Hello, and welcome to The Rinse for this week. Do you find yourself getting bored listening to the same guitar sounds over and over again? Is the pop music just not hitting like it normally does? Are you trying some jazz, but finding it too chaotic? If you listen to a lot of music, there are times when you want to listen to something, but it doesn’t feel right, even if it is an album that you love. For these moments, may I suggest classical music?
You might be saying, “Classical music, A.C.? Really? Am I a senior citizen?” No, you’re, most likely, not. However, I am saying that classical music is an interesting genre and can create various emotions within you as a listener, ones different from those created in other genres. Sounds nice, right? I thought this myself ages ago, but then I came to a terrible realization: Where do I actually start?
I’m going to be honest: classical music is really daunting to get into. It has literal centuries of history with a constantly expanding canon. There are various orchestras playing the same symphonies. There are albums featuring solo programs, four-handed piano, trios, string quartets, chamber orchestras, musical groups, etc. This isn’t even to get into all of the conductors. How do you figure out where to start with all of this? That’s an excellent question, and one I hope to provide you some answers for in this dispatch. (If you are already deep in classical, add some notes in the comments about how you got into it.)
To start, take a breath. You more than likely already know some classical music. If you ever watched fireworks, you’ve heard The 1812 Overture. There’s a good chance that if you graduated, you heard “The Graduation March.” Now, that said, these two pieces of music, while ubiquitous and technically sound, are not the best selling points for classical music. They’ve been played to death and are not the most compelling things to listen to in your free time. What is better is a question that classical fans can argue about for ages, as things grab people differently. This leads me to the first tip: Don’t worry about composers at the outset. Your taste for composers and styles will come over time through listening. A better way to get deeper into classical music at the onset is the second tip: Find a conductor that interests you.
As we all know from the biopic Tár, the conductor controls the time. The conductor also controls how a piece of music is interpreted by the symphony. This can lead to very different understandings of the same piece of music. To explain this, we’ll use two performances of “Infernal Dance” from Stravinsky’s Firebird. The first video will feature Klaus Mäkelä conducting the Orchestre de Paris at Carnegie Hall.
The second video is Sir Simon Rattle performing the exact same piece of music with the London Symphony Orchestra.
Both of these are superlative versions of this piece. However, there are differences. For one, Rattle plays the crescendos to the rafters, having the orchestra play hard and loud. Mäkelä’s version restrains the crescendos. This leads to the piece not having the same gut punch that Rattle’s version. However, the decreased intensity allows for the interplay between the sections to be better heard, providing an extra sensitivity to the piece.
As this very small example shows, the conductor plays a massive role in how you understand the music. So, when you are blindly listening to albums—as you absolutely should when getting into classical music in our streaming era—if you find one with a conductor that you like, go and find more work from that person. In addition, that composer will tend to have particular biases with regard to what they prefer to perform, so their catalog will provide greater entrée into other areas of the classical world.
Some conductors to explore are Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Michael Tilson Thomas, Seiji Ozawa, and Marin Alsop. There are plenty more to explore like Claudio Abbado, Gustavo Dudamel, and Lorin Maazel as well as the two mentioned above.
In the process of finding a conductor you vibe with, you’ll start figuring out what pieces and styles you like and which ones you don’t. In that process, do this third tip: Take the pieces you like and start listening to other symphonies and conductors do them. Given that they are groups of people and some are larger than others, symphonies can provide different essences to the music. You’ll find over time that you might like how certain symphonies and conductors handle certain compositions over others. This isn’t weird; it’s the nature of classical music. It will help you to build up your discernment skills as well as your personal repertoire. Plus, it’ll give you more rabbit holes to dive into.
So far, I have focused only on orchestras and conductors. There are smaller groups as well as soloists within the world of classical music. If you want to get deeper into the non-symphony world of classical music, follow this fourth tip: pick an instrument and dive into it.
