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.


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I'm just listening to a very well recorded and executed Mahler - Symphony No 9 from Herbert Blomstedt and Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. I have to say I am enjoying it as it is not as frenetic as Solti and not as leaden as Klemperer . It is very well recorded except for a bit of squeezed dynamics which is perfectly understandable considering the massive dynamics of the work in the first place.

At over 90 Blomstedt is still in heavy demand world-wide , a true master !

  On records his Nielsen Symphonies 1,2 and 3 with the San Francisco on Decca is utterly magnificent ,one of the best outings I’ve ever heard .

Live , his Bach B Minor Mass with the Gewandhaus is burned into my soul .


Bamberg is not only one of the worlds most beautiful cities, its Symphony

is outstanding and has been so for a long time .

A great recording of the Bamberg is a Schubert 9th under Jonathan Nott

on Tudor 7144 . If you can find it you won’t regret it .















.

Re: Mahler Ninth, my preferred version of the some dozen that I own is, believe it or not, by a Russian: Kirill Kondrashin.

The Mahler Ninth may be my all-time favorite symphony.

The Kondrashin is probably still available on a marvelous sounding HDTT offering.

 At over 90 Blomstedt is still in heavy demand world-wide , a true master

On records his Nielsen Symphonies 1,2 and 3 with the San Francisco on Decca is utterly magnificent ,one of the best outings I’ve ever heard

Let’s hear it for Nielsen, an under performed composer who deserves more attention