If someone wanted to develop an appreciation for classical music, what are some essential pieces?

Question

If someone wanted to develop an appreciation for classical music, what are some essential pieces?

Answer 1

BACH: Brandenburg Concertos

BEETHOVEN: Symphonies 3, 5 and 9; Piano Sonatas 8 (Pathetique), 19 (Moonlight), 23 (Appassionata); Violin Sonata 9 (Kreutzer)

BERLIOZ: Symphonie Fantastique

BRAHMS: German Requiem, Tragic Overture, all four symphonies

COPLAND: Appalachian Spring

DEBUSSY: La Mer, Suite bergamesque

DVORAK: Symphony 9 (New World)

FAURE: Requiem

MAHLER: Symphonies 2, 5 and 9

MOZART: Requiem, Symphonies 25, 40 and 41, Ave Verum Corpus

MENDELSSOHN: Songs Without Words

SCHUMANN: Symphony 1, Carnaval

STRAUSS, Richard: Also Sprach Zarathustra. Death and Transfiguration

STRAVINSKY: Rite of Spring

TCHAIKOVSKY: Romeo and Juliet, Symphonies 5 and 6

WAGNER: his opera overtures, especially The Flying Dutchman and Tannhäuser





These pieces should be enjoyed by music lover, so I think it's a good start for you. Enjoy!

Answer 2

One of my all time favourites is Franz Liszt's Les Preludes

Answer 3

Having no idea whatsoever as to your own personal tastes,

this list heavily reflects my own preference for the more dramatic music of the Romantic period following Beethoven.

Also there is no opera listed as I don't care for it.

I'm aware I've omitted out some real masterpieces here(only 1 entry for Mozart! with no mention of the late symphonies and concertos absolutely unforgivable I know)

and I've similarly passed over some composers altogether

(like Shostakovich who I admire greatly but who is possibly an acquired taste)

Damnit! there are just so many to choose from.

So in chronological order by name of composer here are some of my essential choices)



Tomaso Albinoni - Adagio in G minor

Gregorio Allegri - Missere

J.S Bach - Goldberg Variations (for solo piano)

Unaccompanied Cello Suites Nos.1-6

Violin Partita No.2

Samuel Barber - Adagio for Strings

Ludwig Van Beethoven - complete Symphonies 1-9

Overtures to Egmont,Coriollan & Leonore III

String Quartets Nos.7-9 &13-16

Piano Concerto Nos.4 & 5

"Kreutzer" violin and piano sonata No.9

"Archduke" piano trio No.7

Piano Sonatas 8,14,23,29-32

"Diabelli" variations (solo piano)

Johannes Brahms - Tragic Overture

Alto Rhapsody

Symphony Nos.3 & 4

Bela Bartok - Concerto for Orchestra

Frederic Chopin - Piano Sonata No.3 in B minor

Ballade Nos.1 & 4

Antonin Dvorak - Symphony Nos.7 & 9

Edward Elgar - Cello Concerto

Violin Concerto

Henryk Gorecki - Symphony No.3 "Of Sorrowful Songs"

Edvard Grieg - Piano Concerto

Peer Gynt Suite

Joseph Haydn - "7 Last Words of Christ" for String Quartet

Gustav Holst - The Planets (suite for orchestra)

Franz Liszt - Piano Sonata in B minor

Funérailles

Gustav Mahler - Symphonies No.2 "Resurrection",6 "Tragic" & No.9

Felix Mendelssohn - Overture to Fingals Cave "Hebrides"

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Requiem Mass in D minor

Modest Mussorgsky - Night On Bald Mountain

Pictures at an Exhibition

Sergei Prokofiev - Romeo & Juliet (suites I & II)

Sergei Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto Nos.2 & 3

Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini

Isle of the Dead (symphonic poem)

Maurice Ravel - "Jeux d'eau" (solo piano)

Rimsky Korsakov - Scheherazade (symphonic poem)

Franz Schubert - String Quartets No.14 & 15

Robert Schumann - Fantasiestucke & Kreisleriana (solo piano)

Aleander Scriabin - Piano Sonata No.9

Jean Sibelius - Violin Concerto

Symphonies Nos.2,4 & 5

Richard Strauss - Metamorphosen for 23 solo strings

Igor Stravinsky - Rite of Spring

The Firebird Suite

Karl Szymanowski - Stabat Mater

Pyotr Tchaikovsky - Symphonies 4-6

Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture

Swan Lake (final fourth act especially)

Ralph Vaughan-Williams - The Lark Ascending

Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis

Symphony No.5

Giuseppe Verdi - Requiem Mass

Richard Wagner - Prelude & Liebestod from "Tristan und Isolde"

Answer 4

Try:



Debussy's Children's Corner Suite

Chopin's Nocturnes

Wagner may be a little intense to start of with but I love it.

