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for classical beginners   April 30, 2004

David Rehak
author of "A Young Girl's Crimes"


It all depends on the listener.   February 16, 2004
  12 out of 13 found this review helpful

Whether this is a good introduction to classical music, or will instead turn people off even more, depends on where the listener is coming from.

For those who just don't know much about classical music, maybe aren't very passionate about a particular kind of music in the first place, just want something nice to listen to, or maybe want to explore and learn about classical music but don't know where to start, this may be a perfect introduction.

But for people who actually think they HATE classical music, this may simply emphasize to them all the things they already don't like about it. For the most part, it's pretty, but not powerful. It's polite, but not demonstrative. It's passive, not aggressive. Etc. If you're a fan of rap or hard rock or alternative rock or something that's more or less the opposite of classical music, and hate the dainty, delicate politeness of classical music (not to mention its lack of obvious powerful "beat"), then this won't do anything to change your mind, even though there's a lot of classical music out there that is neither dainty nor delicate and is sometimes not even polite! If what you like about your music is the angst, this collection emphasizes the opposite. There is classical music to equal the intensity and power (and the angst) of the hardest hard rock (and even some with a pretty good beat), but you won't find much of it on this collection.

The most frequent complaint I've heard about classical music from people who don't like it is along the lines of "it puts you to sleep." Like my local classical radio station, which emphasizes "soothing, relaxing, stress-free..." in its marketing, this type of collection only serves to reinforce that attitude.

"Classical Music for Beginners" might be an apt title for this collection, but "...for People Who (Actually) Hate Classical Music" is probably not.


Well, they got one thing right...   January 29, 2004
  2 out of 40 found this review helpful

Judging by the title, I figured I'd somewhat like this cd. I was dead wrong. This cd is straight-up a waste of time, space on a disk, and your life if you decide to buy it! It's the most pathetic attempt at pulling a new crowd into classical music, when the truth is, it sucks anyway! GIVE IT UP!! As for the cd, I don't think it would ever live up to its title. I mean, I hate the cd, therefore I like classical music?!?! WHO DO THEY THINK THEY ARE?! I should sue them!


Ear-Candy and good introduction to Classical Music   January 17, 2004
  32 out of 38 found this review helpful

This compilation offers the most popular themes and familiar tunes in small doses, in a sampler. Unless you've lived under a rock, you can't have helped but have heard of some of these tunes, whether at a wedding, or as background music to some action scene in a movie. You get 4 CDs for the price of 1, so it's a great value, and who cares if they are not the most famous orchestras or performers. The only thing is that the pieces are somewhat abridged, and are designed to please the uninitiated, hence ear-candy. Good enough to whet your appetite for something more substantial and a start a music appreciation.


Compilation set with good intention, but...   December 28, 2003
  9 out of 12 found this review helpful

As a music major, I generally frown at the idea of a classical music anthology such as this. My frown falls upon this set as well. I agree with those who say listen to the real thing. As for this set covering a wide variety, it leaves out several huge players, such as Palestrina, Liszt, Chopin, Brahms, Monteverdi, and Bartok, and it severely overlooks Beethoven, Haydn, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, and Mendelssohn. For an incredible guide to starting a classical music collection, conult the Naxos record label at www.naxos.com. While they sell music anthologies, they also have a list of over a 100 CDs to start a collection.

As for the sound quality of this compilation, I was less than impressed. This CD set, with good intentions to get you to like classical music, cheats you. With only single movements (several condensed into shorter forms) of symphonies, concerti, and sonatas, as well as only the famous (or cliched, as I call them) pieces of composers, you do not get a full range or depth of what classical music is.

Ironically, I used to hate classical music. The way I grew to love it was to listen to it. This set will simply get you started.