen to all the music you want for a full year!. Nearly every piece of music that has ever been recorded is available for streaming from that site!. It is definitely worth it if you want to learn more about music!.
Anyway, hopefully this is a good overview of some things to consider when getting into classical music as a new listener!. I hope this helps!. Happy listening!
Update- I obviously left off lots of great composers from my lists!. Wikipedia should have good lists of notable composers!. Or buy a "music for dummies" book at a bookstore, which should be a good beginners guide!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
I guess it depends what your taste is!.
Here's a very short list of the first things that come to mind:
My favorite piano concertos:
Rachmaninoff 2nd
Rachmaninoff 3rd
Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini
Liszt #2
Prokofiev #2
Prokofiev #3
Orchestral:
Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet
Stravinsky Rite of Spring
Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition
Ravel: Daphne and Chloe
Opera:
Strauss: Salome
Solo Piano:
Rachmaninoff---everything!
Liszt: Annes de Pelrinage, first year, Swiss book!.
Beethoven: Sonatas Op!. 53, 57, Op!. 109, Op!. 110, Op!. 111, well!.!.!.all of them!.
Favorite orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra (currently)
Favorite (recorded) pianists (currently):
Volodos
Richter
Argerich
Gilels
Lugansky
If you do a lot of listening!.!.!.you'll understand what kind of phase I'm in right now!. (I'm a pianist!.)
I'd suggest doing some listening on YouTube, picking out some favorites, then asking about what good recordings of those favorites are!. Might as well get your money's worth!
Enjoy!Www@Enter-QA@Com
Here's a very short list of the first things that come to mind:
My favorite piano concertos:
Rachmaninoff 2nd
Rachmaninoff 3rd
Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini
Liszt #2
Prokofiev #2
Prokofiev #3
Orchestral:
Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet
Stravinsky Rite of Spring
Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition
Ravel: Daphne and Chloe
Opera:
Strauss: Salome
Solo Piano:
Rachmaninoff---everything!
Liszt: Annes de Pelrinage, first year, Swiss book!.
Beethoven: Sonatas Op!. 53, 57, Op!. 109, Op!. 110, Op!. 111, well!.!.!.all of them!.
Favorite orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra (currently)
Favorite (recorded) pianists (currently):
Volodos
Richter
Argerich
Gilels
Lugansky
If you do a lot of listening!.!.!.you'll understand what kind of phase I'm in right now!. (I'm a pianist!.)
I'd suggest doing some listening on YouTube, picking out some favorites, then asking about what good recordings of those favorites are!. Might as well get your money's worth!
Enjoy!Www@Enter-QA@Com
I personally LOVE Chopin's 15th prelude and all of his preludes!.
http://www!.youtube!.com/watch!?v=-Ot9INo7Z!.!.!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
http://www!.youtube!.com/watch!?v=-Ot9INo7Z!.!.!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
This site is great for beginners:
http://www!.kickassclassical!.com/Www@Enter-QA@Com
http://www!.kickassclassical!.com/Www@Enter-QA@Com