Good Classical discs for "beginners"


While i'm far from being knowledgable about Classical music, i just picked up a disc from Best Buy on RCA Victor / BMG entitled "The Only Classical CD You'll Ever Need!". This has 13 different selections from Mozart, Bach, Pachelbel, Vivaldi, Beethoven (2), Mozart, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Strauss, Rachmaninoff, Wagner and Rossini. The various "tunes" are performed by Artur Rubinstein, Zubin Mehta / NY Philharmonic, Arthur Fiedler / Boston Pops, Eugene Ormandy / Philadelphia Orchestra, Fritz Reiner / Chicago Symphony and Erich Leinsdorf / Boston Symphony.

Quite honestly, it is truly a well put together disc. There isn't one bad cut : ) To top it off, the sequencing of the selections is quite tasteful and lends an overall "flow" to the disc as you listen. I would think that this would be a great intro if someone wanted to investigate various Classical artists and at the same time, listen to the different Conductors / Orchestra's / Symphony's. For those that are interested, it is catalogue #09026-62665-2. Actual selling price was $9.99 + Uncle Sam's cut : )

How about those of you that are well versed in Classical recordings throwing us a bone and pointing us to some other discs that are worth checking out ? Individual performances are good but it would be great if we could get some "samplers" listed also. Sean
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sean
I would hate to discourage any effort to draw new listeners to classical music, but I'm not sure I can endorse the sampler approach. I would rather see someone take the playlist from a sampler like this and buy the Naxos version of each of those works.
Before I answer the question allow me to suggest these two books: 1. What to Listen For in Music,by Aaron Copland. 2. Building a cd Library, by Ted Libbey.(That may not be the exact title,but it's close.)
Here are some basic musics.
--Baroque
JS Bach,The Brandenburg Concerti
JS Bach, The Goldberg Variations
--Classic
Mozart,Piano Concertos #21 and #23
Beethoven,Symphonies #6 and #5
Hayden,Opus 76 String Quartets
--Romantic
Schubert,Trout Quintet
Chopin,Piano Preludes
--Impressionist/Modern
Debussy,Three Nocturnes
Stravinsky,Rite of Spring

Soon,you'll hear what appeals to you and you can add more as your preferences dictate.
Happy listening,P
Buy,rent something classical on lazer / dvd.Seeing; the visual helps some. I sort of cut my teeth on the great library available on lazer disc.Some,instead of the orchestra; have great scenery. Beethoven's 9th, Rachmaninoff (Herbert Von Karajan & Alexiss Wiesenberg) Piano #2 (not the 3)is one of the most melodic pieces ever written.(There are several of these melodies, within, that were recorded and made popular with a vocal.)The 2 mentioned and the 4 seasons are the 3 most popular pieces;for good reason.