Classical music - do you listen/enjoy it?

I do love a lot of classical music but also like listening to classical singers. Since COVID started I have been listening a lot to Aled Jones and Katherine Jenkins ( I’m Welsh !) by themselves and with other singers. I also love the 3 Tenors and have CD’s of Pavarotti and Bryan Terfel. Ales Jones voice is beautiful and makes me feel relaxed d calm

I'm another who enjoys radio 3. I love the way you have a window into the classical world through really great intro pieces from presenters. This adds to the enjoyment and understanding.

Afraid not. Over the years I have tried to listen to classical music, but I admit to finding it boring. My daughter danced ballet for quite a few years so I did become familiar with some Tchaikovsky. I think my best exposure to classical was with the Bugs Bunny cartoons as a child! Oh poor plebian me, I did not come from a musical background. Even if I did, it would be accordion and clog dancing!

Give me a peppy pop song with sing-along lyrics and a beat to dance to.

Listen to Classic FM, nothing else. It’s on now as I read this.

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I find Classic FM irritating with the ads and the stress on ‘relaxing’.. Much classical music is stimulating rather than relaxing. I much prefer Radio 3, but live performance is best.

I was a relatively late convert to opera. Apart from Hansel and Gretel at school, the first opera that really gripped me was Britten’s Peter Grimes. I think I was 22 when I first saw it. It was such a contrast to the boy-meets-girl theme of most operas I knew. I still like Britten’s operas best - he chose such interesting, unusual subjects.

CanadianGran I didn't come from a musical background either. It's not about that - or status.
I found it myself in adulthood, still know little about it really but do find it soothing, uplifting, dramatic, moody in different ways.

I doubt many of us listen to classical music to the exclusion of all else, but as we like a varied diet, classical can be a colourful part of the mix.

I also find Classic FM annoying grandna70s and would also suggest people try Radio 3 instead

I have Classic FM on in the background all day, ignoring the adverts. I've tried to make a shift to Radio 3 but found it too 'serious', a reflection on me not Radio 3! I love Baroque music and am trying to play it on the piano, especially Scarlatti and Albinoni. (But Bob Dylan singing Mr Tambourine Man still beats them all for me.)

I have little knowledge re.classical music, but over the last few years on bonfire night I've put the radio in the garage with Classic FM playing to relax the rabbits (fireworks!) and it seems to work. I do like it myself, but am not very good on recognising some of the composers, apart from the well known ones.

Yes, though my knowledge base is limited. I listen to radio 3 or sometimes classic FM in the car. I use Alexa in the kitchen to play favourite pieces
I'm part of a group of friends who were regulars to the Thursday concert at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. That hasn't happened since February, such a loss

Yes! love Puccini particularly some of his famous arias make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, sometimes they make me feel like crying. My parents often had classical music on when we were growing up so there was some osmosis there already, I didn't like it much at the time though. I was very happy when they both got into The Beatles in a big way and what followed on from those times, although there was always still classical music on too in our house. The problem for me is I'm not very educated in it, but know I like a lot of Mozart, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Mahler, Pachelbel oh and loads more I've forgotten. My mother would listen to Classic FM quite a bit before she died she always told me it was a good way to familiarise the listener with who composed what.

Yes radio 3 or classical plus of course from my music collection. I particularly like Mozart and am lucky enough to live near Glyndebourne.

But saying that I also love jazz, and I can bop around with the best of them to modern pop.

I used to have Radio 4 on in the background but more and more these days have Radio 3 instead.

What with Brexit, then Covid and worse of all the US election I just couldn't stand any more talk radio!

Love to listen to classical music on the radio or we have a selection of CDs and albums to pick from, I find it very relaxing and I just love a bit of Pavarotti, he has a fabulous voice.

I love classical music as it can be very soothing and put Classic FM on first thing each morning, then I switch over to R2 for Ken Bruce.
Most of my records, however, are pop/rock music with a smattering of easy listening and heavy metal.

I am not sure I would use arias as an introduction to opera - arias are simply songs. I was suggesting that it might be best to start with these set piece songs rather than trying to trawl through the recitatives.

One thing that frustrates me now is that when I hear a piece of music in ClassicFM I recognise it from the first three notes, sometimes from the first chord, but cannot always put a name to it. Old age creeping on.

Yes, I love classical music. I’m also a big fan of early music.

There are some good pieces you can dip in and out of. Respighi’s Pines and Fountains of Rome is a good one. I like The Pines of the Appian Way; you can almost see the ghostly roman legion marching home in triumph through the pre-dawn mist! Makes my hair stand on end! Vaughan Williams Norfolk Rhapsodies are very evocative too.

Yes. Although I'm a big rock fan I also love some classical music, mainly Beethoven, Mahler, Bach, and some opera.
I have to be in a certain mood, but when I am then this music is wonderful.

Luckygirl

*I am not sure I would use arias as an introduction to opera * - arias are simply songs. I was suggesting that it might be best to start with these set piece songs rather than trying to trawl through the recitatives.

I would ! Arias are wonderful.
Un bel di vedremo from madam butterfly has me weeping every time.
I once used it as a listening exercise for my sixth form and most of them loved it too.
Che gelida manina. From la bohème. Sung by Pavarotti . Heaven.

Indeed so Lucca!

I always have Classic FM on in the car when taking the grandchildren to activities. One GD has just started secondary school and it includes music appreciation classes. After playing a piece, her teacher asks if anyone had heard it before, and sadly my GD is the only one to put up her hand. I wish it translated into an enthusiasm for music practice however!

Classic FM for me every the time, I love the humour and friendliness of the presenters. I can't stand being preached to and talked at (other than football commentaries and other sport on Radio 5Live, which I also love). Radio 3 is rather too pleased with itself, and you don't get to hear some of the wonderful film music that is around nowadays.

I listen to no other music . I find having Alexa play music from Amazon Music has stopped me listening to Classic FM helped by John Suchet leaving his morning slot and the terrible drivel we get from Alexander Armstrong . I just cannot listen to him . I love ballet and opera as well though I cannot listen to the wonderful La Boheme as it makes me cry .