Classical Music for N00bs

[bobscliff]

Tchaikovsky's 5th symphony is a classic, Verdi's requiem is very good and pretty much anything by mahler. Also Dvorak's cello concerto and 7th symphony.

 

[floriflee]

Some of my faves are the following:

Dvorak's "A New World"
Mozart's "Ave Verum Corpus"
Mozart's "Requiem"
Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata"
Bach's "Cello Suite No. 1 in G"
Chopin's "Nocturne in E flat"
Bolero's "Ravel"
Aaron Copeland's "Appalachian Spring" (or at least "Simple Gifts")
Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings"
Grieg's "Peer Gynt"
Offenbach's "Barcarolle"
Saint-Saen's "Dance Macabre"
Erik Satie's "Gymnopie #1"
Delibes' "Flower Duet" from his Lakme opera
The Hero soundtrack

 

[pseudobrit]

ANY Shostakovich is very YES!! The 8th string quartet is so amazing. It's driving music for me. I just stick it on, roll down the windows, and go. the 2nd movement is my favorite.

The third movement of his 8th symphony is all at once powerful, bizarre, haunting and frightening. Check the intro piece to his fourth ballet, too.

Good stuff, Dmitri.

 

[Stampyhead]

As a contemporary composer i will suggest composers within the past 150 years, and leave the older music to those most knowledgable/suited to it.

Awesome contemporary titles. One not to be missed is Rautavaara's Cantus Arcticus (Concerto for Birds and Orchestra), an amazingly beautiful piece.