Debussy's Claire de Lune

Bach's Brandenburg concertos

Beethoven's Piano concerto no.3 (I love it and it's quite an interesting piece)

Try some Palestrina as well



Not sure what your tastes are but I have included early and romantic things. The likes of Wagner, R. Strauss, Verdi and Puccini can be a little intense for people who are starting off listening. Hope that helps.

Answer 5

WQXR has a web site that plays classical 24 hours, there's so much, you should see what you like, My essential list would have hundreds of pieces. Very condensed:

Beethoven's Symphonies 3, 5, 6,7, & 9 Piano concertos 4, & 5, Violin concerto.

Mozart's Symphonies 39,40, & 41

Schubert' Symphonies # 8, & 9

Mendelssohn's "Midsummer Nights Dream" Italian Symphony, violin concerto

All Brahms's symphonies (there are only 4) Piano concerto #2, Violin concerto.

Wagner's overtures & preludes, Lohengrin act 1 & 2, Tannhauser, Meistersinger, Ride of the Valkyries, Wotan's Farewell and Magic Fire Music, Forest murmurs. Sigfried's Rhine Journey, Funeral music from Gotterdammerung, Tristan und Isolde; prelude-love death.

Grieg; Peer Gynt suites, Holberg suite

Camille Saint-Saens Symphony #3 (theme from Babe movie)

Gustav Holst; The Planets ( a stereo system tester)

Rimsky Korsakov; Scheherazade, Russian Easter Overture

Dvorak; Symphony #9, Cello Concerto

Tchaikovsky: violin concerto, piano concerto #1, symphony #5, Swan Lake, (1812 overture is fun, Nutcracker is good at Christmas)

Mussorgsky; Pictures at an exhibition/Ravel orchestration

Debussy; Afternoon of a Fuan, La Mer, Nocturnes

Respighi; Pines of Rome , Fountains of Rome (Fritz Reiner version still best)

Sibelius: Symphonies #2 & 5

Johann Strauss Jr, waltzes. Emperor, Blue Danube, and others

Technically the following are Baroque but:

J S Bach; Brandenburg Concertos

G F Handel; Water Music, Royal Fireworks Music

These are more modern, you might need to get used to the harmonies.

Stravinky; Firebird, Rite of Spring

Gustav Mahler; synphonies #1 & 5

Prokofiev, Symphony #1, Lieutenant Kije (plagerized by Sting) Love for Three Oranges

Schostakovich; symphony # 5

If you really want to listen to the best music ever, Beethoven's string Quartets, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, (which can always be found as a set) are the best music ever, but are quite challeging to the listener.

Answer 6

The below link will provide you with a good starting point. Would recommend you peruse it in its entirety. For specific composers and their compositions, refer to "Contents" box; scroll down to section (3) "time line of composers", click and you'll see a "time line" graph of all the great composers come on.



You can click on any, and in addition to a bio., there is also a lists of all their major compositions:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_music_(disambiguation)#Timeline_of_composers



The following You Tube link(it's a great FREE resource for listening to classical music)is such a composition, one I imagine you will readily recognize:



http://ru.youtube.com/watch?v=GSKL5E3zSjs



Alberich

Answer 7

go with the 'classics' i suppose.



clair de lune by claude debussy has ALWAYS been one of my favorites - it gives me the chills everytime :D



it depends on which style of 'classical' (a misnomer of sorts) music you're into. there's the romantic period that includes such greats as chopin and franz liszt and late beethoven - my personal favorite period of music.

then there's the baroque period with bach and scarlatti for example. your typical 'classical' music i suppose. same with the actual classical period which yields such great composers as mozart, and most of beethoven.



so in all, look into the above mentioned composers. i wouldn't be able to pick just one piece for you to listen to from them.

um. the 6 consolations by franz liszt are great.

oh. and try hungarian rhapsody no. 5 in e minor (?) by franz liszt as well. such a bold, virtuoso piece.

Answer 8

Anything from Beethoven or Mozart.



My favorite would be Toccata and Fugue in d minor from bach.

Answer 9

These are big, dramatic, and well known.. .fun place to start



Richard Wagner "Ride of The Valkyries"



Mussorgorsky "Pictures at an Exhibition"



Strauss "Also Sprach Zarastrutha"



Dukas "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"

Answer 10

Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent: Symphony No.3

Tchaikovsky: Marche Slave

Mendelssohn: Symphony No.4 'Italian'

Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique

Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro

Chopin: Piano Concerto No.1

Sullivan: 'Irish' Symphony

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9

Verdi: Aida

Wagner: The Ring cycle

Haines: 'Le Merchand'

Scott: 'The Duchess of York'

Shostakovich: Festive Overture

Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake

Berlioz: Harold in Italy

Liszt: Hangarian Rhapsody No.1

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No.3

Mozart: Don Giovanni

Rossini: William Tell

Mozart: Clarinet Concerto

Elgar: Pomp and Circumstance march No.1

Dukas: The Socerer's Apprentice

Pierne: Entance of the little Fauns

Liadov: A Musical Snuffbox

Brahms: Hungarian Dance No.5

Wagner: Tannhauser

Respighi: The Birds

Handel: The Water Music

Bach: Orchestral Suite No.3

Faure: Spanish Suite from 'Dolly's Suite'

