As a teenager I had the Poulenc Trio on a great EMI Melos Ensemble disc, which also had Ravel's evocative Introduction and Allegro. Spectacular playing! I'd also like to recommend Coleridge-Taylor's 'Nonet' that I heard in concert at Carnegie Hall a couple of years ago. A real hidden gem!
Thanks for compiling this list, I’m only familiar with the Mozart and Mendelssohn, so there’s quite a bit I look forward to diving into. Saint-Saens Septet op. 65 was a gateway to the world of chamber music for me.
I'd never heard the Poulenc before! I'm a huge Dvorak chamber works lover, though I haven't made it through the entire SQ cycle, though I am doing so. Dvorak's chamber style I've found is as lovable as everything else he wrote. He's an imposing and formidable voice, but almost never an austere one. And I love Biber's 1681 Sonatas and Passacaglia for solo violin. A wondrous treasure trove.
Ten years back, I wandered into a pop-up classical sale event where the Poulenc disk was playing. This was a composer new to me but I loved what I heard. I ended up buying his entire Naxos chamber series (the price was right) and have not looked back. Great talk, David. Thanks for the heads-up on Crumb!
Dave, this isn't just a list for beginners, it's equally one for some of us old geezers who wish to explore more, perhaps even fly our "Musical Freak Flag" a bit. I look forward to experiencing some of your choices. Thank you very much!
@@DavesClassicalGuide I took the plunge Dave and ordered the complete Poulenc Chamber Works. From what I can hear so far, this could be my best "Chamber Find" yet. It may be a while before I get to your other recommendations, but first Poulenc! Thanks again for helping an old dog "hear" a few new tricks. :)
something that I had a big phase with not too long ago was the Ravel septet (or the introduction et allegro) I find this to be a beautiful work that showcases the best of Ravel's "pre - WW1" style, and I think it would be great for beginners of the genre!
Once you made the concept clear, I paused and made my own list based on what I thought you might choose. Well, congratulations on your unpredictablity: I only got two right (Dvorak and Brahms). The one work that topped my expectations was not only missing, the composer was wholly absent from the list - even though it's well-known that you are quite the fan: Saint-saëns. I'm very happy to see increased focus on chamber music. Maybe the work (the septet with piano, string quartet, double bass and, of all things, trumpet) might one day be worthy of a repertoire talk? Wouter
Glad you mentioned the Janacek and Mozart. I'm not going to add anything particularly insightful about the former, just sharing my admiration and fondness for one of the most authentic, unique, awesome pieces ever written. A desert-island piece for me. As for the Mozart, I don't consider myself a devoted fan of him, but this Divertimento sounds so different and engaging from many of other works of his. Actually, three of my favorite works by him are in E-flat major, and they include the Sinfonia concertante for violin, viola and orchestra, the Symphony No. 39 and that Divertimento. Those Mozart works do resonate with me in a high degree.
This is a great introductory list. After you mentioned the Crumb, I was expecting The Quartet for the End of Time, and the Shostakovich Piano Trio No. 2 both of which are screaming masterpieces.
Yes those are other great pieces to get one hooked on chamber music...like Dave said, too often the SQ is seen in media as this stuffy proper music for scenes depicting high snobbery, etc, and there is SO much great chamber music no one knows about!!! I put forth two more newer chamber works that would also be a good intro to minimalism: J.Adams-Shaker Loops (original string septet version)...and... P. Glass-String Quartet No. 5 (a screaming modern chamber masterpieces IMHO)
I really love the Schubert Quintet in C. But after watching the movie Conspiracy (starring Kenneth Branagh as Heydrich and Stanley Tucci as Eichmann) with the slow movement playing at the end, I'll never hear it in the same way again. Utterly chilling.
Thank you for starting off with Poulenc! His was a most upbeat and charming avant garde, but he was hard done by the advocates of the grim Second Vienna School. Very unfairly dismissed.
