GMG Classical Music Forum

Ideally, I'd like a list of the essential works by the most influential classical composers.

Would 'The History of Classical Music on 100 CDs' be a good place to start? How would you rate it? Is it missing anything?

This is what it includes:

'Medieval - Baroque' section
CD 1 Gregorian Chant - Feast Of Stephen / Marchaut: Chansons
CD 2 Dufay / Josquin Des Pres: Motets
CD 3 Wind Music From Renaissance Italy
CD 4 Tallis / Byrd / De Victoria / Palestrina / Allegri
CD 5 Monteverdi: Vespers (Highlights), Madrigals
CD 6 Schütz / Buxtehude / Pachelbel: Chamber Music
CD 7 Purcell: Dido And Aeneas (Highlights); The Fairy Queen (Highlights)
CD 8 Charpentier: Te Deum / Rameau: Une Symphonie Imaginaire
CD 9 Telemann: Concertos
CD 10 Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, Gloria in D Major
CD 11 Bach: Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 2 & 5, Orchestral Suite No.2
CD 12 Bach: Goldberg Variations, Fantasia in C Minor, Italian Concerto
CD 13 Bach: Organ Works
CD 14 Bach: St. Matthew Passion (Highlights)
CD 15 Bach: Magnificat, Cantatas BWV 63 & 65
CD 16 Handel: "Royal Fireworks" Music, Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba
CD 17 Handel: Harp Concerto, Organ Concerto in F, Concerto No.3
CD 18 Handel: Messiah - Arias And Choruses
CD 19 D. Scarlatti: Sonatas
CD 20 C.P.E. Bach: Symphonies For Strings (1-6) / J.C. Bach: Quintet

'Classical' section
CD 21 Haydn: Symphonies No.45 "Farewell", No.88 & No.104 "London"
CD 22 Haydn: String Quartets Nos.3, 5, 63, 74, 77
CD 23 Haydn: The Creation (Highlights)
CD 24 Mozart: "Eine kleine Nachtmusik", Symphonies Nos.40 & 41
CD 25 Mozart: Piano Concerto Nos.20 & 21, Fantasia In D Minor
CD 26 Mozart: Clarinet Quintet, String Quintet In G Minor, K516
CD 27 Mozart: Le Nozze Di Figaro, K.492 (Highlights)
CD 28 Mozart: Requiem, Laudate Dominum, Exsultate, jubilate
CD 29 Beethoven: Symphonies Nos.5 & 6
CD 30 Beethoven: Symphony No.9 "Choral"
CD 31 Beethoven: Piano Concerto Nos 4 & 5
CD 32 Beethoven: Sonata For Violin And Piano No.9 "Kreutzer"
CD 33 Beethoven: Piano Sonata Nos.8, 23 & 31
CD 34 Weber: Der Freischütz (Highlights)

'Romantic' section
CD 34 Weber: Der Freischütz (Highlights)
CD 35 Rossini: Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Highlights)
CD 36 Schubert: Symphony No.8 "Unfinished"; Symphony No.9 "The Great"
CD 37 Schubert: Piano Quintet in A "The Trout", String Quartet No.14 in D Minor "Death And The Maiden"
CD 38 Schubert: Piano Sonata No.21 in B Flat, 3 Impromptus; 2 Moments musicaux
CD 39 Schubert: Winterreise
CD 40 Paganini: Violin Concerto No.1; 10 Capricci
CD 41 Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Overtures: Benvenuto Cellini & Le Corsaire
CD 42 Chopin: Piano Concerto No.1 in E Minor, Préludes; Barcarolle in F Sharp Minor, Scherzo Nr. 3 in Sharp Minor
CD 43 Chopin: Nocturnes (Selection)
CD 44 Chopin: Ballade No.1 in G Minor, Berceuse in D Flat, Polonaise No.6 in A Flat-"Heroic, Excerpts From 12 Etudes, Op.10
CD 45 Liszt: Piano Concerto No.1 in E Flat, Piano Sonata in B Minor, Hungarian Rhapsody No.6 in D Flat, Années de pèlerinage,
CD 46 Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Symphony No.4 "Italian", "The Hebrids" Overture; Excerpts Of "A Midsummer Night's Dream
CD 47 Schumann: Symphony No.2, Symphony No.3 "Rhenish"
CD 48 Schumann: Piano Concerto in A Minor, "Kinderszenen", Carnaval
CD 49 Schumann: Dichterliebe, Frauenliebe und Leben
CD 50 Bizet: Carmen (Highlights)
CD 51 Brahms: Symphonies No.1 & No.4
CD 52 Brahms: Piano Concerto No.2 in B Flat, 7 Fantasias
CD 53 Brahms: Violin Concerto in D, Sonata For Piano And Violin No.1 in G "Regenlied-Sonate"
CD 54 Bruckner: Symphony No.4 in E Flat Major - "Romantic"; Psalm 150, for Soprano, Chorus And Orchestra
CD 55 Strauss, J.: Waltzes & Polkas
CD 56 Smetana: The Moldau, From Bohemia's Meadows And Woods / Dvorák: Symphony No.9, Op.95 "From The New World"
CD 57 Dvorák: Symphony No.8 in G Major, Cello Concerto in B Minor
CD 58 Grieg: Peer Gynt Suites Nos.1 & 2; Piano Concerto in A Minor
CD 59 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.6, Op.74 "Pathéthique"; Nutcracker Suite, Op.71a
CD 60 Tchaikovsky: Romeo And Julia - Fantasy Overture; Serenade For String Orchestra, Overture solenelle "1812" Op. 39
CD 61 Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1 Op.23; Violin Concerto Op.35
CD 62 Wagner: Overtures & Preludes
CD 63 Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen (Highlights)
CD 64 Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (Highlights)
CD 65 Verdi: Aida (Highlights)
CD 66 Verdi: Rigoletto (Highlights)
CD 67 Verdi: La Traviata (Highlights)
CD 68 Saint-Saëns: Symphony No.3 in C Minor, Op.78 - "Organ Symphony" / Franck: Symphony in D Minor
CD 69 Glinka: Ruslan And Ludmilla - Overture / Balakirev: Islamey / Borodin: Polovtsian Dances / Mussorgsky: Pictures At An Exhibition
CD 70 Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, Capriccio Espagnole
CD 71 Mahler: Symphony No.1, Songs Of A Wayfarer
CD 72 Mahler: Symphony No. 5