Debussy: Clair de Lune

Saint-Saens: Carnival of the Animals

Haines: Symphony no. 10

Bizet: Carmen

Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture

Strauss: The blue Danube

Dvorak: Symphony No.9

Purcell: 15 Fantasias for viols

Vivaldi: Gloria in D

Rameau: Platee

Handel: Zadok the Preist

Bach: St John Passion

Gluck: Armide

Haydn: Nelson Mass

Mozart: Cosi fan tutte

Beethoven: Fidelio

Weber: Bassoon Concerto

Rossini: The Barber of Seville

Schubert: The Trout Quintet

Donizetti: Anna Bolena

Scott: Symphony No. 14

Bellini: Oboe Concerto

Berlioz: Te Deum

Mendelssohn: Octet for Strings

Chopin: Fantasy in F minor

Schumann: Cello Concerto

Sullivan: Macbeth Overture

Liszt: Faust Symphony

Wagner: Parsifal

Verdi: Nabucco

Franck: Symphonic Variations

Smetana: Ma Vlast

Bruckner: Te Deum

Strauss II: Morning Papers

Brahms: German Requiem

Saint Saens: Dnase Macabre

Bizet: Symphony in C

Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker

Dvorak: Rusalka

Grieg: In Autumn

Elgar: Enigma Variations

Puccini: Tosca

Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde

Scott: Liebst Mich

Haines: Symphony no.12

Debussy: La Mer

R. Strauss: Don Juan

Sibelius: En Saga

V. Williams: Linden Sea

Rachmaninoff: Vocalise

Schoenberg: Variations for Orchestra

Ravel: Bolero

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition

Bartok: String Quartets

Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring

Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf

Sibelus: In the Arabian Desert

Bartok: Lapus Lazuli

Kampf: General Opulence

Yulis Fo: Lichen Huyinj

Mozart: Poliferary

Tai Min: Asiana Bliss

Scott: Burlief

Haines: In His Eyes

Verdi: Wilo

Kampf: Ovorio

Coloque: Greil Road

Hayes: Road to Perdition

Freais: Hell is Coming

Sibelius: The Day Heaven and Earth Collided

Gershwin: Rhapsody in blue

Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No.2

Britten: Peter Grimes

Monteverdi: Ariadne’s Lament

Purcell: The Fairy Queen

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

Rameau: Zoroastre

Handel: Messiah

Bach: The well tempered Clavier

Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice

Haydn: Symphony No.100

Mozart: Symphony no. 41

Beethoven: Fur Elise

Weber: Clarinet Concerto

Rossini: Stabat Mater

Schubert: Unfinished symphony

Donizetti: The Elixir of Love

Bellini: Norma

Berlioz: Requiem:

Mozart: Requiem

Chopin: Polonasies

Liszt: Les Preludes

Wagner: Die Walkure

Verdi: Otello

Smetana: Salon Polkas

Bruckner: Symphony No.9

Haines: La Chasse

Scott: A Bird in the wind

Brahms: German Requiem

Saint Saens: Septet in E-flat

Bizet: The Peral Fishers

Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet

Dvorak: Slavonic Dances

Grieg: Piano Concerto

Elgar: Sea Pictures

Puccini: La Boheme

Mahler: Symphony no.8

Debussy: Jeux

R. Strauss: 4 Last songs

Sibelius: Finlandia

V. Williams: Symphony no.1

Rachmaninoff: Five Pieces

Schoenberg: Piano Concerto

Ravel: La Valse

Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra

Stravinsky: The Firebird

Prokofiev: Piano Concerto

Gershwin: Porgy and Bess

Shostakovich: The Age of Gold

Britten: War Requiem

Satie: Gymnopedie No.1

Beethoven: Moonlight Sonata

Sinding: Rustle of spring

Liszt: Un sospiro

Brahms: Inermezzo

Granados: Spanish Dnaces

Mozart: Fantasia in D minor

Purcell: The Double Dealer

Haines: The Grand King

Settin: War of Britain

Scott: 'Welsh' Symphony

Hobson: Goodbye

Tain: Anglo Symphony

Mussorgsky: A Night on a Bare Mountain

Stravinsky: Symphony in 3 movements

Strauss II: Hungarian Polka

Haines: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra

Scott: 'Grand' Symphony



There's some good music.

Answer 11

If starting, U would like to have light & happy tune for easy appreciation, known as popular classic of East & West. The Reader Digest has some good old collection of classical pop pieces.



Start from Movie......the best to look is Fantasy from Disney .....Cartoon interpretation of pop classic by good orchestras. Next is Swan Lake, a ballet play and Madam Butterfly, story of Japan and the Butterfly Lovers from China plus Carmen from South American story.



Give a try....U will like them. I don't study music but I like them & do my arrangement for my bands .



**1st time see your face......is it new?