An album of classical music for somebody who doesn't like classical music?

ppshay

I am thinking of compiling a CD of classical music for somebody who normally wouldn't listen to classical music, in fact they have never listened to it!

Some famous pieces that they might actually know without knowing they know, perhaps recognisable from adverts, films, the world cup, etc etc. Any ideas greatly appreciated.

I was thinking of getting this album and taking the best known ten or so tracks then adding a few others like:

Vaughan Williams, The Lark Ascending
Percy Faith, Theme From A Summer Place
Stanley Myres, Cavatina
Gladiator, We Are Free
Ennio Morricone, The Mission Theme
I know some of these are not classical pieces but they might spark an interest.

endacl

ppshay wrote: »

I am thinking of compiling a CD of classical music for somebody who normally wouldn't listen to classical music, in fact they have never listened to it!

So, what do they listen to?

I could recommend Stockhausen. I could also recommend Haydn. What do they like?

ppshay

Pop music. Whatever is on 2FM. We were chatting briefly and they said they don't like classical music and then said they had never actually listened to any. I've only just started to listen to classical music myself so I said I'll get some and they could have a listen and see what they think.

K.Flyer

A very popular and moving piece,

The Flower Duet
available on Amazon Mp3 download.

Fluorescence

A quick look at any of those Top 100 Pieces albums etc should cover pretty much anything you'd want for the complete novice. Trying to force people to listen to orchestral music against their will rarely works out well though :pac:

ppshay

Fluorescence wrote: »

A quick look at any of those Top 100 Pieces albums etc should cover pretty much anything you'd want for the complete novice. Trying to force people to listen to orchestral music against their will rarely works out well though :pac:

Wouldn't be bothered with trying to force them. They were all for me doing the CD, so hopefully they'll like it.

Tchaikovsky piano concerto 1 movt 3?

Aglomerado

I agree that anything that's been used in memorable ads down through the years could work. The only one that comes to mind straight off would be the one from the old Spice ad in the 80s:

O Fortuna from Carmina Burana by Orff

Something upbeat or cheerful will always go down well:

- Bach - Sheep May Safely Graze
- Bach - Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
- Beethoven - Violin Concerto (3rd movement)
- Haydn - Cello Concerto No 1 (1st movement)
- Overtures from Rossini operas

Also, pieces used in popular films:

- Mozart - Duettino (Sull' aria) from the Marriage of Figaro (as used in the Shawshank Redemption)
- Mozart - Marriage of Figaro Overture (accompanies the opening credits of Trading Places)

That's all that I can think of (for the moment). I got into a lot of music through its use in advertising and films, this prompted me to go and discover more.

evolving_doors

Fluorescence wrote: »

A quick look at any of those Top 100 Pieces albums etc should cover pretty much anything you'd want for the complete novice. Trying to force people to listen to orchestral music against their will rarely works out well though :pac:

Ya trying to get someone to like your music is setting yourself up for a kick in the face. You'd be better of getting them a ticket to the NCH for something like when they play a movie and the orchestra plays the soundtrack live at the same time!

Fluorescence

Armelodie wrote: »

Ya trying to get someone to like your music is setting yourself up for a kick in the face. You'd be better of getting them a ticket to the NCH for something like when they play a movie and the orchestra plays the soundtrack live at the same time!

That's actually a brilliant way of getting the uninitiated (for lack of a better word) into live orchestral music. Who doesn't love a rousing score like Pirates of the Carribean, LoTR, Gladiator etc. Sticking a few of those on your compilation should work a treat unless you strictly want stuff from the great masters.

mike65

Gustav Holst - The Planets Suite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHVsszW7Nds

or maybe a copy of Hooked on Classics

ppshay

Armelodie wrote: »

Ya trying to get someone to like your music is setting yourself up for a kick in the face. You'd be better of getting them a ticket to the NCH for something like when they play a movie and the orchestra plays the soundtrack live at the same time!

Yeah, that would be perfect idea but not practical unfortunately. Pity.

ppshay

In the end I mostly didn't bother about film themes etc and just tried to pick out some "nice" pieces.

And this is the final result!

Ennio Morricone - Gabriel's Oboe
Pachelbel - Canon in D
Massenet - Meditation from Thias
Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 21 - Andante
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Op. 43
Strauss - Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30
Rossini - William Tell Overture Finale
Aram Khachaturian - Sabre Dance
Rimsky-Korsakov - Flight Of The Bumblebee
Mascagni - Intermezzo (Cavalleria Rusticana)
Ralph Vaughan Williams - Fantasia on Greensleeves
Bach - Air on the G string
Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata No. 14, Opus 27 No. 2 in C sharp minor, Part I
Chopin - Nocturne in E-flat Major, opus 9 no.2, Piano Solo
Gabriel Faure - Pavane Op. 50
Beethoven Symphony No.5 In C Minor Op.67 Fate I.Allegro Con Brio
Stanley Myers - Cavatina

And left out so much more!

Thanks for the suggestions.

zenno

Maybe this person would find Classical Guitar music pleasurable as well ?.

Some nice tunes from this person...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26HLgXWF-Co

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFenfpuI8-8

Fluorescence

How could Bach's famous Toccata and Fugue in D Minor BWV 565 not be on there? It's that organ music you always hear the villains playing in movies, etc :P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipzR9bhei_o