'Modern' section
CD 73 Debussy: Nocturnes, Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, La Mer
CD 74 Debussy: Suite bergamasque, 12 Préludes
CD 75 Strauss, R.: Also sprach Zarathustra, Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel
CD 76 Strauss, R.: Tod und Verklärung, Capriccio, Vier letzte Lieder
CD 77 Puccini: La Bohème - Highlights
CD 78 Puccini: Tosca - Highlights; "Nessun dorma"
CD 79 Elgar: Variations On An Original Theme / Holst: The Planets
CD 80 Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.3 in D Minor / Scriabin: Symphony No.4 "Le Poeme De L'Extase"
CD 81 Sibelius: Symphony No.5, Finlandia, Tapiola, Valse triste
CD 82 Ives: Piano Sonata No.2 "Concord, Mass., 1840-1860", Central Park In The Dark, Three Places In New England / Barber: Adagio For Strings
CD 83 Janácek: Taras Bulba; Concertino; Sinfonietta
CD 84 Ravel: Boléro, Piano Concerto in G, Pavane pour une infante défunte, Ma mère l'oye
CD 85 Schoenberg: Transfigured Night, Pierrot Lunaire / Webern: Six Pieces For Orchestra, Symphony
CD 86 Berg: 3 Pieces for Orchestra, Violin Concerto, Lyric Suite - 3 Pieces For String Orchestra
CD 87 Stravinsky: Petrouchka, Apollon Musagète (1947 Version), Circus Polka For A Young Elephant
CD 88 Stravinsky: Pulcinella, Le sacre du printemps
CD 89 Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No.1 in D, Piano Concerto No.3 in C, Lieutenant Kijé, Symphonic Suite
CD 90 Bartók: Music For Strings, Percussion & Celesta, Concerto For Orchestra
CD 91 Hindemith: Mathis Der Maler / Weill: The Threepenny Opera - Suite / Pfitzner: Palestrina - Preludes / Busoni: Doktor Faust - Intermezzo
CD 92 Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No. 2, Symphony No. 5 in D Minor
CD 93 Britten: Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings / Delius: Two Pieces For Small Orchestra / Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending
CD 94 Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez / Falla: El amor brujo, Nights In Spanish Garden
CD 95 Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue, An American In Paris / Bernstein: "Candide" Overture, Symphonic Dances From "West Side Story"
CD 96 Messiaen: Turangalîla Symphony
CD 97 Boulez: Le marteau sans maitre / Stockhausen: Gruppen
CD 98 Schnittke: Concerto Grosso No.1 / Lutoslawski: Chain 3; Novelette / Ligeti: Chamber Concerto
CD 99 Gorecki: Symphony No. 3 "Symphony Of Sorrowful Songs"
CD 100 Reich: Six Pianos / Adams: Shaker Loops / Glass: Violin Concerto

Kudos to you for bravely embarking on this broad sea!

It may seem ironic to consider a 100-CD anthology a start . . . but, well, it is  ;)  There is no easy way to condense the whole of the classical literature down to (let's call it) 125 hours of music;  inevitably there's only room for one piece by Elgar (e.g.), which means we can only manage the "Enigma" Variations . . . just an example.  But that anthology does hit a great many of the "obligatory" lit (which is music deserving of its popularity), while giving you some good glimpses at the "lesser lights" who are sometimes too readily overshadowed by the musical giants.

It's surprisingly not bad at all. And as it is a DG release, the performers are generally quite good as well.  One could quibble - no Bruckner, not enough classical period, could have more second half of the 20th century - but on the whole it is a pretty broad collection. It certainly will give you an idea of what is out there and you can then narrow your pursuit accordingly.

Quote from: mc ukrneal on September 09, 2015, 06:20:05 AMOne could quibble - no Bruckner...

CD 54 Bruckner: Symphony No.4 in E Flat Major - "Romantic"; Psalm 150, for Soprano, Chorus And Orchestra

Sarge

If you must keep to only one Britten work, the Serenade is a great pick.

The Prokofiev CD really does smack of Greatest-Hits!-ism.

Welcome to GMG, Miles!  :)

I use to listen to metal in my teens and 20s, and found the transition to classical music quite natural.

You might really enjoy Bach's Solo Cello Suites 1-6 and Solo Violin Partitas 1-3 and Sonatas 1-3.

Hello, Miles!

Quote from: karlhenning on September 09, 2015, 06:11:19 AM
Kudos to you for bravely embarking on this broad sea!

It may seem ironic to consider a 100-CD anthology a start . . . but, well, it is  ;)  There is no easy way to condense the whole of the classical literature down to (let's call it) 125 hours of music;  inevitably there's only room for one piece by Elgar (e.g.), which means we can only manage the "Enigma" Variations . . . just an example.  But that anthology does hit a great many of the "obligatory" lit (which is music deserving of its popularity), while giving you some good glimpses at the "lesser lights" who are sometimes too readily overshadowed by the musical giants.

I was counting on you to shout 'What?! No Nielsen?!', Karl.   :(  0:)
Copland and Pärt would seem to belong there too (and Schumann's Piano Quintet instead of all those symphonies & the PC)

Quote from: karlhenning on September 09, 2015, 06:43:14 AM
If you must keep to only one Britten work, the Serenade is a great pick.

Agreed.

QuoteThe Prokofiev CD really does smack of Greatest-Hits!-ism.

Yeah, we both would prefer the f minor Violin Sonata instead.  ;)


The selection looks quite decent overall, though.


E: And the only string quartets are on one CD of Haydn, plus Schubert's no. 14. And other chamber music is rather scarce, too. Hmph!

QuoteI listen to Death Metal. I'd like to listen to classical, too. Where do I start?

Xenakis.

Quote from: karlhenning on September 09, 2015, 06:11:19 AM
Kudos to you for bravely embarking on this broad sea!

It may seem ironic to consider a 100-CD anthology a start . . . but, well, it is  ;)  There is no easy way to condense the whole of the classical literature down to (let's call it) 125 hours of music;  inevitably there's only room for one piece by Elgar (e.g.), which means we can only manage the "Enigma" Variations . . . just an example.  But that anthology does hit a great many of the "obligatory" lit (which is music deserving of its popularity), while giving you some good glimpses at the "lesser lights" who are sometimes too readily overshadowed by the musical giants.

Thanks for the reply. I'm glad I found this resource. I'd very much like to listen to some pieces that aren't on the list after I've made some headway with it. A few pieces by Wagner (namely Faust Overture) are on my list so far.

