In my early forties I decided I needed to start listening to classical music. I picked up a cd of Mahler's fourth, with Szell and the Cleveland Symphony. My first couple of listens I regretted the purchase, but for some reason I continued to play it in the car. At some point I heard the magic, especially in the fourth movement. To this day it's a huge favorite of mine.
Mahler 4 has always been a fan favorite. Back in the 1950's, it was the only Mahler symphony played on a regular basis. Both Fritz Reiner and George Szell recorded it with their own orchestras. And then, when Leonard Bernstein recorded it with the NY Philharmonic, Mahler suddenly took off and remains the most popular composer from their era. Bernstein went on to record all of the Mahler symphonies with both NY and Vienna. The NY version is very inexpensive, an exceptional bargain.
Mahler 2 is my favorite piece of all time. The fifth movement was absolutely life changing when I saw that live. I loved that piece so much I wrote my college essay over it
I come from an environment where people don't listen to classical music. Around 16, I wanted to know what it looked like. To know a little. I chose Beethoven's Fifth Symphony because it's very well known and has a great aura even for those who don't listen to classical music. I listened to it in full. The 1st mvt, gorgeous, the others neither good nor bad, but nothing extraordinary. But I had the good idea to listen to it again (the next day or the day after) and everything changed. Many passages were very beautiful. And I listened to it a third time and it was wonderful. I then listened to another symphony, then quartets, sonatas and other composers...There you go! Classical music has entered my life. You're right. You have to take the time to listen and the reward is extraordinary. Your life changes. Beethoven changed mine. So I think that Beethoven's fifth symphony is one of the works to recommend to someone who wants to know classical music. The result is guaranteed. But the choice of the sixth also seems excellent to me.
You have exactly described the beginning of my experience with classical music. A first listen to a recording might be slightly intriguing, a second might give some pleasure, and the third might well transport me to another world. Beethoven's Fifth was like that. Stravinsky's Petrouchka was like that.
The Beethoven Pastoral Symphony was my gateway drug into classical music when I was a high school student. 45 years later it is still one of my favorites.
The “Pastoral” is my least favorite of Beethoven’s symphonies. I prefer him in his Heaven-storming moods, and his Third, Fifth, and Seventh are my favorites. P.S. My gateway drug was Tchaicovsky’s Fifth. That was the first complete symphony I ever heard, and it’s still my favorite of his symphonies.
it was a few years later that i got interested enough to listen to an LP I picked up "Tchaikovsky's Greatest Hits" 1971 E. Ormandy...But, i recall at age 7~ that i found a heavy (old style) record with a purple middle lable....Shostakovich Symphony 5 in D min. I held it in my hand and looking at it it fascinated me.
David, I remember vividly when I was a beginner who needed guidance way back when. The Gramophone and Penguin guides were OK for selecting records, but not for understanding them (and they were idiosyncratic and semi-reliable to say the least). Record store employees were a total wildcard. Some we’re helpful, others were.. well… lets just say less than helpful. I remember shopping for my very first Beethoven symphony record and the “classical guy” in the store told me to “ignore the even numbered symphonies, only the odd numbered symphonies were any good.” Anyway, this type of video is not just so valuable to those who are finding their way into this wonderful music early on, BUT they help build an audience for classical music beyond musicians. Classical music accounts for, what, 3% maybe 5% of all CD and download sales? We need to cultivate new enthusiasts and lovers of good music from all walks of life and I truly believe that your videos do just that. Keep doing the good work you do!! Thank you - you’re a hero.
I am so happy to see on the list Tchaikovsky symphony no. 5. It was the first symphony CD I received as a gift when I was 17 (Solti was the conductor). Since then, I have never stopped listening to classical music. Keep on doing those wonderful videos! 👏
I always enjoy Mr. Hurwitz's presentations and reviews. I listened to the 10 essential symphonies by drawing recordings from my personal collection. Here is a summary of my exploration: 10. Hayden Symphony No. 88 Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Reiner 9. Mozart Symphony No. 40 Cleveland Orchestra/George Szell 8. Beethoven Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral) Columbia Symphony Orchestra/Bruno Walter 7. Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3 (The Scottish) London Symphony Orchestra/Peter Maag 6. Brahms Symphony No. 4 Chicago Symphony Orchestra/James Levine 5. Saint Saens Symphony No. 3 (The Organ) Boston Symphony Orchestra/Charles Munch 4. Dvorak Symphony No. 9 (The New World) Philharmonia Orchestra/Carlo Maria Guilini 3. Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 Philharmonia Orchestra/Vladimir Ashkenazy 2. Mahler Symphony No.2 (The Ressurrection) New York Philharmonic/Bruno Walter 1. Sibelius Symphony No. 2 London Symphony Orchestra/Pierre Monteaux Note: With the exception of Mozart Symphony No. 40 (Columbia Great Performances CD) all of the recordings came from my vinyl collection. Although there are repeat orchestras all of the orchestra/conductor collaborations are unique. I would like to see what were your choices for the 10 Essential symphonies.
I love that It’s Beethoven Pastoral that made it. Heavenly, exciting music that no one can fail to appreciate. Beethoven’s ecstatic appreciation of nature shines through. Bravo!
Thank you very much for this, the comments at the beginning as much as the list of symphonies. I don't know if it is the result of being locked in our homes for two years or what, but as I surf social media, I perceive a real surge of interest in classical music among all age groups. I am one of those, and this primer is a real help getting started.
That is one of the best didactic videos for classical newcomers that I have ever seen and heard - I feel tempted to say: "Bernstein finally met his worthy rival" @@DavesClassicalGuide Accolades and more accolades!
It was Vaughan Williams 6 that got me into classical music! That big tune from the end of The first movement was the theme tune to a British drama series set in WW2 called "A Family at War". When I heard that tune I wanted to know more about it, and where it came from. I went out and bought the LP and it blew me away! then I wanted to know more RVW, then other composers sort of 'followed me home' from the record shop later.
Each of these works played a role in shaping my understanding of classical music over 40 years ago. Thanks for making this sometimes cynical 50-something feel like a kid again…
This video makes me appreciate Dave even more. Sitting here thinking how much of a blessing it would have been to have had these videos on demand when I was a young child and developing a passion and interest for this music. I was lucky enough to have a father that was (still very much is) a classical fanatic. Peter and The Wolf was a big deal for me, but obviously at a very young age. Dad ignited my classical music flame with the cello concerto in Bm by Dvorak, any/every Mahler composition, and the first Goldberg Variations Gould recorded from ‘55. There are some pieces that I have gushing nostalgia over that I don’t know if I would have had I not been quite young and impressionable when I heard it. An early orchestral composition of Webern’s called Im Sommerwind is one. I remember also loving the 4th Symphony by Brahms as a child, and now it’s the only Brahms Symphony I don’t particularly adore. Maybe I need a new recommendation to reawaken my love for Brahms 4th, Mr Hurwitz (hint hint). Solti did my favorite Brahms cycle (a Decca box, I think?). Anywho, you are doing amazing things with your channel, Mr. Hurwitz!
