wjm@whuxj.UUCP (MITCHELL) (05/02/84)
First, I'm glad to see that net.music.classical has arrived.
My suggestions for a few works to get people interested in classical
music are:
Beethoven:
1&2.The "Pastorial" and "Eroica" Symphonies - which will give them
a good idea of the mature symphonic form of the nineteenth century.
3. The "Emperor" piano concerto - I like Rudolf Serkin's version with
Ozawa and the Boston Symphony on Telarc (10065).
Tchaikovsky:
4. An orchestral version of the suite from "Sleeping Beauty"
which is a good example of the Romantic period.
Gershwin:
5. "Rhapsody in Blue" - often coupled with "An American in Paris" - will
give a good view of the early twentieth century in American music
Mozart:
6. One of the serenades for string and wind instruments - the "Haffner"
is a good choice as is the one for 13 wind instruments (K.297 ?)
7. Piano Concerto No. 19 which is often coupled with No. 23 - I like
the Alfred Brendel version with Neville Marriner and the
Academy of St-Martin-in-the-fields on Phillips.
8. The "Jupiter" symphony - which is a good example of an earlier
symphonic form than Beethoven
Handel:
9. Water Music - many versions available
Bach:
10. There are several recordings of short Bach pieces that will give a
feel for his work - "The Notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach" on Nonesuch
is a good one.
Vivaldi:
11. The "Four Seasons" will give a good feel for Baroque music - I like
Gerald Schwartz's version on Delos.
Rachmaninoff:
12. Richter made a recording for DG of some Rachmaninoff preludes which
is an excellent sampler of his piano music and an excellent example
of the art of piano music in general.
This list of a dozen works is by no means exhaustive and certainly reflects
my prejudices - I don't like most 20th century music or German opera - but
should give a newcomer to the field an idea of what classical music is about.
I've tended to stick to full orchestra works but one could easily add
some chamber or vocal works to the list. Happy listening!
Bill Mitchell
Bell Communications Research, Inc.
Whippany NJ, (whuxj!wjm)jho@ihuxn.UUCP (Yosi Hoshen) (05/02/84)
WHAT ABOUT CHAMBER MUSIC? I have seen very few recommandation for chamber music for new comers. What about: Schubert's Trout Quintet Mozart Clarinet Quintet Schubert's Trio OP. 99 Mozart's flute quartets (I strongly recomand the performance be Rampal, Stern, .. on the Colombia label for starters0 Beathoven's Archduke and Ghost Trios (may be?) Brahm's Sextets (Op 18 and 36) I think these piece's are melodical and would appeal to a starters who may not like a full symphony orchestra sound. Beethoven late quartets, definitely no!!! -- Yosi Hoshen Bell Laboratories Naperville, Illinois (312)-979-7321 Mail: ihnp4!ihuxn!jho
ellis@flairvax.UUCP (Michael Ellis) (05/03/84)
Re: Chamber Music for Newcomers Other recommendations (at least these are what grabbed me way back when..) Brahms is a major bonanza for chamber music lovers, particularly if you like heavy thick chords and rich romantic harmonies. He was a perfectionist who destroyed much of his own work that he judged inferior, and it is hard to find anything he wrote that is not perfect, unless you just don't like Brahms. Highly recomended are the clarinet quintet, the piano quintet, and the piano quartets, besides the marvelous sextets mentioned in Yosi Hoshen's article. If you like the gypsy sounds in the 1st piano quartet, perhaps Cesare Franck's wild and sensuous piano quintet will appeal to you as well. If any composer specialized in chamber music, it was Gabriel Faure (who has no symphonies, and very few orchestral works). Most of Faure's work is ethereal, poignant, perhaps not aggressive enough for some tastes. The two piano quintets are a good introduction to his style. Schubert has several string quartets that are well worth getting acquainted with. In addition to the `Quartettsatz' and `Death and the Maiden' (which makes really swell funeral music), one should really check out the soaring quartet number 15 -- his last, and one of my all time favorite chamber compositions. It is hard to agree with the recent admonition to beginners concerning Beethoven's late string quartets! These were among the first chamber compositions that appealed to me -- his other chamber music seems to pale in comparison to these ears. This music is so elevated and sublime that composers have been intimidated by the task of writing string quartets ever since. Admittedly, we are not talking about party music here... Though his relatively violent Grosse Fuge is still capable of emptying rooms, I'd most strongly recommend the C-sharp minor quartet. The inner 5(?) movements of this most unconventional piece meander thru a marvelous sequence of subtle, quiet states that can produce an almost zen-like trance. Space cadets should find much appealing in the earlier Rasoumovsky quartets as well. Shostakovich's string quartets strike me as the finest music he wrote, even if you think his (frequently political) symphonies suck. Those who are inclined to dismiss this composer ought to hear his string quartets 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9. These are full of beautiful melodies, meditative interludes, and pure magic. A punk I know ended up jumping around the room on his first acquaintance with the Bartok Quartets -- the vicious rhythms are capable of producing an incredible adrenalin rush -- particularly numbers 3, 4 and 5. The quiet parts of these are also particularly fun, full of expectant anxiety and occasionally acheiving a weird, dreamlike kind of serenity. This music is a nightmare if you are really stuck in conventional sounds, however. -michael
jho@ihuxn.UUCP (Yosi Hoshen) (05/05/84)
In recent article, I expressed my opinion that beginners should not be encouraged to start their classical music carrier with Beethoven's late quartets. To which Michael Ellis replied: >It is hard to agree with the recent admonition to beginners concerning >Beethoven's late string quartets! These were among the first chamber >compositions that appealed to me -- his other chamber music seems to pale >in comparison to these ears. This music is so elevated and sublime >that composers have been intimidated by the task of writing string quartets >ever since. Admittedly, we are not talking about party music here... I totally agree with Miachael's description of Beethoven late quartets. I envy Michael for his ability to appreciate these masterpieces in the early stages of his initiation to chamber music. For years chamber music was my preferred form of music. Specifically, I concentrated on chamber pieces by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms, yet, Beethoven's late quartets eluded me. Only, recently I was able to truly appreciate these masterworks. I have several friends who experienced the same problem I had. I think beginners should be exposed to less complicated forms of chamber music. I am concerned that Beethoven's late quartets may scare them away from classical music. -- Yosi Hoshen Bell Laboratories Naperville, Illinois (312)-979-7321 Mail: ihnp4!ihuxn!jho