Quote from: mc ukrneal on September 09, 2015, 06:20:05 AM
It's surprisingly not bad at all. And as it is a DG release, the performers are generally quite good as well.  One could quibble - no Bruckner, not enough classical period, could have more second half of the 20th century - but on the whole it is a pretty broad collection. It certainly will give you an idea of what is out there and you can then narrow your pursuit accordingly.

Thanks for the reply, that's exactly what I intend to do. :)

Quote from: karlhenning on September 09, 2015, 06:43:14 AM
If you must keep to only one Britten work, the Serenade is a great pick.

The Prokofiev CD really does smack of Greatest-Hits!-ism.

I've had Prokofiev recommended a couple of times, I've made it a priority.

Quote from: ChamberNut on September 09, 2015, 06:48:14 AM
Welcome to GMG, Miles!  :)

I use to listen to metal in my teens and 20s, and found the transition to classical music quite natural.

You might really enjoy Bach's Solo Cello Suites 1-6 and Solo Violin Partitas 1-3 and Sonatas 1-3.

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm feeling the same way, actually. The first piece that really hit me was Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.

Quote from: MilesMetal on September 09, 2015, 07:38:01 AM
Thanks for the recommendation. I'm feeling the same way, actually. The first piece that really hit me was Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.

A tremendous piece, indeed!   :)  I am a fan of solo strings or grouped chamber works for string instruments.  One thing that isn't on that list are Beethoven's string quartets.  Definitely check those out.  In particular, you might really dig Beethoven's Grosse Fugue for String Quartet.

No piece stands out for me as 'Heavy Metal' more than Wagner's Prelude to Die Walkure, Act I!

Quote from: MilesMetal on September 09, 2015, 02:39:01 AM
Ideally, I'd like a list of the essential works by the most influential classical composers.

"most influencial" isn't necessorily what YOU would enjoy the most. Some composers are "too" talked about while many great composer don't get the fame they deserve for various historical reasons.

Quote from: MilesMetal on September 09, 2015, 02:39:01 AMWould 'The History of Classical Music on 100 CDs' be a good place to start? How would you rate it? Is it missing anything?

Depends on what you pay for it. It can be a great way to get a lot of classical music to explore and decide what kind of classical music you enjoy the most. However, 100 CD can't cover classical music well. It's cratch on the surface, but that's something! Much better than nothing.

There is no one "correct" way to explore classical music. Find YOUR own way. The more exciting, enjoyable and fun it is to explore, the better you are doing it, aren't you?

Quote from: ChamberNut on September 09, 2015, 07:44:54 AM
A tremendous piece, indeed!   :)  I am a fan of solo strings or grouped chamber works for string instruments.  One thing that isn't on that list are Beethoven's string quartets.  Definitely check those out.  In particular, you might really dig Beethoven's Grosse Fugue for String Quartet.

No piece stands out for me as 'Heavy Metal' more than Wagner's Prelude to Die Walkure, Act I!

I'll definitely make it a priority listen. Thanks.

Quote from: 71 dB on September 09, 2015, 08:03:18 AM
"most influencial" isn't necessorily what YOU would enjoy the most. Some composers are "too" talked about while many great composer don't get the fame they deserve for various historical reasons.
Depends on what you pay for it. It can be a great way to get a lot of classical music to explore and decide what kind of classical music you enjoy the most. However, 100 CD can't cover classical music well. It's cratch on the surface, but that's something! Much better than nothing.

There is no one "correct" way to explore classical music. Find YOUR own way. The more exciting, enjoyable and fun it is to explore, the better you are doing it, aren't you?

That's a fair point. I'm not sure how far into it I will go, although I am interested enough to not only listen to the music but also learn about it in general. Getting to know it's history, context, influence and legacy will make it easier to understand exactly what I'm hearing. I know for sure that I won't be blown away on every first listen. With also music I know it takes time to appreciate these things. It was the same when I was originally getting into death metal.

Quote from: MilesMetal on September 09, 2015, 07:36:47 AM
I've had Prokofiev recommended a couple of times, I've made it a priority.

I'm a great fan — as are Karlo (North Star) & Ray (Chamber Nut) — of Prokofiev . . . that one CD only scratches the surface  :)

Quote from: North Star on September 09, 2015, 06:49:19 AM
I was counting on you to shout 'What?! No Nielsen?!', Karl.   :(  0:)

I know, dear chap:  I am in disgrace, I've let you down . . . .

Quote from: MilesMetal on September 09, 2015, 08:14:23 AM
That's a fair point. I'm not sure how far into it I will go, although I am interested enough to not only listen to the music but also learn about it in general. Getting to know it's history, context, influence and legacy will make it easier to understand exactly what I'm hearing. I know for sure that I won't be blown away on every first listen. With also music I know it takes time to appreciate these things. It was the same when I was originally getting into death metal.

I think you've got a great attitude.

I'd be interested in some Death Metal recommendations.

;)

That DG box would be a great (although expensive) place to start.

I agree with comments from others: for 100 CDs - assuming the price is right - that's not a bad start at all. There's plenty there to help you decide what you might go for.

However, that said, you might want to supplement the set with more works by living composers, some of whom have been influenced by other types of music, including metal. Here's the SoundCloud link to Mario Diaz de Leon, a composer who used to play guitar in punk rock bands, then went to Oberlin, and later received his doctorate in composition at Columbia University. Earlier this year I heard Luciform played by the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), quite interesting.

https://soundcloud.com/mariodiazdeleon

Oh and sorry, forgot the most important part: welcome!  8)

--Bruce

Welcome!  As a metal listener, you might enjoy some of the more extreme late-Romantic and contemporary-classical music.  Try the music of Edgard Varese, especially Ionisation, Hyperprism, and Poeme Electronique; also the Mahler symphonies and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.  And Wagner has already been mentioned. 8)

Since you already like Bach's Toccata and Fugue in d minor, you might explore some of Bach's other organ music.  There's lots of it, and it's all great. ;D

But, as has been said, there is an inexhaustible mine of great stuff. 8) Some names to highlight, in approximately chronological order:

Medieval period: Machaut, Ockeghem
Renaissance: Josquin, Palestrina
Baroque: Monteverdi, Corelli, Vivaldi, J.S. Bach, Handel
Classical period: C.P.E. Bach, Haydn, Mozart
Transitional: Beethoven
Romantic: Berlioz, Schumann, Wagner, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Mahler
Contemporary: Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Varese, Shostakovich, Gorecki, Elliott Carter

(Of necessity, I've left out many fine composers to emphasize these "high lights.")