For example, I like listening to the piano. I like its dynamic range and versatility; it can play in an orchestra, a quartet, or a duo and it can stand on its own. Furthermore, the number of pianists that you can choose from is quite large, and each one brings their own particular style to the keyboard.
To start, there is the legend herself, Martha Argerich. The video below is her playing Chopin’s Scherzo No. 2. Notice how she brings out the dreaminess and beauty of this music.
For a more modern example, the next video is Yuja Wang. Although many tend to make comments about her attire (she's fashionable, so sue her), there is no question that she is extremely talented, bringing a dynamism and innate sensitivity to her readings.
Other pianists to explore are Van Cliburn, Lang Lang, Alice Sara Ott, and Alicia de Larrocha. There are also soloists on cello, flute, violin, and harp, among other instruments. As you might sense, there is plenty to explore and learn about.
And, to this last point, I leave you with this final tip: Have fun. I realize that I’ve made this sound like homework. It shouldn’t be. It should be an exploration into a new, mostly foreign word. Listen to some music. If it interests you, do some research on what you’ve found. It will lead you to new places, and make the journey more fun.
If you don’t already listen to classical music regularly, I hope that this has maybe encouraged you to try to do so. Like with all music genres, it takes time and dedication to get into, but I must say that this has been one of the greatest projects that I have taken on. I have been at this for around a decade, and I’m still learning something new every time I listen.
To end this, I’ll provide you with some albums with which to start your journey into classical.
Leonard Bernstein & New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Mahler Symphony No. 3
Bernstein is a legend for a reason, and this is one of the best performances of this particular symphony. It is spirited and very powerful.
Claudio Abbado & Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Mahler: Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection” / Debussy: La Mer
While I notice that this is the second Mahler, that’s not the point of interest for me here. (That said, it’s truly phenomenal.) The real selling point is Abbado’s version of La Mer. This performance of La Mer is the best one I’ve heard. Abbado and the orchestra bring out the absolute majesty of this piece. It is beautiful, ecstatic, perfect.
Jacqueline du Pré / Janet Baker / Sir John Barbirolli & London Symphony Orchestra, Elgar: Cello Concerto & Sea Stories
Jacqueline du Pré is, arguably, the best concert cellist ever. Her tone and passionate readings can only create joy within listeners. This is one of her best-known recorded performances. It is so good that many other versions feel subpar even when they are quite strong.
Seiji Ozawa & Boston Symphony Orchestra, Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet, op. 64
Prokofiev’s score for the ballet Romeo & Juliet is iconic. This reading is one of three recommended by me (the other two are Previn with the London Symphony Orchestra and Maazel with the Cleveland Orchestra). I chose this one because this one is lively and energetic. While it is, functionally, a ballet score, Ozawa plays it so fast that a dancer might struggle to keep up with it. This is a benefit for you, the listener.
Yuja Wang, The Vienna Recital
I highlighted her above because she is one of the best concert pianists right now. This recital album is the proof of that fact. A phenomenal display that covers a lot of stylistic ground by playing pieces from various eras.
Alicia de Larrocha, Albeniz: Iberia; Navarra; Suite Española
De Larrocha is widely considered to be one of the best interpreters of Albeniz on the piano. On this recording, she tackles three compositions from him with grace and skill, bringing out the Spanish beauty that Albeniz captures so elegantly in his music.
Glenn Gould, Bach: The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
Glenn Gould did two separate recordings of these works 26 years apart. His artistic maturation is apparent in the recordings, but let’s put that to the side for the moment. Regardless of if you choose the 1955 or 1981 recording, you are hearing the work of a piano mastermind, a man whose talent is beyond reproach. Sure he hums along, but the results speak for themselves.
That’s all from me for this week. Next week, I’ll be back with a Spins. What will be in it? I don’t know. Good stuff has been appearing though, so it should be fun. Please if you’ve enjoyed this and decided to go listen to some classical music on your own time, tell a friend and have them subscribe. As always, be kind to yourselves and others. Pet a dog or cat if they will allow it. Don’t let the devil catch you.
