The Radio 3 Boards Forum from myforum365.com
12:05:28, 03-12-2008 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
News: Whilst we happily welcome all genuine applications to our forum, there may be times when we need to suspend registration temporarily, for example when suffering attacks of spam.
 If you want to join us but find that the temporary suspension has been activated, please try again later.
 
   Home   Help Search Login Register  

The Radio 3 Boards > The Community Area > Classical Music Q & A > Classical Music For Beginners
Pages: [1] 2 3
« previous next »
  Print  
Author Topic: Classical Music For Beginners  (Read 1704 times)
Michael
Admin/Moderator Group
*****
Posts: 337
« on: 19:46:08, 28-02-2007 »
What got you into classical music, and what would you suggest for beginners?
Logged
pim_derks
*****
Gender: Male
Posts: 1518
« Reply #1 on: 20:17:17, 28-02-2007 »
Beethoven - Fifth Symphony
Grieg - Peer Gynt Suite
Mozart - A Little Night Music
Saint-Saens - Danse Macabre
Ravel - Bolero
Rossini - Guillaume Tell Overture
Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake Suite
Wagner - Ride of the Valkyrie
Logged
"People hate anything well made. It gives them a guilty conscience." John Betjeman
Kittybriton
*****
Gender: Female
Posts: 2690


Thank you for the music ...


WWW
« Reply #2 on: 20:25:00, 28-02-2007 »
I'm sorry yer honour, I couldn't help meself. Both parents were professional musicians and my kid bro. joined the school band (strictly NO girls, but plenty of rumours).

My bro. used to listen to a lot of classic rock, Queen, King Crimson, Eric Clapton etc. While I explored, first the collection of 78's inherited from my grandfather, then my parents LPs. I guess I always found "pop" music too ... disposable. Classics moved me in a way that the Bay City Rollers never did (oop! showing my age now Embarrassed).

I recommend listening to everything and anything you can beg, borrow or steal (well, maybe not steal). Make notes on what appeals to you, and explore the genre further; are there other pieces by the same composer that you enjoy? from the same period? for the same instrumental voices?

In addition to Pim's list, look out for;
Hildegard von Bingen - any of the Gothic Voices recordings
Tylman Susato - Danserye (a collection of dances), rather good version by the London Consort.
Giles Farnaby - Farnaby's Dreame
Vivaldi - four seasons
Haydn - kleine orgelmesse
Britten - orchestral interludes from Peter Grimes
« Last Edit: 20:47:16, 28-02-2007 by Kittybriton » Logged
Click me ->About me
or me ->my handmade store
No, I'm not a complete idiot. I'm only a halfwit. In fact I'm actually a catfish.
John W
*****
Gender: Male
Posts: 3644
« Reply #3 on: 21:36:56, 28-02-2007 »
After getting familiar with pieces listed by pim and kitty, a beginner then should move onto concertos and sonatas. This will help him/her become familiar with individual instruments. A total beginner listener may not be able to distinguish between an oboe and a clarinet, or a violin and cello, so concertos by Mozart and Dvorak are a good start.

Other works like Mozart's Piano Quartets teach you two things.
1. Piano Quartet does not mean 4 pianos, it means one piano plus three string instruments, so you soon realise you have to learn how and why some music pieces are named,
2. As well as the piano, then, you have a violin, a viola and a cello and with close listening you can hear and learn to distinguish them.

Bach's Brandenburg concertos are also good starting works, your CD notes will list all the instruments playing and the ensemble is small enough to be able to pick out individual instruments in all six concertos, which feature horns, oboes, trumpet, recorders (or flutes), harpsichcord and string instruments.


John W
Logged
pim_derks
*****
Gender: Male
Posts: 1518
« Reply #4 on: 21:43:34, 28-02-2007 »
Quote from: John W on 21:36:56, 28-02-2007
concertos by Mozart and Dvorak are a good start
Especially Mozart's Clarinet Concerto. It always brings tears to my eyes. Cry Smiley
Logged
"People hate anything well made. It gives them a guilty conscience." John Betjeman
BobbyZ
*****
Gender: Male
Posts: 992
« Reply #5 on: 21:52:17, 28-02-2007 »
Presuming the beginner would have some musical interest already, it might depend on which direction they were coming from. A rock music fan might relate to the rhythms of the Rite of Spring. Jazzers might relate more to the interplay of chamber music or solo piano.

I found the Russians appealed when I first started, lots of melodies, plenty of soul ( stands back ready to be shot down )
Logged
Dreams, schemes and themes
Martin
****
Posts: 375
« Reply #6 on: 21:58:11, 28-02-2007 »
Tchaikovsky 1st piano concerto. I didn't know it was a classical piece when I first heard it, but when someone told me it was, I explored further. I was quite young then.

I hardly ever listen to that piece now!

