I've begun to really love classical music but I'm very uninformed about it. Would y'all be so kind as to suggest some composers/recordings I could check out? I would appreciate any input to help me further my education in this area.

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John Weeks
Regular Baptist
Hamilton, NJ

An unworthy servant of so good a Master.

J.S Bach- Air on The G String

Youtube it.

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"I thank Thee that many of my prayers have been refused. I have asked amiss and do not have, I have prayed from lusts and been rejected, I have longed for Egypt and been given a wilderness".-Unknown

Julio, Amaya
Clifton, NewJersey
Reformed Baptist Church of North Bergen

Beethoven
Mozart
Brahms
Tchaikovsky
Chopin
Bach
Handel

Go to something like pandora.com and listen to one of the classical stations. That will allow you to hear a variety of composers. My advice would be to start out with well-known, Classical or Romantic composers. If you branch out too quickly into the more esoteric (e.g. Mahler) you may not have an accurate picture.

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Fred Greco
Senior Pastor, Christ Church PCA (Katy, TX)
Christ Church Blog

"The heart is the main thing in true religion...It is the hinge and turning-point in the condition of man's soul. If the heart is alive to God and quickened by the Spirit, the man is a living Christian. If the heart is dead and has not the Spirit, the man is dead before God." (J.C. Ryle)

Six of my favorites...

Vaughan Williams, Symphonies (esp. 1 and 5)
Jean Sibelius, Symphonies 1 and 2, plus Finlandia
George Friederic Handel, Concerti Grossi
Archangelo Corelli, Concerti Grossi
Ludwig von Beethoven, Piano Trios
Antonin Dvorak, Cello Concerto, Symphonies 7 and 9

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Todd K. Pedlar
member, First Congregational Church, (CCCC) Cresco, IA
http://inprincipiodeus.solideogloria.com
http://puritanwisdom.blogspot.com

"As God did not at first choose you because you were high, He will not now forsake you because you are low."
John Flavel in Keeping the Heart



Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Oh, there is some beautiful music in the classical category. I thoroughly enjoy Richard Wagner and Beethoven (the 9th symphony is beautiful). Bach and Mozart are also fantastic.

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Solus Christus,
Jeff, Emmanuel Outreach Church (North Carolina)



" [T]he prophet of God sometimes may teach treason against kings, and yet neither he nor such as obey the word, spoken in the Lord’s name by him, offend God." -John Knox

Thank you, brothers! You're putting me off to a great start!

Stravinski's Firebird (suite)

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Rich Koster
1689'er
Browns Mills NJ USA
Often Goofy Reformed Eccentric
Romans 7:14-25

Go to Wal-Mart or Amazon.com and get the 2 discs sets that are various composers to get a taste of each.

I have a six 2 CD sets that are from a Golden Classics series put out by Madacy Entertainment that are wonderful.

Amazon.com: Classics by Candlelight: Hermann Herder, Kirstin Von Der Goltz, Klaus-Peter Hahn, Martin Ostertag, Ute Zimmerman, Ute Zimmermann, Rainer Schumacher, Johann Sebastian Bach, Luigi Boccherini, Claude Debussy, Antonin Dvorak, Franz Joseph Hay

Amazon

Amazon.com: Romantic Classics: Alfred Rinderspacher, Jurgen Gode, Franz Klein, Helmut Pallushek, Johann Sebastian Bach, Georges Bizet, Luigi Boccherini, Frederic Chopin, Arcangelo Corelli, Claude Debussy, Antonin Dvorak, Edvard Grieg, George Frederic

Amazon

Amazon.com: Classical Melodies: Rudolf Knoll, Elisabeth Ganther, Adolphe Adam, Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Georges Bizet, Luigi Boccherini, Johannes Brahms, Frederic Chopin, Antonin Dvorak, Charles Gounod, Enrique Granados, Edvard Gr

Amazon

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Norseman Moderator

R. Martin Snyder
1689er
http://www.puritanboard.com/blogs/puritancovenanter/

"Our object should not be to have scripture on our side but to be on the side of scripture; and however dear any sentiment may have become by being long entertained, so soon as it is seen to be contrary to the Bible, we must be prepared to abandon it without hesitation."
William Symington

Click to get:Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Will do! Those look great!

Bach is my favorite. We listen to it every Lord's Day during our "Lord's Day Dinner" after Church.

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Rev. Andy Eppard
Associate Minister
First Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Springfield, MO

I like Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Ravel, and Rachmaninoff. (I play the piano, or at least I did at one time.)

For Rachmaninoff, check out his , Piano Concerto No. 3, and Vespers.