As a beginner let me say "Thank you.Thank you. Thank you." For this video! Your explanation overall and specially for Hayden's 88, is fabulous. Listened to multiple, different versions now and "keep on listening" before I explore your other recommendations. Thanks again (from Ireland).
Indeed. Classical music usually needs several 'listens' before you fully appreciate and really enjoy a piece. Of course there will sometimes be a piece you never get to like but once pieces are discovered which are enjoyable you can explore that composer more and/or explore similar composers.
Dvorak's New World Symphony was my introduction to classical music, when the musical penny dropped, and my life-long love affair with quality music started (I have also to include jazz and folk music to quality music). And I thoroughly concur on your observations on Dvorak. It wasn't a concert, but I was an exchange student at the age of 14 in France, and the two boys in the family played this piece of music on their gramophone in the attic in the barn attached to the house, their den. It was Istvan Kertesz's famous recording of 1961 with the Vienna Philharmonic, and I have the digital version on my computer, it's the only version I actually know. All my classical music education proceeds from this symphony, this artist, this orchestra and this recording.
I had a teacher who explained the repeats this way: there were no audio recording back then! That gets to what Dave said about “getting the music into your head,” especially when you couldn’t listen to it at will ad nauseum, and when there was a good chance you’d only have one or two chances in your whole life to hear a particular piece.
The custom of repeats actually goes back to the Baroque period. The idea was that the performer would play the piece straight the first time, and then add his/her own personal touches (ornaments,etc.) on the repeat. By the nineteenth century, the repeats were considered optional, and were not always observed.
This is cool. I remember how I came to classical music. I was making an 8-millimeter film (remember those?) and needed some background music so I rooted in my parents' record collection (they didn't listen to classical but had acquired some sealed LPs) and gravitated to Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony (London Phase 4) and Bruckner's 7th (Ormandy/RCA) and after that I was off to the races.
My pick for background music for my projected (but never realized) 8-millimeter stop-motion animated remake of "Battle of the Bulge" with 1/72 scale models became "Descent to Niebelheim" from Wagners "Das Rheingold" which I heard used on a television sound track without knowing anything about whom the composer was. When I found out I almost instantly became a Wagnerian by the age of barely fifteen. And just six months later I became a Brucknerian after acquiring a reel to reel recorder with a tape still on it, on which the former owner had left an off air from Danish Radio of Ormandy's RCA Bruckner 7th. It put an instant spell on me. That tape recorder turned out to be one of the best investments in my life!
How funny! Brahms 4 and Mahler 2 are exactly the two symphonies that lured me into the world of classical music 30 years ago, which I haven't left ever since.
i discovered -every- classical music piece trhough your channel. you guide me so well because for example: i had never heard beethovens 9th, i knew it must be remarkable but i learned from you to go with the günther wand version and i was stunned... did the same with elgar, dvorak, fucik, mahler... my first step is to watch your video to a piece and then i listen to it. and because i grew 33 without ever listening to it ... i have the chance to experience everything for the first time. Thank you so much.
In the first 7 minutes of this video, you did a magnificent job of outlining what a new listener should do to begin their journey into the wonderful world of classical music. Sort of a condensed and congealed version of some of the Bernstein TV specials I grew up watching. Really well said. (And, as usual, your recommendations are excellent, too.)
Oh yes, those Bernstein YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONCERTS. What a joy for me to watch. I'm glad a few of them are here on UA-cam so I can refresh my memory on how good they were and "ARE".
@@FREDGARRISON Great that a number of them are on UA-cam. No chance that anything like that would make it to prime time TV these days. It's still a vast wasteland, just with a lot more channels.
Hi Dave. I live in Great Britain and recently stumbled on your channel after a chance hearing of the fourth movement of Sibelius’ Symphony No 2 on my iTunes shuffle! I hadn’t listened to it in so long and it was such a joy to hear that momentous finale of the finale! I’d first heard it live at the Proms in London in the late 90s (have you ever been?) and immediately went out and bought a copy of Davis conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra. When I heard it recently, it led me to wonder if there were other performances I should hear to provide a comparison and so I found your channel. I now have a number of truly great (and, in some cases, better) than Davis’, particularly in terms of a brisker tempo. The Szell performances are truly amazing. I was so pleased to see the work listed on your Essential Symphonies for Beginners list as it was the one that kick-started my forays into the world of orchestral music way back. And having now watched a huge number of your other videos, it’s rekindled my interest in the genre and a renewed desire to seek out new works, and you have provided a vast resource that will probably keep me listening until I shuffle off this mortal coil! A huge thanks to you for your boundless enthusiasm and straight-talking on the subject. It’s certainly helped me to be more confident about what I do and don’t like and the composers that click with me, and they’re not always the usual suspects. So, keep on posting, Dave, and take care!
Thank you very much for this informative video. I've been listening to classical music for decades but my formal knowledge has always been weak. Your channel has greatly increased my understanding. I have all these titles in my library -- and after listening to your background info for each-- I made a commitment to listen to them in order, actually listen ("with my hands at my sides") and hey, I'm pretty excited about doing that!
Our local classical radio station (I won't mention which city or which station) tends to play only individual movements of longer works. I know that individual movements are usually self-contained units, and can stand alone; however, it's like reading only one part of a book that consists of several parts. One must listen to an entire work in order to gain the maximum benefit. The second movement of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony (for example) just doesn't tell the whole story.
Very excellent and thoughtfully assembled list! I wish I had this when I was just getting into classical music. In the spirit of your own videos, I'd like to share my "ideal" list of recordings of these symphonies, nearly all of which you have also recommended at some point! Haydn 88: Dorati / Philharmonia Hungarica Mozart 40: Vegh / Camerata Salzburg (or Szell/Cleveland if I could repeat conductors) Beethoven 6: Klemperer / Philharmonia Orchestra Mendelssohn 3: Dohnanyi / Vienna Philharmonic Saint-Saens 3: Ormandy / Philadelphia Brahms 4: Levine / Chicago Tchaikovsky 5: Haitink / Concertgebouw Dvorak 9: Fricsay / Berlin Mahler 2: Bernstein / NY (the second one) Sibelius 2: Szell / Concertgebouw And while I'm here, I might as well throw in a good word for Blomstedt's new Beethoven Ninth with the Gewandhaus; in my opinion it's incredibly underrated, and should be a first choice for anyone who wants to listen to it for the first time.
I had my own collection of works that i grew up on especially from age 8-17. Age 11 might have been a breakthrough into my soul. I had about 30-40 symphonies pounding through my heart and mind the whole time. But another over twice as much, in other works. TACHLIS????? wow! Not that many frum classical music lovers around today!
I think I got into classical music following this "guide" by chance some years ago! Brahms' 4th Symphony was one of the pieces that turned me on to classical music, and I've always thought to myself that it is an ideal piece for "beginners", it's luxuriant and the melodies are accessible, I'm really happy that you mentioned it here! And yes, "legendary bardic storytelling", that's such a beautiful definition for the 2nd movement, that simple main tune is of such solemnity and grace. Also Beethoven's 6th, his most melodic symphony, I've always felt it was much more accessible than the daunting 9th and even the 5th. The finale of Sibelius' 2nd, it's almost impossible not to be struck right away (but especially in my case because it reminded me of a popular electronic song in the early 2000s called "L'Amour Toujours" by Gigi D'Agostino...). Dvorak's New World Symphony, there is a metal band called Rhapsody that used it in one of their songs and it fits heavy metal quite well, that's how I came into contact with it. Just sharing since younger people may relate to this, for me I couldn't agree more with this list!