Quote from: MilesMetal on September 09, 2015, 08:14:23 AM
That's a fair point. I'm not sure how far into it I will go, although I am interested enough to not only listen to the music but also learn about it in general. Getting to know it's history, context, influence and legacy will make it easier to understand exactly what I'm hearing. I know for sure that I won't be blown away on every first listen. With also music I know it takes time to appreciate these things. It was the same when I was originally getting into death metal.

Miles, I had this great book that I referenced many, many times when I first started exploring classical music about 10 years ago.  I think it is a fantastic resource and fun read!  It is certainly not definitive, but based on the author's own experience of discovering classical music.

[asin]0449910423[/asin]

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on September 09, 2015, 06:25:02 AM
CD 54 Bruckner: Symphony No.4 in E Flat Major - "Romantic"; Psalm 150, for Soprano, Chorus And Orchestra

Sarge

Shoot - gonna have to eat more carrots! Or get stronger glasses!  :)

Quote from: sanantonio on September 09, 2015, 08:19:42 AM
I'd be interested in some Death Metal recommendations.

;)

That DG box would be a great (although expensive) place to start.

If you're sure :)

Some of the classics of the genre come from the mid eighties to early nineties.

Altars of Madness and Blessed are the Sick by Morbid Angel were supposedly influenced by classical music, though I'm not sure how true that statement is.

Another classic would be Leprosy by Death, though their later works (Human, Symbolic and The Sound of Perseverance) would be more 'listenable' for fans of classical music.

Left Hand Path by Entombed is another album that is hailed as one of the best death metal albums. The same can be said of Severed Survival and Critical Madness by Autopsy.

Quote from: Brewski on September 09, 2015, 08:21:55 AM
I agree with comments from others: for 100 CDs - assuming the price is right - that's not a bad start at all. There's plenty there to help you decide what you might go for.

However, that said, you might want to supplement the set with more works by living composers, some of whom have been influenced by other types of music, including metal. Here's the SoundCloud link to Mario Diaz de Leon, a composer who used to play guitar in punk rock bands, then went to Oberlin, and later received his doctorate in composition at Columbia University. Earlier this year I heard Luciform played by the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), quite interesting.

https://soundcloud.com/mariodiazdeleon

Oh and sorry, forgot the most important part: welcome!  8)

--Bruce

Thanks for the recommendations.

You're right about listening to modern composers. I'd like to understand how this type of music developed so contemporary composers would be an essential part of that.

Quote from: jochanaan on September 09, 2015, 08:35:05 AM
Welcome!  As a metal listener, you might enjoy some of the more extreme late-Romantic and contemporary-classical music.  Try the music of Edgard Varese, especially Ionisation, Hyperprism, and Poeme Electronique; also the Mahler symphonies and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.  And Wagner has already been mentioned. 8)

Since you already like Bach's Toccata and Fugue in d minor, you might explore some of Bach's other organ music.  There's lots of it, and it's all great. ;D

But, as has been said, there is an inexhaustible mine of great stuff. 8) Some names to highlight, in approximately chronological order:

Medieval period: Machaut, Ockeghem
Renaissance: Josquin, Palestrina
Baroque: Monteverdi, Corelli, Vivaldi, J.S. Bach, Handel
Classical period: C.P.E. Bach, Haydn, Mozart
Transitional: Beethoven
Romantic: Berlioz, Schumann, Wagner, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Mahler
Contemporary: Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Varese, Shostakovich, Gorecki, Elliott Carter

(Of necessity, I've left out many fine composers to emphasize these "high lights.")

Thank you for the reply. I will be listening to Rite of Spring next. I've had the recommendation a few times now.

I'm now beginning to understand how much great classical music is out there. It's rather overwhelming. I think I'll be sticking around on this forum for some time for some assitance.

Quote from: ChamberNut on September 09, 2015, 08:50:10 AM
Miles, I had this great book that I referenced many, many times when I first started exploring classical music about 10 years ago.  I think it is a fantastic resource and fun read!  It is certainly not definitive, but based on the author's own experience of discovering classical music.

That does look like a good resource, thank you. It's cheap on Amazon so I'll definitely pick it up. Thank you.

Quote from: MilesMetal on September 09, 2015, 10:43:05 AM
If you're sure :)

Some of the classics of the genre come from the mid eighties to early nineties.

Altars of Madness and Blessed are the Sick by Morbid Angel were supposedly influenced by classical music, though I'm not sure how true that statement is.

Another classic would be Leprosy by Death, though their later works (Human, Symbolic and The Sound of Perseverance) would be more 'listenable' for fans of classical music.

Left Hand Path by Entombed is another album that is hailed as one of the best death metal albums. The same can be said of Severed Survival and Critical Madness by Autopsy.

Thanks.  I am pretty eclectic in my tastes and can find something to enjoy with most genres.. 

Welcome Miles. That sort of collection looks like a good start. There's a huge amount of music, and a lot of good places to start. You seem to be doing okay on your own!

There are lots of avenues to be sure: Toccata and Fugue in D minor might point you in the direction of more Bach, more organ music or more fugues. The Rite of Spring might lead towards more Stravinsky, or . . . Antheil's Ballet mécanique or Varese . . .  Go where your temptations take you rather than trying to cover the history of music. Having said that, if you want core 20th century works, the Rite is a great place to start.

You like death metal? Just listen to Shostakovich or Schnittke and all will be well in the world. 0:)

It is a surprisingly strong anthology of its kind, and reasonably priced. Despite the well-meaning suggestions of others here, I think it offers you months of discovery without your needing to supplement it with additional books and discs for the time being. My advice is a little different: pick a disc or two at random, especially if it's music you've never heard of, and work your way through the collection until you've covered everything. What I like about the collection is that it does cover most of the major genres, composers, and historical movements without dumbing-down the selections to the kind of "music appreciation" racket that cowers from presenting anything too challenging. Of course there are works I'd want to see (why no Beethoven quartets?) but the sheer percentage of good stuff makes this undoubtedly the best collection of its kind I've ever encountered. 

