Some classical recs

I’ve been listening to classical music all of my life, mostly as a result of learning to play the violin on and off since I was a small kid. Over the years, I’ve explored composers from the past 400 years and gotten the chance to experience their music as an expression of emotions, political statements or experimentation with new techniques and genres. This journey of discovery has been very rewarding and so I decided to compile a list of some of my favorite pieces of all time. You’ll notice a bit of a violin bias :)

Accompanied Violin

First off, some orchestral and accompanied violin pieces:

• Jean Sibelius - Violin Concerto in D Major
  • Perhaps my absolute favorite violin composition ever, along with Bach solo works. In my opinion, this piece is the essence of Sibelius: dominated by a sense darkness (like in the cadenza) but also punctuated by moments of hope and joy (in the 3rd movement, which I think is one of the best out there). The result is endlessly complex, both emotionally and compositionally.
• Johannes Brahms - Violin Concerto in D Major
  • When it comes to this concerto, I always imagine a fire: sometimes contained, other times bursting from the instrument. Bonus points for a wonderful final movement, inspired by Hungarian melodies.
• Antonin Dvorak - Violin Concerto in A minor
  • Another great Romantic concerto, with so much drama and flair.
• Henryk Wieniawski - Violin Concerto 1
  • This reminds me a bit of a Paganini concerto for some reason. Most of it sounds very dramatic and unique but I also like how playful and light Ray Chen plays the 3rd movement in this recording.
• Pablo de Sarasate - Carmen Fantasy
  • Such a lovely instantly recognizable melody, and a super virtuosic work.
• Johannes Brahms - Violin sonata no. 3 in D minor
  • I discovered this sonata recently and it’s become of one of my favorites since.
• Florence Price - Fantasie No. 1 in G Minor
  • Another recent discovery, a very energetic piece that grabs onto you, compelling to listen with your full attention.

A side note: why are so many of these pieces in D Major? A big reason is that D major has more resonant notes on the instrument, thus being easier to play in tune.

Solo Violin

These solo pieces (as the name suggests) are played by a single violin. Nevertheless, they encompass some of the deepest human emotions and the most complex structures:

• J.S. Bach ‘6 Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin’
  • Especially Partita no.2 in D Minor
  • My other all-time favorite! I could talk about how great is it for ages, but you should probably for listen for yourself.
• Ysaye ‘6 Sonatas for Solo Violin’
  • Especially the 3rd and 4th! The Ballade is definitely the most famous of the set, and those ending 30 seconds show everything you can do on a violin.
  • Here’s a great series of explainers by Hilary Hahn: Ysaye Sonatas. These videos helped me understand the sonatas better and it’s so enlightening to see how Hilary approaches them.

Music for other instruments

Some of my favorite works for other instruments are a mix of solo and orchestra pieces:

• Leos Janacek Piano Works
  • At its best, solo piano sounds ethereal and introspective but still powerful - these pieces are exactly that.
• Edward Elgar Cello Concerto in E Minor
  • the opening chords of this concerto never fail to overwhelm me with their sadness and sense of overwhelming agony. Jacqueline Du Pre’s version is deservedly considered to be the reference recording for this piece, but again, one of those you have to listen for yourself.
• Johannes Brahms Intermezzi
  • Similar to Janacek, a very delicate, heart-rending set of solo piano works.

Symphonies

These are some orchestral works that I’ve enjoyed

• Johannes Brahms 4th Symphony - Even more Brahms, this time with the 4th symphony which is such a sublime piece
• Jean Sibelius 3rd Symphony - The 2nd movement of this piece is, in my opinion, among the most tender in all of classical music. This symphony sounds like the musical equivalent of a warm hug.
• Nikolaj Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade
  • This work is based on the Arabian tale ‘1001 Nights’, and each movement is another story told by Scheherazade to the Sultan. Her theme is played out by the concermaster, and it is immediately memorable with its delicacy and hidden power.
• Gustav Mahler 5th Symphony
  • A 1 hour long Mahler musical journey which takes the listener through a love letter (Adagietto), rustic nature themes, and then a triumphant end.
• Jean Sibelius 7th Symphony
  • The shortest Sibelius symphony (only 1 movement!) which he manages to compress a full-length work in. The result is pretty stunning.
• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovksy 5th Symphony
  • Lastly, another of the great symphonies: sad, triumphant, sweeping. Highly recommend!