Dave, love your list, would expand it to top 11. The composer is Schubert and the # is 9 (C major). I realise it is LONG but the rhythmic catch "does it" for me.
I am new to exploring classical music and discovered your videos yesterday. Thank you so much for posting these wonderful videos and for your passion to the music. I am a caregiver for my 80 year old mother and viewing this beginner series and working my way through the recommendations will be a way for me to deal with the stress by taking time for myself to listen to the music. I learned so much from the beginning portion of the video that helped me during my first listens. I have now listened to the first four, plus I decided to listen to Beethoven's 5th, and then go immediately into the 6th. Of the five, the symphony that moved me the most so far was the Pastoral. I was surprised how much I liked it after listening to the more well known symphony. I keep a running list of my 500 favorite albums and I think I will be adding a recording of that symphony to my list. And yes, my Shih Tzu enjoys the music too.
Welcome, and thank you for posting. I'm so happy you enjoyed the videos and that I can help you to relieve some of the stress in your life. I think there is no higher purpose for music. No less a figure than Haydn wrote the following, and who are we to disgree: "Often, when struggling against the obstacles of every sort which oppose my labours: often, when the powers of mind and body weakened, and it was difficult for me to continue in the course I had entered on:--a secret voice whispered to me: ‘There are so few happy and contented peoples here below; grief and sorrow are always their lot; perhaps your labours will once be a source from which the care-worn, or the man burdened with affairs, can derive a few moments’ rest and refreshment.’ This was indeed a powerful motive to press onwards, and this is why I now look back with cheerful satisfaction on the labors expended on this art, to which I have devoted so many long years of uninterrupted effort and exertion."
Good list. They all have special memories to me. Blasting Dvorak's inside the car while journeying to higher education courses is one of them. Journeying to the new world whilst still holding to the old 🙂
I started my collection bit earlier than I discovered your channel. Since then I am expanding my collection basically according to your recommendations... I am also lucky that our passion for classical music with my wife found its way to my kids. Beside listening current teen/teenager music trends all of them listen classical music almost on a daily base. Thank you
David, thank you for this highly energised and beautifully balanced exposé. Your comment that Saint Saëns' "Organ" Symphony was composed to test your sound system made me spill my tea with laughter. I have forwarded the video to my adult children and various others.
Many symphonies of this list were also my first experiences with the Symphony, but my first experiment was Schubert 's "Unvollendete" and I loved it very much. Haydn didn't do anything to me , and still not, and I didn't love Mendelssohn 3 ( maybe too Haydnesque) . But with Mendelssohn 4 I was back on the front. Beethoven 6 was great, but after 4 hearings, I never came back to it. His 7th and 5th and later, his 3rd , were the Symphonies which turned me definitive to classical music. Tchaikovsky 6th was my favourite a long time, with Dvorak 9, not his 8th. . Then I was ready for Brahms ( 1,3 and 4) , Sibelius ( all except 3), Rachmaninov ( all 3) , Prokofiev 5 and Shostakovich 1, 5, 8, 10, 15). Many yaers later came Mahler ( 2,3,4,5,6 & 9). Schumann and Bruckner are still not on my list. So, beginner, maybe , you have some more recommendations....
Strauss: Alpensinfonie is not a real symphony, but I think, many beginners should appreciate it very much as great example of orchestral music. Very recommended!
@@DavesClassicalGuide Yes, I know, I've seen hundreds of them and it ''s a great job, done in a few years! Maybe you can do something with voting on suggestions and recommendations, by your public? Interactive!
If i remember it correctly, the symphonies i first listened to were, beethoven’s 5, 6 and 9, dvorak’s new world, tchaikovsky’s 6, bruckner’s 9… they were available in my high school in tapes… 😊
I think Dave should reccomend 10 essnetial Classical Music recordings for beginners to buy (in affordable price) or listen to so they can have to start collection.
Thank you so much for this video! This is exactly what i needed. It's so easy to get lost in the vastness that is classical music. If i could make a wish i would love it if you wanted to make videos where you walk us through a single work. So basically more videos like this! :D I often feel like i'm missing the structure in a work when i listen to it and i know that it helps a lot when you mention things about what the composer was thinking when he/she wrote it, or what the different parts of the piece is doing. It helped me a great deal when you walked us through the story behind some of Sibelius's Tone Poems, and how the music reflected the points of the story. Anything like that helps soooo much!
Oh yeh, the opening of sibelius 2 becomes the big tune in the finale, I'd never noticed that before. Amazing. I look forward to exploring more dvorak inspired by dave's enthusiasm. I only know the famous works. Tchaikovsky is also still underrated for the same reasons, but i know all his music. I keep finding thematic transformations in his symphonies, like that one in sibelius 2. In tchaikovsky 5, the famous horn theme transforms into a tune in the finale.
Great video, well explained, welcoming, inviting, and a great choice of symphonies. Could you do a similar one on Modernist symphonies? I think that would also go down very well and would help people understand a little more what happened in the modern period and hence listen to the music with more open and appreciative ear.
You bring up an interesting point about the cover art for your mother's copy of Beethoven's 6th. I know most classical releases have pretty interchangeable cover artwork (generic painting of composer, generic photograph of the conductor, etc.), but are there any classical releases that stand out to you as having particularly excellent/unique cover art? I mean, we've all seen the jokey lists about the worst classical album covers (Music for Plants, Saturday Night Fiedler, Boult's The Planets), but "best classical album covers" is much more rare...
David explains why it seemed that when a conductor recorded a Haydn symphony in the 1950s, number 88 was always the first one. It might also be their only Haydn recording.
Hi :) thank you for the wonderful video and explanations of each symphony. Im an italian guy, i started to know classical music in my childhood with Disney's Fantasia movie; while listening to other genre of music (mainly rock/metal macro-genres), i begin to approach and appreciate some composers (whitout any guide), like Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Gustav Holst, Beethoven and Mahler. From the list, i only know Mahler's "Resurection" and Beethoven's "Pastoral", so i'll listen the other symphonies ;) Thank you again for this list and the video.
What a great video and a great list!! This is a great topic and a great way to get people into it! I’m fairly young and many of my non musician friends want to get into classical music and I’ve always struggled how to go about it but as always, like when I am looking for great recordings, you’ve made my job easier!! One question; when would you think is an appropriate time to introduce a newbie to the works of bruckner, if at all?
@@cartologist I've been listening for over 60 years. It took me a long time to appreciate him. You may never like Bruckner, but it might still be too early to tell. Give it time, and go with good recordings, for which David has given many fine recommendations.
One never knows what or who “clicks” when. I’m a non-musician - Shostakovich and Sibelius “clicked” very early on, Mahler and Bruckner, not so much even now, many years later.
