Classical music comps

There are always the Telarc samplers on CD. You don't specify the source. You might actually like some of the more popular classics like Rhapsody in Blue or Greig's Concerto in A minor. I do even though I'm heavy on the rock. Then there are Don Dorsey's CD's. Beethovan or Bust is the wildest and craziest. I'll almost guarrantee you'll like it and your guests might also be entertained. Hope your system has good bass for that one.

Listen to Spotify classical and decide what you like.

Telarc made my favorite "Show Off" disc's. I have two that I use for non audio types. "Time Warp", it has the themes from "Star Trek' and "Battle Star Galactica" on it. The other is also a Telarc disc titled "Star Tracks" and it has "Star Wars", "Superman", "Raiders of The Lost Ark" and other related movie tracks. All are performed by Erich Kunzel leading the Cincinnati Pop Orchestra. If you can find those, you are sure to get a OMG!

There are several Reference Recording compilations that are good.

I second Vegasears. Erich Kunzel on Telarc is sizzling.

We know you secretly like classical music. It's OK to come out.

The telarc with Terminator and I think Robin Hood on it is fan freaking tastic.

Lol...I'm coming out! We are all family at the Gon!

A collection of Rossini overtures can be nice. They contain lots of familiar music (e.g., the Lone Ranger theme embedded in the William Tell Overture), but it's nice to hear it in the context of an entire 5-8 minute overture as opposed to over-shortening it on one hand or listening through the entire 2-hour opera on the other.

There are orchestral suites where you could play just one selection. For example, "Jupiter" from Holst's "The Planets" is rousing and dynamic, while "Mars, The Bringer of War" has an ominous, and then explosive and eventually somewhat chaotic conclusion. At the other end of the spectrum are quiet and moody movements such as Venus and Neptune.

I like the entire suite, but each of the seven movements has its own kind of fun.

Naxos used to have these intro to classical discs - I have volume 1 and 2. I have a large collection of classical but added these two for a lot of the popular but hard to find on their own piece.

Get the Decca Sound box:

http://www.amazon.com/Decca-Sound-Analogue-Years-Limited/dp/B00E0H8KAQ

Great repetoire, great performances (with only a few clinkers), great Decca sound.