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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
jim204
881 posts
 
@Schubert      Len I am just listening to Arkadi Volodos playing Schubert's Piano Sonata in A Major D959 and what a job he makes of it .
It is on Idagio at the moment and well worth a listen, also the sound is exemplary .
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,653 posts
 
Schubert,

Yes, I was just going to post a reference to that Volodos  performance myself!
What a beautiful performance from this musician who first made his name with his incomparable transcendental technique.
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,315 posts
 
On to Rach #2, Previn. The Telarc soundstage took a little getting used to: very wide, quite distant, but not very deep. Have to admit I’m enjoying #2 more than #1--the highlight there was actually Litton’s Isle of the Dead.
Post removed 
ei001h
275 posts
 
twoleftears:

I’ve been listening to Currentzis Tchaikovsky 6th and while I find some aspects of it enjoyable (spotlight miking of instruments) while other aspects such as overuse of EQ and heavy compression ruin the whole piece. Close miking of strings make them sound very sharp and aggressive for the lack of a better word.  Zero dynamics in all 4 movements. The intensity of playing has no correlation to the volume. I think the mixing engineers overshadowed currentzis here.  It was probably made to sound great in AirPods. This guy definitely polarizes opinions. I'm thinking about attending his debut in NYC in November.

Daniil Trifanov just came out with a CD destination
Rachmaniov featuring Rach 3 and Rach 1. It’s available on Tidal. His 2nd and 4th concertos released earlier this year were quite good. Not sure what to make of his interpretation of the 3rd. I expected more from Trifanov. Has anyone heard it? Thoughts?

Khatia Buniatishvili’s Rach 3 blew me away. I believe the Russians are unmatched when it comes to Rachmaninov. Matsuev, Volods, Gavrilov, Gilels. All superb in my opinion. Not a fan of Rachmaninov’s own recording of his concertos. I don’t think he was pleased with them either.

I’ve been enjoying Volodos and Schubert. Also like Sofronitsky’s Schubert (the art of Sofronitsky). Are there any other sonically good recordings  of Sofronitsky? Any other masters of Schubert ?
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