Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site whuxj.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!houxm!whuxl!whuxj!wjm
From: wjm@whuxj.UUCP (MITCHELL)
Newsgroups: net.music.classical
Subject: Re: Classical Music for Newcomers
Message-ID: <211@whuxj.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 2-May-84 11:20:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: whuxj.211
Posted: Wed May  2 11:20:47 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 3-May-84 08:43:21 EDT
Organization: Bell Labs, Whippany, N.J.
Lines: 55

First, I'm glad to see that net.music.classical has arrived.
My suggestions for a few works to get people interested in classical
music are:
Beethoven:
1&2.The "Pastorial" and "Eroica" Symphonies - which will give them
    a good idea of the mature symphonic form of the nineteenth century.

3.  The "Emperor" piano concerto - I like Rudolf Serkin's version with
    Ozawa and the Boston Symphony on Telarc (10065).

Tchaikovsky:
4.  An orchestral version of the suite from "Sleeping Beauty" 
    which is a good example of the Romantic period.

Gershwin:
5.  "Rhapsody in Blue" - often coupled with "An American in Paris" - will
    give a good view of the early twentieth century in American music

Mozart:
6.  One of the serenades for string and wind instruments - the "Haffner"
    is a good choice as is the one for 13 wind instruments (K.297 ?)

7.  Piano Concerto No. 19 which is often coupled with No. 23 - I like
    the Alfred Brendel version with Neville Marriner and the
    Academy of St-Martin-in-the-fields on Phillips.

8.  The "Jupiter" symphony - which is a good example of an earlier
    symphonic form than Beethoven

Handel:

9.  Water Music - many versions available

Bach:
10. There are several recordings of short Bach pieces that will give a
    feel for his work - "The Notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach" on Nonesuch
    is a good one.

Vivaldi:
11. The "Four Seasons" will give a good feel for Baroque music - I like
    Gerald Schwartz's version on Delos.

Rachmaninoff:
12. Richter made a recording for DG of some Rachmaninoff preludes which
    is an excellent sampler of his piano music and an excellent example
    of the art of piano music in general.

This list of a dozen works is by no means exhaustive and certainly reflects
my prejudices - I don't like most 20th century music or German opera - but
should give a newcomer to the field an idea of what classical music is about.
I've tended to stick to full orchestra works  but one could easily add
some chamber or vocal works to the list.  Happy listening!
Bill Mitchell
Bell Communications Research, Inc.
Whippany NJ, (whuxj!wjm)