Hello Mr. Hurwitz, first, a grateful thank you for your site and guide; what I enjoy most about your individual videos is how much you love music, good, bad, and indifferent to the performances..... Your love and enthusiasm for music of ANY genre or form always comes through, and your insights as a percussionist inform the various performances, good and/or bad. This particular survey of chamber music for beginners was rewarding for me personally (a long-time professional classical musician in NY playing the bassoon) because you started out with the Poulenc Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, a work I've performed many times and is dear to me. Thank you. If I might add some reccomendations for wind chamber music for your listeners/readers/watchers who might be interested............ Dvorak Serenade for Winds Op.44 (particularly the 2nd movement for starters); tuneful, rythmic, melodic, a beautiful introduction to wind chamber music AND Dvorak. Mozart, of course; the Gran Partita, K.361 is a masterpiece, but maybe too much for an introduction to wind chamber music? I would reccomend the Serenade in Eb K.375, specifically the 3rd movement; as beautiful a slow movement as was ever writen by Mozart. And, finally (or first!) the Octet Partitas for Winds by Franz Krommer; melodically and harmonically inventive, tuneful, and just plain FUN to listen to. I would reccomend the Netherlands Wind Ensemble OR the Sabine Meyer Wind Ensemble recordings of these works; spectacularly played, and beautifully recorded, both sets. Thanks again for your surveys, they are fun and informative. Best Regards, Charles McCracken
Dear Dave, it was your review of that Poulenc disc that made me discover his work, and chamber music generally, back in the day! For exactly the reason you described: solo strings do not fall easily on my ear, but that stuff is so genial. My only complaint is that he did not write enough. Any love for Jean Françaix who sort of plows the same furrow (and wrote just such a trio)? Are we due a giant Naxos compendium? I know Alexandre Tharaud has moved on to bigger things but I would give anything to hear him in this music, he is not shy!
You have undoubtedly heard that the Surgeon General wants a warning label on social media directed at children. You need a similar warning about earworms when you publish a list like this.
it makes me sad that horse aficionado Anton Bruckner only wrote two pieces of chamber music. His String Quintet has a warmth to it unmatched by his symphonies. It deserves to be better known.
Wow! What a glorious list. With the Poulenc and Mozart as bookends, how can you go wrong? And thank you for including the Dvorak Bagatelles, which you introduced to me via one of your videos months ago.
If you only listnen to the orchestral music by a composer, you will never get the whole picture. You will have to listen to all his or her music. I belive it is essential to listen to Beethoven's 32 piano sonatas to understand him, it is not enough whith the symphonies, concertos and overtures.
![Jack Harlow - Hello Miss Johnson [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q86_nlRoIGw/mqdefault.jpg)
Haydn's String Quartets op.76 are what got me into chamber music and also got me hooked on Haydn. Beautiful and uplifting music.
As a teenager I had the Poulenc Trio on a great EMI Melos Ensemble disc, which also had Ravel's evocative Introduction and Allegro. Spectacular playing! I'd also like to recommend Coleridge-Taylor's 'Nonet' that I heard in concert at Carnegie Hall a couple of years ago. A real hidden gem!
Thanks for compiling this list, I’m only familiar with the Mozart and Mendelssohn, so there’s quite a bit I look forward to diving into. Saint-Saens Septet op. 65 was a gateway to the world of chamber music for me.
I'd never heard the Poulenc before! I'm a huge Dvorak chamber works lover, though I haven't made it through the entire SQ cycle, though I am doing so. Dvorak's chamber style I've found is as lovable as everything else he wrote. He's an imposing and formidable voice, but almost never an austere one. And I love Biber's 1681 Sonatas and Passacaglia for solo violin. A wondrous treasure trove.
Mozart’s K 563 is my favourite piece of chamber music.
Ten years back, I wandered into a pop-up classical sale event where the Poulenc disk was playing. This was a composer new to me but I loved what I heard. I ended up buying his entire Naxos chamber series (the price was right) and have not looked back.
Great talk, David. Thanks for the heads-up on Crumb!
Dave, this isn't just a list for beginners, it's equally one for some of us old geezers who wish to explore more, perhaps even fly our "Musical Freak Flag" a bit. I look forward to experiencing some of your choices. Thank you very much!
You're very welcome. Of course it's for everyone!
@@DavesClassicalGuide I took the plunge Dave and ordered the complete Poulenc Chamber Works. From what I can hear so far, this could be my best "Chamber Find" yet. It may be a while before I get to your other recommendations, but first Poulenc! Thanks again for helping an old dog "hear" a few new tricks. :)
The Poulenc was fun! I definitely want to hear the entire work. Thanks for suggesting it.
something that I had a big phase with not too long ago was the Ravel septet (or the introduction et allegro) I find this to be a beautiful work that showcases the best of Ravel's "pre - WW1" style, and I think it would be great for beginners of the genre!
I agree.
Once you made the concept clear, I paused and made my own list based on what I thought you might choose. Well, congratulations on your unpredictablity: I only got two right (Dvorak and Brahms). The one work that topped my expectations was not only missing, the composer was wholly absent from the list - even though it's well-known that you are quite the fan: Saint-saëns.
I'm very happy to see increased focus on chamber music. Maybe the work (the septet with piano, string quartet, double bass and, of all things, trumpet) might one day be worthy of a repertoire talk?
Wouter
Love the Septet, and left it off very reluctantly. Thanks for mentioning it.
Thank you, Dave! Can’t wait to listen to these!
