Classical for people who don't like classical

TroyD

...or at least THINK that they don't like classical.

Every so often people will chime in with requests for things that they should look for and I thought maybe if we all put our heads together we could come up with some good staples for the uninitiated.

I was just listening to Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. Many will remember this as being the theme music in Platoon. This is a piece that just moves me. I absolutely love it. I have the Ormandy/Philly Orchestra version. A must have.


I'd also throw in, for the rock and roll crowd, Mahler's symphonies. Particularly 2 and/or 5. Talk about bombastic...

Strauss Also Sprach Zarathustra (easy one to recognize) and less known but, IMHO, better is his Alpine Symphony.

Of course everyone knows Beethoven's 5th but my particular favorite is the 9th.

What do you guys think??

BDT

Refefer

Hollywood Used classical pieces I think should also be used, do to their common appeal.

First and formost, I'd introduce them to Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata(movements 1 and 3) and Fur Elise. Possibly the most recognized piano pieces to the common person.

Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture is a great piece for introduction, especially the last 5 minutes or so when they start using the cannons. It's use in V for Vendetta was a very pleasant surprise and well placed.

O Fortuna from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana is another pleaser. I've found a new found joy listening to it on my SDA's

Mozart's Requiem is super energetic, the most popular being Dias Irae. The whole Requiem however is incredible. His Symphony No. 25 is also quality.

Vivaldi's Four Seasons is well known as well, Spring being used everywhere, especially in family film.

William Tell Overature is common as dirt also.

Bach's Suite No. 1 is a great piece(As heard in Master and Commander). His Concerto for Two Violins and Strings in D Minor is also top notch, though a bit more complex. I'd also take a look at Suite No. 3 as an easily recognizable piece.

Wagner Die Walkure: Ride of the Valkeries should be recognizable to pretty much everyone. Such a powerful piece.

Pachabel's Cannon in D? Absolutely.

madmax

I've played through a lot of classical here lately but I think I need different speakers to be able to appreciate it. The SDA's generally suck with classical or maybe I just need better equipment up stream. In any case I have very little depth and there is not a lot of excitement going on. I've never been to a classical performance but I've heard big bands before and I know there has to be a lot of excitement in the sound.
madmax

cfrizz

All the ones that I would have suggested have been named except for,
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring other wise known as Cantata No. 147 For a rock & roll version of this get, Apollo 100's version titled Joy

Also Bach's Fugue in G Major, especially if played by Virgil Fox on the organ!

I also happen to like Sheep May Safely Graze also by Bach.

schwarcw

I've been listening to some Arthur Fiedler directing the Boston Pops (on vinyl). I picked up a Reader's Digest box set at a garage sale for $3. This set has a lot of various classic pieces and some more modern composers. The set is great! The Boston Pops are amazing.

John K.

Absolutely, Troy; it's a shame that so many don't realize that there's a whole world of great classical music waiting for them out there if they'll just give a listen. When I make suggestions I try to concentrate on "colorful" items that might appeal to most. So, the suggestions won't include great music by Bach, Mozart, etc. which some have described as uninteresting. I certainly love all the items that you mentioned, although for a beginner the Mahler 2nd might be a bit heavy.

I'll list five that I commonly suggest beginning with The Planets , which is as sure fire as anything I know. Next the great Brahms Hungarian Dances and Dvorak Slavonic Dances . Respighi's Pines of Rome, etc. should certainly be included. Gershwin's jazz-influenced music should be a favorite and just recently I discovered the best Gershwin collection that I'd ever heard(done by a British pianist playing and conducting a provincial Danish orchestra)which I gave as a birthday gift yesterday to our priest after mass.

cfrizz

That they are. There will never be another conductor of the Pops like Arthur Fiedler! I still miss him even though he has been dead for almost 30 yrs.