Quote from: (poco) Sforzando on September 09, 2015, 04:43:37 PM
It is a surprisingly strong anthology of its kind, and reasonably priced. Despite the well-meaning suggestions of others here, I think it offers you months of discovery without your needing to supplement it with additional books and discs for the time being. My advice is a little different: pick a disc or two at random, especially if it's music you've never heard of, and work your way through the collection until you've covered everything. What I like about the collection is that it does cover most of the major genres, composers, and historical movements without dumbing-down the selections to the kind of "music appreciation" racket that cowers from presenting anything too challenging. Of course there are works I'd want to see (why no Beethoven quartets?) but the sheer percentage of good stuff makes this undoubtedly the best collection of its kind I've ever encountered. 

Actually, Disc 32 does have a Beethoven quartet - just not listed here...

Quote from: (poco) Sforzando on September 09, 2015, 04:43:37 PM
It is a surprisingly strong anthology of its kind, and reasonably priced. Despite the well-meaning suggestions of others here, I think it offers you months of discovery without your needing to supplement it with additional books and discs for the time being. My advice is a little different: pick a disc or two at random, especially if it's music you've never heard of, and work your way through the collection until you've covered everything. What I like about the collection is that it does cover most of the major genres, composers, and historical movements without dumbing-down the selections to the kind of "music appreciation" racket that cowers from presenting anything too challenging. Of course there are works I'd want to see (why no Beethoven quartets?) but the sheer percentage of good stuff makes this undoubtedly the best collection of its kind I've ever encountered.

Indeed. Wish I had had it when I was starting.

There's a lot to be said for just random listening to see what strikes you.

Welcome, friend.
  ;D  I've always thought the opening of this piece was quite heavy...

https://www.youtube.com/v/sfQb6BKq_ZU

Quote from: mc ukrneal on September 09, 2015, 05:36:14 PM
Actually, Disc 32 does have a Beethoven quartet - just not listed here...

So it does. Op. 59/1. Can't do better than that. For a more detailed listing of tracks and artists:
http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/cat/4791048

Yes, it is better than many other similar collections (but with 100 discs it is also easier to cover essential things). As to be expected the focus is more on orchestral music. One blatant gap is Baroque opera where they only have Purcell's Dido (a great, but rather atypical piece). One of the Handel discs should have been highlights from Alcina or Julius Caesar instead of not so important orchestral music, and they could also have included highlights from Monteverdi's Orfeo instead of Renaissance dance music.
But this is probably not music someone coming from Death metal will miss during the first 100 encounters with classical ;)

Quote from: Ken B on September 09, 2015, 01:53:02 PM
Welcome Miles. That sort of collection looks like a good start. There's a huge amount of music, and a lot of good places to start. You seem to be doing okay on your own!

That's good to hear. :)

Quote from: Dax on September 09, 2015, 02:47:05 PM
There are lots of avenues to be sure: Toccata and Fugue in D minor might point you in the direction of more Bach, more organ music or more fugues. The Rite of Spring might lead towards more Stravinsky, or . . . Antheil's Ballet mécanique or Varese . . .  Go where your temptations take you rather than trying to cover the history of music. Having said that, if you want core 20th century works, the Rite is a great place to start.

Bach, along with Stravinsky, is high on my priority. I've found that I really enjoy the sound of to pipe organ.

Quote from: MilesMetal on September 10, 2015, 02:05:55 AM
Bach, along with Stravinsky, is high on my priority.

I like you already  8)

"""Ideally, I'd like a list of the essential works by the most influential classical composers.""""


Miles, I'm not all that far from being a beginner myself, although I've been listening for years now---here is an interesting list posted on the classical station in this area, WFCC.  Naturally a lot of the pieces are listed in your CD list, but this is what WFCC says are the most popular pieces with listeners over the years. I hope this helps.


-------------------------------------
Essential Classics


Many people have asked us over the years, "Which pieces of classical music do YOU think are the best?" And of course, that's a difficult question to answer! But, we've managed to narrow our list down from thousands and thousands of pieces to...oh, a hundred or so.

This is simply a list of our listeners' favorites over the years.

Bach The Brandenburg Concerti
Bach Orchestral Suite #3 (Air on the G string)
Bach Violin Concerto #2
Barber Adagio for Strings
Beethoven "Moonlight Sonata", Piano Sonata #14
Beethoven Piano Concerto #5, "Emperor"
Beethoven Symphony #3, "Eroica"
Beethoven Symphony #5
Beethoven Symphony #6, "Pastoral"
Beethoven Symphony #7
Beethoven Symphony #9, "Choral"
Beethoven Violin Concerto in D
Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique
Bernstein Candide Overture
Bizet Carmen
Boccherini Minuet in G
Borodin Nocturne for Strings
Brahms Piano Concerto #1
Brahms Symphony #1
Brahms Symphony #3
Brahms Variations on a Theme by Haydn
Brahms Violin Concerto
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Chopin Piano Concerto #1
Copland Appalachian Spring
Copland Fanfare for the Common Man
Debussy Clair de lune
Debussy Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun
Dukas The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Dvorak Cello Concerto
Dvorak Slavonic Dances
Dvorak String Quartet #12, "American"
Dvorak Symphony #9, "New World"
Elgar Enigma Variations
Faure Pavane
Gershwin An American in Paris
Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue
Grieg Peer Gynt Suites
Grieg Piano Concerto
Handel The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Handel Messiah
Handel Music for the Royal Fireworks
Handel Water Music
Haydn Symphony #94, "Surprise"
Haydn Symphony #104, "London"
Haydn Trumpet Concerto
Holst The Planets
Liszt Piano Concerto #1
Mahler Symphony #1, "Titan"
Massenet Meditation from Thais
Mendelssohn A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture
Mendelssohn Symphony #3, "Scottish"
Mendelssohn Symphony #4, "Italian"
Mendelssohn Violin Concerto
Mozart Clarinet Concerto
Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Mozart Overture to the Marriage of Figaro
Mozart Piano Concerto #21, "Elvira Madigan"
Mozart Requiem
Mozart Symphony #38, "Prague"
Mozart Symphony #40
Mozart Symphony #41, "Jupiter"
Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition
Orff Carmina Burana
Pachelbel Canon in D
Ponchielli Dance of the Hours
Prokofiev Peter and the Wolf
Rachmaninov Piano Concerto #2
Rachmaninov Piano Concerto #3
Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Ravel Bolero
Rimsky-Korsakov Capriccio Espagnol
Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherezade
Rossini Barber of Seville Overture
Rossini William Tell Overture
Saint-Saens Carnival of the Animals
Saint-Saens Symphony #3, "Organ"
Schubert Symphony #9, "Great"
Schubert Symphony #8, "Unfinished"
Schubert Trout Quintet
Schumann Symphony #1, "Spring"
Schumann Symphony #3, "Rhenish"
Sibelius Finlandia
Smetana The Moldau
Strauss, J. Jr. The Blue Danube Waltz
Strauss, R. Also Sprach Zarathustra
Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture
Tchaikovsky The Nutcracker
Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto #1
Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture
Tchaikovsky Sleeping Beauty
Tchaikovsky Swan Lake
Tchaikovsky Symphony #5
Tchaikovsky Symphony #6, "Pathetique"
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending
Vivaldi Mandolin Concerto in C
Vivaldi The Four Seasons
Wagner Ride of the Valkyries

Quote from: USMC1960s on September 22, 2015, 11:43:04 AM
Wagner Ride of the Valkyries

I would recommend you not only to listen to the Ride of the Walkyries, but the whole Die Walküre as well as the complete Ring.

