Okay, second dumb Q. - different recordings.

[Palmetto]

I've read that it's key to listen to a piece several times before making any judgments.  Not a problem, but should I listen to the same recording several times, or several different recordings?

I'm starting with Brandenburg 1, and have hit the following sources:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFrwDNzdTnE&playnext=1&list=PL1C7D6FAF7C4691B0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zpf38dQpMzk

http://www.classicalmidiconnection.com/cmc/midiplay/playmidi.shtml?mid/bach/bbc1_1

To the untrained ear, the second and third versions above have similarities, but I can't recognize the first as even being the same piece.

So, stick with one recording for a while when listening to a piece that's new to you, or listen to different recordings?  (Assuming multiple options are available; clearly they won't be for new works.)

[Scarpia]

I've read that it's key to listen to a piece several times before making any judgments.  Not a problem, but should I listen to the same recording several times, or several different recordings?

I'm starting with Brandenburg 1, and have hit the following sources:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFrwDNzdTnE&playnext=1&list=PL1C7D6FAF7C4691B0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zpf38dQpMzk

http://www.classicalmidiconnection.com/cmc/midiplay/playmidi.shtml?mid/bach/bbc1_1

To the untrained ear, the second and third versions above have similarities, but I can't recognize the first as even being the same piece.

So, stick with one recording for a while when listening to a piece that's new to you, or listen to different recordings?  (Assuming multiple options are available; clearly they won't be for new works.)

The first link is a different piece, it is Brandenburg Concerto No 6.  (In Bach's time it was customary to publish pieces in sets, and the Brandenburg Concertos are a set of six concertos for various instruments).

The second link is a pretty good performance.  The third, as you no doubt realize, is a midi synthesis.  As you grow more accustomed to classical music you will notice that acoustic instruments can produces subtleties of sound that are more complex than what computer synthesis can match.  Many of us classical nuts become obsessed with high end stereo equipment because we want to experience the most refined sound reproduction possible.

But to answer your original question,  I will typically listen to the same recording a few times to get an idea of what a piece is like.  I will often find another recording, but usually after I have gained some familiarity with the first one I tried.

[Bulldog]

I prefer to listen to many different recordings of a work; each recording gets multiple plays. 

[Bogey]

I prefer to listen to many different recordings of a work; each recording gets multiple plays.

Yup.  Cool to have a few decent performances of the same piece on the shelf.

[bigshot]

If you're just starting out, I would say that it's best to get one CD and totally digest it. Check reviews before you buy to make sure it's a solid performance. The nice thing about starting out with classical music is that there is an almost infinite number of performances of core repertoire, and a great deal of it is on bargain labels. I think you'd do best spending your money initially on a variety of works, which you can absorb one by one. Once you find pieces you really like, you can branch out into different interpretations.

When I was amassing classical CDs I had to pay ten to fifteen bucks a disk for them. Now you can get box sets, like the fantastic Living Stereo collection and get a nice basic collection all in one fell swoop and not pay more than a few bucks a disk for them.

The public library is one of the great untapped sources of music too.

[Scarpia]

Another thing that occurs to me is that when I was starting out classical recordings almost always came with notes which gave an introduction to the music performed and described the music itself in some detail.  Probably a lot of what I learned about music came from those notes.  If you get a recording by download or in a super-bargain issue there may be no notes.  Be sure to look up the music on wikipedia or something similar, because that can be a huge help in figuring out what the music is all about.  (It is not always self-evident from listening.)

[Bogey]

I also like streaming classical from the net.  When I hear something I enjoy, I look into it more and sometimes purchase then or first  getting feedback on the recording here:

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,20.0.html

[Palmetto]

And what would a midi synthesis be?  Despite providing computer support for a living, I do almost nothing with multimedia either personally or professionally.  My music making skills consist of whistling, and I know nothing of the electronic formats used to store it.

Yeah, it's probably helpful to click the right link.  I think my mistake was in searching YouTube for 'Brandenburg 1', unaware it was common procedure to post movements individually (1 i, 2 iii, 3 ii, etc.)  For some reason (popularity?) the first listing turned out to be the first movement of Brandenburg 6.  I just assumed (yeah, I know) the First concerto would be listed ... first.

[Scarpia]

And what would a midi synthesis be?  Despite providing computer support for a living, I do almost nothing with multimedia either personally or professionally.  My music making skills consist of whistling, and I know nothing of the electronic formats used to store it.

"Midi" stands for (I think) musical instrument digital interface.  It means the file contains a simple list of notes to be played, and the computer (or digital keyboard, etc) converts the list of notes into sound, using a variety of techniques.  Using you computer, they would be synthesized by your sound card, probably from mathematical formulas.  A synthesizer can generates notes that approximate the timbre of different instruments, but not very well, and without the "touch" that a real performer would have.  Synthesized music has the advantage that it can be very clear, but classical music fans typically adore the sound of real instruments.

[Palmetto]

This was generated entirely by electronic means; no actual instruments were harmed in the recording?

I did notice it seemed easier to discern one note from the next, and to pick out the melody.  Maybe it's good 'training wheels'; maybe not.

[Scarpia]

This was generated entirely by electronic means; no actual instruments were harmed in the recording?

I did notice it seemed easier to discern one note from the next, and to pick out the melody.  Maybe it's good 'training wheels'; maybe not.

There are popular recordings where classical works are adapted for synthesizer and they can be appealing for the reason you mention.  Bach was a notorious transcriber (when he wrote something good, he would adapt it for different combinations of instruments) so I don't think he would disapprove.

[Opus106]

I did notice it seemed easier to discern one note from the next, and to pick out the melody.  Maybe it's good 'training wheels'; maybe not.

Hi, Palmetto. I like this YouTube channel of MIDI recordings+videos, because they visually guide you through the music. (I just noticed that he has also uploaded actual recordings.)

But now, compare the MIDI version of one of Bach's most famous works

http://www.youtube.com/v/ipzR9bhei_o

,

...to one played on a real organ

http://www.youtube.com/v/uRRwZZM08L8

Of course, that isn't a very convincing argument, because there are organs of more recent origin and smaller organs which sound completely differently.