There are some good suggestions in the previous posts, but as noted, classical music is very diverse. I've been listening to classical music for more than 40 years, and I'm still finding new "treasures".
Rather than add my own specific suggestions about "where to start", I'd prefer instead to give you some reading suggestions that I think will add greatly to your enjoyment of classical music. The list of three books I am about to recommend ranges from basic to more comprehensive treatments of classical music, but all are accessible to classical music "newbies". The following books are available from Amazon.com, and the prices I list are taken from Amazon's web site:
1. "The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Classical Music", by Tim Smith. Published in August, 2002. Price: $11.16.
2. "The NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection: The 350 Essential Works", by Theodore Libbey. Published in Sept, 1999. Price: $11.17.
3. "The Essential Canon of Classical Music", by David Dubal. Published by North Point Press. Price: $14.00.
Classical music is an art form that becomes more enjoyable and meaningful as you learn about the composers, the types of classical compositions, the major styles, etc., so I encourage you to do some reading. If you decide to buy only one of these books, I suggest #2, "The NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection". However, if you want to really "plunge in", then choose book #3.
The other suggestion I'll offer is to take advantage of the wonderful catalog of classical releases on the Naxos label. The list price for their CD's is $7.99 (and often on sale for $6.99), and their label offers a great way to listen to unfamiliar classical music while building a good CD library.
Rather than add my own specific suggestions about "where to start", I'd prefer instead to give you some reading suggestions that I think will add greatly to your enjoyment of classical music. The list of three books I am about to recommend ranges from basic to more comprehensive treatments of classical music, but all are accessible to classical music "newbies". The following books are available from Amazon.com, and the prices I list are taken from Amazon's web site:
1. "The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Classical Music", by Tim Smith. Published in August, 2002. Price: $11.16.
2. "The NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection: The 350 Essential Works", by Theodore Libbey. Published in Sept, 1999. Price: $11.17.
3. "The Essential Canon of Classical Music", by David Dubal. Published by North Point Press. Price: $14.00.
Classical music is an art form that becomes more enjoyable and meaningful as you learn about the composers, the types of classical compositions, the major styles, etc., so I encourage you to do some reading. If you decide to buy only one of these books, I suggest #2, "The NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection". However, if you want to really "plunge in", then choose book #3.
The other suggestion I'll offer is to take advantage of the wonderful catalog of classical releases on the Naxos label. The list price for their CD's is $7.99 (and often on sale for $6.99), and their label offers a great way to listen to unfamiliar classical music while building a good CD library.