(One of the links looks funny, don't know why, but it still works.)

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Casey, Chicagoland, OPC

Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Bach are all great start. Especially, Mozart, you can find his piano sonata, concerto, violin sonata, concerto. Deutche Grammaphone is a good brand to go to, especially for Beethoven and Mozart.

Bach and Handel are my favorite. However, I cannot fully enjoy Bach's music until I was about 20 years old, so maybe can be postponed later.

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Yigang Xu
Husband of Yele, Father of Anna (07/17/08)
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)
Bethesda, Maryland

"Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side." Psalm 65:10,11

By mood-

Happy:
Mendelssohn, Symphony #4
Beethoven, Symphony #6
Mozart, Eine Kliene Nachtmusic
Bizet, Symphony in C
Bach, Brandenberg concertos 4,5 & 6

Sad:
Fraank, Symphony #1
Vaughn Williams, Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis
Rachmaninoff, Symphony #3
Barber, Adagio
R. Strauss, Also Sprach Zarathustra

Adventurous:
Grieg, Pier Gynt
Wagner, Ring
Holst, The Planets
Sibelius, Finlandia
Bizet, Carmen

Goofy:
Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique
Haydn, Surprise Symphony
Beethoven, rage over a lost penny
Saint-Saens, Carnival of the animals
Prokofiev, Peter and the Wolf


Theognome

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Bill Cunningham
Covenant Reformed Church, URC
Kansas City
There are three kinds of people- those who can count, and those who can't.

Wonderful question

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Richard H. King
Providence PCA
Lubbock, Texas
You know what my main problem is? I start things but rarely finish anyth...

I agree with the idea of getting a set of mixed composers to see what you like -- my folks had a set, of records that is since this was the 1970s, and I started figuring out what I preferred. (I was mad about Chopin to begin with.) And if you hear something playing that you enjoy, ask about it -- I trace all kinds of musical tastes that I "discovered" through friends. Oh, and classical stations sometimes put their playlists online, so if you loved something you heard at a particular time, you can look it up.

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JWithnell
Member Bethel OPC
Virginia
http://learningyesican.blogspot.com/

Joseph Haydn - The Best!!

His symphonies are great!!

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Timothy Johnson
First United Presbyterian of Moline
PCUSA (Yea, I know)
Theology/Philosophy Sunday School Teacher
Davenport, IA

It may just be me (and I've certainly had long arguments about it) but I like to have some kind of spiritual rapport with the composer before I really give in to a piece of music.

As an example, I've never been into opera. - I know Verdi and Puccini ravish the senses and play on the heartstrings, but that's God's gift of music put wholly to the service of the world and (usually) base passions. Wagner,... forget it! (did anyone recommend opera? apologies if so)

I am an organist so for me J S Bach comes first. If he's hard to get into (I did say IF!) he will repay 1,000-fold.
My very favourite of the Chorale Preludes (nice short organ works based on old German hymns) is Nun Komm', der Heiden Heiland "Come, Saviour of the Gentiles". Well, you only have to look at that title.

Next Mendelssohn and Handel (not necessarily in that order) - who needs opera when there's Elijah and Messiah. Handel's Messiah = every true Christian's heritage and birthright, and Elijah is just amazing - the most wonderful romantic music setting forth a great spiritual struggle and victory, psychological as well as Biblical truth in every note! What does the most beautiful wordless symphony offer in comparison??

Music is one of God's most precious gifts to us. Of all the arts only it and poetry are even acknowledged in Scripture. Not any kind of theatre (unless you count the occurrence of the word "hypocrite", Greek for "actor", in the Gospels) That should give us pause!
Of those two God-acknowledged arts, who would want to see either used for anything but his praise?

I would put the "2 cents" sign here if I could make it work, but actually the above may be more like a fiver's worth (in British money). Feel free to disagree...

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JennyG
Church of Scotland (Presbyterian)
Fife, Scotland

Since you are just getting acquainted with classical music, I think you'll find Vivaldi an excellent place to begin. He composed widely and prolifically, and I think you can find some Vivaldi for every situation or mood. You might start with his Concertos for the Prince of Poland, or if you have trouble getting those then the Four Seasons are wildly popular for a very good reason. Andrew Manze is an excellent violinist for compositions from that period, and Fabio Biondi is another performer of note.

If you want some lighthearted music, though, it is difficulty to top Rossini and Haydn.

To Jenny, I think you are forgetting Bezaleel (and the later constructers of the temple) and the material arts of engraving, embroidery, etc.

