# Classical Music



## Duck (Jan 4, 2007)

I enjoy classical music, I really do. I listen on NPR and the local station, but I don't know a lot about it. Where do I start? Who do you recommend? What is chamber music?

I would love a discussion about your favorites, your memories, etc.

Cheers


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

Sadly, classic music stations are almost extinct because of market pressures. We just lost one of two here in Los Angeles. We still have KUSC, associated with USC and listener sponsored. You can hear it online. 'Classical' music actually embraces many forms and periods; Medieval, Baroque, the Romantic Period, Opera and modern. Chamber music is just that; a smaller body of musicians playing in a 'chamber' or smaller room compared to a full theater setting. To learn about music the most expedient and enjoyable course is to just listen. Many pogrammes such as KUSC have commentaries and interviews of interest. A local college will have a 'music appreciation' class. Hopefully the instructor is better than the students I fell in with, bored, filling in 3 units for their general ed and half deaf at 19 from ACDC.


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## narticus (Aug 24, 2006)

Unless you want to dive into detailed theory books, I would start with the following:

Listen to Bach, Vivaldi, and/or Handel for a couple of days. Then listen to Haydn or early Mozart and compare/contrast it to the Bach/Vivaldi/Handel. Then listen to some late Mozart. Compare/contrast. Then listen to some Beethoven. Compare/contrast. Etc. Often times you can hear one composer's influence on later composers. Doing this (progressing slowly and deliberately through the chronological phases) will give you the ability to listen to a piece and understand its historical context.

As for chamber music: music written for a small number of instruments, rather than a full orchestra, but usually more instruments than one soloist and accompanist.


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## Duck (Jan 4, 2007)

Kav said:


> Sadly, classic music stations are almost extinct because of market pressures. We just lost one of two here in Los Angeles. We still have KUSC, associated with USC and listener sponsored. You can hear it online. 'Classical' music actually embraces many forms and periods; Medieval, Baroque, the Romantic Period, Opera and modern. Chamber music is just that; a smaller body of musicians playing in a 'chamber' or smaller room compared to a full theater setting. To learn about music the most expedient and enjoyable course is to just listen. Many pogrammes such as KUSC have commentaries and interviews of interest. A local college will have a 'music appreciation' class. Hopefully the instructor is better than the students I fell in with, bored, filling in 3 units for their general ed and half deaf at 19 from ACDC.


Wow, we have two stations in Richmond! I agree with the listening but I want to gather a little more info. and I don't think reading a book would be that interesting. I might call the local school and see what they offer this fall. Might be a nice way to spend a chilly November Tuesday evening.

Kav, what do you prefer?


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## Droog (Aug 29, 2006)

How about a course, like at a community college? One of the best courses I took as an undergraduate was Music Appreciation.


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

Music is easily a lifetime study. Lucky people smart enough not to get archaeology degrees are called musicologists and get paid for it. My education in music is simply listening to a piece and then reading up on it till I've picked it clean as a turkey carcass after Thanksgiving. IE Salliari in fact was a enthusiastic supporter of Mozart and mutually respected friend and musician. I watched Ammadeus and KUSC actually played both men's music. You'd think Saliari's music would be some pedantic marching band bit of drivel. On the contrary, his music is itself interesting and worthy. Just finding what are considered 'THE' classic recordings of a particular piece is rewarding. KUSC again often devotes time to playing various recordings and comparing where one effort shined or faded and the occassional explosions of perfection. They may also drive you nuts playing ALL recordings of Vivaldi's Four Seasons at once on a mixer. What do I like? Why, the piece I haven't heard yet!


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## JRR (Feb 11, 2006)

narticus said:


> Unless you want to dive into detailed theory books, I would start with the following:
> 
> Listen to Bach, Vivaldi, and/or Handel for a couple of days. Then listen to Haydn or early Mozart and compare/contrast it to the Bach/Vivaldi/Handel. Then listen to some late Mozart. Compare/contrast. Then listen to some Beethoven. Compare/contrast. Etc. Often times you can hear one composer's influence on later composers. Doing this (progressing slowly and deliberately through the chronological phases) will give you the ability to listen to a piece and understand its historical context.
> 
> As for chamber music: music written for a small number of instruments, rather than a full orchestra, but usually more instruments than one soloist and accompanist.


+1 Baroque is a great place to start.