Thank you very much, David! It is such a nice list, and an amazing video as always. Well, what about old hands? A list for them could be nice, couldn't it ?
Love that you chose works that demonstrate something about the music and the composer, and not the tried and true "Music Appreciation Class" selections.
Tchaikovsky as young man admired Mozart, it seems thanks to his mom too. Dvořák admired Mozart as well. Tchaikovsky said he predicts great future for Rachmaninov. Some lady on twitter is twitting often about Tchaikovsky, and that for long time he was often thinking that he is not good enough as a composer, yet he continued composing, not realizing his own greatness.Tchaikovsky also admired Rimsky-Korzakov. I wonder if Dvořák and Tchaikovsky were challenged by the society or mindset.
Excellent video for beginners, and very good list. I do wish you had picked Mozart 41 instead of 40 to introduce the tradition of celebratory C Major Symphonies and Mozart's skill at combining separate tunes. But any narrowing down the list like you had to for this will leave you lamenting at the great stuff you had to cut.
I like the way you’ve added the Resurrection Symphony and not the fourth. I’ve got a bugbear about people recommending lighter symphonies as a way into a composer. (I know the slow movement is anything but light).No, go large or go home! When you get around to the fourth, you’ll appreciate it more.
It s up to others why they prefer certain symphonies. If they want to recommend "lighter" symphonies, that's up to them. if you don't like that, that's up to you.
I am privileged to have performed 8¼ of those pieces (Not the Haydn, though I have played other Haydn, and only the last movement of the Saint-Saens) with local (amatuer) orchestras, including Mahler 2 only a couple of months ago (which was truly epic). Still, I think there's plenty of music that's fallen between the cracks, so I'll be interested to see any great music (symphonies and symphonic poems especially) that I might have missed.
I think this is the first time I've agreed with every entry on one of your lists. I debated Franck as the French entry, since it was my first foray into non-germanic music. But I have an emotional attachment to the Saint-Saens as well. It was a piece we played during the very brief time I got to play in a good, full-scale orchestra. I remember the first time we played it in a hall with a real organ, when it came whomping in. But how could you neglect to mention the timpani at the end?
I have finished this section. I am struggling a little in that some of these are starting to sound the same to my newbie ears. I am also falling victim to what I call "new music bias" which was especially bad in regards to the Resurrection Symphony. By that I mean that I expected one thing in my head prior to listening but got something different which interfered with my enjoyment because my chattering brain kept talking to me about my preconceived notations rather than enjoying the music. (This happened to me a lot when I decided to listen to all 500 Albums on Rollingstone's August 2020 list of greatest albums but usually then my mind kept asking itself what genre something was in an effort to reconcile the new music to music I was familiar with.) Now that I know what to expect, I will listen to the Mahler piece again and maybe another recording of it from your video of recommendations of which are the ones to try. The Sibelius and Dvorak did not strike me at all so I probably need to go back to them or maybe watch a performance to see if that helps me find my way to those pieces. The Pastoral Symphony is still the one that moved me the most but I also really enjoyed the Tchaikovsky piece. Again, I probably need to slow down my listening so I can focus more on the pieces individually so they do not run together in my head. I just love music so much I get excited to hear it all - lol.
Thank you for listening. You have hit the nail on the head: slow down! You need to get to know each piece, and that means hearing it more than once. Some pieces may never appeal to you, others will gradually, and you will always like some better than others. That's normal. You won't like everything equally, but you'll never know unless you take your time and get familiar with them.
@@DavesClassicalGuide I watched performances of Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 and Mahler: Symphony No. 2 on youtube instead of just listening to them again. The performance of the Dvorak really enhanced my appreciation and helped me get into the music more. The Resurrection performance was also enlightening and enjoyable but did confirm my initial feeling that while the piece is amazing, it is not for me because I did not particularly care for the slow parts which are the majority of the 90 minutes. I watched the BBC Proms video with a very young Orchestra and I really enjoyed watching the young people play their hearts out and the BBC camera work was incredible to the point you could actually see their fingers playing the notes. I think on a long piece like No. 2, seeing it is better for the beginner like me so I could get swept into the music and not swept away into my own thoughts during the slow sections.
Your incouragement to set down and really listen inspired me to listen to Beethoven's 5th symphony. I now hear it in my head when I'm on the Metro, running, waiting in line at the grocery store, and any time I want a pick-me-up. Thanks you for this.
On twitter was a quote: by Stravinsky, photo with smiling face: The trouble with music appreciation in general is that people are taught to have too much respect for music, they should be taught to love it instead. It suggests that maybe composers are actually not here to be liked always, but should be respected actually.
Most people I know aren't going to take the time to listen to an entire symphony. Their attention span is attracted to a catchy tune and that's it. This is why there are so many discs with excerpts of the classics. Similarly, people don't have the patience to read anymore except on their devices.
If a person has the patience to listen to this long video (rather than merely read off the list in the description), they probably have the patience to listen to Sibelius' 2nd. If I'm not mistaken, this video is aimed for those who might get into CM, not the majority who wouldn't.
I really have had a gut full of this cultural appropriation nonsense. That is what the history of Western art is. People don’t understand that, starting in the distant past, style cascades and is cyclical.
In my early forties I decided I needed to start listening to classical music. I picked up a cd of Mahler's fourth, with Szell and the Cleveland Symphony. My first couple of listens I regretted the purchase, but for some reason I continued to play it in the car. At some point I heard the magic, especially in the fourth movement. To this day it's a huge favorite of mine.
Mahler 4 has always been a fan favorite. Back in the 1950's, it was the only Mahler symphony played on a regular basis. Both Fritz Reiner and George Szell recorded it with their own orchestras. And then, when Leonard Bernstein recorded it with the NY Philharmonic, Mahler suddenly took off and remains the most popular composer from their era. Bernstein went on to record all of the Mahler symphonies with both NY and Vienna. The NY version is very inexpensive, an exceptional bargain.
"One of the most glorious things in the history of humanity" (Saint-Saëns, Symphony No. 3), I cannot but agree with the greatest alacrity.
Your enthousiasm is very contagious! Thanks for all of the wonderful stories and insights!
Mahler 2 is my favorite piece of all time. The fifth movement was absolutely life changing when I saw that live. I loved that piece so much I wrote my college essay over it
I come from an environment where people don't listen to classical music. Around 16, I wanted to know what it looked like. To know a little. I chose Beethoven's Fifth Symphony because it's very well known and has a great aura even for those who don't listen to classical music. I listened to it in full. The 1st mvt, gorgeous, the others neither good nor bad, but nothing extraordinary. But I had the good idea to listen to it again (the next day or the day after) and everything changed. Many passages were very beautiful. And I listened to it a third time and it was wonderful. I then listened to another symphony, then quartets, sonatas and other composers...There you go! Classical music has entered my life.
You're right. You have to take the time to listen and the reward is extraordinary. Your life changes. Beethoven changed mine. So I think that Beethoven's fifth symphony is one of the works to recommend to someone who wants to know classical music. The result is guaranteed. But the choice of the sixth also seems excellent to me.
