try the really well-known stuff

Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata (notably the first movement)
Mozart - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

hi can someone suggest a decent compilation outlining some of the giants of the classical genre so i can get to grips with it?

Looking for some really dark music to listen to.
 

By dark I'm referring to stuff like Daniel Bukvich' piece Symphony #1 (In Memoriam Dresden, 1945) is very WWII themed and its very depressing, but the sudden thrills of the music make you curious to continue listening and by the end of the song you want to find out more about what the song is about.... music like this is what I find "dark' and I was wondering if anyone knew of some dark music? Also, the percussion ensemble piece by Jim Casella entitled, "Dystopia", is also an excellent piece.

i would love a compilation as well. haven't noticed one popping up ever.

I might have to do another Beginners Guide... sometime soon.

Hi

Does a random collection of pieces count as a compilation??

megaupload(dot)com/?d=2FQZ13YM (can't post links till 15?)

It was made some time back for a friend, but might as well spread it around! Included are:

Joaquín Rodrigo - Fantasia para un gentilhombre (Andres Segovia on guitar/Symphony of the Air (orchestra))
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Clarinet Concerto (performed by London Mozart Players)
George Gershwin - "I Got Rhythm" Variations for Piano and Orchestra (Performed by Harmonie Ensemble/New York)
George Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue (Performed by Leonard Bernstein/Columbia Symphony Orchestra)
Jean Sibelius - En Saga (Performed by Paavo Berglund/Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra)

I do not know why I chose these composers/works - just random I suppose. There aren't any 19th century compositions. (on purpose, although its my favorite time period!)
All are mp3 (320) rips for convenience sake (tagging classical music seems like a nightmare).

Hi

For anyone interested, here's a list of Japanese composers.

megaupload.com/?d=S5PLNUJV

The track listing is as follows:

Yuzo Toyama - Rhapsody for Orchestra (1960)
Hidemaro Konoye - Etenraku (1931)
Akira Ifukube - Japanese Rhapsody (1935) (Two parts: I. Nocturne II. Fetes)
Yasushi Akutagawa - Music for Orchestra (1950) - (Two parts: I. Andantino II. Allegro)
Kiyoshige Koyama - Kobiki-Uta for Orchestra (1957)
Takashi Yoshimatsu - Threnody to Toki, op.12 (1980)

All are recordings by the label Naxos (naxos.com)
Also a note that: It's not the most accessible music, since there's quite a bit of 20th century European influences. It can get a bit abstract at times!

here are just a few pieces that everyone getting into classical music should listen to:

vivaldi: the four seasons
tchaikovsky: 1812 overture, marche slave op. 31
dvorak: new world symphony
beethoven: piano concerto no. 3
mozart: symphony 40 in g minor
schubert: symphony no. 8 unfinished.

i love arvo part.

i'm looking for some modern classical album recommendations.

You could call Mario Diaz De Leon's Enter Houses Of modern classical, but it's much noiser and more of a headfuck than you'd expect. Worth a go though.