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## tabasco (Jul 17, 2006)

Duck said:


> I enjoy classical music, I really do. I listen on NPR and the local station, but I don't know a lot about it. Where do I start? Who do you recommend?
> Cheers


https://www.exploringmusic.org/

_Exploring Music with Bill McGlaughlin_ radio program is really good at discussing classical music with examples. A recent program on the use of tempo in Beethoven's 4th symphony with different conductors illustrated what happened to the unfortunate bassoon player getting trampled by everyone else. Followed by an example of the same passage done to highlight the bassoon.

Also, there is no substitute for listening all the time. The programs 
available here: https://jrabold.net/radio/index.htm are pretty good.

Favorites: Mozart, Beethoven, Verdi.
Also, try the Warner Bros. cartoons "What's Opera Doc"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What's_Opera,_Doc?

Yes, some would argure that opera and classical music don't belong in the same discussion but ....well, sometimes you need both.
A symphony is to opera as a cathedral is to a brothel.

You have opened the door to a new world. Enjoy.

-happy listener


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## Infrasonic (May 18, 2007)

*Live!*

Try and get to see some live performances by respected orchestras.

I


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## bkdc (Mar 4, 2007)

I have over 3500 classical albums and own most of the highly regarded recordings for almost every major work. That's like 15 recordings of Rachmaninov Piano Concerto #3 (Arcadi Volodos is my favorite) and a dozen recordings of the Brahms Violin Concerto (Hilary Hahn is my favorite) and ten complete recordings of Bach's Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin (Henryk Szeryng's is my favorite). I own the 180CD Philips Complete Mozart Edition and the 172CD Hanssler Bach collection and I don't know what else. It's almost a disease.

It literally is a love of a lifetime. I'd say you listen to some sampler albums and get a sense of what you like. Also get a sense of what periods you enjoy and what instruments you are fond of. I'm a fan of concerti and solo piano music. Piano, violin and cello concerti. And I'm big on the Romantic period composers.

Classical Music for Dummies is a great book.


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## Opus One (Jul 4, 2006)

My wife and I go to about 40 live concerts a year mostly in the NYC area. Over the years I collected a lot of LPs and CDs as an audiophile. My main interest is currently Baroque music with original period instruments. I learned quite a bit about classical music by spending a lot of time at chain bookstores where you can read books on music and listen to CDs.

I like listening to recordings but you just cannot beat live performances. I am going to Caramoor's opening night in NY this weekend, and then two concerts in Massachusetts (Tanglewood and Great Barrington) next weekend. It's really nice to get dressed up, eat good meals, and enjoy great music with my wife.


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## 16412 (Apr 1, 2005)

I love piano music. Beethoven, Chopin, Lizst for piano solo's. I guess only Lizst could play some of the pieces he wrote. I think it is actually rare to hear somebody play Brahms right. One of these three Bach, Brahms or Beethoven wrote a piece of people laughing and laughing and laughing- it is funny. I think it is Bach that wrote a piece with a street side dinner that is full of gossip- 2 hands to play 3 different gossip conversations at the same time and the zinger is the juicy gossip part where everybody hushes to listen. There are numerous piano concerto's which can be amazing such as Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto 2 which will send shivers up and down your spine.

I couldn't stand listening to women opera singers, until I took piano lessons from somebody who trained my ear to getting the best sound out of a piano- from then on I like women opera singers singing.


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## Country Irish (Nov 10, 2005)

All of the above are fine suggestions and comments. In addition to local broadcasts you might try internet radio as you are reading Andy's latest words of wisdom. The reason is that many stations can get bogged down with local favorites and breadth is the joy of classical in my opinion. For myself I like Portland's KBPS for internet variety. It blows away anything I can get locally. Except for Saturday morning Opera it is fantastic.

www.allclassical.org


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## bkdc (Mar 4, 2007)

WA said:


> I love piano music. Beethoven, Chopin, Lizst for piano solo's.


You MUST own Martha Argerich's version of the Liszt Sonata. Her Liszt Sonata is DIVINE. Her Liszt concerto no.1 isn't half bad either. :aportnoy: The other divine piece by Argerich is the Chopin grand polonaise with preceding andante spianato Op.22. It sends chills up my spine every time I listen to it. It's my all time favorite Chopin solo recording.


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## narticus (Aug 24, 2006)

tabasco said:


> Also, try the Warner Bros. cartoons "What's Opera Doc"


Outstanding recommendation. Warner Bros. is one of the two early influences for my love of music.



tabasco said:


> Yes, some would argure that opera and classical music don't belong in the same discussion but ....well, sometimes you need both.
> A symphony is to opera as a cathedral is to a brothel.


