Topic: Newbies' Blush List Dozen

[Pat B]

Some of the pieces above really don’t answer the question that was asked.

Mahlerian’s list was a good answer. Limiting it to 18th- and rhythmic early-19th century works, I’ll complement it with:

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (technically 4 pieces but they are short)
Bach: Cello Suites, pick one or all
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 (or all of them)
Bach: Mass in B Minor
Haydn: Symphony No. 94 “Surprise”
Mozart: Symphony No. 41 “Jupiter”
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 20
Mozart: Serenade “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik”
Mozart: Magic Flute
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 32

Some of which I rarely listen to — I debated over “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” but I wanted to include some chamber music, and it is definitely one that everyone knows. The Haydn String Quartets are a fount of quality, but I don’t know if any individual one is so famous.

I started to add another list going further into the 19th century, but I know you’re already deluged with suggestions.

I second Mahlerian’s suggestion to listen to complete works, not just the most-famous bits. And youtube is okay for exploring, but you might find it worthwhile to subscribe to spotify or some other streaming service. (You can listen to spotify for free, but you have to pay to get rid of the ads.)

[Rosalba]

I started to add another list going further into the 19th century, but I know you’re already deluged with suggestions.

This is true! Still, I remain grateful for all the recommendations.

I am listening to whole works but I'm afraid I can't manage them at a single sitting. Life gets in the way. Hence, I am in the middle of The Messiah at present, from Mahlerian's list. But I'm going to work through this thread diligently, because 'if a job is worth doing, it's worth doing well...'

Thank you very much, Pat B.

[k a rl h e nn i ng]

There is life, and there is the sustained, attentive time-period required by a substantial piece of music.  It is a balance, a tension, yes; but I consider it a tension between two entirely worthy gravitational pulls.

[vandermolen]

Beethoven: Symphony 7
Tchaikovsky: Pathetique Symphony
Schubert: Unfinished Symphony
Mozart: Clarinet Concerto
Bach: Brandenburg Concertos
Mahler: Symphony 1 'Titan'
Holst: The Planets
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
Mendelssohn: 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
Vaughan Williams: Tallis Fantasia
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto 2 or 3

Just a random selection.

[k a rl h e nn i ng]

Monteverdi - Zefiro torna
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/e6tJWY2Vaz4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/e6tJWY2Vaz4</a>

This was one of the first items to seriously turn me on to Monteverdi.

[k a rl h e nn i ng]

Some of the pieces above really don’t answer the question that was asked.

[snip]

... I debated over “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” but I wanted to include some chamber music, and it is definitely one that everyone knows. The Haydn String Quartets are a fount of quality, but I don’t know if any individual one is so famous.

Point very well taken, to be sure.  Without seriously contesting your point, I'll say that I snuck a Haydn quartet in, when for my second set I kept to the one century.  (Still, in strict compliance with the request, I agree that no chamber work . . . probably no 18th-c. symphony . . . of “Papa’s” really fits the request.)

To that point, though (and our Gurn has forborne to upbraid us for this lacuna, and his self-restraint is truly a marvel to contemplate):

In a list of a dozen classical pieces that everyone is ‘expected’ to know, who of us can deny that the below example ranks quite high?  Yet, we’ve all managed to omit it, somehow . . . .

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/lYbSNJDDAfk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/lYbSNJDDAfk</a>

[Mahlerian]

In a list of a dozen classical pieces that everyone is ‘expected’ to know, who of us can deny that the below example ranks quite high?  Yet, we’ve all managed to omit it, somehow . . . .

For my part, I excluded it only because I was keeping to one piece per composer.  Going to two personal favorite composers...

Mahler: Symphony No. 1 in D
Schoenberg: Verklarte Nacht

[k a rl h e nn i ng]

For my part, I excluded it only because I was keeping to one piece per composer.

Likewise!  For, truly, one could list 12 LvB pieces which “a musically literate person” (as an earlier generation would see it) should be expected to know.

(I should be curious to see the old College of Wooster listening lists for music majors, from which material for the annual “drop the needle” tests would be selected.  There must indeed be 12 LvB works there . . . .)

[Rosalba]

Thanks for the latest recommendations. There are a lot more than 12 'pieces which would embarrass me not to know', so plenty of room for a few each by the great composers.
I'm still working valiantly through the first page posts - valiantly but very enjoyably.

[k a rl h e nn i ng]

Thanks for the latest recommendations. There are a lot more than 12 'pieces which would embarrass me not to know', so plenty of room for a few each by the great composers.
I'm still working valiantly through the first page posts - valiantly but very enjoyably.

There’s no rush, which is part of the beauty.

The enormous blessing is, there is such a wealth of good literature to hear.  We shan’t ever exhaust it.

[Pat B]

There’s no rush, which is part of the beauty.

