Why I like being new to classical music

[OzRadio]

Because in one day I can listen to my first pieces by three major composers like R. Strauss, Sibelius, and Schubert. I started this morning listening to Sibelius' Symphony No. 1 by Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra. I copied this from the library some time ago and never got around to listening to it until today. This evening I borrowed and listened to Strauss' Ein Heldenleben by Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker and then Schubert's Fantasie in F Minor and Allegro in A Minor, both for four hands, by Evgeny Kissin and James Levine.

I won't highlight my ignorance by critiquing them but my preference was in the order in which they were heard. Schubert's piano pieces were delightful but I just enjoy symphonies and the orchestral works more at this point.

So, while I can't ever listen to these three composers for the first time ever again, they have plenty more work which I can still enjoy for the first time. I then filled in the day with a disc of Bach's organ works and his flute sonatas and Mozart's 20 and 22 piano concertos, all pulled from the Brilliant complete editions.

[LVB_opus.125]

What got you interested in Classical Music in the first place? I notice that many here are well educated, seemingly, and, or trained musicians. I don't fit any of this criteria, and yet Classical Music called to me some years past and I never looked back. I do feel that a strong childhood remembrance of the music featured in the silly nature documentary Animals are Beautiful People helped to train me towards appreciation at a very young age. It's funny to say, but when I finally decided to explore this music and purchase albums, it just sort of happened without any real catalyst. One day I was checking out Beethoven, Wagner, Grieg, Holst, and I loved it all.

[karlhenning]

What got you interested in Classical Music in the first place? I notice that many here are well educated, seemingly, and, or trained musicians. I don't fit any of this criteria, and yet Classical Music called to me some years past and I never looked back.

Yes, the classical lit got its hooks into me when I was but knee-high to a married grasshopper, before any education or musical training.

[OzRadio]

What got you interested in Classical Music in the first place? I notice that many here are well educated, seemingly, and, or trained musicians. I don't fit any of this criteria, and yet Classical Music called to me some years past and I never looked back. I do feel that a strong childhood remembrance of the music featured in the silly nature documentary Animals are Beautiful People helped to train me towards appreciation at a very young age. It's funny to say, but when I finally decided to explore this music and purchase albums, it just sort of happened without any real catalyst. One day I was checking out Beethoven, Wagner, Grieg, Holst, and I loved it all.

I don't have any strong memories of exposure to classical growing up. My family got our first cd player around 1990. While I was into mainly metal and rock at the time. my dad bought a set of Beethoven's symphonies for some reason. No one in my family listened to classical. I would listen to them very occassionally. Throughout highschool I did get into some soundtracks and older jazz, which although not classical, did get me used to music with no vocals. In college I dabbled here and there but now that I'm in my early 30s I find myself so out of the pop/rock loop that classical is filling in the musical void. Now 90 - 95% of what I listen to is classical music or old radio drama from the 30s - 50s. NPR, Springsteen, and Counting Crows make up most of the other 5%. I'm glad I rediscovered it now so I have decades more to enjoy it (the good lord willin' and the crick don't rise).
Ryan

[Grazioso]

You couldn't have picked a better time to dive into classical music. The range of recordings now available--often at truly cheap prices--is staggering, letting you explore not only the big names, but also countless composers off the beaten path, many of great merit. In fact, if I can offer one bit of advice to a classical music neophyte, it's not to get snared by the fallacy that only the biggest-name composers are worthy of your attention. (My second bit of advice is to listen with undivided attention and to listen repeatedly to the same pieces so you can really get to know and appreciate them.)

[Joe Barron]

I won't highlight my ignorance by critiquing them but my preference was in the order in which they were heard. Schubert's piano pieces were delightful but I just enjoy symphonies and the orchestral works more at this point.

This seems to reflect my experience, and probably the experience of many others. When I was a neophyte, I always listened to a new composer's orchestral music first. Todfasy, after more than 30 years, I listen mosltly to chamber music, maybe because I now know most of the orchestral music by heart. I hardly ever listen to Beethoven's symphonies on CD anymore, but I'm having a fine time exploring the quartets and piano sonatas.

Oh, and if you like Sibelius's symphonies, check out Carl Nielsen's.

[Sef]

Oh, and if you like Sibelius's symphonies, check out Carl Nielsen's.

... but not until you've exhausted all 7 Sibelius symphonies and his numerous tone poems!

