New fan...Narrowing on what I like

[perelandrian_sea]

Hello, this seems like an interesting forum. I have always enjoyed classical music, although did not truly appreciate it until recently, and now would like to start a collection.

It is incredibly daunting, as I do not know where to begin. I was wondering if anyone here could help me. (I apologize if this has been asked before). I know much of this is subjective, but firstly I should mention that I love music that is intense, dramatic, melodic, and complex, especially in the minor key.

I have a bit of a "pet peeve" about "Best Of" lists as I would rather enjoy the full works of an artist than be conditioned into a bias for a certain type or types of sound displayed in certain pieces. Although with classical music, it's difficult doing so because the task of finding the aspects I like becomes overwhelming. Especially since I am on a budget.

I am the sort of person who prefers to understand a subject thoroughly, knowing all intricacies, if possible. Eventually I would like to have a vast collection of classical music (not for the sake of boastfulness, but because I deeply love music). Though I am having difficulty filtering through the plethora and breaking the pursuit into smaller segments.

I haven't heard much of it (obviously) but of what I have heard of Beethoven I've enjoyed. I don't always condone it but I do have a "Best of" Beethoven CD I found on discount several years ago that I thoroughly enjoy (especially Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor. Op. 31, No 2 "Tempest".. I think it's absolutely wonderful.) Similarly, when I heard some Mendelssohn chamber music at a local event, I decided to obtain some of his music (again, another 'best of', but it did give me a taste); I adore The Hebrides, overture in B minor for orchestra 'Fingal's Cave'. I purchased similar compilation albums featuring Tchaikovsky (at a dollar store actually...Even if there was something wrong with the way it was put together, it gives me an idea of it) that I also very much enjoy. A friend loaned me Handel's Water Music which never fails to rejuvenate me and bring immediate jubilance. I have always loved the texture of the strings with the harpsichord. (I do not yet know the details, but I realize Tchaikovsky was later, is it the Romantic period, whereas Handel was Baroque and Beethoven was sort of between the Classical and Romantic periods, and Mendelssohn..somewhere in the Romantic period? But I think I read something about Mendelssohn disapproving of many of his contemporaries. I only have a vague understanding of the music periods, though, I don't nearly have an idea of composers, I just recall those brief bits of information and they may be incorrect).

If anyone can help, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to
read my post.

[Harry]

The best advise I have to give you are twofold.
Listen as much as you can to the Classical radio & go to your local library, and lend as much music as you can.
That is the only way to get to know what you like, and its inexpensive too.
Best of cd's are okay, but narrow your view.
You have allready Mendelssohn/Beethoven/Handel/Tchaikovsky, and from there on the future is infinite.
Going back in time pre Handel, will also bring in rewards, if you like Handel, you will love Haydn.

[gmstudio]

Another vote for "hit the library"...just start in the CD racks w/ the composers you know. 

I'm not ashamed to say about 1/3 of my iPod is full of stuff I got from the library, from staples of the canon through some really, really obscure stuff.

[Grazioso]

A couple more good ways for exploring:

www.naxos.com

They're one of the biggest and most adventurous classical labels, in terms of wide-ranging repertoire. For free, you can listen online to a substantial portion of every single track on their thousands of discs (and those of their distributed sister labels). For a small fee, you can listen to the complete tracks.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/discoveringmusic/audioarchive.shtml

BBC's Discovering Music Archive. That, in addition to their current programming, will expose you to--and guide you through--many exciting works.

You couldn't have picked a better time to start building a collection. A number of labels devote much energy to exploring the byways of classical music history, brining us exciting music we'd otherwise never hear. Many labels reissue their slightly older (yet often stellar) recordings dirt cheap as box sets or 2-for-1 doubles. For example, I recently bought a 22-CD set of Stravinsky conducting his own works for about $30. You can buy the complete Mozart (160 CD's) for around $90. The list goes on.

[hornteacher]

Welcome aboard.  Discovering classical music is like opening a door to a brand new field of unpicked flowers.  Have fun, and ask for help here anytime.  There are lots of friendly people here that will help you.

You can also stream a classical radio station from your computer at home for free.  Our area station is located at:

www.wdav.org


The brief general timeline for classical music can be found here:

http://w3.rz-berlin.mpg.de/cmp/musical_history.html

[Larry Rinkel]

If your approach is only to listen to the radio, or to raid your local library's offerings, you may well discover many things you like, but you will also approach music in an historical and cultural vacuum. And music has cultural significance beyond just what a particular record label is offering. I see nothing wrong with borrowing from the library, but I would also advise you to read some basic books about the musical tradition, so you know can guide your listening based on which composers and works have formed the established canon (and start to recognize the limitations of a strictly canon-based approach). The best concise guide to established major composers I know remains Carter Harman's "A Popular History of Music." The best and most provocative brief guide to the cultural significance of music is probably Nicholas Cook's "Music," in the Oxford Very Short Introduction series.