Two threads you should definitely check out:

1. The GMG essential collection: a desert island briefcaseful (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,17151.0.html)

2. GMG Members' Personal Essentials Lists (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,17174.0.html)

Wow! This is so different than anything I eveLPted. I admire it.  I sort of started my own collection, after I got away from home, getting recordings of various pieces I liked and moving on to important pieces by composers supposed to be important. Initially, I knew something about opera (the old Met broadcasts with Milton Cross) and classical singers, some symphonies and some keyboard music. I didn't know much about chamber music, choral music, keyboard music (still not a strong point), or ancient music.  I don't think we had anything quite like collecti

ons such as this one. Can you imagine something like that on 78 rpm records? Or even on LPs?

The DG collection actually appears excellent to me, given I have not heard most of those specific recordings and I have my own favorites.  Even at full price on Amazon, it's still only about $2 a CD, so it's an excellent value.

It may take some perseverance and concentration to  get through that many CDs but you seem prepared for that. I hope you enjoy it.

One older book I found interesting, though opinionated, is Harold C. Schonberg's Lives of the Great Composers. It is well written, and you really don't have to agree with his opinions on Mahler and a few others.

http://www.amazon.com/Lives-Great-Composers-Harold-Schonberg/dp/0393038572/ref=la_B000APGJO6_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1451172713&sr=1-1

Another older book I always like was Abraham Veinus, The Concerto (1944, which is also opinionated but it keeps him from  being dull.

http://www.amazon.com/Concerto-Origins-Modern-Dover-Books/dp/0486211789/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1451173238&sr=1-1&keywords=abraham+Veinus

But I am old and not a music historian, and I have made no attempt to keep up with the literature. Actually, I have learned most of what I know of music history from record jackets and CD booklets.

Quote from: Xenophanes on December 26, 2015, 02:49:27 PM
Wow! This is so different than anything I eveLPted. I admire it.  I sort of started my own collection, after I got away from home, getting recordings of various pieces I liked and moving on to important pieces by composers supposed to be important. Initially, I knew something about opera (the old Met broadcasts with Milton Cross) and classical singers, some symphonies and some keyboard music. I didn't know much about chamber music, choral music, keyboard music (still not a strong point), or ancient music.  I don't think we had anything quite like collecti

ons such as this one. Can you imagine something like that on 78 rpm records? Or even on LPs?

The DG collection actually appears excellent to me, given I have not heard most of those specific recordings and I have my own favorites.  Even at full price on Amazon, it's still only about $2 a CD, so it's an excellent value.

It may take some perseverance and concentration to  get through that many CDs but you seem prepared for that. I hope you enjoy it.

One older book I found interesting, though opinionated, is Harold C. Schonberg's Lives of the Great Composers. It is well written, and you really don't have to agree with his opinions on Mahler and a few others.

http://www.amazon.com/Lives-Great-Composers-Harold-Schonberg/dp/0393038572/ref=la_B000APGJO6_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1451172713&sr=1-1

Another older book I always like was Abraham Veinus, The Concerto (1944, which is also opinionated but it keeps him from  being dull.

http://www.amazon.com/Concerto-Origins-Modern-Dover-Books/dp/0486211789/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1451173238&sr=1-1&keywords=abraham+Veinus

But I am old and not a music historian, and I have made no attempt to keep up with the literature. Actually, I have learned most of what I know of music history from record jackets and CD booklets.

Many thanks for the remarks!  I appreciate the reference to good old Milton Cross!  8)

The founder of the topic has not been around GMG for 3 months.  I will send him a message about your nice essay.

Death metal made me give up classical music. ;)

Quote from: ChamberNut on September 09, 2015, 06:48:14 AM
I use to listen to metal in my teens and 20s, and found the transition to classical music quite natural.

So, there's still hope for my son (who is not yet out of his 20's)?

Quote from: MilesMetal on September 09, 2015, 08:14:23 AM
That's a fair point. I'm not sure how far into it I will go, although I am interested enough to not only listen to the music but also learn about it in general. Getting to know it's history, context, influence and legacy will make it easier to understand exactly what I'm hearing.

Of course.

Quote from: MilesMetal on September 09, 2015, 08:14:23 AMI know for sure that I won't be blown away on every first listen. With also music I know it takes time to appreciate these things. It was the same when I was originally getting into death metal.

You will be often bored or frustrated (as with any art), but when you are blown away, it will be a life changing experience.

Quote from: ChamberNut on September 09, 2015, 06:48:14 AMI use to listen to metal in my teens and 20s, and found the transition to classical music quite natural.

I'm always surprised when someone mentions how close their 'metal experience' is to classical music. Two completely different worlds and completely separate pleasures for me. Plus I abhor symphonic crossovers that all those kitschy power metal bands love to do. Keep my metal orchestra free, thank you!

The closeness of, say, ambient / noise music and spectralism - that I understand. I think it was my attunement to Brian Eno & electronic music in general that helped me transition to classical (through Feldman, Reich and early Glass).

Quote from: Rinaldo on January 01, 2016, 02:20:57 PM
I'm always surprised when someone mentions how close their 'metal experience' is to classical music. Two completely different worlds and completely separate pleasures for me. Plus I abhor symphonic crossovers that all those kitschy power metal bands love to do. Keep my metal orchestra free, thank you!

The closeness of, say, ambient / noise music and spectralism - that I understand. I think it was my attunement to Brian Eno & electronic music in general that helped me transition to classical (through Feldman, Reich and early Glass).

I jumped to classical music from electronic dance music: Breakbeat, jungle, drum 'n' bass, house, rave etc. A long jump one could say but it felt natural to me.

A hearty welcome.