What does that make ballet?


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## Laxplayer (Apr 26, 2006)

I also enjoy piano music. Schubert's Trout Quintet is a favorite of mine, as is Der Erlkönig. Other favorites: Clementi, Berlioz, Mendelssohn, Chopin and _to give it the perfect ending, a little bit of the Ludwig von. :icon_smile_wink: _


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## Gurdon (Feb 7, 2005)

*self taught*

A lot of the suggestions so far seem to be from people who know a lot about music and can even play it. My experience was different in that I got my knowledge by happenstance and, to my great regret, I have no musical ability, except the ability to listen and take pleasure from music.

As a child in Los Angeles I listened to classical music on the radio, on KFAC, at that time an AM station. It went to rock a few years ago and was "replaced" by KMZT, a commercial station owned by an individual who shut down his jazz station to make the switch. (That station morphed into a Cal State-sponsored FM jazz station.) Recently, as Kav pointed out above, KMZT switched to country music, leaving us with only KUSC.

I knew little or nothing about the music, just that it was special and I liked most of it a lot. At some point I began checking out LP's from the local library. That let me try a lot of different types of music without spending the $3.98 an LP cost at that time. My efforts took me to the symphonies of Beethoven (I first became aware of Beethoven's Fifth through the use of it in one of the Sherlock Holmes movies from WWII that starred Basil Rathbone, which I saw on TV.) and Devorak, and I still can listen with pleasure to Devorak's Ninth, the New World symphony, despite having sort of out grown it. At the time Devorak's Ninth Symphony was thought to be his fifth, and my grandmother got me a copy of Devorak's Fifth, mistaking it for Beethoven's Fifth. Likewise I still find Devorak's American string quartet very pleasant.

Several people have mentioned chamber music. Try listening to Mozart's Trout Quintet, and Schubert's Octet, as these are two standard pieces that really never wear out. I am still thrilled by the opening notes of the Octet. There is also the string quartet of Debussey and that of Ravel. They always seem to appear on the same CD.

I have to disclose, if not confess, that Disney's Fantasia, which was re-released in the mid '50's also helped to bring classical music prominently to my attention. And there used to be a radio program, sponsored by the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, that my 5th grade teacher Miss Stanton would make the class sit still for. I was probably one of the few kids in the room who really loved listening to it.

I am now almost 62 and have accumulated lots of LP's and CD's and have listened to thousands of hours of classical music. Over the years my preferences have changed and my taste broadened. But there continues to be more music recorded and broadcast. And you can go to the library and check out almost any CD ever made.

I hope my experience encourages you in your quest.

Regards,
Gurdon

PS: Live concerts provide an opportunity to dress up and have a stylish evening out. I even got an especially sharp, not-for-business suit for such occasions. And if you are travelling, it is often possible to book concert tickets on-line, as my wife did for Barcelona and Zurich, several weeks in advance of departure.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

What I like is the sound of piano in music from the 70's and 80's.fom songs like Al Stewart's Year of The Cat and Bruce Hornsby That's Just The Way It Is.


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## tabasco (Jul 17, 2006)

narticus said:


> What does that make ballet?


:idea:


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## David V (Sep 19, 2005)

My wife teaches piano. She has been dismayed at the lack of rhythm her students have! All they know is 4/4 time. The basic rock beat. So she hit on an idea. She has put all of our classical music cds in a box with a page of ruled notebook paper. Each week, if they want, her students can sign out a cd to listen too. She has been suprised at the good response. There are the few who are taking piano because they have too but many are really interested in this 'new' music.


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## Concordia (Sep 30, 2004)

I've been listening to classical music practically from before birth. I'm told that when I was 2 I would sit on the arm of a chair, watching the record spin. So I don't have a great notion of how to suggest an adult go about getting into it. The paths seem quite various, so try several. One will work.

First-- good radio is a great way to sample. If you have a local station, great. If not, WGBH Boston and WHRB (Cambridge-- Harvard's station) stream on the web and often have programs that are actually informative and not just entertaining. You'd expect a little didactic twist at Harvard, I suppose.

There are some syndicated programs that can reliably expand horizons. Karl Haas' "Adventures in Good Music" was one-- don't know if that is still aired. "From The Top" is a fabulous concert/variety show featuring teenage kids. You'll hear a lot that way and get some chatter about the music as well.

