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
That is what I hate about Qobuz the pauses, in work like Also Sprach Zarathustra there are so many micro pauses that it gets to the point no matter how good the performance that I abandon it. The same happens in Ein Heldenlieben and many others , now we don't have these micro pauses when we are at a concert so I don't want it at home.
On another thread I complained about my obsession with sound blocking out my love of music.  Especially now that I’ve upgraded my set with several new components, it’s a real problem for me.
I really wish I could go back to listening to my table radio, on which, when I was younger, I learned much of the classical repertoire.
Does anyone else here have a similar problem?
Or is it just me?
In a similar vein, I wish I could accept my system for what it is and stop worrying

“Is it good enough?”
Come now, all of us here on Audiogon are always playing with their systems. It's that 'what if I do this/that' that is always in the back of their mind.
For me, I have to say I have very little to change-I love my system that much-Which is saying something.😄

It’s not just you. I think most folks here have the problem to one degree or another. You’ve just changed hobbies from music to audio. Time to get back into music - perhaps its time to explore and expand your interests in new (and some old) music. I’ll bet, despite your background, that there is a lot of stuff out there that you have yet to experience in more than a passing mode. Worked for me anyway. That and a dose of reality about what I could actually achieve with audio in my home. Except for a tube change now and then I’m pretty happy. Good luck.