Classical Music Fans - Can You Help Me To Find Something, Please?

msg
msg Posts: 9,308
I was reading an article the other week about Steve Jobs, and there were some photos of him hanging out listening to music. They pulled a list of the albums he was listening to from the photo. One of them was this
Jean-Pierre Rampal, Maurice André, Bach*, Paillard Chamber Orchestra*, Jean-François Paillard ‎– Brandenburg Concertos Complete
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I found and ordered the album, and it cleaned up okay. It's a sweet and pleasing vinyl listening experience, but would like to have a digital copy, as well, for work, or background listening, so I don't have to pay attention to record side changes while working around the house. I know next to nothing of classical, except that I enjoy the Baroque period pieces. Do any of you know where I can find either this, or a close comparable/similar recording?

Also, if you can recommend some other recordings/pieces that would be a good for someone new to classical, I'd greatly appreciate it.

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For those interested, the three identifiable albums in the Steve Jobs photo were:
  • Bach Brandenberg Concertos (Jean-Pierre Rampal, Maurice André; RCA)
  • Ella Fitzgerald: The Cole Porter Songbook (Vol. 1, Verve)
  • Steely Dan's Aja (ABC)
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,308
    I searched Tidal for Bach Brandenburg Concertos and found a whole bunch. Seems a popular collection/performance, but how does this work? Are there better orchestras? Should any of these performances sound the same? What are the differences to look for?
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  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    I'm still new to Classical. but AJA is my Favorite Steely Dan!

    Ella Fitzgerald: The Cole Porter Songbook is nice!

    I am a fan of the Nutcracker Suite.
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,308
    Hey man, whatever you do on the weekends is fine by me. I accept all my friends unconditionally.

    I need to check out the Ella Fitzgerald.
    I tried the Steely Dan. Man, I don't know, must be something wrong with me. I couldn't really get into it. I liked that Josie track though.
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  • K_M
    K_M Posts: 1,627
    msg wrote: »
    Hey man, whatever you do on the weekends is fine by me. I accept all my friends unconditionally.

    I need to check out the Ella Fitzgerald.
    I tried the Steely Dan. Man, I don't know, must be something wrong with me. I couldn't really get into it. I liked that Josie track though.

    I kinda felt the same way, when I tried them out on Spotify.
    Nothing bad, but not a lot grabbed me either.

    I had heard they were "Jazz" sounding, but it was more of a slight connection to jazz, more to me like soft rock.
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,350
    msg wrote: »
    I tried the Steely Dan. Man, I don't know, must be something wrong with me. I couldn't really get into it. I liked that Josie track though.

    You are not alone. Plenty of ink about why they don't appeal, pick an article and identify with it. ;)

    I spun Gaucho for a friend and he loved it. He went out and bought their entire catalog, only to find he didn't like any of the earlier stuff. Gaucho is my favorite, yet I like all their previous albums.

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  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    Will I guess I won't mention "Donald Fagen's * Morph The Cat* :p
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  • MrBuhl
    MrBuhl Posts: 2,419
    SCompRacer wrote: »
    msg wrote: »

    I spun Gaucho for a friend and he loved it. He went out and bought their entire catalog, only to find he didn't like any of the earlier stuff. Gaucho is my favorite, yet I like all their previous albums.

    +1 on Gaucho, my fav as well, courtesy of our very own @voltz
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,308
    Rich, wow, I wouldn't have thought for a second there'd be so much Steely Dan negativity out there, but you were weren't kidding - it's not even hard to find!
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  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    How about some "Sunken Condos"s ;)
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,308
    If they're anything like Battling Aardvarks From Siberia, I'm all for it.
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  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    BTW you have it on your PC B)
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,308
    Did you hack me again? Dern it Durl.
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,350
    msg wrote: »
    Rich, wow, I wouldn't have thought for a second there'd be so much Steely Dan negativity out there, but you were weren't kidding - it's not even hard to find!

    My second fav is The Royal Scam. Carlton's contribution is one reason.

    Classical wise give Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade a try. Knowing the story makes it easier to interpret the music. I have a Telarc on vinyl.

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  • Mikey081057
    Mikey081057 Posts: 7,127
    Listen to Steely Dan Two Against Nature on Tidal Masters. It KICKS!!

    Steely Dan are a bit like Zappa.... you either get it or you don't. Not comparing them, but you have to understand it to get it.
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  • ROHfan
    ROHfan Posts: 1,014
    An odd selection, but one worth buying, would be "Bachbusters" by Don Dorsey. It's a Bach compilation CD being played solely on the earlier Moog synthesizers. Very different, with some awesome renditions of Bach's most popular pieces. Dorsey also has one for Beethoven, "Beethoven or Bust."
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  • andrew82
    andrew82 Posts: 144
    Good for you getting into classical; I hope that you're enjoying the journey!

    I've been a big fan of classical my entire life. It can be intimidating finding good recordings and performers of classical music starting out. My advice: when you find something you like, look at the other records put out by that conductor/orchestra and the recording company. You'll likely find much more that you like.

    I've given you a few albums below that I keep in the rotation, or have recently found. All fantastic. I hope you enjoy them.

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    This is my favorite Brandenburg right now. Pretty consistent with most performances, but really well done. I like the horns in this.

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    Maybe my favorite classical recording for late mornings. I love Handel, and I love Pinnock. If you like this, Pinnock has a Brandenburg concertos that is highly regarded, and quite excellent.

