I may be getting too technical here, but with respect to some of the earlier composers on these lists (e.g. Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel), the majority (I would guess) of recent recordings use Historically Informed Practice (HIP). That means the instruments and styles of playing are an attempt to match the instruments and practices of the earlier time. I don’t want to get into a debate about whether that is better or worse - but there is no doubt it is different. Thus the Pinnock Bach mentioned above, which is HIP, sounds quite different from a performance you might hear by the Berlin Philharmonic or any other major symphony orchestra. I believe Nigel Kennedy’s Four Seasons uses a “chamber orchestra,” which would be sort of a compromise.
There are also HIP recordings of more recent music, but they are less common.
Besides recordings see if there are any live performances near you. We saw Steven Isserlis at Birmingham University playing his cello in a small performance hall. Years ago now, but university, conservatoires and music schools still offer live performances open to the public.
He is not a HIP performer but currently plays on the 1726 Marquis de Corberon cello made by Antonio Stradivari. Naturally with gut strings rather than metal. He prefers the sound.
A few pointers here already, so to add to @Stokie comment about R3, also 5pm weekdays, “In-Tune” is very enjoyable, and the mix tape which follows for half an hour at 7pm. The great advantage is twofold, you can repeat if something catches your attention and the playlists are on the beebs website for R3 (after track has played).
Overall I would recommend keeping it simple, rather than chasing suggestions, just listen to whats on for a while, which will soon give you a flavour of the direction of your preferences.
If you stream, try to listen to the whole track, avoiding temptation to skip - you might miss the best parts !
Streaming, while I have T and Q, I would take a look at @davidhendon’s excellent thread on Presto music streaming. It does mean a separate box feeding into your NSC222, but its small and iiuc, there is a trial period, this is the thread -
Being organist I’d like to recommend Haydn, Handel or Carl Philippe Emmanuel Bachs organconcertos. Light stuff and it’s more concerto than organ.
Eg:
The assignment is to identify the cuckoo and nightingale …
The reason to recommend this period is that late barok or the pre classical era allows to develop your knowledge and taste to older (barock) or later (romantic) music.
I’d recommend buying Readers digest boxset Eric Robinson’s World Of Music.
You wouldn’t know from the title but it’s a classical music boxset. Each record contains popular classical music from a particular country or region. My father in law bought it in the 80s, as it was advertised as an investment. He didn’t actually play it as he didn’t have a record player, but he lent it me. Really enjoyable and education for the classical novice.
It didn’t turn out to be a good investment, there are three on sale on ebay at less than £4.00.
The link below is not to an item for sale, just a blog showing track listings.
If you enjoy the thrill of the chase, then charity shops like Oxfam in middle class suburbs or market towns will have discarded collections when children have cleared their parents’ house. I don’t have a turntable, so I leave the LPs to you!
I shall have to try some of these suggestions, as to date I don’t think I’ve heard any classical music past the first third or so of the 20th century that has been worth bothering with.
When I first started to listen to The Third Programme 12 Tone Serialism was in vogue and it was hard. Stockhausen was a relief. But contemporary classical music has evolved. Steve Reich, Arvo Pärt, John Tavener, Henryk Górecki - Symphony of Sorrowful Songs became a best seller. If you have open ears the Kronos Quartet are worth working through. Some of this is wonderful, but some is certainly not easy listening. We like different things. But I would hate to think that classical music ended in the first third of the 20c.
Of course, there is opera and opera, some such a Bizet’s Carmen and Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffman are (to me at least) quite approachable.
For other options, how about some of the lyrical/descriptive/story telling pieces? Peter and the Wolf, Carnival of the Animals, Children’s Suite, Ma Vlast, Pictures at an Exhibition, the Toccata from Bachianas Brasilieras Nº2, Pacific 231.
Look for the HMV CD - Classic Advertisements and you might discover there is quite a bit of classical you recognise.
