This is a short post intended for those that think classical music is outdated and irrelevant, or that struggle to find the appeal. I do not claim to be any expert on the subject. On the contrary, I am writing this post because I never envisioned myself listening to classical music or attending concerts, but I have spent a lot of time doing both these past few years.
Despite my new interest, I still find many “great” composers to be inaccessible and challenging. Maybe other listeners have more patience, but I have fallen into my own journey through short, beautiful pieces - the type of music that would draw the attention of anyone. As a guide for those interested in exploring, I wanted to list the most immediately compelling pieces I have encountered. Unlike catchy hits on the radio, these will stick with you for years.
There is a good deal of confusion surrounding what is considered “good music”, especially when it involves something that isn’t contemporary. There are those that would try to make you feel guilty for the things you like and belittle you for not recognizing something they see as a superior work of art. (I must admit that I have been on the wrong side of this before.) I will simply say this: continue to listen to things that interest you, be sure to leave your comfort zone occasionally, and as in all things, the greatest pleasure comes only after great work. What you tend to like first will almost certainly not be the thing you like most, but it’s important to start somewhere.
Before proceeding to the list, here are some quick guides I have found helpful for finding new pieces: If you want to try orchestral music, start with Beethoven. His brilliant use of altered repetition makes his 9 symphonies and 5 piano concertos instantly likeable. For solo piano works, try Chopin’s Nocturnes, Ballades and Impromptus. When in doubt, pull up Bach’s shorter pieces for solo violin and keyboard. If you like a particular performer, search that person in youtube to explore other composers. Do likewise for your favorite composers as a way to find new performers.
A simple expression of harmony, which is the first movement in a much larger work called the “Well-Tempered Clavier”. It is undeniably one of the most famous and influential pieces of music ever, and its recording is currently being broadcasted in interstellar space as part of the voyager record. If you are a beginner piano player, you should learn to play this. I spent 2 days working through it when I was in my early twenties and it was one of the most thrilling experiences I have ever had.
Dizzying and dreamlike. Vladamir Horowitz’s interpretation is one of a kind, but it’s difficult to find a high quality recording of it, so if you’re looking for something a little cleaner, try Krystian Zimerman’s recordings which are flawless.
Instantly recognizable, and hopefully not just because of it’s use in commercials.
Bach wrote 6 partitas for the harpsichord (the modern piano did not exist in Bach’s time). They are all relatively short, unstructured works that have multiple movements. Numbers 1, 2 and 6 (listed below) are my favorites, and I almost always listen to Glenn Gould’s recordings.
This is a great introduction to “counterpoint”, the discipline of having multiple harmonies exist simultaneously as distinct melodies and as contributing parts of a whole.
Most will recognize this from Ocean’s 11 and Ocean’s 13. It’s a beautiful piece for the solo piano written by the French composer Debussy. It is the most modern piece (late 1800’s) on this list.
A haunting piece for the solo piano.
This violin concerto will convince you of the importance of repetition in music. Beethoven brings the same themes back again and again with small variations that produce tiny thrills each time. It is the longest piece on this list, and I am not a proponent of classical music being something you listen to in the background because it sounds “nice”, so I would recommend starting with the 1st movement (~25 min).
This is a great introduction to symphony. Mozart has many of these worth exploring.
Mostly light in cheerful, but with some minor key parts that will give you goosebumps, this is a short piece written for a solo violin performer accompanied by string orchestra. The recording in the link is by German-Italian violinist Augustin Hadelich, accompanied by the German Radio Philharmonic.
Written for the harpsichord, all three movements are relatively short for a concerto. It is worth listening to in its entirety, but I’d like to highlight the slower “Andante” movement which starts at 3:56 in the link.