[Superhorn]

  It's great to see some one who is new and enthusiastic about classical music.
There's so much to explore. I first got interested many years ago when I was about 13 and discovered classical lps at my public library, which had  a large and excellent collection.
  I  got hooked on classical music, and have never regretted it! 
  Here are some basic suggestions for things to try ; Bach : Brandeburg concertos, the 4 orchestral suites, Goldberg variations, B minor Mass, St. Matthew Passion, suites for cello, sonatas and partitas for violin.
Handel: Messiah. Water Music. Royal Fireworks. Concerti Grossi. Saul. Israel in Egypt.  Haydn: Symphonies  88, 94, 96, 100,104.  Trumpter concerto.
  The Creation.  Mozart : symphonies  35,36,38,39,40,41. Piano concertos 20,21,25. Violin concertos 3,4,5. 4 horn concertos. Requiem.
Beethoven,9symphonies,5 piano concertos, Violin concerto.Egmont overture,Coriolanus overture.Leonore no 3 overture. Various piano sonatas.
  Missa Solemnis.  Schubert. Syms 5,8,9. Trout quintet. Quintet in c for strings.
Schumann: 4 syms, Piano concerto.   Mendelssohn. syms 3,4.Violin concerto.
Hebrides overture. Midsummer Night's Dream overture.
Brahms: 4 syms, 2 piano concertos, violin concerto, Tragic overture, Academic festival overture, German Requiem.  Tchaikovsky.Syms 4,5,6.Piano concerto no 1, violin concerto. Romeo and Juliet, 1812 overture, etc.
Cesar Franck: Symphony in D minor. Dvorak: Syms 7,8,9, cello concerto, Slavonic Dances, Carneval overture.  Holst:The Planets. Debussy:La Mer.
Iberia, Nocturnes, Prelude to the afternoon of a faun.Ravel: Bolero, Daphis and Chloe, suite no 2. Rhapsodie Espagnole.
  Mahler: syms 1,2,4,5. Das Lied von der Erde. Songs of a Wayfarer.
  Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition,orch.Ravel. Night on Bald Mountain.
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scherezade, Capriccio Espanole. 
Stravinsky: Rite of Spring>Petrushka. Firebird suite.  Enjoy.  arkivmusic.com is a great place to order classical cds and dvds.  classicstoday.com has lists of recommended recordings. Enjoy !

[Kuhlau]

In fact, if I can offer one bit of advice to a classical music neophyte, it's not to get snared by the fallacy that only the biggest-name composers are worthy of your attention. (My second bit of advice is to listen with undivided attention and to listen repeatedly to the same pieces so you can really get to know and appreciate them.)

I'd agree with both of these snippets of advice.

The big-name composers have become such partly because the range and quality of their output has left an indelible mark on musical history. So of course, they're not to be ignored. But there is a great wealth of music by many lesser-known composers which repays carefully listening. I'd argue that now so much music is available online, it would almost be an act of wilful ignorance to not explore even a little of the vast plains that stretch out beyond the walled garden of Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Shostakovich, etc, etc, etc ...

FK

[Dundonnell]

In so many ways I envy you the joy of discovering so much great music for the very first time I have lived with classical music for over 50 years(although I have-at various times in the past-been attracted to some other types of music as well!) but nothing in the world has the power and the beauty to move me so emotionally as classical music-particularly, I admit, orchestral and choral music.

I have a pretty wide acquaintance with the orchestral repertoire of the last 150 years but it is still a wonderful experience to discover new composers or pieces which grip and enthrall

Saying that however it is still a fantastic experience to return to the great classics of the symphonic repertoire-Beethoven, late Schubert, Brahms, Bruckner etc and marvel at the genius of these great composers! Listening to so much 'obscure' music(as I tend to do!) sometimes makes me forget just why a composer like Beethoven or Brahms is such an immortal

You have much happy listening ahead of you! Enjoy

[jochanaan]

And Ryan, the best thing is, you can look forward to a lifetime of new discoveries.  After nearly forty years of listening to it and playing it, I still know there are still many, many composers, compositions and performers for me to discover!

[beer]

I got interested in classic music through video gaming - in particular by Elite Frontier by David Braben which included Blue Donau and In the hall of the mountain king. Funny that all those pieces that got me into it dont interest me at all anymore. That said, I think you can die while still not having heard all first pieces so there is a long road to go