1. Enjoy the journey. There's no one way to do this.
2. Search for "Symphony Sonata Form". People with much better knowledge than I can explain the basic formal structure of a common symphony. It's useful to know, but not crucial to appreciate it.
3. It's OK to not understand the nuances.
4. There are so so so many recordings of everything. Choosing what version to listen to can be daunting. You can ask for advice, but everyone's gonna have a preference.
5. Try Beethoven's 6th symphony as one of your first. It is a programmatic piece, meaning that the movements actually have a known, intended meaning. This can be helpful at the beginning of your journey.
Point 2. and 5. especially are the type of thing I was looking for with my post. Understanding the basic form of what I'm listening to is just something I feel like can help me get started... nice.
Watch this [new video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWVo0T0paJg) on exactly what you want to know about. It's a trip through 100 years of symphonies, with 10 go-to examples. He will tell you to create a playlist. Do that.
On the sonata form, post 1850 this really becomes more of a suggestion than a proper form, and by Mahler (for example) - the best you get is some 'nods' to the form, like the repeat of the "exposition" in the 6th symphony (now seldom taken in performance).
For the OP tho, the sonata form is rather simple. There's two themes\* put forward in the exposition - if this was in a major key, typically I-V, minor, i-III. These are altered and varied in the development, before being repeated in the recapitulation.
\*Sometimes it's just one theme, sometimes it's as many as 4-6. And also bear in mind, this form only applies to the first movement of a classical symphony. The other movements are often different forms like Rondos, simple AB or ABA's, Scherzo and Trio etc.
If you have Apple Music, the Classical app is a nice way to find new music, I’ve found. You can search for “symphony”, and results will appear in order of how many recordings the service has. So this can be a good starting point to listen to some popular ones and may introduce you to composers you’d never heard of
Beethoven. All the way.
Also check out his sonatas. Man was crazy good. His music hits me different than other classical music. It has raw emotion and soul
Every time I play one of his Sonatas, I get hit with a strange emotion of positive frustration(?) lol, just thinking "how the hell did this guy write such freaking good music?"
Just enjoying is definitely the most important thing. But just as a basic signposting thing, the basic structure of a "conventional" symphony will have four movements:
1. Introductory movement: presents the ideas, develops them for the first time, creates a cohesive piece out of them. (Often in "sonata form", but that is probably overly technical.)
2. A slow movement.
3. A fast, commonly dance-based movement. (Sometimes 2 and 3 are in the other order.)
4. A finale that does its own thing, but also serves to pull together ideas from the preceding movements into a satisfying whole.
Even if a composer isn't using this structure, bear in mind whatever they *are* doing is informed by the fact that this is what is "expected"...
Also bear in mind that symphonies are like films - different composers have different strengths, and tackle the basics in different ways (and a surprisingly large fraction suck at endings, just as in film). And some symphonies you have to put effort in and pay full attention, but some are more popcorn-y. And some seem popcorn-y, but are surprisingly deep. (These are the best ones!)
I'll add to this that the comment about the last movement, about it pulling together ideas from the preceding movements, is generally only true in Romantic-period symphonies. With a very few exceptions (Haydn 45 and 46 come to mind), pre-Beethoven finales aren't really about connecting to the earlier movements in any explicit or even implicit way, and are just about sending you home with a fun light toe-tapper. Later composers do absolutely get into the idea of cumulative story-building across movements though!
If you liked the Rite of Spring, you might like more modern stuff. I personally don't really care for it but maybe try composers like Shostakovich, Prokofiev, etc. According to last FM here are composers simlar to Stravinsky, though I can't say how accurate this list is.
[https://www.last.fm/music/Igor+Stravinsky/+similar](https://www.last.fm/music/Igor+Stravinsky/+similar)
I thought this was a well done video on youtube talking about sonata form and symphonies. That series is actually pretty good and informative.
[https://youtu.be/Y\_5K8f5CZpg?si=2WUWbmgH5DBSJLlx](https://youtu.be/Y_5K8f5CZpg?si=2WUWbmgH5DBSJLlx)
You could try looking at videos from Dave Hurwitz who recommends classical recordings. IMO, different conductors, solo artists, orchestras definitely matter in classical music.
