I'm pretty new to the whole genre actually, I hardly know any of the names of the songs I like. I've just been listening to some Mozart and Beethoven cds I've had laying around (not sure how they even got here lol), and I realized this is one of the genres I just haven't explored at all that has so much substance to it. Can't believe I've just given it a pass for so long.
I'd like to get more into it, so I'm looking for some suggestions.
So, what are some of your favorite classical compositions, /music/?
While they're probably the most mainstream you'll find, my favourites include Pachelbel's Canon in D, Vivaldi's Four Seasons and most of J.S. Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier. I also like Nessun Dorma, whose composer's name escapes me at present.
I must confess, alas, that I haven't listened to anything particularly exotic. Most of my experience with classical music comes from my parents' TimeLife 50-CD set they'd bought in the mid-90s.
>>2 has some very good suggestions, but at some point, once you get used to those artists, I would really suggest looking at some modern classical, as well as some early classical because each period is very distinctive.
classical (1730–1820) is usually lighter than baroque and more partial to melody, and baroque compositions are often very sophisticated and longer-lasting. Medieval classical uses harmonies in a very different sense than classical.
Some personal fav's
Medieval/Renaissance:
Josquin des Prez, Mattaeus Pipelare, Dufay, Hildegard, Alfonso, Machaut,Perotin, Vitry, Dunstaple, Ockegham
20th century/Contemporary:
Cage, Ives, Schnittke, ligeti, Reich, Schoenberg, Bartok, Stravinsky, Webern, Britten, Hindemith
What exactly distinguishes 20th century classical from modern classical? I stick to the latter when describing music that falls into this category, the catagory being music made since the last half of the 20th century.
Also, how does everyone feel about classically inspired music that isn't contemporary classical (à la neoclassical)?
Some other popular pieces (in orchestral arrangements):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exz6zD056zk -- The Moldau (Smetana)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goeOUTRy2es -- Hungarian Rhapsody #2 (Liszt)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5zg_af9b8c -- Finlandia (Sibelius)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZRwm9UEu7o -- Rustle of Spring (Sinding)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLMVB0B1_Ts -- Fanfare for the Common Man (Copland)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvgl_2JRIUs -- Pomp and Circumstance March #1 (Elgar)
Music of the spheres, beautiful......
yes, Webern is godlike
Check this one too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF-dk5ieDDg
Can't you appreciate this beautiful decadence?
Webern is hated amoung the certain circles because he supported Hitler