Classical Music Recommendations

[iamcarley]

Hi,

I want to download some classical music but I'm new to it! Can anyone give me some recommendations, preferably stuff I'll recognise e.g. from films, adverts, etc... or just anything good!

Thanks :)

[Buenchico]

Comet stores, Carling lager, Pirelli tyres, Lavazza coffee, 1990 FIFA World Cup, Burger King, Jean Paul Gaultier perfume (and heaven knows what else) have all been promoted using Puccini's Nessun Dorma (from his opera, Turandot):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiEckwmMo00

[mikey4444]

Sorry...it worked the first time after all.

[anaxcrosswords]

The first classical album I had was Holst’s Planets Suite and it remains a favourite – the first two pieces (Mars and Venus) are astonishing. Another good one is Elgar’s Enigma Variations, 14 separate pieces all based around the same theme.

[woolly17]

I suppose it depends on your mood, or the mood you want to induce. Personally, I think the most evocative piece of music I've ever heard is the Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis, composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams, which in my mind conjures a vivid image of the English countryside between the two World Wars; although it was written in France during the first World War. For something completely different, though of a similar vintage, go for Bolero, by Maurice Ravel, preferably the version by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. If you're old enough to remember a certain sporting event associated with Bolero, then you might also like another short-ish piece that springs to mind, used by the same sporting couple, namely Capriccio Espagnol, by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. If you want to be soothed try some Indian classical sitar music ... honestly, it works! These suggestions, and those from other AB people barely scratch the surface, of course, but give 'em all a try ... I've been listening to 'classical' music (anything from the 12th century onwards) for 50 years, and I'm still discovering 'new' stuff.

[Elina]

I don't know very much about classical, but occasionally I hear something I like & download it ... this ..

[Elina]

Enjoyed listening to the previous links .. particularly Buens/ Fans & mikey.

[Elina]

Someone posted this a few weeks ago & I instantly loved it & downloaded it ..

[Elina]

iam ... As I said I know only snatches of pieces of music I like ... whether this 'fits' your genre .. you mentioned anything in your title .. I love how this perfectly visualizes in my head the flight of the birds ..

[Elina]

... shame. Different link ..

[Elina]

.. One more try ..

[Elina]

.. & a piece of music from 'Meet Joe Black' ...

[excelsior-1]

good evening iamcarley

as you can see, there is a vast selection to choose from - however, you mentioned films, and i am a big fan of motion picture soundtracks

may i therefore recommend material by two of my ten favourite movie composers:-

john barry - he did many james bond films, and lots of others (chaplin is one of the best for me)

james horner - his works include star trek films, apollo 13, titanic, bi-centennial man and many others

[Elina]

Truman .. River flows in you ..

[Elina]

Sorry .. predictive text .. Should read Yiruma .. River flows in you.

[woofgang]

Can I ask you knowledgeable folk a question please?
Many years ago the Wool Marketing Board used a version of Pachelbel's Canon for their ad. It ended with the most beautiful haunting trumpet notes. It was on a cassette called "Music from the Ads" and we literally played it to ribbons thinking we could replace it but we never could. Does this ring a bell with anyone and do you know where I might find it again? It was well before the age of CD's

[Peaspeculiars]

This is 100% my absolute favourite Classical piece :-) - Enjoy!

[Elina]

Hi peas x Very atmospheric, I liked it!
Woof, I hope someone here comes along & can answer your query for you. How annoying.

[FrogNog]

my absolute favourite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KylMqxLzNGo

[FrogNog]

and a really nice modern (I think) piece

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9MMZEl5cUI