For beginners I often suggest something baroque or something dramatic. I was hooked on Bach Violin concertos for quite a while after my Tchaikovsky experience (hmm, where have I heard that phrase before?)
Logged
roslynmuse
*****
Gender: Male
Posts: 1615
« Reply #7 on: 22:16:54, 28-02-2007 »
The first thing I remember being hooked on was an LP of Chopin piano music (Scherzo No 2, Winter Wind, Black Keys, Revolutionary Study, Minute Waltz - all the old favourites - having just started piano lessons, I was fascinated that anyone could play so FAST! And I really wanted to see the music too!) Tchaikovsky Nutcracker Suite came next (some movements already familiar from Listen With Mother!), Beethoven Moonlight Sonata, 5th Symphony, then all the Piano Concertos. I was lucky; my dad had a small but (to me) interesting record collection and I got to know most of it fairly thoroughly early on.

My son watched Fantasia endlessly as a pre-schooler and I was very happy when he recognised the Rite of Spring by name when it was on a televised Prom conducted by Gergiev a few years ago - no mention of dinosaurs!
Logged
offbeat
****
Posts: 270
« Reply #8 on: 23:10:00, 28-02-2007 »
In the days of EP'S (extended plays) my brother had Prokofiev Classical Symphony from Paris Conservatoire under Jean Martinon
and i was hooked - whenever i play that piece today it takes me on a strong nostalgic trip  Cool  Cool  Cool
Logged
pim_derks
*****
Gender: Male
Posts: 1518
« Reply #9 on: 23:13:34, 28-02-2007 »
Quote from: offbeat on 23:10:00, 28-02-2007
In the days of EP'S (extended plays) my brother had Prokofiev Classical Symphony from Paris Conservatoire under Jean Martinon
and i was hooked - whenever i play that piece today it takes me on a strong nostalgic trip  Cool  Cool  Cool
Prokofiev and Martinon: splendid combination! Martinon made a beautiful recording of the same piece with the Symphony Orchestra of the West German Radio. I wish all those wonderful mono and stereo treasures from the WDR archives would be issued on disc!
Logged
"People hate anything well made. It gives them a guilty conscience." John Betjeman
IgnorantRockFan
*****
Gender: Male
Posts: 794



WWW
« Reply #10 on: 11:27:45, 01-03-2007 »
Quote from: pim_derks on 20:17:17, 28-02-2007
Mozart - A Little Night Music
That almost put me completely off classical music as a teenager! It's so... twee... and... repetitive!  Tongue 

(Before you form a lynch mob, I must say that I've been trying harder with Mozart recently and I'm currently really enjoying the violin concertos.)

But, seriously, I don't think Mozart is a good starting point for many people. You need something big and dramatic like the late-romantic or 20th-century symphonies. They have a certain "wow" factor which you can appreciate without needing to concentrate on the complexities of the music (that can come later, after you're hooked).
Logged
Allegro, ma non tanto
John W
*****
Gender: Male
Posts: 3644
« Reply #11 on: 11:32:14, 01-03-2007 »
Quote from: IgnorantRockFan on 11:27:45, 01-03-2007
Mozart - A Little Night Music - That almost put me completely off classical music as a teenager! It's so... twee... and... repetitive!  Tongue 

Bolero - now THAT is repetitive.

I still love Eine Kleine, probably hear it twice or thrice year - listen to it ALL the way through, it's delightful.

Quote from: IgnorantRockFan on 11:27:45, 01-03-2007
I've been trying harder with Mozart recently and I'm currently really enjoying the violin concertos.

I got tired of them, but you know I haven't played them this year yet so maybe.....

John W
Logged
IgnorantRockFan
*****
Gender: Male
Posts: 794



WWW
« Reply #12 on: 11:38:00, 01-03-2007 »
Quote from: John W on 11:32:14, 01-03-2007
Bolero - now THAT is repetitive.

Yes... but has the 'Bo Derek' thing going for it  Wink
Logged
Allegro, ma non tanto
Lord Byron
*****
Gender: Male
Posts: 1591
« Reply #13 on: 11:41:18, 01-03-2007 »
Mozart is soooooooooooooooo much better live than on cd, the mozart birthday bash at st.martins was fabo and they read out his letters, very radio 3 Smiley
Logged
go for a walk with the ramblers http://www.ramblers.org.uk/
IgnorantRockFan
*****
Gender: Male
Posts: 794



WWW
« Reply #14 on: 11:56:56, 01-03-2007 »
Quote from: Lord Byron on 11:41:18, 01-03-2007
and they read out his letters, very radio 3 Smiley

"Here's a mail from one of our courtiers, WAMozart@viennese-court.gov. He says, 'I can't believe these ridiculous changes to the court made by Archbishop Colloredo and his pack of rent-a-mods. Why don't you play full works any more, and where can I discuss choral evensong? Yours, Wolfie.' Well, Wolfie, we're sure you are enjoying the new interaction and now perhaps you will also enjoy this performance of the first two minutes of 'A Little Night Music' improvised on jazz crumhorns, followed by the news."
Logged
Allegro, ma non tanto
Pages: [1] 2 3
  Print  
« previous next »
 
Jump to: