Definitive guide to classical music

[cg]

Looking for a guide to help me build my music collection. I have a decent start, but want to get focused re what I add (essential pieces, recordings, etc). Any recommendations?

[loofery]

This is certainly not a definitive guide on the subject but this here site compiled a list of 100 of the most well-known pieces, along with audio samples of each, so it should get the ball rolling for you.

http://www.kickassclassical.com/classical-music-popular-famous-best-top-100-list.html

[shane88]

i'd like to not be so organised about it .... you don't have to like all of it... and there is an awful lot of it

[DC1]

Here's a good place to start:

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/AlbumGroup;jsessionid=D8AB3F9F71E6BE24729DEDBF160D E5EC?album_group=5

Listen to a great classical radio station

Here's one of the best:

http://www.kusc.org/classical/index.php


dc

[soapvox speaker]

schoenberg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D84sLB8tUMo

[jimmyj]

I have 2 books at home that were a great help to me.
One is an alphabetically arranged summary of several hundred composers with a bio of each and explanation of their works, era, etc.
The other is called something like The 50 Greatest Composers and it's a little more instructional on different eras, different composers and has quite a few anecdotes about each. It's quite fun.
Both books have a lot of recommendations for compositions and particular recordings. I'll get the proper titles and authors of those books when I go home for lunch.
If you really like 20th century stuff Alex Ross' book The Rest is Noise is very interesting, educational, and has recommendations.

Also, listening to an NPR classical station gives you good ideas for music you'd like to buy. Although, I've scanned the NPR guides to Classical when browsing in bookstores and I wasn't that taken with their books.

[freedom's door]

NPR Listener's Encyclopedia of Classical Music