I'll never forget the year he died. 1979, I graduated from HS that June, John Wayne died, & Fiedler died a few days before the 4th of July concert. They put Kitty Dukakis's father in as the conductor (He was a conductor Laurete for the Pops & I can't remember his name!) He did the down stroke to start Stars & Stripes Forever & then left the podium! I cried through the entire song.

schwarcw wrote:

I've been listening to some Arthur Fiedler directing the Boston Pops (on vinyl). I picked up a Reader's Digest box set at a garage sale for $3. This set has a lot of various classic pieces and some more modern composers. The set is great! The Boston Pops are amazing.

I-SIG

I have a bit of a thing for Hans Liszt. Very recognizable from Bugs Bunny and such.

Wes

Tex

Great choices by everyone. One of my favorite all time pieces is Francesca Da Rimini by Tchaikovsky. Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 is what got me started listening to classical music when I was about 16. I went from Black Sabbath to Beethoven overnight. Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini is great. Cesar Franck's Sonata for piano and violin in A major and Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor are also good to start with. There are many great pieces to listen to, the thing is you have to actually listen in order to really enjoy and understand it.

John K.

Right Carol(sorry, Cathy), Arthur Fiedler left us with a lot of beautiful musical memories. One of my favorite recordings of his is Slaughter on Tenth Avenue , which although rather short measure has an excellent selection of interesting music. By the way, the conductor at the 1979 concert in the maestro's absence was Harry Ellis Dickson.

Strong Bad

I always loved Strauss "The Blue Danube." That was HUGE in the movie 2001 A Space Odyssey.

Great thread! All that was mentioned is high on my list.

John

reeltrouble1

I am rather fond of RT1's interpretation of Moonlight Sonata, the haunting of Beethoven's melody is disarming followed by Fur Elise, well known and Classiscal in every way. The Sonata's are an easy 'sampler", of course they feature the piano, my all time favorite instrument but that is a subjective thing, followed by the strings then the french horn and now I am rambling.......

Max--Sorry to hear, I dont find that to be the case with my set.

TroyD

Chuck,

PM me your addy. I'll send you a couple that will make you **** your flat hat.

BDT

cfrizz

:rolleyes: Harry Ellis Dickson! Thank you John! BTW my name is Cathy!:D

John K. wrote:

Right Carol, Arthur Fiedler left us with a lot of beautiful musical memories. One of my favorite recordings of his is Slaughter on Tenth Avenue , which although rather short measure has an excellent selection of interesting music. By the way, the conductor at the 1979 concert in the maestro's absence was Harry Ellis Dickson.

dorokusai

I get absolutely naked when listening to Stravinsky's Firebird...you folks should stop by and hear this!

TroyD

I also like to monkey with my privates to Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra.

The RCA Living Stereo SACD is the best version that I've heard.

BDT

steveinaz

Great thread. Being unaware of classical and trying to pick something, is like trying to pick a wine from a rack of 600 types. Keep the suggestions coming. Luckily I know my wines...

bikezappa

TroyD

Mahler's second symphony especially the last movement, if you are impatient, is a real test of a systems dynamic range ability. I have heard it many times at the Boston Symphony and no reocrding compares well unfortunatly.

An easy way to start with Mahler maybe the 4th.

John K.

Well Steve, it seems that the suggestions have slowed down, so I'll add a few more of my favorites, in no particular order: Rachmaninoff collection ; Rite of Spring ; Strauss waltzes ; Ravel collection ; Ilya Murometz ; Mahler 2d Symphony ; Swan Lake ; Ma Vlast ; Hanson 2d Symphony ; Cinderella ; Scintillation .

Schris22

TroyD wrote:

I also like to monkey with my privates to Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra.

The RCA Living Stereo SACD is the best version that I've heard.

BDT

and can be had now for 5.99

Linky

have you heard this one?

Seiji Ozawa


some saint saens is good too. The Swan is a popular one.

Some Choin Piano - Waltz No. 3 In A Minor, Op. 34, No. 2 and Nocturne in C is famous esp. because of THe Pianist.

Pagganni's 5th caprice is fast and exciting sounds great on violin or cello.


most famous ones have already been named. but there are a few great classical mixed albums out there.

Chris