Great Composers

[Gurn Blanston]

Originally posted by Stargazer78:
My favored composer of choise for beginners has always been Haydn.

There's something about his music that makes it easely accessable without being necessarely 'low grade'.

Best of all, once a person gets accastumed to Haydn music, it makes exploring Mozart and Beethoven all the more fun.

Stargazer,
Yes, Haydn is a good choice, he is not only easy to listen to, and as you say a good introduction to the classical style, but once you become accomplished at listening you discover that there are depths to his music that can only be appreciated by connoisseurs. This makes him wear well, easy as you want or hard as you want. And oh, so pleasant!



------------------
Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[parrot]

Just listen to Mahler, and then Rachmaninoff. About Bach and Mozart, I never feel too much interested in them.

[SR]

Originally posted by parrot:
Just listen to Mahler, and then Rachmaninoff. About Bach and Mozart, I never feel too much interested in them.

Care to make a guess as to where Mahler and Rachmaninoff would be without Bach and Mozart ? Not a critique, I also started in the romantics and took quite awhile to appreciate the prior masters. Keep trying.


Regards

Steve

[Tony John Hearne]

Check out Brahms The first symphony and the first piano concerto in particular. Just sample and enjoy everything - you will be amazed what is out there!!

[Tony John Hearne]

Check out Brahms The first symphony and the first piano concerto in particular. Just sample and enjoy everything - you will be amazed what is out there!!

[Pastorali]

Originally posted by Tony John Hearne:
Check out Brahms The first symphony and the first piano concerto in particular. Just sample and enjoy everything - you will be amazed what is out there!!

Hi Tony
I totaly agree with you!! Both are bombastic, electrifying works. What do you mean about the second piano concerto? First time I've listen to it, I was pretty disappointed about and put it back. I have needed a long while to like it, but now I love this lyrically wonderfull thing.

[Tegan]

Originally posted by Pastorali:
Hi folks
What's about MAX BRUCH????? Listen to his three violin concertos, the Scottish Fantasy, Adagio appassionata Op. 57, or in Memoriam Op. 65, they are all very nice. Also "Konzertstück in F" Op. 84, or the second symphony, and, and...sometimes I do like these sweet romantics...

The only piece I have heard by Bruch is Kol Nedrei, performed by Jaqueliene Du Pre and the Isreali Philharmonic. That has to be one of the most beautiful pieces ever written. I'll have to look for more of his music.

[Ahmad]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
And just to present a different perspective on listening, I started out by discovering a genre that I really liked (Violin Concertos to be exact) and simply acquired every one I could find no matter the age or composer. Then I moved on to violin sonatas then string quartets. In this process I managed to hear every style of classical music imaginable from Bach to Bruch to Berg, Vivaldi to Walton. So even though I eventually settled on Haydn, Mozart & Beethoven to collect their complete works, it was not because I hadn't heard a whole lot else and I could make an informed choice. I think that for a beginner, picking one composer or era and listening to no one else is a bad choice, it becomes self-limiting. Who knows, there may be something else out there that you find years from now that makes you wish you had done differently. This may not be the right thing for everyone, but it sure was for me!

I agree with you completely. I began listning to classical music that way also. For me Piano pieces was my favourite genre that I began with. I would advice every beginner with this way .

[Shane]

u shud definately try chopin. hes a great composer and he composes mainly for the piano, which is y i like him since im a pianist. but his 2 piano concertos r great. the 2nd 1 in f minor is my favourate. listen to it played by claudio arrau, its brilliant.

[Tegan]

Otterino Respighi was an interesting composer. Try to find his "Ancient Airs and Dances", because they are very beautiful. Vivaldi is also a wonderful composer, along with Brahms, Chopin, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, and Prokofiev, to name only a few.



[This message has been edited by Tegan (edited January 07, 2004).]

[v russo]

Charles Ives is one of the most interesting and significant figures in modern music history.

...we should not forget the old man. The great "father of American music".


------------------
v russo

[Tony John Hearne]

Just leap into Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto. It could be tough to begin with but please persevere over several listenings.

I found it in 1981 (Britten conducting and Mark Lubotsky on violin - you can still get the CD)and it has been part of my 'inner concert' ever since. The Ida Haendel / Paavo Berglund rendition is superb, and the more recent Vengerov/Rostropovitch just breathtaking.

I have found that once you "find" Benjamin Britten there is no way back. The "Sea Interludes" from the Opera "Peter Grimes" are another, perhaps more easily accessible, way into a life long appreciation of this Master Composer