Classical music for people that (think they) don't like classical music

[DaveK]

Mainly to Jeremy,
Hi, Just been out to invest in some of your recommendations. Have listened to the mfp Arvo Part and regret to advise I couldn't 'get into it'. Ive heard Spiege im Spiegel of course many times - Classic FM gave it lots of airings I seem to remember about a year or two ago - liked it then and like it now but ...... the remainder ...... not for me I'm afraid. I guess I'm a bit of a melody fan and I couldn't hear any. Not blaming the music or the recording, just not to my taste. I know nothing about music and how it's written, I can't begin to conceive what goes on in the composer's mind as he translates his thoughts into a series of 'tadpoles' spread across 5 parallel lines, but I do 'know' (do I ?) that it has to follow some kind of 'mathematical' rules of balance, and to me there was no balance - I know what I mean, I hope you do .
Am now listening to Sibelius 2nd - much more enjoyable - there's a sort of melody (theme may be a more accurate word) and balance (IMO) and I suspect that I will benefit from hearing it again (can't say the same about Arvo !). It is quite ' Finlandiaesque' in places and nontheless enjoyable for that. His 5th is just starting and, so far, it sounds encouraging.
Only Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 and Jazz Suite and Stravinsky's Firebird and Rite of Spring to go . I'll keep you posted.
Cheers,

[Jeremy Marchant]

People could do a lot worse than this EMI box set:
"20th CENTURY MASTERPIECES 100 Years of Classical Music. Works by Rachmaninov, Debussy, Delius, Mahler, Schoenberg etc. EMI Classics 16cds" for £27.

I counted 52 different composers. so there's something for everyone. It includes works that I've recommended, but also, essentially, runs right up to the end of the century (which I haven't done (yet))

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product...ts/2175002.htm

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Can anyone recomend anywhere that i could download any of this music in as higher resolution as possible?

this is a fantastic idea for a post! i have frequantly though of asking this question but have been so overwhelmed by "classical music" that i didnt even know where to start with the question
"can anyone recomend any clasical music i might like" didnt seem to cut it

[Simon P]

I really appreciate seeing this thread about classical - thank you.

I'm really quite ignorant about classical music, and I want to learn more. I have to agree that it just like any type of music, in that it is a bit of a minefield if it's not your area of expertise, but I'm sure that there is plenty that I could appreciate.

I normally listen to a fairly broad spectrum of electronic music, some jazz and funk. I will definitely be checking out some of the recommendations above.

There was a free Arabesque CD that came with HiFi+ this month that I've been enjoying. I've loved hearing Saint Saens - Dans Macabre on it, something I've not heard since my schooldays. It has really impressed on me the dynamic swings my system is capable of. The build and crescendos were so impressive that I nearly fell off my chair the first time I played it. There are a couple of Debussy pieces on there as well that made me realise I need to find out more about his work.

I've also recently heard some of Arvo Part's work and realise I need to find out more - any recommendatios as to where to start with him would be very much appreciated.

On a slighly related tip I've recently discovered Max Richter's "post-classical" work which I really like. I only found out about him as he has worked with electronic producers the Future Sound of London. I can strongly recommend giving The Blue Notebooks a try. Apparently the concept of this album is that it's a soundtrack to a film that hasn't been made. One of his tracks 'On the Nature of Daylight' has become one of my favourite pieces of music this year. If you find that you enjoy this album, it's also worth giving 'From The Art of Mirrors' a listen.

I hope talking about post-classical han't deviated too far from the original thread.

Simon

[Gints]

What about Vivaldi Four Seasons? Very nice music itself, melodic, emotional, not complicated. Actually for me it all was down to accident, but that music can open a window quite a bit for everyone, I think.

Also live concerts is good way for start. It is great experience with that sound and the fact that you can see orchestra and all that instruments when they playing. Personally, I was just on few concerts and I was very impressed with Berlioz Symphony Fantastique.

Visualisations can do a great job as well. Ballet Yellow Tango was my discovery of Piazzola music, Juliet and Romeo ballet also impressed me.

And what about some new arrangements. For example, Kazu Matsui albums Tribal Mozart and Tribal Shubert, not a big orchestra and there are some modern instruments, but in very delicate way. They also are good records for nice audio systems, there is so much small nuance in music, I never bored listening them again and again.

That was may way into classical music and that maybe can give some idea how to help somebody to make their own opinion about it. I cannot say that I am a big fan but definitely open to that kind of music.

[DaveK]

Hi Guys,
Anyone interested in trying Classical music without risking wasting lots of money if they don't like it may be interested in the following 2 links: -

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/pages/s...=EMIbestof0809

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/search/...ts/EMIbox0809/ (Product Code: 2681322)

I suspect that the second link (note the seperate Product Code) may be the same disc set as Jeremy recommends above but appears to be much cheaper.
Others looking for cheaper copies of muscic they like, or think they might like, may also find the links useful.
Good hunting,

[DaveK]

I've also recently heard some of Arvo Part's work and realise I need to find out more - any recommendatios as to where to start with him would be very much appreciated.

Simon

Hi Simon,
I have a CD copy of Arvo Part's Fratres, Tabula rasa, Spiegel im Spiegel, Summa, Festina lente and Cantus which I have listened to once and wasn't very impressed with. If you want to borrow it for a while, PM me with your address and I'll stick it in the post for you.
Dave.

[Jeremy Marchant]

Can anyone recomend anywhere that i could download any of this music in as higher resolution as possible?

If you mean better than CD quality, unfortunately there's very little available. The Linn Records site includes not only their own often excellent records in 'studio master' quality, but also they're trying out running other labels' stuff, where presumably the other labels don't want to get into the technical hassle of offering the service. There's an excellent Mahler 4 on there conducted by Ivan Fischer, for example.

Gimell Records do it, too, but their repertoire is exclusively ancient music which you might a bit hard going. Try the Allegri Miserere for starters. Should be stunning!

Having heard a number of demos of downloaded files of different specs of the same recording (including at Linn in Glasgow) I am saddened by how little of 'studio master' quality is available: the best is amazing. 'Comfort ye' from Linn's recording of Handel's Messiah is breathtaking at SM quality level.

[Jeremy Marchant]

Hi Simon,
I have a CD copy of Arvo Part's Fratres, Tabula rasa, Spiegel im Spiegel, Summa, Festina lente and Cantus which I have listened to once and wasn't very impressed with.

His music is very much a matter of taste. He treads a fine line between banality ans inspiration and I wouldn't blame anyone deciding it was banality for them! But that is a good CD to start with.

Also try John Tavener (not to be confused with the Elizabethan John Taverner) for more of what is disrespectfully called Holy Minimalism.

[Jeremy Marchant]

What about Vivaldi Four Seasons? Very nice music itself, melodic, emotional, not complicated.

It's good stuff. And if you like that style, there's yards more of it! The four seasons are just the first four of 12 concertos with the title The contest between harmony and invention; then there are 12 more called La stravaganza (a favourite of mine); 12 more called La cetra. And more... And then there are concerti by Corelli.

The German style is more solid than the Italians above, but apart from JS Bach (Brandenburgs, harpsichord concertos, violin concertos), there are wonderful concertos by Handel (six op3 and, especially, the 12 op6).

Go for English Concert conducted by Trevor Pinnock in this repertoire and you won't go wrong.