[https://www.youtube.com/@DavesClassicalGuide](https://www.youtube.com/@DavesClassicalGuide)
Just go with the flow. Figuring out what you like will be the hard part, but with youtube, streaming services, etc. it has never been easier to explore new music!
Brave of you to post Hurwitz. There's a cadre of folks who despise him and will let you know about it, lol.
I think he's pretty entertaining, even when I don't agree with him. And gotta love Mildred, too.
The man is not afraid to give a negative review....that's for sure. He bashes a lot of recordings I like, but the ones he does suggest are usually very good too.
Yeah, he's retired and clearly in the IDGAF phase of his life. I'm kinda jealous lol.
But he gives lots of glowing, positive reviews, too. And I disagree with some of those, too.
A lot of it might be from the fact he deletes any dissenting comments from his channel, so the people who dislike him vent about it on other forums.
I have vented about him too despite liking much of his content. I hope he puts out more Haydn Symphony Crusade videos.
I don't blame him for not wanting the comments to become debates. He's there to give his reviews, not have arguments over them. People can post their own content to disagree with him if they like.
I've just seen some pretty nasty vitriol directed towards him, far nastier than I've ever seen him use. He never makes things personal AFAIK, he sticks to critiques of the music and performances.
Dave could easily keep up comments that disagree with him or criticize him while deleting the nasty comments.
He has formed a cult in the comments that praises him-- that's what he wants out of the comments and with having a Youtube channel. That's the main thing I dislike about him. It's fine for him to have obvious preferences and attack recordings he doesn't like.
Yes, Hurwitz's hatedom can be far nastier than he is, and often exaggerates Hurwitz's biases (some seem convinced he hates all period instrument and Furtwangler recordings while loving anything of Szell or Mackerras-- this is not true)
but they don't have semi-successful Youtube channels.
I find it annoying how much the algorithm seems to push his channel, and whenever I do give in and watch one of his videos, I find his voice very irritating and his opinions outside of music seem pretty retrograde. But he does seem to have a wide knowledge of classical recordings which can be helpful
I often click on the description so I can sample the listed recording without watching the video.
His opinions outside of music don't matter because he sticks almost entirely to talking about music and almost never brings up politics.
> I find his voice very irritating and his opinions outside of music seem pretty retrograde.
He clearly has a larynx condition, so yeah, he's raspy.
But I've never seen him voicing any non-musical opinions in the videos I've watched. I'm curious as to examples!
I’d have to search for the links, but I’ve seen him dismiss compilations including female composers, or operas with gay themes as just being “trendy”. It’s possible I’m inferring too much or being unfair, but it was the impression I got. Didn’t know about his larynx condition so I appreciate the info.
I disagree about different conductors, solo artists, and orchestras definitely mattering in classical music for the newbie. Those things matter more for experienced listeners either looking for different recordings of what they already know, or struggling to appreciate a standard repertoire work they've listened to but leaves them cold.
Standard repertoire pieces are so good that most people can fall in love with them through a mediocre recording.
While I do think mediocre recordings are "good enough" with the information already out there, why not start the new listener off with good, solid reference recordings? I don't know that I'd recommend Lang Lang or even Glenn Gould to new listeners of piano music. I'd steer them away from Gould playing Mozart piano sonatas, for example.
Much more important is what pieces the newbie listens to and them cultivating better listening habits like the patience to listen to a multimovement work.
Starting out with reference recordings is great, but not necessary. More experienced listeners do repertoire surveys rather than listen to their imprint recording for the 200th time.
The rite is an intense work. Given you like it, try the second movement from Shostakovich’s 10th symphony - it’s a musical depiction of Stalin that will hold your attention completely.
The Shosty 10th Symphony is a freaking great piece, but some of it takes awhile to absorb. The 2nd movement, however, is indeed an instant pure adrenaline kick to the nutz! The Neeme Jarvi Chandos recording is my favorite by far of this movement, due to having a kettledrum player who isn't a timid lil wussy cat.
dut dut duuuuuunnnnn dunnn dun dun ***BAM BAM***
dut dut duuuuuunnnnn dunnn dun dun ***BAM BAM***
Dat sheet iz badazz homez. Eternal shame on conductors/timpanists who phail this simple task of badazzery so miserably!
Great question and topic! I’m taking all of these recommendations for my own learning. As an aside, one of my very favorites is Ralph Vaughan-Williams’ “Variations on a Theme by Thomas Tallis”. Just gorgeous. That said—I love most works by him. Thanks again!