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Ruben
Moderator
F.P.C.I.
Indiana

Vanities and disguises have covered us, and thereby we are naked; licenciousness hath inflam'd us, and thereby we are frozen; voluptuousness hath fed us, and thereby we are sterved, the fancies and traditions of men have taught and instructed us, and thereby we are ignorant.
John Donne

Board Rules - Signature Requirements - Suggestions?

Calvinistas Conversando
Teología en Mexico
The Howling Wilderness

I usually go to the library and check out a variety of CD's. I try to find things by composer's my children are playing at the time.

Some of my favorites are:

The Brandenberg Concertos by Bach
The Hungarian Dances by Brahms
Handel's Messiah by Handel
Beethoveen's 5th & 9th Symphonies
Fantasia by Vaughn Williams
Telleman's Concerto in G Major for Viola
Vivaldi's Four Seasons
Vilvadi's Concerto No. 3 in A Minor (or D Minor on viola!)
Dvoraks Cello Suites
Segovia and Williams Classical Guitar (these are awesome)

I haven't heard much classical music that I don't like. My kids all really like classical music too. Go to your library. We also have a store name FYE that carries a lot of classical music really cheap. Check them out.

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Mindy
Happy to be a member of Eagle Heights Presbyterian Church, where the Lord brought me to salvation, and where my life was changed completely!
Wife to Brad
Mom to Taylor, William, Leah and Julia
By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established;by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. Proverbs 24:3-4

Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Bach's Cello Concertos, Handel, Telemann, Mozart.
I personally like the Baroque and early Classical period.
And, hey, if it's Baroque, don't fix it!

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Jim
An Elder, Harvest Reformed Church (RCUS),Minot, ND
http://www.harvestreformedchurch.org/
http://tbftgoggi.wordpress.com/

Upon a life I did not live; upon a death I did not die, Another's death, Another's life, I'd rest my soul eternally
Omnia dicta fortiora,si dicta Latina
Si vis pacem, para bellum

Only momentarily! I remember Bezaleel. I think I might class him as a craftsman (it's no disrespect). I wouldn't want to build a thesis on that, but in any case, no matter which it was, look how entirely his craft or art was dedicated.
I'm betting you can't find me an endorsement of the dramatic arts?

I love Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in Em. There are YouTube videos of Janine Jansen playing it as the violin soloist accompanied by the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

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Austin
EE student at Texas State University
Member of Church of the Cross (PCA) in San Marcos, TX
Ps. 8:3-4 "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?"

As you can tell by my user name, I know this! I spent my entire childhood training to become a classical orchestral musician (I play viola). But I chose a different path.

Here are a few of the very first classical CDs I owned. I was very fortunate to have such excellent recordings at a young age. They give me a lot of nostalgia when I listen to them. But they are very good anyway.

Label: Arte Nova
Beethoven symphonies 5 & 6
Conductor: David Zinman

Label: Sony
Mahler Symphony No. 4 & Songs of a Wayfarer

Label: Naxos
Shostakovich String Quartets 1, 8, 9
Eder Quartet (this one is very, very cool. Shostakovich was in Russia during the Communist rule and was during earlier years forced to write only patriotic music, but this was when he started writing his own stuff and it was about the secret police and their dealings with those whom the regime didn't like. Very, very cool.)

Here are some more that I've played or I really enjoy.

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4

Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue

Leonard Bernstein West Side Story (my favorite movie/musical ever)

Elgar Cello Concerto

Samuel Barber Violin Concerto (this is EXCELLENT... makes me cry almost every time I listen to it. So beautiful.)

Beethoven Symphony No. 3 "Eroica" - My favorite Beethoven Symphony

Mozart Symphonies 39 & 40

Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

Verdi Requiem

And I want to add that you should dive headfirst into the world of string quartets. There is a lot of good stuff there. Many consider string quartets to be the best musical ensemble.

I hope this helps. I could go on and on about this.

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Megan Meisberger
River Hills Community Church - EFCA (yes... same as charliejunfan)
Janesville, WI

Wife of matt.meisberger

<---- Naming my first son after him. My husband was saved while reading Religious Affections.

Antonin Dvorak!! "New World Symphony" is my favorite.

Then Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker".

