Classical/Orchestral/Opera recommendations

Ya it's a huge span of music, but give me your suggestions on each, where does a n00b start off when it comes to Classical music? Orchestral? Opera? Hell while you're at it gimme some jazz suggestions too.

edit: like i said i'm a n00b to this stuff (not total n00b lol), but when I say classical, I mean classical piano, classical violin, classical cello, whatever is in that "classical" region will do. I'm looking for pieces of music, like not 3 minute song type ones, but long musical pieces.

All suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

One of my favs is : Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater
(opera)

this version
http://imgfly.com/files/080906_123718/pergolesi.jpg

You could watch Amadeus to get a bit more into the classical thing.
There are lots of movies about jazz players
Chet Bakers is pretty Jim Jarmushy

Jim Jarmusch makes me go to sleep.

I found Camille Saint-Saëns' Danse Macabre strangely exhilarating.

Start by picking pieces that might be familiar to you and then explore the rest of that composer's work.

As ever, "Carmina Burana" - By Carl Orff, Adagio for strings by Samuel Barbour (the "Platoon" Music), Debussy's "L'Apre-midi d'un faun".

Requiem by Mozart is the one off the top of my head if you're looking for long pieces.

I'll have to look through my collection for other things....that's a really, really broad spectrum there. :P

:shuriken:

if you into opera something to listen to or go watch is "phantom of the opera" i remember watching it way back when i was a kid, then watching it again when the movie came out in the past year, the music still makes me wanna sing along with it and play the piano. I use to know how to play and use to play it all day long, until i grew older and forgot, will probably learn it again sometime.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MagicNakor

Requiem by Mozart is the one off the top of my head if you're looking for long pieces.

I'll have to look through my collection for other things....that's a really, really broad spectrum there. :P

:shuriken:

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Ya it is pretty broad :D dig through your collection! lemme know what you got for me :happy:

thanks for suggestions, im downloading borrowing the music you guys listed rite now.

Listen to Classical Radio. That way you will find out what you like or dislike without incurring any costs.:)

Adagio For Strings in G Minor by Albinoni is one of my faves. Its 8 minutes long and was the music use din the final moving scene in Mel Gibson's movie Gallipoli.

Regards

Digby

I'm no connoisseur but here are some suggestions off the top of my head:

Mozart : Symphony no. 40
Mozart : The Marriage of Figaro (used in the motion picture The Shawshank Redemption)
Rossini: Overture to William tell
Brahms: Hungarian dance no. 5
Bach: Gigue in G major
Vivaldi : The Four seasons
Tchaikovsky: Overture to the nutcracker.mp3

I came across a list on the NPR website a few weeks ago in which you may be interested. Although broad, it will give you an idea as to what you do and don't enjoy. Further, it recommends specific recordings by particular conductors - a nice addition as there are often an overwhelming number of choices.
http://www.npr.org/programs/pt/features/pt50.html

As stated before you should try some of the more popular pieces. Start with some of Beethoven Symphonies: 3,5,7,9.

For piano try Fryderyk Chopin first. You could download the soundtrack to the pianist for some of the more famous pieces. Another great pianist is Sergey Rachmaninov very beautiful stuff my personal favorite is Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18.

For Cello the one piece that you need in your collection is J.S. Bach The Complete Cello Suites by Yo Yo Ma. I probably listen to that each and every day.

That’s should be enough to keep you busy for quite a while.

New Swing Quartet :)

Without being too difficult, there is no "best" place to start in Classical music. If you want to try the traditional way, don't try anything 20th century cause it'll be too influenced by other styles. 19th century classical is probably the easiest to get into (tchaikovsky is tender) but it also has difficult periods (chopin isn't a good place to start as that'll take many, many listens to understand)

Vivaldi and beethoven are good ole timers to consider as they've been rather popularized and will bring familiarity