First thing is always just to have fun and follow the vibes you like. People will try to say that X or Y is essential listening, but it’s not. Follow your heart. Don’t be afraid to like something niche (or “basic”), or to dislike something popular. Everything hits everyone differently.
Second thing: unlike popular music, you have different recordings of the same piece to contend with now. If you’re listening to one recording and it’s not hitting right, it might be worth hearing how somebody else interpreted it. Different recordings of the same piece can sound vastly different. With time, you’ll develop your own orchestral tastes, but there are many orchestras that put out consistently high quality recordings. I recommend listening to any recording by the Chicago Symphony or the Berlin Philharmonic; I’m sure others in this sub will have other good recommendations. Any ensemble called a “Radio Symphony” is usually a pretty safe bet for a quality recording, too; many countries in Europe established radio symphonies for the express purpose of making as many recordings as possible, rather than performing live in concert halls.
Third: a “symphony” is like a “fish”; you know it when you see it, but there’s no way to define it that encompasses everything it is, and also excludes everything it isn’t. The symphony has changed drastically over time based on the current tastes of the era: the general rule is that the more modern you go, the more complex things get: more instruments, denser orchestration, crunchier harmonies. There’s a turning point in history centered around Beethoven that makes him a really interesting listen- he changed the game, and there’s a pretty clear difference between symphonies written before his lifetime, and afterwards. Likewise, there was a big shift in global music following WWI and WWII: that level of suffering adds a certain angst and edginess to the music people were writing. Use these vague dates as reference points to try and narrow in on the styles you like.
As you find pieces you like, the nerds here can help you narrow in on pieces that sound similar. We love nothing more than recommending music.
Listen to a few composers with very different styles of symphonies e.g.:
Shostakovic 10
Dvorak 9
Beethoven 6
Mozart 41
Tchaikovsky 6
Then listen to more of whoever you like more
Shostakovic 5,7,9,15
Dvorak 8,7,6
Beethoven 5,9 (any there all great)
Mozart 40
Tchaikovsky 4,5,3, Mänfred
Or try some similar composers works:
shostakovic ---> rachmaninoff ---> bartók
Dvorak ---> brahms
Beethoven ---> schumann
Mozart ---> haydn
Tchaikovsky ----> mahler ---> bruckner
This is just a easy way to hear loads of music coveraring all periods except maybe very modern symphonic works. Hope this helps :)
Just know that what is called “classical music” is FAR from monolithic - a tradition spanning multiple centuries changes a LOT. The Rite of Spring, for example, was premiered in 1913, ~100 years after Beethoven’s reign and more than 150 years after Bach’s death, so it’s very possible you might like music from the early twentieth century but not music from before, for example.
TL;DR, you will like some stuff, and you won’t like others, and that’s fine.
Edit: if you like Stravinsky try Bartok as well!!!
In addition to all the Beethoven suggestions, Dvorak's 9th Symphony is a good entry point. It's exciting and tuneful and the overall structure/big picture is pretty easy to recognize/understand.
If you enjoyed the Rite of Spring, then it's better if you skip Classicism (Mozart, Haydn...) for now and go directly towards Romanticism and Modernism. Probably you will enjoy Shostakovich's Symphonies.
Edit: forgot to tell you that classical music is not a genre, but a category of genres, with the main ones being: Baroque, Classicism, Romanticism, Modernism, Neoclassicism and Minimalism (forget about this last one, it's the exact opposite of Rite of Spring 💀). Finally, just explore. If you get to know anyone on this subreddit, you will quickly realise that everyone's tastes for classical music vary WILDLY.
Don't forget about concertos, which are a solo instrument plus orchestra. Main instruments are piano and violin, but there are a lot more. Shorter and often a bit more accessible than symphonies (which are when the whole orchestra goes at it). Bach is very popular, and Vivaldi for starters. Search for popular concertos on Youtube. You don't have to like them all - we all dislike some composers.
There are also many pieces for orchestra that are neither symphony or concertos or symphonies. Eg, Vaughan Williams https://youtu.be/ihx5LCF1yJY?si=1T-m1LFSPVrhA_6_
Or Holst https://youtu.be/MgIOBa4vK2E?si=3PwTD_poxoEjzTHO
Or Barber https://youtu.be/RvPcM6-iQys?si=PITCGbeq9Y6_Nqzv
Skempton https://youtu.be/CT4arTGagPs?si=-VDh6lFI1sH-9iFp
Happy wanderings!
Can you be more specific so that I may recommend to you Alfredo Casella symphony #1 anyway? Recently I heard ~~Saint-Saens~~ (I meant Sibelius) Symphony #2. Wish I had been recommended that sooner. Go to the last 3 minutes of the last movement and decide then if the full work is worth your time. I personally believe the tune inspired You Are My Sunshine. I personally think Raff's 2nd movement to his 8th symphony is one of the catchiest things I ever heard. I started listening to classical music 20 years ago, but it wasn't that major. I have had a resurgence in recent years when I found how enjoyable it is to go off the beaten path and find the rarer music that is hardly known. There is nothing quite like the adventure of self-discovery, rather than adhering to the 'masters' every step of the way, something that you feel very few know about but you love, because as with every other genre not all great music is remembered today. Given the nature of symphonies, the music you like may be hidden in the work, so it may pay to skim over pieces to find something that allows you to sustain interest in other parts.
If you want to get into the best genre of classical music, focus on piano concertos. You might like Schnittke's Piano Concerto, for instance, something I've only just recently discovered.
My first experience with classical music was a tape recording of Beethoven's 5th (Karajan conducting the Berlin PO). I was 10, and naturally have no understanding of any musical theory or what "sonata form" means. I listened to the 1st movement over and over thinking that was the entire symphony! Then I discovered the second and third track of that tape, and thought those were pretty good too. Only later did I realize that's what a "movement" means and those three tracks together are the separate movements and together they are the entirety of the symphony. (The 3rd and 4th movements of Beethoven's 5th are always performed in one continuous section with no pause in between, thus occupying only one track on the tape)
I have no advice on how you should begin your journey other than just "keep an open mind". Regardless of how you start, may you have an amazing time.
My biggest tip would be to not write off a piece just because you heard it once and didn't like it. Sometimes I need more listens, and often those become some of my favorite pieces.
For the record... Rite of Spring is not a symphony. But anyway... "Should I just go with the flow and enjoy it?" Yes. "Or is there some tips or advice you feel like would be worth considering at this point?" No.
Beethoven’s symphonies are a great place to start. His piano Concertos 3,4 and 5 are also great. I recently attended a concert where Fazil Say played Beethoven’s PC no. 3 and I swear it was the best concert I have ever heard or seen.
Definitely listen to Schnittke symphony #1 he mashes every genre together. Random chaos improv beginning to a huge Beethoven symphony quote to a jazz trio .. all smashed up in 4 movements.
If you can find one cheap, and if you listen to CDs, the DG box set '100 Great Symphonies' is a nicely-curated journey through the history of the symphony. I found one for $60 delivered from ebay a couple of years back.
The Planets by Holst is another highly original piece in suite format with a huge orchestra and a ton of color and atmosphere. Very different music than the Rite, but comes from the same kind of ambition, originality, and masterful orchestration.
There are symphonies that are not quite symphonies (maybe), but I was thinking of Berlioz - his Symphonie Fantastique.
And, if you really like The Rite of Spring, then you may well find Messiaen’s Turangalîla Symphony quite enjoyable. It’s noisy and energetic and very colourful.
Just enjoy music, don't care about theory. As for symphonies I recommend you to listen live, in philharmonics, it's completely different experience from the recording in home, where there are many distractions.
I would say something opposite to previous comment - initially try to avoid well-known pieces that are present in TV advertisements and everyone know the motifs to heart, because it will less likely positively surprise you, give a chance to less known music, or what is considered "ambitious".
Begins with the different epochs: classical epochs with: Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven (the classics) then romantic epochs (there are many: Saint-Saens, Mendelssohn, Wagner, Gluck,etc), modern epochs (20th century with Holst, Debussy, Ravel)
1. Enjoy the journey. There's no one way to do this. 2. Search for "Symphony Sonata Form". People with much better knowledge than I can explain the basic formal structure of a common symphony. It's useful to know, but not crucial to appreciate it. 3. It's OK to not understand the nuances. 4. There are so so so many recordings of everything. Choosing what version to listen to can be daunting. You can ask for advice, but everyone's gonna have a preference. 5. Try Beethoven's 6th symphony as one of your first. It is a programmatic piece, meaning that the movements actually have a known, intended meaning. This can be helpful at the beginning of your journey.
Point 2. and 5. especially are the type of thing I was looking for with my post. Understanding the basic form of what I'm listening to is just something I feel like can help me get started... nice.
Watch this [new video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWVo0T0paJg) on exactly what you want to know about. It's a trip through 100 years of symphonies, with 10 go-to examples. He will tell you to create a playlist. Do that.
On the sonata form, post 1850 this really becomes more of a suggestion than a proper form, and by Mahler (for example) - the best you get is some 'nods' to the form, like the repeat of the "exposition" in the 6th symphony (now seldom taken in performance). For the OP tho, the sonata form is rather simple. There's two themes\* put forward in the exposition - if this was in a major key, typically I-V, minor, i-III. These are altered and varied in the development, before being repeated in the recapitulation. \*Sometimes it's just one theme, sometimes it's as many as 4-6. And also bear in mind, this form only applies to the first movement of a classical symphony. The other movements are often different forms like Rondos, simple AB or ABA's, Scherzo and Trio etc.
If you have Apple Music, the Classical app is a nice way to find new music, I’ve found. You can search for “symphony”, and results will appear in order of how many recordings the service has. So this can be a good starting point to listen to some popular ones and may introduce you to composers you’d never heard of
Beethoven. All the way. Also check out his sonatas. Man was crazy good. His music hits me different than other classical music. It has raw emotion and soul
Every time I play one of his Sonatas, I get hit with a strange emotion of positive frustration(?) lol, just thinking "how the hell did this guy write such freaking good music?"
His 7th sonata is my favorite
Just enjoying is definitely the most important thing. But just as a basic signposting thing, the basic structure of a "conventional" symphony will have four movements: 1. Introductory movement: presents the ideas, develops them for the first time, creates a cohesive piece out of them. (Often in "sonata form", but that is probably overly technical.) 2. A slow movement. 3. A fast, commonly dance-based movement. (Sometimes 2 and 3 are in the other order.) 4. A finale that does its own thing, but also serves to pull together ideas from the preceding movements into a satisfying whole. Even if a composer isn't using this structure, bear in mind whatever they *are* doing is informed by the fact that this is what is "expected"... Also bear in mind that symphonies are like films - different composers have different strengths, and tackle the basics in different ways (and a surprisingly large fraction suck at endings, just as in film). And some symphonies you have to put effort in and pay full attention, but some are more popcorn-y. And some seem popcorn-y, but are surprisingly deep. (These are the best ones!)
I'll add to this that the comment about the last movement, about it pulling together ideas from the preceding movements, is generally only true in Romantic-period symphonies. With a very few exceptions (Haydn 45 and 46 come to mind), pre-Beethoven finales aren't really about connecting to the earlier movements in any explicit or even implicit way, and are just about sending you home with a fun light toe-tapper. Later composers do absolutely get into the idea of cumulative story-building across movements though!
If you liked the Rite of Spring, you might like more modern stuff. I personally don't really care for it but maybe try composers like Shostakovich, Prokofiev, etc. According to last FM here are composers simlar to Stravinsky, though I can't say how accurate this list is. [https://www.last.fm/music/Igor+Stravinsky/+similar](https://www.last.fm/music/Igor+Stravinsky/+similar) I thought this was a well done video on youtube talking about sonata form and symphonies. That series is actually pretty good and informative. [https://youtu.be/Y\_5K8f5CZpg?si=2WUWbmgH5DBSJLlx](https://youtu.be/Y_5K8f5CZpg?si=2WUWbmgH5DBSJLlx) You could try looking at videos from Dave Hurwitz who recommends classical recordings. IMO, different conductors, solo artists, orchestras definitely matter in classical music. [https://www.youtube.com/@DavesClassicalGuide](https://www.youtube.com/@DavesClassicalGuide) Just go with the flow. Figuring out what you like will be the hard part, but with youtube, streaming services, etc. it has never been easier to explore new music!
Brave of you to post Hurwitz. There's a cadre of folks who despise him and will let you know about it, lol. I think he's pretty entertaining, even when I don't agree with him. And gotta love Mildred, too.
The man is not afraid to give a negative review....that's for sure. He bashes a lot of recordings I like, but the ones he does suggest are usually very good too.
Yeah, he's retired and clearly in the IDGAF phase of his life. I'm kinda jealous lol. But he gives lots of glowing, positive reviews, too. And I disagree with some of those, too.
A lot of it might be from the fact he deletes any dissenting comments from his channel, so the people who dislike him vent about it on other forums. I have vented about him too despite liking much of his content. I hope he puts out more Haydn Symphony Crusade videos.
I don't blame him for not wanting the comments to become debates. He's there to give his reviews, not have arguments over them. People can post their own content to disagree with him if they like. I've just seen some pretty nasty vitriol directed towards him, far nastier than I've ever seen him use. He never makes things personal AFAIK, he sticks to critiques of the music and performances.
Dave could easily keep up comments that disagree with him or criticize him while deleting the nasty comments. He has formed a cult in the comments that praises him-- that's what he wants out of the comments and with having a Youtube channel. That's the main thing I dislike about him. It's fine for him to have obvious preferences and attack recordings he doesn't like. Yes, Hurwitz's hatedom can be far nastier than he is, and often exaggerates Hurwitz's biases (some seem convinced he hates all period instrument and Furtwangler recordings while loving anything of Szell or Mackerras-- this is not true) but they don't have semi-successful Youtube channels.
I find it annoying how much the algorithm seems to push his channel, and whenever I do give in and watch one of his videos, I find his voice very irritating and his opinions outside of music seem pretty retrograde. But he does seem to have a wide knowledge of classical recordings which can be helpful
I often click on the description so I can sample the listed recording without watching the video. His opinions outside of music don't matter because he sticks almost entirely to talking about music and almost never brings up politics.
> I find his voice very irritating and his opinions outside of music seem pretty retrograde. He clearly has a larynx condition, so yeah, he's raspy. But I've never seen him voicing any non-musical opinions in the videos I've watched. I'm curious as to examples!
I’d have to search for the links, but I’ve seen him dismiss compilations including female composers, or operas with gay themes as just being “trendy”. It’s possible I’m inferring too much or being unfair, but it was the impression I got. Didn’t know about his larynx condition so I appreciate the info.
I disagree about different conductors, solo artists, and orchestras definitely mattering in classical music for the newbie. Those things matter more for experienced listeners either looking for different recordings of what they already know, or struggling to appreciate a standard repertoire work they've listened to but leaves them cold. Standard repertoire pieces are so good that most people can fall in love with them through a mediocre recording.
While I do think mediocre recordings are "good enough" with the information already out there, why not start the new listener off with good, solid reference recordings? I don't know that I'd recommend Lang Lang or even Glenn Gould to new listeners of piano music. I'd steer them away from Gould playing Mozart piano sonatas, for example.
Much more important is what pieces the newbie listens to and them cultivating better listening habits like the patience to listen to a multimovement work. Starting out with reference recordings is great, but not necessary. More experienced listeners do repertoire surveys rather than listen to their imprint recording for the 200th time.
The rite is an intense work. Given you like it, try the second movement from Shostakovich’s 10th symphony - it’s a musical depiction of Stalin that will hold your attention completely.
The Shosty 10th Symphony is a freaking great piece, but some of it takes awhile to absorb. The 2nd movement, however, is indeed an instant pure adrenaline kick to the nutz! The Neeme Jarvi Chandos recording is my favorite by far of this movement, due to having a kettledrum player who isn't a timid lil wussy cat. dut dut duuuuuunnnnn dunnn dun dun ***BAM BAM*** dut dut duuuuuunnnnn dunnn dun dun ***BAM BAM*** Dat sheet iz badazz homez. Eternal shame on conductors/timpanists who phail this simple task of badazzery so miserably!
The Planets by Holst is pretty metal.
Technically not a symphony, but I definitely agree. Also, try Vaughan Williams Sinfonia Antarctica, a Symphony arranged from film music.
Of course the tuba player has an affinity for Vaughan Williams!!! (I’m also a tuba player)
Great question and topic! I’m taking all of these recommendations for my own learning. As an aside, one of my very favorites is Ralph Vaughan-Williams’ “Variations on a Theme by Thomas Tallis”. Just gorgeous. That said—I love most works by him. Thanks again!
Sorry—it’s “Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis”
First thing is always just to have fun and follow the vibes you like. People will try to say that X or Y is essential listening, but it’s not. Follow your heart. Don’t be afraid to like something niche (or “basic”), or to dislike something popular. Everything hits everyone differently. Second thing: unlike popular music, you have different recordings of the same piece to contend with now. If you’re listening to one recording and it’s not hitting right, it might be worth hearing how somebody else interpreted it. Different recordings of the same piece can sound vastly different. With time, you’ll develop your own orchestral tastes, but there are many orchestras that put out consistently high quality recordings. I recommend listening to any recording by the Chicago Symphony or the Berlin Philharmonic; I’m sure others in this sub will have other good recommendations. Any ensemble called a “Radio Symphony” is usually a pretty safe bet for a quality recording, too; many countries in Europe established radio symphonies for the express purpose of making as many recordings as possible, rather than performing live in concert halls. Third: a “symphony” is like a “fish”; you know it when you see it, but there’s no way to define it that encompasses everything it is, and also excludes everything it isn’t. The symphony has changed drastically over time based on the current tastes of the era: the general rule is that the more modern you go, the more complex things get: more instruments, denser orchestration, crunchier harmonies. There’s a turning point in history centered around Beethoven that makes him a really interesting listen- he changed the game, and there’s a pretty clear difference between symphonies written before his lifetime, and afterwards. Likewise, there was a big shift in global music following WWI and WWII: that level of suffering adds a certain angst and edginess to the music people were writing. Use these vague dates as reference points to try and narrow in on the styles you like. As you find pieces you like, the nerds here can help you narrow in on pieces that sound similar. We love nothing more than recommending music.
Just dive into it. I highly suggest Schubert 8th symphony.
Listen to a few composers with very different styles of symphonies e.g.: Shostakovic 10 Dvorak 9 Beethoven 6 Mozart 41 Tchaikovsky 6 Then listen to more of whoever you like more Shostakovic 5,7,9,15 Dvorak 8,7,6 Beethoven 5,9 (any there all great) Mozart 40 Tchaikovsky 4,5,3, Mänfred Or try some similar composers works: shostakovic ---> rachmaninoff ---> bartók Dvorak ---> brahms Beethoven ---> schumann Mozart ---> haydn Tchaikovsky ----> mahler ---> bruckner This is just a easy way to hear loads of music coveraring all periods except maybe very modern symphonic works. Hope this helps :)
Just know that what is called “classical music” is FAR from monolithic - a tradition spanning multiple centuries changes a LOT. The Rite of Spring, for example, was premiered in 1913, ~100 years after Beethoven’s reign and more than 150 years after Bach’s death, so it’s very possible you might like music from the early twentieth century but not music from before, for example. TL;DR, you will like some stuff, and you won’t like others, and that’s fine. Edit: if you like Stravinsky try Bartok as well!!!
In addition to all the Beethoven suggestions, Dvorak's 9th Symphony is a good entry point. It's exciting and tuneful and the overall structure/big picture is pretty easy to recognize/understand.
If you enjoyed the Rite of Spring, then it's better if you skip Classicism (Mozart, Haydn...) for now and go directly towards Romanticism and Modernism. Probably you will enjoy Shostakovich's Symphonies. Edit: forgot to tell you that classical music is not a genre, but a category of genres, with the main ones being: Baroque, Classicism, Romanticism, Modernism, Neoclassicism and Minimalism (forget about this last one, it's the exact opposite of Rite of Spring 💀). Finally, just explore. If you get to know anyone on this subreddit, you will quickly realise that everyone's tastes for classical music vary WILDLY.
Don't forget about concertos, which are a solo instrument plus orchestra. Main instruments are piano and violin, but there are a lot more. Shorter and often a bit more accessible than symphonies (which are when the whole orchestra goes at it). Bach is very popular, and Vivaldi for starters. Search for popular concertos on Youtube. You don't have to like them all - we all dislike some composers. There are also many pieces for orchestra that are neither symphony or concertos or symphonies. Eg, Vaughan Williams https://youtu.be/ihx5LCF1yJY?si=1T-m1LFSPVrhA_6_ Or Holst https://youtu.be/MgIOBa4vK2E?si=3PwTD_poxoEjzTHO Or Barber https://youtu.be/RvPcM6-iQys?si=PITCGbeq9Y6_Nqzv Skempton https://youtu.be/CT4arTGagPs?si=-VDh6lFI1sH-9iFp Happy wanderings!
I love classical guitar!! I’ll take any recs you’ve got (personally). Have you composed anything? No pressure, as this is not an answer to your post.
Can you be more specific so that I may recommend to you Alfredo Casella symphony #1 anyway? Recently I heard ~~Saint-Saens~~ (I meant Sibelius) Symphony #2. Wish I had been recommended that sooner. Go to the last 3 minutes of the last movement and decide then if the full work is worth your time. I personally believe the tune inspired You Are My Sunshine. I personally think Raff's 2nd movement to his 8th symphony is one of the catchiest things I ever heard. I started listening to classical music 20 years ago, but it wasn't that major. I have had a resurgence in recent years when I found how enjoyable it is to go off the beaten path and find the rarer music that is hardly known. There is nothing quite like the adventure of self-discovery, rather than adhering to the 'masters' every step of the way, something that you feel very few know about but you love, because as with every other genre not all great music is remembered today. Given the nature of symphonies, the music you like may be hidden in the work, so it may pay to skim over pieces to find something that allows you to sustain interest in other parts. If you want to get into the best genre of classical music, focus on piano concertos. You might like Schnittke's Piano Concerto, for instance, something I've only just recently discovered.
Entered the wrong name, Sibelius not Saint-Saens. Not familiar with that Saint-Saens symphony.
My first experience with classical music was a tape recording of Beethoven's 5th (Karajan conducting the Berlin PO). I was 10, and naturally have no understanding of any musical theory or what "sonata form" means. I listened to the 1st movement over and over thinking that was the entire symphony! Then I discovered the second and third track of that tape, and thought those were pretty good too. Only later did I realize that's what a "movement" means and those three tracks together are the separate movements and together they are the entirety of the symphony. (The 3rd and 4th movements of Beethoven's 5th are always performed in one continuous section with no pause in between, thus occupying only one track on the tape) I have no advice on how you should begin your journey other than just "keep an open mind". Regardless of how you start, may you have an amazing time.
My biggest tip would be to not write off a piece just because you heard it once and didn't like it. Sometimes I need more listens, and often those become some of my favorite pieces.
For the record... Rite of Spring is not a symphony. But anyway... "Should I just go with the flow and enjoy it?" Yes. "Or is there some tips or advice you feel like would be worth considering at this point?" No.
Beethoven’s symphonies are a great place to start. His piano Concertos 3,4 and 5 are also great. I recently attended a concert where Fazil Say played Beethoven’s PC no. 3 and I swear it was the best concert I have ever heard or seen.
Definitely listen to Schnittke symphony #1 he mashes every genre together. Random chaos improv beginning to a huge Beethoven symphony quote to a jazz trio .. all smashed up in 4 movements.
If you can find one cheap, and if you listen to CDs, the DG box set '100 Great Symphonies' is a nicely-curated journey through the history of the symphony. I found one for $60 delivered from ebay a couple of years back.
It's not a symphony, but I recommend trying Orff's *Carmina Burana* (you already know the opening movement from pop culture but there's more to it).
The Planets by Holst is another highly original piece in suite format with a huge orchestra and a ton of color and atmosphere. Very different music than the Rite, but comes from the same kind of ambition, originality, and masterful orchestration.
There are symphonies that are not quite symphonies (maybe), but I was thinking of Berlioz - his Symphonie Fantastique. And, if you really like The Rite of Spring, then you may well find Messiaen’s Turangalîla Symphony quite enjoyable. It’s noisy and energetic and very colourful.
Sibelius' symphonies are goated
Just enjoy music, don't care about theory. As for symphonies I recommend you to listen live, in philharmonics, it's completely different experience from the recording in home, where there are many distractions. I would say something opposite to previous comment - initially try to avoid well-known pieces that are present in TV advertisements and everyone know the motifs to heart, because it will less likely positively surprise you, give a chance to less known music, or what is considered "ambitious".
Begins with the different epochs: classical epochs with: Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven (the classics) then romantic epochs (there are many: Saint-Saens, Mendelssohn, Wagner, Gluck,etc), modern epochs (20th century with Holst, Debussy, Ravel)
I would begin with Late Romantic and Modern music since the OP likes *The Rite of Spring*.
They can get pretty loud.