You have exactly described the beginning of my experience with classical music. A first listen to a recording might be slightly intriguing, a second might give some pleasure, and the third might well transport me to another world. Beethoven's Fifth was like that. Stravinsky's Petrouchka was like that.
@@erichodge567 Thanks for your feedback. This makes me think that there must be many of us who discovered classical music in this way.
The Beethoven Pastoral Symphony was my gateway drug into classical music when I was a high school student. 45 years later it is still one of my favorites.
Same …but only been a few years since!!
The “Pastoral” is my least favorite of Beethoven’s symphonies. I prefer him in his Heaven-storming moods, and his Third, Fifth, and Seventh are my favorites. P.S. My gateway drug was Tchaicovsky’s Fifth. That was the first complete symphony I ever heard, and it’s still my favorite of his symphonies.
@@valerietaylor9615 Definitely a healthy drug. The Tchaikovsky 5th was an early favorite of mine as well.
Similar experience, though in my case 60 years ago.
it was a few years later that i got interested enough to listen to an LP I picked up "Tchaikovsky's Greatest Hits" 1971 E. Ormandy...But, i recall at age 7~ that i found a heavy (old style) record with a purple middle lable....Shostakovich Symphony 5 in D min. I held it in my hand and looking at it it fascinated me.
And indeed someone should stand up for Dvorak
David, I remember vividly when I was a beginner who needed guidance way back when. The Gramophone and Penguin guides were OK for selecting records, but not for understanding them (and they were idiosyncratic and semi-reliable to say the least). Record store employees were a total wildcard. Some we’re helpful, others were.. well… lets just say less than helpful. I remember shopping for my very first Beethoven symphony record and the “classical guy” in the store told me to “ignore the even numbered symphonies, only the odd numbered symphonies were any good.”
Anyway, this type of video is not just so valuable to those who are finding their way into this wonderful music early on, BUT they help build an audience for classical music beyond musicians.
Classical music accounts for, what, 3% maybe 5% of all CD and download sales?
We need to cultivate new enthusiasts and lovers of good music from all walks of life and I truly believe that your videos do just that. Keep doing the good work you do!! Thank you - you’re a hero.
Thank you!
I am so happy to see on the list Tchaikovsky symphony no. 5. It was the first symphony CD I received as a gift when I was 17 (Solti was the conductor). Since then, I have never stopped listening to classical music. Keep on doing those wonderful videos! 👏
I always enjoy Mr. Hurwitz's presentations and reviews. I listened to the 10 essential symphonies by drawing recordings from my personal collection. Here is a summary of my exploration:
10. Hayden Symphony No. 88
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Reiner
9. Mozart Symphony No. 40
Cleveland Orchestra/George Szell
8. Beethoven Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral)
Columbia Symphony Orchestra/Bruno Walter
7. Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3 (The Scottish)
London Symphony Orchestra/Peter Maag
6. Brahms Symphony No. 4
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/James Levine
5. Saint Saens Symphony No. 3 (The Organ)
Boston Symphony Orchestra/Charles Munch
4. Dvorak Symphony No. 9 (The New World)
Philharmonia Orchestra/Carlo Maria Guilini
3. Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5
Philharmonia Orchestra/Vladimir Ashkenazy
2. Mahler Symphony No.2 (The Ressurrection)
New York Philharmonic/Bruno Walter
1. Sibelius Symphony No. 2
London Symphony Orchestra/Pierre Monteaux
Note: With the exception of Mozart Symphony No. 40 (Columbia Great Performances CD) all of the recordings came from my vinyl collection. Although there are repeat orchestras all of the orchestra/conductor collaborations are unique.
I would like to see what were your choices for the 10 Essential symphonies.
So glad you chose Mahler No. 2 instead of No. 5.
My introduction was Das Lied. I was blown away.
I can’t argue with a single entry. My ten include Prokofiev 7, Beethoven 5, Tchaikovsky 2, Mahler 1, Schubert 8, and the rest the same.
I love that It’s Beethoven Pastoral that made it. Heavenly, exciting music that no one can fail to appreciate. Beethoven’s ecstatic appreciation of nature shines through. Bravo!
Thank you very much for this, the comments at the beginning as much as the list of symphonies. I don't know if it is the result of being locked in our homes for two years or what, but as I surf social media, I perceive a real surge of interest in classical music among all age groups. I am one of those, and this primer is a real help getting started.
Glad it was helpful!
That is one of the best didactic videos for classical newcomers that I have ever seen and heard - I feel tempted to say: "Bernstein finally met his worthy rival" @@DavesClassicalGuide Accolades and more accolades!
It was Vaughan Williams 6 that got me into classical music! That big tune from the end of The first movement was the theme tune to a British drama series set in WW2 called "A Family at War". When I heard that tune I wanted to know more about it, and where it came from. I went out and bought the LP and it blew me away! then I wanted to know more RVW, then other composers sort of 'followed me home' from the record shop later.
I hope there will be videos for the concertos and sonatas as well
But of course.
Goody!
Thanks for these amazing videos. Very much appreciated.
Each of these works played a role in shaping my understanding of classical music over 40 years ago. Thanks for making this sometimes cynical 50-something feel like a kid again…
This video makes me appreciate Dave even more. Sitting here thinking how much of a blessing it would have been to have had these videos on demand when I was a young child and developing a passion and interest for this music. I was lucky enough to have a father that was (still very much is) a classical fanatic. Peter and The Wolf was a big deal for me, but obviously at a very young age. Dad ignited my classical music flame with the cello concerto in Bm by Dvorak, any/every Mahler composition, and the first Goldberg Variations Gould recorded from ‘55. There are some pieces that I have gushing nostalgia over that I don’t know if I would have had I not been quite young and impressionable when I heard it. An early orchestral composition of Webern’s called Im Sommerwind is one. I remember also loving the 4th Symphony by Brahms as a child, and now it’s the only Brahms Symphony I don’t particularly adore. Maybe I need a new recommendation to reawaken my love for Brahms 4th, Mr Hurwitz (hint hint). Solti did my favorite Brahms cycle (a Decca box, I think?). Anywho, you are doing amazing things with your channel, Mr. Hurwitz!
Would love to see a video like this for string quartets! Thank you for sharing all your knowledge!
It's all ready to go! Stay tuned.
As a beginner let me say "Thank you.Thank you. Thank you." For this video!
Your explanation overall and specially for Hayden's 88, is fabulous. Listened to multiple, different versions now and "keep on listening" before I explore your other recommendations.
Thanks again (from Ireland).
Indeed. Classical music usually needs several 'listens' before you fully appreciate and really enjoy a piece. Of course there will sometimes be a piece you never get to like but once pieces are discovered which are enjoyable you can explore that composer more and/or explore similar composers.
Dvorak's New World Symphony was my introduction to classical music, when the musical penny dropped, and my life-long love affair with quality music started (I have also to include jazz and folk music to quality music). And I thoroughly concur on your observations on Dvorak. It wasn't a concert, but I was an exchange student at the age of 14 in France, and the two boys in the family played this piece of music on their gramophone in the attic in the barn attached to the house, their den. It was Istvan Kertesz's famous recording of 1961 with the Vienna Philharmonic, and I have the digital version on my computer, it's the only version I actually know. All my classical music education proceeds from this symphony, this artist, this orchestra and this recording.
