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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
jcazador
417 posts
 
now listening
Tchaikovsky Piano Recital, Sviatoslav Richter (1983) RRC 1093
the master




jcazador
417 posts
 
and Artur Pizzaro, Rachmaninoff Complete Piano Works
7 cds, exquisite
newbee
4,767 posts
 
Ah yes, much to enjoy. Another excellent set and one that offers some serious alternatives to some of the more popular Rachmaninoff recordings. I consider these performances as more introverted which are to me often more attractive. FWIW I only have Shelley's performances to compare to most of these .

 However, in the Preludes especially, I really do prefer something more high powered, such as Ashkenazy's, Shelley's, and for something really over the top, Hayroudinoff  (You've really got to hear that one!)


jcazador
417 posts
 
Nina Dorliac on Richter:
When he sat on the jury at the first International Tchaikovsky Competition, he immediately singled out Van Cliburn as having no rival among the other contestants. He gave Cliburn the highest mark and zeros for the others. Then he changed his mind. It wasn't very nice to give them zeros. 
lots more here:
http://sviatoslavrichter.blogspot.com/2011/04/nina-dorliac-i-met-richter-at.html
jim204
881 posts
 
JC   That was a very interesting article about Richter you posted , he was a very cultured man. As for his pianism although he was a stupendous pianist the recordings that were released were really poor and didn't really do justice to him. I really admired him but could find his playing rather cold. Regarding his recordings I am reminded of the quote that was said about Busoni when he was doing some early acoustic recordings . When he had finished recording they played back one of the masters to let everyone hear this scratchy hissy horrible sound when one soul said "that sounds nothing like him" and another "said no wonder how can you put the Atlantic ocean in a bottle and stopper it". That's exactly how I thought of Richter if he had been in the west just think what we could have had. 
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