Help me find good classical music, please.

[CardSharpCook]

OOT, I know very little about classical music other than I like it. Especially when I'm working. It helps me stay calm and stress free. I've purchased versions of the William Tell Overture and 1812. I was able to find them because I've heard of these works. I don't know any others. So help me compile a list of music to buy from itunes to juice up my ipod with some edumacated stuff.

[NT!]

web page

short but there are a few good recs.

[TheFaucet]

Rachmaninoff, Mozart, Chopin

[CardSharpCook]

NT, thanks.

[Reef]

anything by Mozart and you can't go wrong

[Skoob]

The term "classical" is very broad. It's like saying you like rock music.

A previous poster recommended both Chopin and Rachmaninoff. Both very talented, but very different styles and from different eras. It's almost like suggesting both Bruce Springsteen and Led Zeppelin.

Rossini (composer of Will Tell) was a Romantic composer, so you may like other romantics like Paganini and Liszt.

I find the William Tell Overture to be similar to some 20th century American composers like Aaron Copeland. You might check him out as well. Leonard Bernstein also comes to mind.

Edit: me fail English? That's unpossible!

[ua1176]

yeah...there are a million different periods of "classical" music.

most of what i like is late 19th or 20th century:

Stravinsky- "Rite of Spring," "Firebird," "Petrushka." (his classic early ballets). also "Agon," "Symphony of Psalms" "Threni," "L'histoire du Soldat" and most anything else.

Debussy- String Quartets, "La Mer," and all of his piano music.

Satie- pretty much anything

Bartok- string quartets, "Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celeste,"

Stockhausen- Helicopter Quartet, anything from "Licht."

more traditional "classical" stuff:

anything from J.S. Bach, Beethoven quartets opus 131-135 and symphonies 3-9. berlioz "symphonie fantastique."

[sdunsmb]

lol at people suggesting mozart, Im sure that was very helpful.

some of my personal favourites are: paganini, jason becker, and antonio lauro.

[z28dreams]

[ QUOTE ]
yeah...there are a million different periods of "classical" music.

most of what i like is late 19th or 20th century:

Stravinsky- "Rite of Spring," "Firebird," "Petrushka." (his classic early ballets). also "Agon," "Symphony of Psalms" "Threni," "L'histoire du Soldat" and most anything else.

Debussy- String Quartets, "La Mer," and all of his piano music.

Satie- pretty much anything

Bartok- string quartets, "Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celeste,"

Stockhausen- Helicopter Quartet, anything from "Licht."

more traditional "classical" stuff:

anything from J.S. Bach, Beethoven quartets opus 131-135 and symphonies 3-9. berlioz "symphonie fantastique."

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think some of these suggestions would be really good for a starting listener.

Stravinsky's stuff is pretty dissonant, and not all the pleasing to listen to sometimes. I'm more familiar with Bartok's piano based pieces, but even though are a little bit tough to listen to.

Mozart and Beethoven are obvious good starts, and I think adding in Brahms might be good as well because his stuff usually has nice warm harmonies.

I think Copland is a great simple start for people.

I'd also check out Rachmaninov, Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky, Handel, Holst, and Respighi. (I've mentioned it before and I'll mention it again - I LOVE the Pines of Rome, 4th movement - huge brass fanfare that's hard to dislike.)

[speedfreek]

I particularly like Gustav Holst - The Planets

It has different pieces to suit different moods. Mars and Jupiter are very famous and rousing anthems, some of the other pieces are mellow and tranquil.