Great list, Saint-Saens 3 and Sibelius 2 were the two symphonies that first got me into classical music
I had a teacher who explained the repeats this way: there were no audio recording back then! That gets to what Dave said about “getting the music into your head,” especially when you couldn’t listen to it at will ad nauseum, and when there was a good chance you’d only have one or two chances in your whole life to hear a particular piece.
The custom of repeats actually goes back to the Baroque period. The idea was that the performer would play the piece straight the first time, and then add his/her own personal touches (ornaments,etc.) on the repeat. By the nineteenth century, the repeats were considered optional, and were not always observed.
This is cool. I remember how I came to classical music. I was making an 8-millimeter film (remember those?) and needed some background music so I rooted in my parents' record collection (they didn't listen to classical but had acquired some sealed LPs) and gravitated to Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony (London Phase 4) and Bruckner's 7th (Ormandy/RCA) and after that I was off to the races.
My pick for background music for my projected (but never realized) 8-millimeter stop-motion animated remake of "Battle of the Bulge" with 1/72 scale models became "Descent to Niebelheim" from Wagners "Das Rheingold" which I heard used on a television sound track without knowing anything about whom the composer was. When I found out I almost instantly became a Wagnerian by the age of barely fifteen. And just six months later I became a Brucknerian after acquiring a reel to reel recorder with a tape still on it, on which the former owner had left an off air from Danish Radio of Ormandy's RCA Bruckner 7th. It put an instant spell on me. That tape recorder turned out to be one of the best investments in my life!
How funny! Brahms 4 and Mahler 2 are exactly the two symphonies that lured me into the world of classical music 30 years ago, which I haven't left ever since.
That's great! Thanks for letting me know.
Both are in my top 10.
i discovered -every- classical music piece trhough your channel. you guide me so well because for example: i had never heard beethovens 9th, i knew it must be remarkable but i learned from you to go with the günther wand version and i was stunned... did the same with elgar, dvorak, fucik, mahler... my first step is to watch your video to a piece and then i listen to it. and because i grew 33 without ever listening to it ... i have the chance to experience everything for the first time.
Thank you so much.
Welcome to the exquisite universe of classical music. As Dave says, keep on listening.
You're very welcome!
In the first 7 minutes of this video, you did a magnificent job of outlining what a new listener should do to begin their journey into the wonderful world of classical music. Sort of a condensed and congealed version of some of the Bernstein TV specials I grew up watching. Really well said. (And, as usual, your recommendations are excellent, too.)
Oh yes, those Bernstein YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONCERTS. What a joy for me to watch. I'm glad a few of them are here on UA-cam so I can refresh my memory on how good they were and "ARE".
@@FREDGARRISON Great that a number of them are on UA-cam. No chance that anything like that would make it to prime time TV these days. It's still a vast wasteland, just with a lot more channels.
Dear Mr H. Educational! Please do another chapter, for post-beginners.
Hi Dave. I live in Great Britain and recently stumbled on your channel after a chance hearing of the fourth movement of Sibelius’ Symphony No 2 on my iTunes shuffle! I hadn’t listened to it in so long and it was such a joy to hear that momentous finale of the finale! I’d first heard it live at the Proms in London in the late 90s (have you ever been?) and immediately went out and bought a copy of Davis conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra. When I heard it recently, it led me to wonder if there were other performances I should hear to provide a comparison and so I found your channel. I now have a number of truly great (and, in some cases, better) than Davis’, particularly in terms of a brisker tempo. The Szell performances are truly amazing. I was so pleased to see the work listed on your Essential Symphonies for Beginners list as it was the one that kick-started my forays into the world of orchestral music way back. And having now watched a huge number of your other videos, it’s rekindled my interest in the genre and a renewed desire to seek out new works, and you have provided a vast resource that will probably keep me listening until I shuffle off this mortal coil! A huge thanks to you for your boundless enthusiasm and straight-talking on the subject. It’s certainly helped me to be more confident about what I do and don’t like and the composers that click with me, and they’re not always the usual suspects. So, keep on posting, Dave, and take care!
splendid.
This would be so useful in music education classes in schools- IF this is still being taught!
I love a man who can whistle classical. I used to impress friends and irritate others by whistling the 2nd movement of ... THE 9th!
I always find myself whistling the first movement of the Shostakovich 9th.
@@jgesselberty Great! Now THAT’s stuck in my head!
Thanks for this. Have shared with some of my friends.
Great job! Great list! You never neglect the emotional elements. Thanks for discarding postmodern coldness and triviality.
Thank you very much for this informative video. I've been listening to classical music for decades but my formal knowledge has always been weak. Your channel has greatly increased my understanding. I have all these titles in my library -- and after listening to your background info for each-- I made a commitment to listen to them in order, actually listen ("with my hands at my sides") and hey, I'm pretty excited about doing that!
Great to hear!
Our local classical radio station (I won't mention which city or which station) tends to play only individual movements of longer works. I know that individual movements are usually self-contained units, and can stand alone; however, it's like reading only one part of a book that consists of several parts. One must listen to an entire work in order to gain the maximum benefit. The second movement of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony (for example) just doesn't tell the whole story.
I agree. It’s frustrating to hear only one movement of a multi-movement work. I always find myself thinking, “Okay, where’s the rest?”
Very excellent and thoughtfully assembled list! I wish I had this when I was just getting into classical music.
In the spirit of your own videos, I'd like to share my "ideal" list of recordings of these symphonies, nearly all of which you have also recommended at some point!
Haydn 88: Dorati / Philharmonia Hungarica
Mozart 40: Vegh / Camerata Salzburg (or Szell/Cleveland if I could repeat conductors)
Beethoven 6: Klemperer / Philharmonia Orchestra
Mendelssohn 3: Dohnanyi / Vienna Philharmonic
Saint-Saens 3: Ormandy / Philadelphia
Brahms 4: Levine / Chicago
Tchaikovsky 5: Haitink / Concertgebouw
Dvorak 9: Fricsay / Berlin
Mahler 2: Bernstein / NY (the second one)
Sibelius 2: Szell / Concertgebouw
And while I'm here, I might as well throw in a good word for Blomstedt's new Beethoven Ninth with the Gewandhaus; in my opinion it's incredibly underrated, and should be a first choice for anyone who wants to listen to it for the first time.
Fantastic introduction to this video👏
I had my own collection of works that i grew up on especially from age 8-17. Age 11 might have been a breakthrough into my soul.
I had about 30-40 symphonies pounding through my heart and mind the whole time. But another over twice as much, in other works.
TACHLIS????? wow! Not that many frum classical music lovers around today!
I think I got into classical music following this "guide" by chance some years ago!
Brahms' 4th Symphony was one of the pieces that turned me on to classical music, and I've always thought to myself that it is an ideal piece for "beginners", it's luxuriant and the melodies are accessible, I'm really happy that you mentioned it here! And yes, "legendary bardic storytelling", that's such a beautiful definition for the 2nd movement, that simple main tune is of such solemnity and grace.
