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Yesterday’s The Columbus Dispatch had an article listing “20 you should know: Classical” pieces. It is the first in a series they’re going to run for 3 Sundays. The link has the whole article and the reasons, below I’m listing their choices. I enjoy Classical music but know little about it and would love to know what you think of the list.
1. J .S. Bach, Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor
2. Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 and No. 9
3. Bizet, Carmen
4. Brahms, Symphony No. 1
5. Chopin, Preludes
6. Copland, Appalachian Spring
7. Debussy, Prelude a L’Apres Midi d’une Faune
8. Dvorak, New World Symphony
9. Gershwin, Rhapsody in Blue
10. Handel, Messiah
11. Mahler, Symphony No. 4
12. Mozart, Clarinet Concerto
13. Mozart, The Magic Flute
14. Puccini, Tosca
15. Ravel, Bolero
16. Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring
17. Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake
18. Verdi, Aida
19. Vivaldi, The Four Seasons
20. Wagner, Tristan und Isolde
Barbara Zuck, the Dispatch’s music critic, included a list of recordings she recommends and this link has samples from each of the works.
well, I should be much more well-versed in this than I am, but I am pleasantly surprised that I am familiar with a good number of them. My dad and late grandpa A. could probably tell you all you’d want to know about most or all of these pieces.
I LOVE New World Symphony, b/c of the English Horn solo. The Debussy and Puccini works with which I am familiar are beautiful, and Copland, Gershwin, and Mozart are just cool. I might add Pictures at an Exhibition (by Mussorgsky) to the list, because it’s so interesting, but don’t know what I would remove in its place. Some of the others I know I learned about in college, but can’t really remember how they go now. So that’s my slightly-informed 2 cents. have fun!
i’m familiar with all but #7, #12, #15, and #20. i should probably thank my music appreciation teacher from high school for this.
well… and i’ve sung handel’s “messiah” about 10 times.