The enormous blessing is, there is such a wealth of good literature to hear.  We shan’t ever exhaust it.

Excellent advice here. It’s not a race. Take your time and enjoy the journey.

[Rosalba]

Not necessarily the ones I think are the best, but certainly among the best-known.  Usually it's an excerpt or two from these that's really the "hit," but they're all better in full.

Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D
Handel: Messiah
Mozart: Symphony No. 40 in G minor
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 in C# minor "Moonlight"
Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night's Dream Overture
Schumann: Kinderszenen
Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 in E minor "From the New World"
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake
Debussy: Suite Bergamasque
Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
Ravel: Bolero
Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf

I didn't bother listening to Bolero as I know it well already - used to love it but have gone off it somewhat. Of the rest, there are quite a few I already knew, but who could object to listening to Messiah again? It remains wonderful no matter how many times. Ditto Swan Lake & 'Moonlight'.

Some things which I hadn't heard before - yes, blushing now - surprised me. I really loved the Schumann, and enjoyed the Debussy.

I had never before heard The Rite of Spring. I am not sure (totally) whether I like it, but it is arresting - impressive - stunningly original - though why they rioted, I still can't imagine. Maybe the suggestiveness of the dancing, maybe something febrile in the atmosphere, maybe just a good excuse for a rammy.

Thank you very much, Mahlerian, for taking this trouble on my behalf.

I have already listened to Karl's post, #2, and very enjoyable it was. Now for North Star and Spineur (rubs hands with glee...)

[Rosalba]

Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition (there are also numerous orchestrations, most famously the one by Ravel)
Below are two recordings of the work, by Mikhail Pletnev and Leif-Ove Andsnes.

Have just finished listening to the Pletnev.
Wow - WOW!
It's 'dazzling' indeed - so clever, and such depth.

Thanks, North Star.

[Rosalba]

Bach badinerie from orchestra suite no 2 2:20 of pure happiness

Charles Gounod, Ave Maria

Both lovely - thanks!

[Spineur]

Have just finished listening to the Pletnev.
Wow - WOW!
It's 'dazzling' indeed - so clever, and such depth.

Thanks, North Star.

Try it with the Ravel orchestration.  It becomes an altogether different piece.

[Rosalba]

^^^^ Thanks for the suggestion - good to know!

[Rosalba]

Liszt: La campanella (Grandes études de Paganini, S. 141, No. 3)

Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries (an excerpt from the Ring cycle) [I resisted the temptation to post the Looney Tunes version..]

And Sarasate's Fantasy is a handy way to hear the greatest hits from Bizet's Carmen.

I enjoyed all these - thank you, North Star.

[Mahlerian]

I didn't bother listening to Bolero as I know it well already - used to love it but have gone off it somewhat. Of the rest, there are quite a few I already knew, but who could object to listening to Messiah again? It remains wonderful no matter how many times. Ditto Swan Lake & 'Moonlight'.

Some things which I hadn't heard before - yes, blushing now - surprised me. I really loved the Schumann, and enjoyed the Debussy.

I had never before heard The Rite of Spring. I am not sure (totally) whether I like it, but it is arresting - impressive - stunningly original - though why they rioted, I still can't imagine. Maybe the suggestiveness of the dancing, maybe something febrile in the atmosphere, maybe just a good excuse for a rammy.

Thank you very much, Mahlerian, for taking this trouble on my behalf.

I have already listened to Karl's post, #2, and very enjoyable it was. Now for North Star and Spineur (rubs hands with glee...)

You're welcome.

[North Star]

Have just finished listening to the Pletnev.
Wow - WOW!
It's 'dazzling' indeed - so clever, and such depth.

Thanks, North Star.

I enjoyed all these - thank you, North Star.

You're welcome, good to see you're enjoying the ride.

[Mirror Image]

As someone fairly new to classical music who can be easily embarrassed by my ignorance, I'm wondering whether any of you seasoned listeners could provide a list of a dozen classical pieces that everyone is 'expected' to know?

All help is gratefully received. Thank you.

I’ll try and give a list, but please be aware that I only pursue music I’m interested in, so my list will pertain to works that I believe most listeners, myself excluded ( ), should know and I’ll limit my list to 15 works (in no particular order):

Bach: Partitas for Solo Violin (all of them --- I believe there’s three of them)
Mozart: Requiem
Haydn: Die Schöpfung (The Creation)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (Choral)
Schubert: Winterreise
Mendelssohn: The Hebrides - Overture
Schumann: Piano Concerto
Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem
Mahler: Rückert-Lieder
Debussy: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun)
Ravel: Bolero
Stravinsky: The Firebird
Janáček: In the Mists
Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet Suite (you’ll know when you’re ready to hear the complete ballet)
Copland: Appalachian Spring