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
This is a remarkably interesting and erudite thread containing both mainstream and offbeat suggestions. But reading through it, I did miss two of my favorite recordings.

There are a few recommendations for Nielsen’s music, but nothing praising his Third Symphony which is well deserving of all the praise its fans send its way. Frankly, I think it is a masterpiece, and since there are few recordings available, I may as well recommend the one where I first heard the piece: Leonard Bernstein conducting the Royal Danish Philharmonic Orchestra on a CBS recording released in 1965.

The second of the "missing" recommendations is a very recent recording on the 2L lablel of two song cycles for voice and orchestra by the Norwegian composer Henning Sommerro: Ujamaa and the Iceberg. This might be a little weird for some, but it is tonal, attention grabbing, stunning, and simply the best recording I have ever heard.
Jim
I think some pianists turn to conducting as they age and are losing their physical skills.  Physically, it is easier to conduct than play a piano.  I recall reading that Sv Richter was despondent in his 80's for this reason, and stopped playing in public.  He also once said that he did not want to conduct because that would mean taking a 6 months break from his piano practice, and he doubted he could recover after that.
As you say, Ashkenazy is a good case in point.  Barenboim is another.
Many first rate pianists are fully capable of being conductors, but it is hard to do both.
In USA we have very few athletes who succeed at two professional sports. 
Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders are the only two that I recall.  Danny Ange played baseball just enough to get some leverage about which basketball team he would play for.  Remember when Michael Jordan quit basketball to attempt pro golf? It did not work out for him.
In college I knew a guy who lettered in 5 sports in his freshman year, went on the play on the Davis Cup tennis team.  But he never played but one sport professionally (tennis).
pardon me, correction
Michael Jordan quit basketball to play baseball (not golf)and it did not work out for him
Beatrice Rana
saw a rave review in nyt, so found her Chopin/Scriabin cdsounds great
and she's only 26, so more to come
Resumed piano concerto survey.

Here's a delightful couple that are clearly underrated.

Lyapunov 1 and 2. 

Fine pianism from Shorena Tsintsabadze and good sound on Naxos CD.  Thoroughly enjoyable.