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Classical Music for Aficionados

I would like to start a thread, similar to Orpheus’ jazz site, for lovers of classical music.
I will list some of my favorite recordings, CDs as well as LP’s. While good sound is not a prime requisite, it will be a consideration.
  Classical music lovers please feel free to add to my lists.
Discussion of musical and recording issues will be welcome.

I’ll start with a list of CDs.  Records to follow in a later post.

Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique.  Chesky  — Royal Phil. Orch.  Freccia, conductor.
Mahler:  Des Knaben Wunderhorn.  Vanguard Classics — Vienna Festival Orch. Prohaska, conductor.
Prokofiev:  Scythian Suite et. al.  DG  — Chicago Symphony  Abbado, conductor.
Brahms: Symphony #1.  Chesky — London Symph. Orch.  Horenstein, conductor.
Stravinsky: L’Histoire du Soldat. HDTT — Ars Nova.  Mandell, conductor.
Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances. Analogue Productions. — Dallas Symph Orch. Johanos, cond.
Respighi: Roman Festivals et. al. Chesky — Royal Phil. Orch. Freccia, conductor.

All of the above happen to be great sounding recordings, but, as I said, sonics is not a prerequisite.


128x128rvpiano
schubert
7,386 posts
 
Small world , I wrote mine on a German subject as well, The Weimar Republic . Slipped in a bit on the Weill/Brecht " Rise and Fall of the City of
Mahagonny " .

I’ve been telling folks for forty years than Haydn’s 6,7, 8 (Le matin;Le midi. Le Soir) are treasures of light and love that are among the most lovely symphonies period . I loved the Max Gobberman LP’s , wish I still had them.
My current go-to is Roy Goodman/Hanover Band on hyperion .

And yes there are several other great symphonists , several hundred. -LOL
Classical Music is like a beautiful beach in the South Pacific in January where the most
beautiful women in the world wait on you hand and foot with a 4 star chef bringing you the best
of food in a fabulous room and the hotel pays you a thousand bucks a day for staying there !

rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,653 posts
 
I love your parable!
jkotze
16 posts
 
No order to these:

Joly Braga Santos - Symphony No.4 - Marco Polo

An Majestic work that lasts 53:05. There are some sounds that reminds one of Bruckner and Sibelius

 

Saint-Saëns - Havanaise, Op.83 - Leonid Kogan (Violin) - Monteux Edition Vol.6 (RCA Victor)

Love the smooth somewhat reserved tone of Kogan on the violin.

 

Liszt - Piano Concerto No.1 and 2 with Georges Cziffra conducted Gyorgy Cziffra - EMI

Such an exciting performance with an immediacy. Almost feel like you sitting in the audience in the sweet spot.

 

Biber - Sonata Representativa - Harmonia Mundi

The Musketeer's Mars and Allemande is such a evocative rythm. You have to use some body part to go with the rythm.

 

Albéniz - Iberia Book1&2 - Barenboim(Piano) - Teldec

 

Saint-Saëns - Symphony No.3 (Organ Symphony) - Daniel Chorzempa and Edo de Waart with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra- Phillips

Such a grandiose and sweeping work. When I want to show off my Hi-fi, this one always appear on the list.

 

Voříšek - Works for Piano - Fortepiano by David Winston after Boardmann - Olga Tverskaya - Opus111

Love the sound of the fortepiano on this disc and what beautiful and melodious music.

 

Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No.2 and Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini - Graffman and Bernstein - CBS Records, Masterworks

This performance is a lot more than virtuosity and well remastered

 

Prokofiev - Alexander Nevsky - Reiner with the Chicago Symphony - RCA Victor - Living Stereo

An Exciting work. Love the choral parts. Great sound.

 

Katchaturian- Violin Concerto - Leonid Kogan with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Monteux - RCA Victor - Living Stereo

Lots of different colours in the music. Melodious and virtuosic at the same time.

 

Brahms - Piano Concerto No.1 - Gilels (Piano) Berlin Philharmonic and Jochum conducting. Grammophon, The Originals

Great sound and Gilels is fantastic with great energy and so is the orchestra under Jochum's conducting.

 

Granados - Goyescas (Los Majos Enamorados) - Michel Block (Piano) - Pro Piano Records

No better recording of this live(1981) performance. The music is exquisite with such beautiful melodies and earthy rhythms.  

 

Brahms - Piano Quartet No.2 and Mahler - Piano Quartet Movement- Domus - Virgin Classics

Outstanding performance and beautiful warm sound.

 

Virtuoso Cello - Felix Schmidt (Cello) and Annette Cole (Piano) - IMP Classics

The sound on this discs is so real that you can almost touch the instuments and I have yet to hear a more touching performance of the Kol Nidrei.

 

Mozart - Violin Concertos Nos. 3,4,5 - Christian Ferras (Violin) - Royal Classics

Love the sound of Ferras on the violin and No.4 cannot be improved upon.


rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,653 posts
 
Impressive list!
kef_lover
29 posts
 
rvpiano,

Glad to hear that you enjoy the Monteux Nocturnes as I do. As far as channel balance, try a mono CD or a jazz CD with a centered vocalist. The Nocturnes can be checked by playing the 2nd movement. There are divided strings that answer back and forth between the right and left channels and should sound equally loud. I have no balance issues with my copy. 
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