How do I get started?

[StellaBlue]

I got interested in classical music while living in Britain, and especially while listending to the excellent Classic FM on the way to and from work everyday. It is a truly outstanding station.

Anyway, coming from a pop/rock/country background, what can you all recommend as a way to get 'into' classical? I (unfortunately) live in a small town for now, and the nearest live classical music is 2.5 hours away. I can pick up no classical stations on the old fashioned radio. I don't have enough money to buy lots of CDs (or any CDs).

I suppose I could listen to streaming radio on the web?

Are there any good intro books I should read? I want to move beyond my plain enjoyment of classical music and learn about specific composers, periods, musicians, etc.

I have a background in piano, but not to a very high level. ;)

Any input greatly appreciated.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. For streaming radio, I recommend KBPS in Portland, Oregon

24-hour classical music, most of it programmed by live announcers.

http://www.allclassical.org

You might also try to see if you can find a stream of NPR's Performance Today, which features live performances from around the world and discussions of musical topics for the interested amateur. Unfortunately, I've been able to find only partial archives at this URL:

http://www.npr.org/templates/archives/rundown_archive_hub.php

[StellaBlue]

2. thanks!

will check it out! :)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

3. Attend as many live performances as you can

It's a totally different experience, and you'll start to get an idea what composers and eras are your favorites.

What's your location? If you're near a college with a music department, that's a great place to find affordable concerts!
Enjoy!

[spindrifter]

4. You could take a look at some of

the classical compilations. Rough Guide has a book on classical music. You might check the reviews at Barnes and Noble or Amazon. There are some available on half.com, which I regularly use to get a break on more expensive books. BBC publishes a great classical music magazine, would you believe, called Music which always has a free CD, usually with a variety of stuff on it. There is another good magazine called Classic FM, also Britsh, which has free CD's with each issue. I ordinarily get these at B & N (Blue!), but have seen them at news shops that sell magazines. Some issues have two CD's, so even though these magazines are fairly expensive, the freebies make up for it and quickly help you to listen to a variety of music you might not have tried on your own.