Books: Getting a handle on forms and formats is useful, just so you're not constantly surprised when you go to a concert. Aaron Copland wrote a nice book "What to Listen For in Music." He was a great composer himself, and wrote well for the general reader. Buy CDs of some of the works he discusses, and see if you can follow along.

There are other general books-- Kobbe's "Great Operas" was good for boning up on plots. This was helpful in the days before surtitles.

Videos: Leonard Bernstein did a whole series of Young People's Concerts about 40 years ago. These have been bundled up and reissued on DVD. One hour each show, and each was directed to a single topic. "Bach," "Modes," "Opera," etc. These would be great even if you basically knew the material. Bernstein is a great explainer, and the NY Phil was a great partner.

CDs: Tower Records is dead, which is a shame. The sales staff there were great guides to offbeat or standard parts of the literature. (That was my first paying job out of college.) Amazon tries, but it's not the same.

Still, you've had some decent recommendations of works to start with. To branch out a little further-- Benjamin Zander has done some Mahler and Beethoven recordings with accompanying discussion discs. If you can handle his personal style, they might be helpful at getting you further under the skin of the music.

Concerts: Even if you're not in a major cultural capital, there are often music schools or universities around that sponsor a concert series. These might feature students, faculty, or distinguished outsiders. Settings are likely to be less formal than in the great halls, and there might be lectures or receptions surrounding the gig. Churches also do these types of things (or host outside organizations that do).


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

David V said:


> My wife teaches piano. She has been dismayed at the lack of rhythm her students have! All they know is 4/4 time. The basic rock beat. So she hit on an idea. She has put all of our classical music cds in a box with a page of ruled notebook paper. Each week, if they want, her students can sign out a cd to listen too. She has been suprised at the good response. There are the few who are taking piano because they have too but many are really interested in this 'new' music.


Another type of "classic" (vs. classical of course) music could help with this. Celtic music. Strathspeys, jigs, slip jigs, reels...nice use of everything from 3/4 and 2/4 time to very pulsing 6/8s and 9/8s. Those CDs are also highly contagious in their energetic music and would encourage kids to listen.

Just a thought.


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## Congresspark (Jun 13, 2007)

Wayfarer said:


> Another type of "classic" (vs. classical of course) music could help with this. Celtic music. Strathspeys, jigs, slip jigs, reels...nice use of everything from 3/4 and 2/4 time to very pulsing 6/8s and 9/8s. Those CDs are also highly contagious in their energetic music and would encourage kids to listen.
> 
> Just a thought.


I was talking awhile back with a friend of mine--both of us from the same high school music program--about how little our classical music education had to do with any kind of beat. We both got involved in playing traditional music later on and had to spend a lot of time rethinking in order to move the emphasis away from melody and onto the pulse. I know, from watching my own kids, that Wayfarer is right on the mark with his suggestion. Irish and Scottish trad music (and American old time) is catchy, easily started (though gets quite a bit more challenging when you get serious about it), and provides some good social occasions. But it's important to learn from someone who has a feel for the genre.


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

Excuse my brain fart, but who was the musicologist who started his programmes with a mellifluous" helllloo Everyone,... I'd like to talk today about...' He was fascinating. Alas, I was driving a company vehicle everyday and lacked a recording devise or time to jot anything down. Still, I remember these fascinating tidbits.


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## 16412 (Apr 1, 2005)

bkdc said:


> You MUST own Martha Argerich's version of the Liszt Sonata. Her Liszt Sonata is DIVINE. Her Liszt concerto no.1 isn't half bad either. :aportnoy: The other divine piece by Argerich is the Chopin grand polonaise with preceding andante spianato Op.22. It sends chills up my spine every time I listen to it. It's my all time favorite Chopin solo recording.


Thankyou.

Listening to a couple of small clips she sounds really good. I'll have to go look them up.


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## Gurdon (Feb 7, 2005)

Kav said:


> Excuse my brain fart, but who was the musicologist who started his programmes with a mellifluous" helllloo Everyone,... I'd like to talk today about...' He was fascinating. Alas, I was driving a company vehicle everyday and lacked a recording devise or time to jot anything down. Still, I remember these fascinating tidbits.


Sounds as if it might have been Karl Haas, whom someone mentioned. I think he stopped being heard iin LA when KFAC went under.

Gurdon


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## Karl89 (Feb 20, 2005)

Duck,

A good introduction to Baroque would be Baroque Duets (Sony 1992) with Battle and Marsalis. Masterful.

Karl


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