[longears]

Fine suggestions above, and I think the BBC recommendation by Grazioso is a marvelous resource. 

Reading your post, I thought you would really like one of my favorites in the entire repertoire:  Mozart's Piano Concerto #20, in d minor.

[Lethevich]

Mendelssohn was certainly a very conservative early romantic. Judging from your liking of both him and Beethoven, I would recommend investigating Schubert - especially his late symphonies and string quartets

[perelandrian_sea]

Thank you, very much, for your replies, you have been greatly helpful. I will take your advice.

I forgot to mention that I really enjoy slavic-sounding music as well, especially with piano. Are there any composers in that style that you might reccommend? (I apologize if I haven't termed things correctly).

[Catison]

My advice is that there is really no right way to explore music.  Just listen to what you want to, however you get interested in the music.  Eventually, you'll find you know a lot music.  Also, going to concerts really helps to grasp what the recordings are all about.

[jochanaan]

Thank you, very much, for your replies, you have been greatly helpful. I will take your advice.

I forgot to mention that I really enjoy slavic-sounding music as well, especially with piano. Are there any composers in that style that you might reccommend? (I apologize if I haven't termed things correctly).

Zelenka, Smetana and Dvorak were Bohemian, and Janáček Moravian.  You might also like Bartók and Kodály, Dohnányi and Enescu and most of the Russian composers.  There's a magnificent Dohnányi piano trio that you'd probably love, and Bartók wrote three magnificent piano concertos.

P.S. Love the C.S. Lewis allusion in your handle!

[Mark]

My advice is that there is really no right way to explore music.  Just listen to what you want to, however you get interested in the music.  Eventually, you'll find you know a lot music.  Also, going to concerts really helps to grasp what the recordings are all about.

Seconded.

[hornteacher]

Thank you, very much, for your replies, you have been greatly helpful. I will take your advice.

I forgot to mention that I really enjoy slavic-sounding music as well, especially with piano. Are there any composers in that style that you might reccommend? (I apologize if I haven't termed things correctly).

Well just about anything by Dvorak will work.  For starters try his Slavonic Dances for piano duet.  Also Symphonies 6, 7, 8, and 9 as well as his Cello Concerto.

[mahlertitan]

Either pay more attention to Radio stations or turn on your TV and watch one of those "Classic art showcase" channels. Once in a while, a piece of music is going to strike you, and you'll know where to start.

[lukeottevanger]

Well just about anything by Dvorak will work.  For starters try his Slavonic Dances for piano duet.  Also Symphonies 6, 7, 8, and 9 as well as his Cello Concerto.

Given the description of the OP's tastes, I'd actually point him/her towards something like the (Dvorak) Dumky Trio first....

[hornteacher]

Given the description of the OP's tastes, I'd actually point him/her towards something like the (Dvorak) Dumky Trio first....

Yep, I agree.  THEN do the symphonies.   

[Heather Harrison]

There is a lot of good advice here.  It is a rather daunting task, but even on a budget it is possible to encounter a lot of music.

One often-overlooked source is that venerable old round black thing - the LP.  With few exceptions, classical LPs can be found for practically nothing in used record stores and thrift stores.  When I was in college and had little money, I bought hundreds of classical LPs and didn't go broke.  Of course, the sound quality is often somewhat lacking and they aren't as convenient as CDs, but the price is right.  The record stores and thrift stores don't have quite the selection that they once did, but I still find interesting records on occasion.

At that time, when I was still somewhat new to classical music, I would go to the thrift stores or search the dollar bins at the used record stores and just buy whatever was there or whatever looked interesting.  That way, I accumulated a very broad collection.  After a while, I found some favorite composers and styles and would buy more of them when I encountered them.  This method is rather random, but it is a good way to get a broad exposure to the music.  If you don't decide to jump into the world of the LP, this method should work fine if you check out CDs from the library or listen to the radio.

If you want to find a lot of classical radio stations on-line, check out this link:

http://www.publicradiofan.com

Another good way to explore this is to take a music appreciation class.  If you are in college or if you live near one that lets you audit classes for a lot less than normal tuition, it might work out.  When I was in college, I took such a class and it introduced me to a lot of music.  If a class doesn't work out, you can get much of the same information out of books.  Also, if you are near a college or university that has an active music program, you might find that they have a lot of free or low-cost concerts.  There is nothing quite like hearing the music live.  I often go to concerts at the University of Utah, and I have bought CDs as a result of hearing music there.

Good luck.

Heather

[c#minor]

I hate to tell someone to buy something but Dvorak's 9th aka "New World Symphony"

I have never met anyone who dislikes that work.

[hornteacher]

I hate to tell someone to buy something but Dvorak's 9th aka "New World Symphony"

I have never met anyone who dislikes that work.

Same here.  I must have heard it ten thousand times and I still enjoy it.

[Mark]

FWIW, here's Feanor's 'core repertoire' hitlist from another thread.