Help: Expand My classical music collection

[damonrpayne]

All right, every time I post in 2channel I get beat up, but the bruises have healed so I'm back for more....

I enjoy classical music immensely, and I feel (in my uneducated, nascent opinion) that this is one of the areas where horns truly shine. I have a decent library of all the "standard" classical music: Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Vivaldi, Wagner, Strauss, Mouret, blah blah. I have a few Operas (Mozart and Wagner) that I enjoy as well.

I am looking to branch out into some new things. I find that I like brass and strings/baroque the best so far; I generally don't like piano/organ nearly as much although Mozart's 3rd movement from Piano Sonata No 11 "Alla Turca" and "Toccata and Fugue" are two of my favorite pieces.

Can any veteren classical fans give suggestions as to some lesser known but excellent composers? Perhaps lesser-known gems by the well known master's I listed above? Guidence as to specific recordings are definately a bonus; I haven't bought music in quite a while so I am ready to go buy symphony, 12 CDs at a crack.

[Woodog]

this isn't a *composer* per se, but check out the Canadian Brass. They never disappoint.

woo

[boomac]

Damon,

Check out this thread.

"Help with Classical Music choices."

Some very good information there and don't hesitate to contact Gil for some advice.

[maxg]

This seems to be coming up a lot lately. I think I am going to create a single answer to this question and save it on my hard disk for use at a moments notice.

OK - well first off I dont know what you have from the composers you mentioned. Head off to www.naxos.com and do a quick compare of their titles with your own for each and listen to samples of what is missing. Naxos recordings are rarely "the" recording but are almost always of an acceptable standard.

Trying to list what is missing is rather tricky too. There are a number of obvious omissions - Grieg (Pier Gynt), Mendelssohn (4th Symphony - Italian, Hebrides, Violin Concerto...), Dvorak (New world Symphony No 9, Symphony number 8, Cello concerto...), all the Italians (Rossini (Barber of Seville,), Verdi (Aida, Rigoletto, Traviata...), Puccini (Madame Butterfly) etc.), Bizet (Carmen), Stravinski (Rites of Spring, Firebird), Handel (Messiah, Water Music, Fireworks), Haydn (Paris and London Symphonies) - the Liszt (couldnt resist) is huge. Again Naxos can help - they have a "Build a classical collection" page that lists around 120 titles covering the basics with most of the more popular titles for the major composers.

Remember - it is not a race to get to the perfect collection. Just take your time to find new offerings and sample them. There is also no right and wrong - it is whatever catches you and no-one can tell you what that is except your ears.

[LarryC]

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On 2/2/2004 11:32:08 PM damonrpayne wrote:

I am looking to branch out into some new things. I find that I like brass and strings/baroque the best so far... Guidance as to specific recordings are definitely a bonus ----------------

Damon,

In addition to the great advice in this and other threads, here are two late Renaissance/early Baroque CDs that I like very much:

Venetian Church Music, Taverner Consort/Parrott

Veritas 5-61934-2 (2CDs)

Monteverdi Vespers of 1610, Boston Baroque

Telarc 2CD-80453

These are performed on period, not modern instruments, which I think is a great advantage. Giovanni Gabrieli and Claudio Monteverdi are definitely worth knowing about.

"Classical Music for Dummies" is very good, worth having to keep turning back to, IMO.

Larry