Also Beethoven's 6th, his most melodic symphony, I've always felt it was much more accessible than the daunting 9th and even the 5th. The finale of Sibelius' 2nd, it's almost impossible not to be struck right away (but especially in my case because it reminded me of a popular electronic song in the early 2000s called "L'Amour Toujours" by Gigi D'Agostino...).
Dvorak's New World Symphony, there is a metal band called Rhapsody that used it in one of their songs and it fits heavy metal quite well, that's how I came into contact with it.
Just sharing since younger people may relate to this, for me I couldn't agree more with this list!
Thanks for contributing!
Dave, love your list, would expand it to top 11. The composer is Schubert and the # is 9 (C major). I realise it is LONG but the rhythmic catch "does it" for me.
I am new to exploring classical music and discovered your videos yesterday. Thank you so much for posting these wonderful videos and for your passion to the music. I am a caregiver for my 80 year old mother and viewing this beginner series and working my way through the recommendations will be a way for me to deal with the stress by taking time for myself to listen to the music. I learned so much from the beginning portion of the video that helped me during my first listens. I have now listened to the first four, plus I decided to listen to Beethoven's 5th, and then go immediately into the 6th. Of the five, the symphony that moved me the most so far was the Pastoral. I was surprised how much I liked it after listening to the more well known symphony. I keep a running list of my 500 favorite albums and I think I will be adding a recording of that symphony to my list. And yes, my Shih Tzu enjoys the music too.
Welcome, and thank you for posting. I'm so happy you enjoyed the videos and that I can help you to relieve some of the stress in your life. I think there is no higher purpose for music. No less a figure than Haydn wrote the following, and who are we to disgree: "Often, when struggling against the obstacles of every sort which oppose my labours: often, when the powers of mind and body weakened, and it was difficult for me to continue in the course I had entered on:--a secret voice whispered to me: ‘There are so few happy and contented peoples here below; grief and sorrow are always their lot; perhaps your labours will once be a source from which the care-worn, or the man burdened with affairs, can derive a few moments’ rest and refreshment.’ This was indeed a powerful motive to press onwards, and this is why I now look back with cheerful satisfaction on the labors expended on this art, to which I have devoted so many long years of uninterrupted effort and exertion."
Good list. They all have special memories to me. Blasting Dvorak's inside the car while journeying to higher education courses is one of them. Journeying to the new world whilst still holding to the old 🙂
I started my collection bit earlier than I discovered your channel. Since then I am expanding my collection basically according to your recommendations...
I am also lucky that our passion for classical music with my wife found its way to my kids. Beside listening current teen/teenager music trends all of them listen classical music almost on a daily base.
Thank you
More videos like this please❤❤❤
I looked at your list BEFORE your video and I thought it was an excellent starter list
Glad you think so!
David, thank you for this highly energised and beautifully balanced exposé. Your comment that Saint Saëns' "Organ" Symphony was composed to test your sound system made me spill my tea with laughter. I have forwarded the video to my adult children and various others.
My pleasure and my best to the kids!
Thank you so much for this video. I love how you break everything down without making things overly technical.
Many symphonies of this list were also my first experiences with the Symphony, but my first experiment was Schubert 's "Unvollendete" and I loved it very much. Haydn didn't do anything to me , and still not, and I didn't love Mendelssohn 3 ( maybe too Haydnesque) . But with Mendelssohn 4 I was back on the front. Beethoven 6 was great, but after 4 hearings, I never came back to it. His 7th and 5th and later, his 3rd , were the Symphonies which turned me definitive to classical music. Tchaikovsky 6th was my favourite a long time, with Dvorak 9, not his 8th. . Then I was ready for Brahms ( 1,3 and 4) , Sibelius ( all except 3), Rachmaninov ( all 3) , Prokofiev 5 and Shostakovich 1, 5, 8, 10, 15). Many yaers later came Mahler ( 2,3,4,5,6 & 9). Schumann and Bruckner are still not on my list. So, beginner, maybe , you have some more recommendations....
I have a whole UA-cam channel of recommendations!
Strauss: Alpensinfonie is not a real symphony, but I think, many beginners should appreciate it very much as great example of orchestral music. Very recommended!
@@DavesClassicalGuide Yes, I know, I've seen hundreds of them and it ''s a great job, done in a few years! Maybe you can do something with voting on suggestions and recommendations, by your public? Interactive!
Dave, Gilbert Kaplan conducted the Mahler 2 in Singapore, and I was backstage. Yeah, kitchen sink. Until Mahler hit 8.
If i remember it correctly, the symphonies i first listened to were, beethoven’s 5, 6 and 9, dvorak’s new world, tchaikovsky’s 6, bruckner’s 9… they were available in my high school in tapes… 😊
Great idea with a very enthusiastic Dave. Thank you and all the best
Great video, big help and you're a great speaker 😊🙏
Glad it was helpful! Thank you.
I think Dave should reccomend 10 essnetial Classical Music recordings for beginners to buy (in affordable price) or listen to so they can have to start collection.
Really good video going over both the basics and more complex ideas. If it were up to me, though, this list would be 100% haydn
Thank you so much for this video! This is exactly what i needed. It's so easy to get lost in the vastness that is classical music. If i could make a wish i would love it if you wanted to make videos where you walk us through a single work. So basically more videos like this! :D I often feel like i'm missing the structure in a work when i listen to it and i know that it helps a lot when you mention things about what the composer was thinking when he/she wrote it, or what the different parts of the piece is doing. It helped me a great deal when you walked us through the story behind some of Sibelius's Tone Poems, and how the music reflected the points of the story. Anything like that helps soooo much!
Good list!
Oh yeh, the opening of sibelius 2 becomes the big tune in the finale, I'd never noticed that before. Amazing. I look forward to exploring more dvorak inspired by dave's enthusiasm. I only know the famous works. Tchaikovsky is also still underrated for the same reasons, but i know all his music. I keep finding thematic transformations in his symphonies, like that one in sibelius 2. In tchaikovsky 5, the famous horn theme transforms into a tune in the finale.
You are amazing my friend! It seems like we are wired for classical music. Now I understand symphonies better. :)
Great video, well explained, welcoming, inviting, and a great choice of symphonies.
Could you do a similar one on Modernist symphonies? I think that would also go down very well and would help people understand a little more what happened in the modern period and hence listen to the music with more open and appreciative ear.
You bring up an interesting point about the cover art for your mother's copy of Beethoven's 6th. I know most classical releases have pretty interchangeable cover artwork (generic painting of composer, generic photograph of the conductor, etc.), but are there any classical releases that stand out to you as having particularly excellent/unique cover art? I mean, we've all seen the jokey lists about the worst classical album covers (Music for Plants, Saturday Night Fiedler, Boult's The Planets), but "best classical album covers" is much more rare...
I never noticed those 4 phrases in the Haydn 88
David explains why it seemed that when a conductor recorded a Haydn symphony in the 1950s, number 88 was always the first one. It might also be their only Haydn recording.