A really fine and relatively concise overview history of western music is in the Penguin editions,
History of Western Music, volume two. [Volume one starts in very early history; Volume two starts with the early medieval, runs through to the twentieth century -- that last part very likely expanded and edited since I read it decades ago.]

It traces the development of classical music, harmonic development and shifts of forms, while keeping very much in the limits of the layman, with perhaps your wanting to look up a few terms for further details.

It cites important composers of each era as well as some works which are near to the "embodiment" typifying the essence of the era, and some milestone pieces from various composers that mark some notable influence or trend of a stylistic shift.

When it comes to the names of those eras -- those were named [somewhat arbitrarily] in the mid to late 19th century; the 'modern' era is from ca. 1890 to 1975, and the dully named post-modern era is literal, having nothing to do with 'post-modernism,' but meaning only, 'after modern.' So far, composers have not conveniently shifted the style in which they wrote, nor died conveniently, on or around those set dates for the different eras: those dates are general guidelines, that is all.

The Wikipedia article on Classical Music is extensive, and also more than useful for your intent. It has sub-chapters on each era, composers for each era listed chronologically, and many of those names are active links which will bring you to more about that composer and some of their more essential works.

After that, my friend, Youtube is truly your friend; you can find a lot of classical there from the earliest repertoire to the most recent, audition it, find what interests you and then pursue further as to your plan or whims. When it comes to more specific recommendations, bring them back to the forum. That would include specific recommended recordings as well. Collectively, the members of a forum like this one are one huge resource library.

I've found that those who listen to metal, prog-rock, haus, etc. i.e. music which is solely 'a bunch of notes which make a collective kind of sense [Jazz is included in this same arena] are usually well oiled and primed for easy entry into the classical repertoire, because that is exactly how one listens to classical.

You've been listening to a lead guitar, rhythm and bass guitars, an equivalent of chamber music -- a handful of musicians all directly involved in the fabric of the piece.  I invite you to not forget to explore the chamber music, the trios, quartets, quintets and sextets of all strings, all winds, or mixed instruments, sometimes including piano.  The musical activity is usually much clearer and 'easier' to follow.  Chamber music is a more direct and intimate experience with the individual instruments and instrumental families that also sets you up well for listening to music with full orchestral ensembles.

I envy you in it all being new to your ears, and the experience of exploring, each piece being a discovery.

Have a blast, come back to the forum, please, not just with further questions but also let us in on some of your reactions to the music you've plunged into....

Best regards

P.s. Just for the helluva, try these:

Dmitri Shostakovich - Two pieces for string octet, op. 11 - N. 2 Scherzo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukvKZqBN808

Bohuslav Martinů:
Toccata e Due Canzoni (1946) I. Toccata
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMZw0uoRc4w
Double concerto for two string orchestras, piano and tympani
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh9fkbMfSJA

Arthur Honegger ~ Symphony No. 5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibtoWic9GQ8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfVP8f7iIMU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlJNcfxXRy8

Quote from: MilesMetal on September 09, 2015, 02:39:01 AM
Ideally, I'd like a list of the essential works by the most influential classical composers.

Would 'The History of Classical Music on 100 CDs' be a good place to start? How would you rate it? Is it missing anything?

If you can still make the rent after that outlay, I say go for it.  Being a collector, I think it's more fun to collect in smaller chunks, researching each purchase along the way, but not everyone is into that.

Some 'metal' classical pieces:

Stravinsky - Rite of Spring
Bartok - Music for Strings Percussion & Celeste
Liszt-Totentanz
Lutoslawski - Piano Concerto
Ligeti - 1st String Quartet
Messiaen - Turangalia Symphony

Quote from: bwv 1080 on January 07, 2016, 06:50:21 PM
...Lutoslawski - Piano Concerto...

Yes, and his Symphony #3.  ;D

Hi, MilesMetal,

I'm thinking Shostakovich (that some have already mentioned) is about as metal as classical music gets, at least his chamber music (take his Cello Concerto No. 1, Op. 107).

The relative disharmony and atonality of fellows like Stravinsky and Bartók (also mentioned) should strike a chord as well.

But what do you really like about metal? The power? The twistedness/gnarliness? The break from verse-chorus pop? Its "horizontality"?

I'm thinking about recommending you some Händel because of the sheer power of his music (Timotheus, Concerti Grossi Op. 6).

Otherwise, I can only say that when I was a complete novice, compilation CDs only bewildered me. I personally think it's better to focus on recommended recordings of single opuses, even at this early stage.

Cheers

Ginastera - Piano Concerto No. 1

Hello Miles-

A great musicologist (Karl Haas) once said "The exploration of Classical Music is a wonderful journey that lasts a lifetime!" - it is so true, may I add to the recommendations that you listen to Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" as among your first pieces, because of your current music choices. It was written in 1914 and is still shocking! Almost entirely rhythm. And then for something totally different, Wagner's Prelude and Liebestod from "Tristan and Isolde" premiered in 1862 (or thereabouts) - almost without rhythm, and the rhythm it has (in the latter section) can only be described as the sound-track to love making! Then the exploration of the history- there is just so much- and you will have a preview of the vast world of musical developments. have a great time!

Man, you guys totally failed to ask this guy his top 10 death metal albums. Gotta discern his musical values, ya know?

I imagine that, if the OP, like me, preferred Demilich, Incantation, The Chasm, Dead Congregation, early At The Gates, and so on, I'd have different words for him than your standard fan of Death, Cannibal Corpse, and Dying Fetus.

1) get a really good bonfire going in the back yard
2) gather up the so-called 'death metal' stuff
3) as Deep Purple said, Into the Fire . . .

Now that your home is .... de-loused ... you can concentrate on the great metal albums,
and clear your mind for a decent classical collection.

could start here

https://www.youtube.com/v/GFG70gFbvOg

Quote from: nathanb on July 05, 2016, 08:45:47 AM
Man, you guys totally failed to ask this guy his top 10 death metal albums. Gotta discern his musical values, ya know?

I imagine that, if the OP, like me, preferred Demilich, Incantation, The Chasm, Dead Congregation, early At The Gates, and so on, I'd have different words for him than your standard fan of Death, Cannibal Corpse, and Dying Fetus.

Death definitely belongs in the category of Demilich, Incantation et al rather than with Cannibal Corpse and Dying Fetus. Cmon.

I'm not sure why anyone is responding to this OP's question as he hasn't been active since September of 2015.

