Astronomer

Don't get me wrong, I love modern classical. But I grew up learning classical piano so I more so enjoy classical, baroque, romantic, and renaissance stuff

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FireInCairo

get some requiem in you

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Fruitonica

Does anyone have a requiem link? I tried one off rapidshare but it didn't work for me.

I just downloaded The Yellow Shark and enjoyed it so much I'm definitely going to get into some more classical.

Bulldog

Good thread this. I know next to nothing about classical music, but I've been meaning to get started on it for years now (my Dad has a few tons of LPs back his place, so I've heard a good bit of it before), so it's good to know where I should be starting

mannny

You mentioned you like "slow and emotional pieces." You should check out Chopin's Nocturnes. They are all amazing romantic solo piano piano pieces that are definetly "slow and emotional."

For more solo piano I would start out with the Beethoven sonatas and Bach's Well Tempered Klavier.

I play the piano, so I love listening to piano works. But if you aren't into it you should check out Beethoven's symphonies and string quartets especially the late ones. I would say that his String Quartet in C# minor, Op. 131 is one of the most powerful pieces I know.

I guess that will get you started. If you like the Chopin a lot look into more composers from the Romantic period like Liszt, Shumann, Tchaikovsky. And If you like the Beethoven, look into Schubert and Mozart as well.

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Blue

Thank you very much for the tips. That really seems to be exactly what I'm looking for. I think I'm going to start with Chopin's Nocturnes.

4ZZZ

My mum introduced me to Tchaikovsky at a very young age and this was a great start. He has sublime melody and that may be off putting for some but to this very day I love that sweetness. Check out Swan Lake/Nutcracker as examples. But he is also powerful as the 1812 Overture shows.

There is just so much out there so good luck in discovering and listening to the brave new world of Classical music. You will not regret the adventure.

mannny

You're definetly going to like the Nocturnes. They're one of my favorite collection of piano works by any composer.

The best thing to do is to just start out listening to the big names and then find other composers from their respective periods of music and just keep expanding.

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OneVoice

For soft and/or emotional pieces, try:

- Adagio in G minor by Tomaso Albinoni
- Sanctus from the Requiem by Durufle (Robert Shaw Chorale version...be careful, the high point might harm speakers if turned up too loud)
- Thais: Meditation by Jules Massenet
- Prelude in D Flat Major (Raindrop) by Chopin
- Claire De Lune, by Debussy (There's a great solo harp version out somewhere)
- Consolation No. 3 D flat minor by Liszt
- Libestraum No. 3 A flat major by Liszt
- Sonanta No. 14 in C sharp minor, first movement "Moonlight Sonata" by Beethoven (One of my all time favorites)
- Ave Maria by Franz Schubert
- Fantasy No. 2 in D Minor by Mozart
- Bogoroditse Devo by Rachmaninoff (Again, I prefer the Robert Shaw Chorale version of this one)

And if you want to get adventurous and try some opera...
- Vissi D'Arte from Tosca by Puccini
- Un bel di from Madam Butterfly by Puccini

Sorry, but that's all I can come up with at the moment. Hope that helps.
-V

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Boris

Vivaldi is'nt classic, is baroque.