Looking for recommendations in classical music...?

Question

I am not at all educated in classical music, and many of the more popular pieces I hear don't really touch me, but Pachelbel's Canon in D Major is one of the most exquisite pieces of music I've ever heard. I'm looking for more stuff that has that same sound and is equally beautiful.

I'm familiar with the more prolific composers, but I've never heard anything from Vivaldi/Mozart/Beethoven/etc. that rivals this song, and would love to have some knowledge dropped on me.

Answer 1

I love Pachelbel's Cannon in D.

Other songs that touches my heart everytime I hear it are:
- Johann Sebastian Bach's "Air on the G String"
- Ludwig van Beethoven's "Adagio Cantabile" Second movement of his famous 'Pathetique Sonata'
- Frederic Chopin's "Larghetto" Second movement of his Piano Concerto No.2
- Frederic Chopin's "Romance" Second movement of his Piano Concerto No.1
- Johann Sebastian Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"
- Frederic Chopin's "Etude No.3 in Emajor" Nicknamed "Tristeese"

Enjoy!

Answer 2

Well, Pachelbel's Canon is surely a lovely piece, but there is a LOT of music out there, and it runs the gamut of styles and emotional tones, from the most serene, like the Pachelbel, to pure exhuberance, like Mozat's Jupiter Symphony.

I would suggest some of the following as "rivals":

Bach's "Air on the G String"
Albinoni Adagio in g minor
Barber's "Adagio for Strings"
Beethoven 7th Symphony , second movement "Allegretto"
Mozart "Lacrimosa" from his Requiem -- (listen to the whole piece while you're at it)

Now if you like these, try some larger works.

Rachmaninoff "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini"
Tchaikovsky "Violin Concerto"
Mozart Symphony 41 inf C the "Jupiter"
(Actually any of Mozart's Symphonies from 35 on up)
And listen to the rest of Beethoven's 7th


I commend you on searching for more knowledge on the subject and I hope that these suggestions, and the others given here, will open up a new world of sound for you!!

Happy listening!

Answer 3

If you enjoy that type of delicate, romantic classical music, I would recommend works by Frederic Chopin. The nocturnes are especially beautiful, with a very light, delicate aura. In particular, I suggest the Nocturne Op. 9 No. 1 and Nocturne Op. 72 No.1. These pieces are not as well known as the D Major Canon but they are equally gorgeous to my ears. Really, the majority of the music from the Romantic Era are very good for what you are desiring. Overall though, I think you would find the greatest enjoyment to be in Chopin.

Answer 4

You do not have to be "educated" in classical music to appreciate many of the sublimely beautiful pieces that compare favorably to the beautiful, but rather overexposed Canon in D by Pachelbel. Bear in mind much classical music is not designed for the instant appeal that the Canon in D seems to possess. Most of classical music takes a couple of listenings to gain fuller appreciation. Some examples that you might consider are:

From the Baroque period:
Corelli - Pastorale Ad Libitum. Largo (from Concerto Grosso in G minor, Op.6 No.8)
Corelli - Suite for Strings I. Sarabanda. Largo
Handel - Largo from Xerxes.
Albinoni - Adagio in G minor.
Bach - Schafe Konnen Sicher Weiden: Cantata, BWV 208
Bach - Oboe Concerto in F major, BWV 1053 - Siciliano

From the Classical Period:
Mozart - Clarinet Quintet in A major
Mozart - Lacrimosa from Requiem, K626
Mozart - Adagio from Serenade in B-flat major, K361
Haydn - Violin Concerto in A major, Hob VIIa:3, 2.Adagio moderato
Haydn - Symphony No.92 in G major "Oxford", II. Adagio

From the Romantic period:
Beethoven - String Quartet in B flat major, Op.130, V. Cavatina
Beethoven - Symphony No.3 in E flat major, Op.55, II. Marcia Funebre Adagio Assai
Beethoven - Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No.5 in E flat major, Op.73, "Emperor" II. Adagio un poco mosso
Borodin - Polovtisian Dances
Brahms - Intermezzo in C sharp minor, Op.117 No.3
Saint -Saens - Le Carnaval des Animaux: The Swan
Schubert - Moments musicaux D. 780 - 2 in A flat major
Schumann - Kinderszenen Op.15: 7.Träumerei

There that should keep you busy for a while.

Enjoy!

Answer 5

There's an interesting French website called deezer.com that has a pretty good selection of classical music for download free. All the classical stuff seems to be from a basic library of classical music. Try Beethoven, Bach, Mozart to start. Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata, Fur Elise, Ode To Joy... usw.

The jazz selection is similar. Miles Davis, Thelonius Monk, Charlie Parker - their basic repertoire. Try Miles - All Blues; Monk - Crepuscule With Nellie; Charlie Parker - Ornithology.

http://www.deezer.com/

Answer 6

Why not get one of the baraque compilations which include, Pacelbel, Purcell, Albinoni, Corelli, Handel, Boyce etc. I have 2 such CDs and they are great listening.
Also try Mozart's symphony no 29. I first heard when I was about 13, fell in love with it and Mozart for evermore! It's one of his early ones, written when he was about 16 but, although simple in composition terms it is a very engaging piece. Just work your way through gradually.

Answer 7

I like Beethoven's music as well as Taichovsky. I like the deep rumbling of the music, it seems to build up to a climax from the start and brings me back down slowely. I think classical music tells a story, each person has the kind that they like. Everybody's taste is different.

Answer 8

Vaughan Williams' "Greensleeves".

if you've never heard it before, but really like Canon in D, then you'll definitely liek this