Guidance for classical beginner

[Geo Dude]

I will throw out a dissenting opinion:

Coming from a rock/metal/jazz/'70s country background I found that chamber music was easier to get my head around due to featuring smaller ensembles comparable to what I was used to.  I think this could be helpful to others, too.

That said, my experience may not be the norm, and I do notice that a lot of people coming to classical from a standard rock/metal background like symphonic works for the drama and volume.  (Metalheads tend to love The Rite of Spring!)

[Mirror Image]

I will throw out a dissenting opinion:

Coming from a rock/metal/jazz/'70s country background I found that chamber music was easier to get my head around due to featuring smaller ensembles comparable to what I was used to.  I think this could be helpful to others, too.

That said, my experience may not be the norm, and I do notice that a lot of people coming to classical from a standard rock/metal background like symphonic works for the drama and volume.  (Metalheads tend to love The Rite of Spring!)

I was actually quite different. I came from a jazz/rock background, but I didn't gravitate towards any chamber music for a couple of years. I was interested in orchestral music only. Only recently have I opened up a bit more by listening to more solo piano, chamber, and even opera.

[Mood4Classical]

e.g. Beethoven piano concerto #5 1st mvt, Chopin piano concerto #1 1st mvt, Rachmaninov piano concerto #2 1st mvt
Dvorak symphony #9 4th mvt, Beethoven symphony #7 1st mvt, Shostakovich symphony #5 4th mvt, Brahms symphony #1 1st mvt
Tchaikovsky violin concerto 1st mvt, some mozart favorite piano sonata, etc

But how to 'step inside' to classical music? Or correct way to listen classical music?

Here's my plan / questions,
1. As a beginner, at first listen some 'easy' work, e.g. Bach Brandenburg Concerto, Piano Sonata, in order to train the ear know what instruments in the music
2. Don't listen symphony, piano concerto because it involves too many instruments
3. Does it need to know music theory? e.g. Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, actually I don't know F major in the music refer to
4. Or listen the music you like many times, no matter is a concerto, symphony, just listen it in order to get a feel on it.

1. I am not sure there are works qualified as "easy", I prefer to call it "accessible" and from experience, accessible music is one that contains melody. The faster you catch the melody, the easier you will appreciate the music.

Most of the example you mentioned above contains melody lines. You liked Beethoven 5th and 7th ? try the 3rd. For Dvorak the whole 9th and 7-8 (probably 8 before 7). Another symphonies you will adore is Schubert 9th, Mendelssohn's 4th and Mozart 40th.

The music of Schubert, Tchaikovsky and Dvorak contains lots of melody. If you can handle more emotionally powerful works, try Tchaikovsky 4-5-6 and Brahms symphonies (the latter might be a bit "advanced" but worth the try once you reach that level.

Chopin? Nocturnes, Waltzes, polonaises, and once you are more familiar get to the Ballades and scherzos.

Tchaikovsky violin concerto? Excellent choice (it's funny how an "easy" work is such a pain to play!!) You will love Mendelssohn's violin concerto. Then try Beethoven, Sibelius, Bruch no1 and Brahms.

Piano concertos: get Grieg and Schumann, you find these coupled in one disc. A must. Then all Beethoven, try the third movements of no 1 and no 3.

piano sonatas? Beethoven wrote 32 of them. The most popular are 8, 14, 23 but you have to give a chance for the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 17, 18, 32. 


2. listen to everything

3. No theory required, at all.

4. Yes many times. If u don t like it right away, chances are than you will love it later on, just give it a chance.

let us know!

[Roberto]

thinksloth's last answer was on 22nd of July.  He is just listening and listening and listening now.