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Jonathan
Audio Engineer
Reformed Anabaptist
Ohio

Moroni's magical glasses of proper interpretation:

If you are limited to one CD only

Brandenburg Concerto #5 - J. S. Bach (Levine, Music from Ravinia)

Two Part Inventions - J. S. Bach (performer A. Hewitt)
if you like these proceed to
Well Tempered Clavier both books - J. S. Bach (S. Richter)

Haydn Variations - Johannes Brahms (Orchestral version) (Guilini)
if you like this proceed to
2nd piano Concerto - Brahms (Ashkenazy - Haitink)

Konzertstuck for 4 horns and orchestra - Robert Schumann (Barenboim- Chicago, Bernardi-Calgary)
If you like this proceed to
Symphonies 2 & 3 Schumann (Barenboim - Chicago)

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In Christ's love and service

Mr. Tim Cunningham,
BMus. (Trombone Performance), University of Toronto
Dip. CS, Regent College, Vancouver
Member, First Baptist Church
Vancouver, BC
------------
"I once sat in darkness, and waited for the moon to rise.
I once sat in darkness, and waited for the sun to shine.
I once sat in darkness, when all the light I'd waited for was gone.
Then Jesus came, and now the only true light, ever, shines in me."
– John Deacon -

Vivaldi - (Winter from the Four Seasons is my favorite, especially when you really blast it at about 43 seconds in)


Handel - Music for the Royal Fireworks (especially the Menuet below, conducted by what appears to be a 12 year old boy)


If you want to get yourself sad in a beautiful way, Barber's Adagio for Strings is great.


-----Added 8/26/2009 at 03:18:01 EST-----

Oh, and Schubert's Erlkoning is great fun too. But find the lyrics in English to read along with.


Der Erlkönig - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Kevin, husband of a truly angelic woman, and father to ten.
Zion United Reformed Church of Sheffield
Ontario, Canada

Mendelssohn



Reformation symphony 5

Wow! What can I say? You PBer's are absolutely the most erudite, intelligent, gracious...gosh, just beyond category, folks I have ever run across. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Classical music, much like a meandering walk through the wonder of nature, raises my heart in praise to our awesome Lord who created such beauty!

I'm going to try to check out some of everything. Like many of you said, I am wild about Bach. And Beethoven's piano sonatas move me in ways unlike most any other music I've ever heard. I have a CD of Mozart's String Quartets that I love and Yo-Yo Ma's Vivaldi's Cello which is quite terrific. I also have La Boheme by Puccini with Renata Tebaldi which was my first foray into opera--and which made me actually like it.

I praise Christ Jesus for the incredible gifts he gave to these composers to create this powerful and beautiful music.

Thanks again for all the input, brothers and sisters. It will definitely be put to use.

Well, we can't see the cherubim, etc., to see whether Bezaleel's craftsmanship rose to the level of artistry, but drawing a dividing line is not easy, although it is easy enough to pick out examples that don't quality as art and some that definitely do. But he was engaged in sculpture.

As to drama, we don't know that Paul went to the theater for performances, but he somehow became familiar with some Menander. Granted, people can read Shakespeare without ever seeing a performance, but those who enjoy the reading are often eager to see good performances.

To get back on topic, here is one of my favorite composers. The recording quality could be better, but I think you can still what a great piece this is.

Bach - Brandenburg Concertos.

As a piper I can't help recommending also piobaireachd (pronounced pee-broch-k) , the classical music of the Great Highland Bagpipe, usually played solo but here played by a pipe band.

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Richard
communicant member, FCoS
Perth, Scotland UK

His Name forever shall endure;
last like the sun it shall:
Men shall be blessed in Him,
and blessed all nations shall Him call (Ps. 72:17)

I love the classical genre too! And since everyone has given you just about all that you will want to listen to of classical music....nothing more I can add....if you get a hankering for excellent guitarists and drummers, I've got some ideas for ya!

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sarah
WI
OPC
My Pastor's Sermons: Mark Jenkins...he's awesome!!!

Here is the Mozart Project, great resource for things Mozart.

The Mozart Project

-----Added 8/26/2009 at 07:35:19 EST-----

Here are the classical archives

Classical Archives: Home

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Doug
Baptist
Hemet, Ca
Old Time Radio Podcast

Must second that! (I spent some time in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and still get all goosepimply when I hear some of those pieces, especially a haunting - read pipes-only - "Highland Cathedral". I love 'Black Bear' too, but it has a tendency to make me thirsty, as that was usually the last thing we heard before we headed into the wet mess...)

do youself a favor and read this account:


[URL="http://www.messiahcd.com/Information/about_The_Messiah/about_the_messiah.html"]

I beleive Handels Messiah is the greatest piece of music ever written, i've often wondered if it was from the very throne of God.
get yourself a CD, or better yet an LP if you still got a turntable lying around, even BEST!! find a concert around christmas time to attend

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thomas harvey
husband & father
nashua NH
OPC