Hi :) thank you for the wonderful video and explanations of each symphony. Im an italian guy, i started to know classical music in my childhood with Disney's Fantasia movie; while listening to other genre of music (mainly rock/metal macro-genres), i begin to approach and appreciate some composers (whitout any guide), like Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Gustav Holst, Beethoven and Mahler. From the list, i only know Mahler's "Resurection" and Beethoven's "Pastoral", so i'll listen the other symphonies ;) Thank you again for this list and the video.
My pleasure. Enjoy, and thanks for sharing your own experiences.
What a great video and a great list!! This is a great topic and a great way to get people into it! I’m fairly young and many of my non musician friends want to get into classical music and I’ve always struggled how to go about it but as always, like when I am looking for great recordings, you’ve made my job easier!! One question; when would you think is an appropriate time to introduce a newbie to the works of bruckner, if at all?
Just play it and see if it "clicks." There is no ideal time. Let your friend decide if it intrigues them and take it from there.
I’ve been listening to classical for only four years. Bruckner has not yet penetrated my skill, despite many efforts.
@@cartologist I've been listening for over 60 years. It took me a long time to appreciate him. You may never like Bruckner, but it might still be too early to tell. Give it time, and go with good recordings, for which David has given many fine recommendations.
I listened to the entire cycle and they didn’t click. I later heard Barenboim and Chicago do the Adagio of the 7th and all of Bruckner clicked for me.
One never knows what or who “clicks” when. I’m a non-musician - Shostakovich and Sibelius “clicked” very early on, Mahler and Bruckner, not so much even now, many years later.
Thank you very much, David! It is such a nice list, and an amazing video as always. Well, what about old hands? A list for them could be nice, couldn't it ?
Love that you chose works that demonstrate something about the music and the composer, and not the tried and true "Music Appreciation Class" selections.
Tchaikovsky as young man admired Mozart, it seems thanks to his mom too. Dvořák admired Mozart as well. Tchaikovsky said he predicts great future for Rachmaninov.
Some lady on twitter is twitting often about Tchaikovsky, and that for long time he was often thinking that he is not good enough as a composer, yet he continued composing, not realizing his own greatness.Tchaikovsky also admired Rimsky-Korzakov.
I wonder if Dvořák and Tchaikovsky were challenged by the society or mindset.
Excellent video for beginners, and very good list. I do wish you had picked Mozart 41 instead of 40 to introduce the tradition of celebratory C Major Symphonies and Mozart's skill at combining separate tunes. But any narrowing down the list like you had to for this will leave you lamenting at the great stuff you had to cut.
I like the way you’ve added the Resurrection Symphony and not the fourth. I’ve got a bugbear about people recommending lighter symphonies as a way into a composer. (I know the slow movement is anything but light).No, go large or go home! When you get around to the fourth, you’ll appreciate it more.
It s up to others why they prefer certain symphonies. If they want to recommend "lighter" symphonies, that's up to them. if you don't like that, that's up to you.
I am privileged to have performed 8¼ of those pieces (Not the Haydn, though I have played other Haydn, and only the last movement of the Saint-Saens) with local (amatuer) orchestras, including Mahler 2 only a couple of months ago (which was truly epic).
Still, I think there's plenty of music that's fallen between the cracks, so I'll be interested to see any great music (symphonies and symphonic poems especially) that I might have missed.
Try the playlist "Great Neglected Composers and Works." 445 videos for you to peruse: ua-cam.com/play/PLAjIX596BriEmtkxSjeSKFGsJdIt7NODI.html
I think this is the first time I've agreed with every entry on one of your lists. I debated Franck as the French entry, since it was my first foray into non-germanic music. But I have an emotional attachment to the Saint-Saens as well. It was a piece we played during the very brief time I got to play in a good, full-scale orchestra. I remember the first time we played it in a hall with a real organ, when it came whomping in. But how could you neglect to mention the timpani at the end?
Easy.
I have finished this section. I am struggling a little in that some of these are starting to sound the same to my newbie ears. I am also falling victim to what I call "new music bias" which was especially bad in regards to the Resurrection Symphony. By that I mean that I expected one thing in my head prior to listening but got something different which interfered with my enjoyment because my chattering brain kept talking to me about my preconceived notations rather than enjoying the music. (This happened to me a lot when I decided to listen to all 500 Albums on Rollingstone's August 2020 list of greatest albums but usually then my mind kept asking itself what genre something was in an effort to reconcile the new music to music I was familiar with.) Now that I know what to expect, I will listen to the Mahler piece again and maybe another recording of it from your video of recommendations of which are the ones to try. The Sibelius and Dvorak did not strike me at all so I probably need to go back to them or maybe watch a performance to see if that helps me find my way to those pieces. The Pastoral Symphony is still the one that moved me the most but I also really enjoyed the Tchaikovsky piece. Again, I probably need to slow down my listening so I can focus more on the pieces individually so they do not run together in my head. I just love music so much I get excited to hear it all - lol.
Thank you for listening. You have hit the nail on the head: slow down! You need to get to know each piece, and that means hearing it more than once. Some pieces may never appeal to you, others will gradually, and you will always like some better than others. That's normal. You won't like everything equally, but you'll never know unless you take your time and get familiar with them.
@@DavesClassicalGuide I watched performances of Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 and Mahler: Symphony No. 2 on youtube instead of just listening to them again. The performance of the Dvorak really enhanced my appreciation and helped me get into the music more. The Resurrection performance was also enlightening and enjoyable but did confirm my initial feeling that while the piece is amazing, it is not for me because I did not particularly care for the slow parts which are the majority of the 90 minutes. I watched the BBC Proms video with a very young Orchestra and I really enjoyed watching the young people play their hearts out and the BBC camera work was incredible to the point you could actually see their fingers playing the notes. I think on a long piece like No. 2, seeing it is better for the beginner like me so I could get swept into the music and not swept away into my own thoughts during the slow sections.
Your incouragement to set down and really listen inspired me to listen to Beethoven's 5th symphony. I now hear it in my head when I'm on the Metro, running, waiting in line at the grocery store, and any time I want a pick-me-up. Thanks you for this.
My pleasure!
Why is Roy Harris s Symphony No 3 called a Symphony when it is essentially only 1 movement?
Because it is a symphony. There's no rule that a symphony has to have more than one movement. Sibelius' 7th also has one movement.
@@DavesClassicalGuide Thanks for that explanation
On twitter was a quote: by Stravinsky, photo with smiling face:
The trouble with music appreciation in general is that people are taught to have too much respect for music, they should be taught to love it instead.
It suggests that maybe composers are actually not here to be liked always, but should be respected actually.
Most people I know aren't going to take the time to listen to an entire symphony. Their attention span is attracted to a catchy tune and that's it. This is why there are so many discs with excerpts of the classics. Similarly, people don't have the patience to read anymore except on their devices.
If a person has the patience to listen to this long video (rather than merely read off the list in the description), they probably have the patience to listen to Sibelius' 2nd.
If I'm not mistaken, this video is aimed for those who might get into CM, not the majority who wouldn't.
I really have had a gut full of this cultural appropriation nonsense. That is what the history of Western art is. People don’t understand that, starting in the distant past, style cascades and is cyclical.