So what sorts of classical music do people who like any sort of death metal enjoy? Is there any correlation?

Me - post war Avant Garde.

Quote from: steve ridgway on December 28, 2020, 08:52:08 AM
So what sorts of classical music do people who like any sort of death metal enjoy? Is there any correlation?

Me - post war Avant Garde.

Yeah, me, too. The gloom and doom, complexity, and the dissonant aspects seem to overlap. I was listening to a lot of Penderecki and Xenakis, Second Viennese School stuff before getting into death metal. I just had the craving for more and more dissonant music.

(a fun little bit to check out- one of the most respected death metal bands of all-time, Necrophagist, doing an homage to Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet at the end of this song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oBGixxuu2E&ab_channel=HomicidalTerror
)


I also think prog metal and late Romanticism is highly linked. Both have some of the most intensely soulful passages of music, while also being extremely variety-oriented (Haken, BTBAM, Leprous, for example)... they remind me what would a modern incarnation of Mahler would be like...

And of course, the countless neoclassical stuff in metal (Fleshgod Apocalpyse, etc.)


I really want to go to a metal show again, it's been one year since last time when I saw Nile live. I really want to see Cannibal Corpse next. The vibe that you get from the music being played is just unrelenting evil, and I love it lol, it's so much fun.

Quote from: Mirror Image on November 09, 2020, 03:30:15 PM
I'm not sure why anyone is responding to this OP's question as he hasn't been active since September of 2015.

It seems to be a common occurrence: someone gets drunk/high and decides to query the classical longhairs (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/longhair) about music, then promptly forgets it the day after.  That doesn't mean we can't have fun with the topic among ourselves.

Quote from: greg on December 28, 2020, 05:53:04 PM
(a fun little bit to check out- one of the most respected death metal bands of all-time, Necrophagist, doing an homage to Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet at the end of this song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oBGixxuu2E&ab_channel=HomicidalTerror
)

That was fun. Were they perhaps likening romantic love to the blackest of demons corrupting the innocent? >:D

Quote from: steve ridgway on December 29, 2020, 04:59:50 AM
That was fun. Were they perhaps likening romantic love to the blackest of demons corrupting the innocent? >:D

Haha, maybe.

But yeah, the story of that band is utter disappointment... it was like 15 years of teasing a new album after their smash hit, and then they officially disband with nothing released. The main band member/guitarist Muhammed Suiçmez works at BMW as an engineer nowadays and doesn't seem to do anything with music anymore. And they could have had a career, being the band that actually created the tech death genre and being loved very much by fans.

What a great question!

The Boulez piano sonatas. Messes with your head like death metal does, but with different means.
Also the original metal riff, the already mentioned first track (ha!) of Wagner's Die Walküre, is essential. Wagner's Ring is of course metal through and through. And lots of death too.

Cool way of introducing yourself. Welcome!

Quote from: Mirror Image on November 09, 2020, 03:30:15 PM
I'm not sure why anyone is responding to this OP's question as he hasn't been active since September of 2015.

That's precisely why; we all like to talk to ourselves.

Somebody's got to.

It's a forum - you're supposed to post stuff. ;)

Quote from: steve ridgway on December 28, 2020, 08:52:08 AM
So what sorts of classical music do people who like any sort of death metal enjoy? Is there any correlation?

Me - post war Avant Garde.

The whole metal–classical connection puzzles me. I find worthwhile, transcendent stuff in both of these musical worlds but I stray into them for entirely different experiences. Sure, the Turangalîla or descent into Nibelheim can overpower me just as this new Dakhma track (https://dakhmacavern.bandcamp.com/track/the-gaze-of-ahura-the-king) (listener's discretion highly advised) recently did, but aesthetically, these seem as wholly different beasts. The only correlation that is evident to me are people who seek virtuosity first and foremost – a lot of metal/classical overlap there. And a lot of uninteresting music as well...

Quote from: Rinaldo on December 22, 2021, 10:10:40 AM
The whole metal–classical connection puzzles me. I find worthwhile, transcendent stuff in both of these musical worlds but I stray into them for entirely different experiences. Sure, the Turangalîla or descent into Nibelheim can overpower me just as this new Dakhma track (https://dakhmacavern.bandcamp.com/track/the-gaze-of-ahura-the-king) (listener's discretion highly advised) recently did, but aesthetically, these seem as wholly different beasts. The only correlation that is evident to me are people who seek virtuosity first and foremost – a lot of metal/classical overlap there. And a lot of uninteresting music as well...

Death metal is more in line with the second Viennese school. Example: Blotted Science, which uses tone rows. Often death metal can be atonal. If you like atonal/dissonant stuff, there's not many other music, apart from maybe some jazz which is like this. That's the link, and why I love both. Fearless musical exploration, fearless aggression in both.

And prog rock/metal is more in line with late Romantic music. Neoclassical metal = baroque/classical. etc.

Quote from: greg on December 22, 2021, 02:17:34 PMDeath metal is more in line with the second Viennese school. Example: Blotted Science, which uses tone rows.

Even if bands do borrow methods of old, does it sound / feel anywhere near Schoenberg and co.? Not to my ears.

QuoteOften death metal can be atonal. If you like atonal/dissonant stuff, there's not many other music, apart from maybe some jazz which is like this.

Heaps of electronic and industrial music is atonal or disonant but now that I think about it, for someone coming from classical spheres, metal might be more accessible than even milder abstract stuff like, say, Autechre.

QuoteFearless musical exploration, fearless aggression in both.

That's a solid link, but again – the aggression in metal goes to levels rarely (if ever) heard in a concert hall. So to circle back to the original question of this thread... Maybe some wild cluster-based pieces or guys like Mosolov when they're really going for it? :)

Probably no point in replying to this after so long, but as someone who also started with heavy metal when growing up and only approached classical later on, i would personally recommend to just accept classical music for what it is and not try too hard to force it to fit a particular preference, be it "hard" music or anything else.

Yes, you can actually find some corrispondences here and there and looking for classical compositions that are closer to your current tastes is not a bad way to ease yourself into the genre but eventually you'll have to come to terms with what classical music is, and not what you want it to be.

I agree. Trying to identify the classical works that might speak the most to a death metal listener and treat them as gateway drugs is futile, or at least is for some people. Often when I discovered a completely new-to-me genre of music, it was the works that were most different to what I was already familiar with that drew me in.

it appears that 'death metal' does not actually lead to death for you listeners .....

Sometimes it can kill... with cuteness: