Cometk wrote:@
Goodspeed if you had some time, would you mind putting together a playlist of some classical pieces that you particularly enjoy?
i feel i have a good understanding of a lot of genres of contemporary music but in regards to classical music i'm a complete neophyte. it would be nice to have something that i could have on for a casual listen first before committing to fully experiencing
It's a very diverse genre, and I'm sure we have different taste, but I would start with Beethoven. I'm biased, but I think his work is a pretty perfect gateway into the genre. I found it uniquely accessible, yet not at all lacking in depth (as is usually the case with accessible things). But of course it's easy for something to seem accessible to someone who is a fan of it.
I like romantic era symphonies, personally, for reasons I mentioned earlier ITT. Starting with the best of Beethoven's symphonies, I would listen to them in the following order:
#6 (~40m): A generally uplifting ode to nature.
#3 (~50m): A more intense, and mostly technically beautiful (imo) piece about a hero's struggles, more specifically Napoleon.
Ferdinand Ries, Beethovenâs student and friend, recalled seeing the Italianate title page of a new symphony in the Spring of 1804, entitled, simply, âBuonaparteâ on top and âLuigi von Beethovenâ at the bottom. His dramatic account continues on the day [May 18, 1804] when Ries brought news that Napoleon had declared himself emperor: âThereupon [Beethoven] flew into a rage and cried out: âHe will trample all the Rights of Man and only indulge his ambition ⊠and become a tyrant.â Beethoven went to the table, seized the title page from the top, tore it up completely and threw it on the floor. The first page was written out anew and ⊠received the title Sinfonia eroica [Heroic Symphony].â
#7 (~30m): An uplifting, melodic piece that seems to sometimes overindulge in romance.
#5 (~30m): A musically stunning and intense piece. You've probably heard the main theme of the first movement.
#9 (~1:10): Perhaps the most influential work of music ever written. The first major symphony that features vocals, as well as the immortal "Ode to Joy" theme you've probably heard before (it's the EU anthem, among other things).
This playlist has all of them: spotify:playlist:2w1MQKIBcKqFOaflPNYFHR
And like I mentioned in the OP, for more easy listening I would recommend any and all of Mozart's piano concertos (spotify:playlist:2h36cQsOTlHbkj2FrSSdnX). But in general, pre-romantic symphonies also qualify (I particularly enjoy Haydn's).
If none of that is intense enough for you, try Mahler's 2nd: spotify:track:6RAqKZab0eGXxheJPZKDPn (~1:30)