Glad you mentioned the Janacek and Mozart. I'm not going to add anything particularly insightful about the former, just sharing my admiration and fondness for one of the most authentic, unique, awesome pieces ever written. A desert-island piece for me. As for the Mozart, I don't consider myself a devoted fan of him, but this Divertimento sounds so different and engaging from many of other works of his. Actually, three of my favorite works by him are in E-flat major, and they include the Sinfonia concertante for violin, viola and orchestra, the Symphony No. 39 and that Divertimento. Those Mozart works do resonate with me in a high degree.
This is a great introductory list. After you mentioned the Crumb, I was expecting The Quartet for the End of Time, and the Shostakovich Piano Trio No. 2 both of which are screaming masterpieces.
I've talked about both of them recently elsewhere. There's just so much great stuff worth considering.
Yes those are other great pieces to get one hooked on chamber music...like Dave said, too often the SQ is seen in media as this stuffy proper music for scenes depicting high snobbery, etc, and there is SO much great chamber music no one knows about!!!
I put forth two more newer chamber works that would also be a good intro to minimalism:
J.Adams-Shaker Loops (original string septet version)...and...
P. Glass-String Quartet No. 5 (a screaming modern chamber masterpieces IMHO)
I really love the Schubert Quintet in C. But after watching the movie Conspiracy (starring Kenneth Branagh as Heydrich and Stanley Tucci as Eichmann) with the slow movement playing at the end, I'll never hear it in the same way again. Utterly chilling.
Thank you for starting off with Poulenc! His was a most upbeat and charming avant garde, but he was hard done by the advocates of the grim Second Vienna School. Very unfairly dismissed.
And he loved Webern...
Hello Mr. Hurwitz, first, a grateful thank you for your site and guide; what I enjoy most about your individual videos is how much you love music, good, bad, and indifferent to the performances..... Your love and enthusiasm for music of ANY genre or form always comes through, and your insights as a percussionist inform the various performances, good and/or bad. This particular survey of chamber music for beginners was rewarding for me personally (a long-time professional classical musician in NY playing the bassoon) because you started out with the Poulenc Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, a work I've performed many times and is dear to me. Thank you. If I might add some reccomendations for wind chamber music for your listeners/readers/watchers who might be interested............ Dvorak Serenade for Winds Op.44 (particularly the 2nd movement for starters); tuneful, rythmic, melodic, a beautiful introduction to wind chamber music AND Dvorak. Mozart, of course; the Gran Partita, K.361 is a masterpiece, but maybe too much for an introduction to wind chamber music? I would reccomend the Serenade in Eb K.375, specifically the 3rd movement; as beautiful a slow movement as was ever writen by Mozart. And, finally (or first!) the Octet Partitas for Winds by Franz Krommer; melodically and harmonically inventive, tuneful, and just plain FUN to listen to. I would reccomend the Netherlands Wind Ensemble OR the Sabine Meyer Wind Ensemble recordings of these works; spectacularly played, and beautifully recorded, both sets. Thanks again for your surveys, they are fun and informative. Best Regards, Charles McCracken
Dear Dave, it was your review of that Poulenc disc that made me discover his work, and chamber music generally, back in the day! For exactly the reason you described: solo strings do not fall easily on my ear, but that stuff is so genial. My only complaint is that he did not write enough.
Any love for Jean Françaix who sort of plows the same furrow (and wrote just such a trio)? Are we due a giant Naxos compendium? I know Alexandre Tharaud has moved on to bigger things but I would give anything to hear him in this music, he is not shy!
You have undoubtedly heard that the Surgeon General wants a warning label on social media directed at children. You need a similar warning about earworms when you publish a list like this.
it makes me sad that horse aficionado Anton Bruckner only wrote two pieces of chamber music. His String Quintet has a warmth to it unmatched by his symphonies. It deserves to be better known.
It is kind of sad. Too much time spent revising and stressing haha
The Quintet is indeed quite the unique piece.
Wow! What a glorious list. With the Poulenc and Mozart as bookends, how can you go wrong? And thank you for including the Dvorak Bagatelles, which you introduced to me via one of your videos months ago.
If you only listnen to the orchestral music by a composer, you will never get the whole picture. You will have to listen to all his or her music. I belive it is essential to listen to Beethoven's 32 piano sonatas to understand him, it is not enough whith the symphonies, concertos and overtures.
OK Dave, I have a question: Where's the video for the Mendelssohn Octet? Hasn't it been long enough?
Thanks!
Are there any bad performances? The works seems to play itself.
Does anyone else hear the scherzo of Beethoven‘s Op. 135 F Maj string quartet in that Poulenc piece?
Haha I'm hearing the scherzo from his 3rd symphony in that chipper melody (also in the oboe)