What piece of classical music would you recommend as brilliant?

Question

I want to listen to some good classical music,the problem is I've absolutely hopeless in choosing in this field of music......Help me please and recommend your all-time favourite piece.Thank you!

Answer 1

How familiar are you with classical music? Classical music is somewhat like a language -- the more you listen to it, the more you can appreciate it. It is also quite varied, and most people develop specific interests within the classical genre.

For example, some listeners favor the piano while others favor the violin (or guitar, or clarinet, or oboe, or marimba, or ...). There are excellent classical works featuring any of these. If you aren't familiar with these, then I would recommend "Peter and the Wolf", by Sergey Prokofiev, as a good introduction to a few of them.

People also differ in the amount of active listening that is required. Some composers, like Mozart, wrote good background music. Others, like Wagner (e.g. "Ride of the Valkeries"), wrote music which is a bit more commanding of attention.

These preferences (and others) will direct your listening choices. If you are just starting out, I would suggest some songs you probably already know:

Edvard Grieg (one of my personal favorites) wrote several pieces which have been used in cartoons with great success because of their vivid imagery. These include "March of the Trolls", "Wedding Day At Troldhaugen", "Morning", "Anitra's Dance", and "Hall of the Mountain King". Another well-known classical work that is worthy of a more complete listen is the William Tell Overture by Rossini.

For choral work, my personal favorite is Giovanni Palestrina (e.g. "Sicut Cervus"). Don't expect to understand what they are saying, because it's all in Latin. Also, note that the choral style of his time period was quite different than today. It involved many layers, creating different musical "colors". His songs should be appreciated as a painting, not as the simple line art we have in more modern music. It may take some getting used to.

Now, a comment on listening technique. For listening to any classical music (esp. for the first time), I highly suggest that you find a quiet, peaceful place where you can relax; close your eyes, and listen carefully to the music. Avoid listening to midi files unless you are already familiar with how it would sound with a non-synthesized orchestra. Instead, make sure that the recordings you get or listen to are from a quality performance. The London Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and sundry other "Philharmonic Orchestras" are generally reliable.

Answer 2

Personally, Rachmaninove - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini which is the theme from the movie "Somewhere in Time" with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour

Some of my other favorites:
Tchaikovsky - Overture: The Nutcraker
Tachaikovsky - Swan Lake
Vivaldi - Concerto for Mandolin
Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake - Waltz
Rimsky-Korsakov - Flight of the Bumble Bee
Beethoven - Fur Elise
Mendelssohn - Midsummer Night's Dream
Handel - Messiah
Rachmaninov - Piano concert, No. 2 in C Minor
Vivaldi - The Four Seasons
Tchaikovsky - The Nutcraker, Chinese Dance
Thaikovsky - Sleeping Beauty, the Waltz
Mozart - Overture: The Magic Flute
Tchaikovsky - The Nutcraker, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy


I would recommend getting a CD collection of Classical Greats. That's what I did when I wanted to start my collection of classical music.

I hope this helps!

Answer 3

Try Holst - "The Planets" my favorite is by the Montreal Symphony.

It has so many cool parts. You will even recognize many sections. Parts of this work has been used in Movies, TV and Commercials.

My link below is just for reference. I have no interest in Amazon.com

This is just a start. Happy listening.

Also you might try Beethoven Symphony #3 or #5
There's so much more I'm thinking about right now. Aaron Copland Apalachian Spring, Dvorak New World Symphony.....Oh...I'll let others say more.
Good Luck

Answer 4

It depends really on what you like. I love Shuberts Ave Maria. Especially the Andrea Bocelli version. Tchaikovsky wrote a lot of ballet music you may already be familiar with through Disney. (Sleeping Beauty and the Nutcracker) Beethoven is of course wonderful. Try his Ode to Joy. So much passion from a man who never heard it played!! Umm..... Mozart if you want some thing lighter or Vivaldi. Try getting a compilation with a few different styles on it til you find what you like

Answer 5

I'll start you with a few.
Academic Festival Overture - J. Brahms
Symphony #6 "Pastorale" - W. A. Mozart
Nutcracker Suite - P. Tchaikovsky
The Four Seasons - A. Vivaldi
Light Cavalry Overture - F. Suppe

Answer 6

In the Hall of the Mountain King, from the Peer Gynt suite, by Edvard Grieg. Ravel's Bolero 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky My top three candidates.

Answer 7

I love Beethoven, Fur Elise and Moonlight Sonata are two of my favorites.

Answer 8

any of beethoven's symphonies