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    One of a set of volumes. Excellent piano music for the morning.

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    Recently released (a few years). Just an incredible pianist. Three composes for he price of one. The Goldberg Variations are sort of a right of passage as well.

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    Another important piece to experience. This recording is not performed "by the book," but is all the better for it. This is an exciting interpretation.

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    Simply superb. If you're in the mood for Bach, load this up and let it play. She does impart her own style to this.

    Anyway, that's more than enough for now I think! Always happy to talk classical if you're ever looking for more or want to share some of your discoveries.
  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,308
    Wow, thanks a lot for these recommendations, Andrew! I'll check them out. These and the others I've gotten (not that Steely Dan stuff; jes keeding guys) ought to keep me busy for a while.

    Good tip on the composer/orchestra and recording company. Had a couple of chats here and there re: the genre and seems like the people into it say similar - can be a bit difficult getting going, and to do what you say on finding more stuff.

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  • schwarcw
    schwarcw Posts: 7,328
    You may want to listen to "Tutti". A classical sampler by the Minnesota Orchestra, Eiji Oue and others by Reference Recordings on SACD or HDCD. Check out here: https://referencerecordings.com/recording/tutti-orchestral-sampler/
    Carl

  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,308
    Getting around to listening to some of this stuff while kicking around doing stuff around the house today. Added all of your recommendations in Tidal and created a playlist, and have most of the Squeezeboxii playing. It'll be a day of classical familiarization, and I'll be sure to give all of this new-to-me music a proper listen over the next few weeks, probably mostly under headphones at work. Enjoying the exploration so far - thanks for the recommendations guys. All the thoughts, perspectives and recommendations have been very helpful so far in helping me gather some material to check out.

    The Tutti sampler was last in and first up. It's funny, quite a bit of it sounds familiar. Probably heard most of it in films and Bugs Bunny cartoons over the years.

    Prime example of why it can be overwhelming; see attached - listings for Handel's Water Music. Btw, thanks for posting the covers! That's very helpful in quickly tracking these albums down in searches.

    Also, THIS piece is friggin' AMAZING!!! Wow!
    Laughing with near excitement - this stuff reminds me of scenes out of an Indiana Jones film, some combination of humorous goings on, into dramatic poignant pause, developing into classic harrowing chase scene.
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    Also, the low frequency range of some of this stuff, wow. Just so very dynamic!
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,350
    edited May 2017
    schwarcw wrote: »
    You may want to listen to "Tutti".

    Good suggestion! Completely forgot about it.

    You like pipe organ music? Bach? Not everyone does.

    Michael Murray, The Great Organ at Methuen - Bach. No, it's not a p o r n flick. This is one of the reasons I added two 12 subs to my large listening space (over 10,000 cubic feet). Makes a huge difference to have that 25 - 35Hz range at +- 3dB with this recording. (Or dubstep). I have it on vinyl.

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    https://youtu.be/qj_oUK9jSBY

    If you want to jump to sample tracks, time listed to advance to.

    1. Fantasia And Fugure, 11:30
    2. Toccata, 8:16
    3. Passacaglia And Fugue, 14:35
    4. Vater Unser Im Himmelreich, 2:24
    5. Alle Menschen Mussen Sterben, 2:27

    This is it, Methuen Memorial Music Hall, Methuen, MA.

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  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,346
    The Paillard recordings of the Brandenberg Concertos came out on CD in 2015. Different cover than the original vinyl version, but Amazon has it...

    https://www.amazon.com/Bach-JS-Brandenburg-Concertos-2CD/dp/B00V8V4588/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1496012482&sr=8-4&keywords=rampal+brandenburg+concertos
  • Manticore
    Manticore Posts: 408
    Wow, Murray sounds fantastic. Always loved the sound of the organ. Really liked 2. Toccata, &
    3. Passacaglia And Fugue Real interesting music.
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  • K_M
    K_M Posts: 1,627
    edited June 2017
    Listen to Steely Dan Two Against Nature on Tidal Masters. It KICKS!!

    Steely Dan are a bit like Zappa.... you either get it or you don't. Not comparing them, but you have to understand it to get it.

    I think I understand Steely Dan, but as to "getting it", uh maybe a bit, but just maybe not my cup of tea.
    It was far less Jazz than I was lead to believe, but neither was it rock, which I can relate to at times.
    I am not sure that I "disliked" it so much, but did not feel it grabbed me really.

    I liked some of the music, several songs, and certain parts of their stuff for sure, but I guess I felt like something was missing, as if they were distant or not connecting with me.
    Hard to describe the feeling, but I got the sense of fairly well playing musicians, doing music for themselves, that just did not click with me in any personal level.

    None of the lyrics seemed to do anything, other than be clever mostly. None were bad, mind you, but they just felt disconnected from any reality I live in.

    But of course I love Diana Krall, and many hate her...!
  • K_M
    K_M Posts: 1,627
    I mostly associate Steely Dan with their Aja lp. That LP (plus Fleetwood Mac Rumors and Hotel CA) were very popular in the college dorms. it was a huge LP for Steely Dan. Everything they did in the 70s was in studio and they did not tour.

    All of those came out before I was born... :'(
  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,308
    Jeez, man, did you have to post that Dream Weaver album cover so big? :s:pB)
    Like something out of that 80's version of Flash Gordon, minus to the cool.
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