Starting Your Classical Music Collection

If you're just starting to explore the wonderful world of classical music building a library can be a daunting and intimidating experience. The fact is there is a ton of classical music garbage on the market and without a little help you might as well just throw your money away.

Well recorded, well performed recordings are things of beauty. Finding them is like finding golden needles in the proverbial haystack. And the haystack of classical music garbage is very large indeed! Fortunately there are many highly regarded resources to help one ferret out the best of the best. Cost is not a relevant factor. Some of the very best recordings are budget priced, and many of the worst recordings are full priced. Never rely on price alone. Spending more money does not guarantee a pleasant and rewarding listening experience.

The more you learn about classical music the more likely you are to appreciate it. You've heard countless classical compositons in movie soundtracks, in some cases without realizing that you are listening to famous work from long ago (for example the use of Camille Saint-Saëns Aquarium in Days of Heaven, or the 2nd movement of Mozart's delightful Clarinet Concerto in Green Card) You've experienced emotional reactions (possibly even the ones the Director intended), without knowing anything about the music itself. Who was that composer? Was that music from the Classical period or the Baroque era?. While learning about classical music you'll start to learn the musical periods, musical forms, and composers that appeal to your own personal musical aesthetics. As you learn more your own classical music universe will expand. You will embark on a never ending musical journey. The size of the musical universe is infinite. What a wonderful journey this will be.

Getting started is simple. 1) Get a good classical music appreciation book. 2) Get a good compilation CD (or MP3). 3) Get Gramohone Magazine. For the book our pick is The Essential Canon of Classical Music. Don't start with the Penguin or Gramophone Classical Music Guides, at least not right away. First figure out what you like. Why start out buying highly rated Bach, only to find out you're a true Romantic of the Mahlerian type. There is a great difference between Bach and Mahler. You may end up loving and appreciating both, but spend your money after you figure that out, not before.

If you are a true novice we stongly recommend one or more compilation CDs, for example the Top Rated Classical Adagios (Movie Adagios or Violin Adagios would be a good choice), or the budget priced essential recordings below. Why a compliation? Your emotional response to the music will point you in the right direction, that is your own personal musical world. You will start to develop an affinity for certain composers, periods, and musical forms, and will move on from there.

A few additional recommendations:

Beethoven: Symphonies 5 & 7: Kleiber and the Vienna Philharmonic, outstanding in every way.
Liszt: Orchestral Works: Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic, a fantastic collection of Liszt orchestral works.
Amadeus [Remastered Gold Cd] : Spend a little more for this remastered version; Yes it's a sooundtrack, but it's also the best Mozart 2 CD collection available. You will love Mozart after spending a little time with this fantastic compilation.
Manhattan (1979 Film) : Yes, it's another soundtrack, but it's also a great collection of some of Gershwin's finest music. As with Amadeus above, you will love Gershwin after listening to this recording.