My favorite is Rachmaninoff because his music is powerful, delicate and beautiful. I fell in love with "Symphonic Dances" put out by Reference Recording. It is HDCD and is very well recorded. Actually it won a grammy for the engineering- it's that good!
Man in need of new music
All audio enthusiasts (OK, audiophiles) recognize that recording quality makes as much difference as component quality. I have eclectic tastes in music, and I would like to explore classical. I know NOTHING about classical music. I would like to buy a SACD, CD or LP that is well recorded (i.e. SOUNDS TERRIFIC) as an intro to the genre. I would like something with a lot of dynamics; percussion, violin, piano... things that will make my coveted components shine! Recommendations welcome. Thanks.
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As a newbie to Classical as well, I have aquired the folling recordings on SACD that have appealed to my tatses and are recorded well. The music of Paul Dukas/Jesus Lopez-Cobos; Beethoven/Kurt Maser; I have also like the works of Hovannes although I have read his work may not be considered classical. But in my opinion it is. There are a few SACD's published of his work. Erndog; any particular selection of Rachmaninoff's work you would suggest as a "sampling" of his work? |
- Two very accessible, powerful and beautifully recorded CD's are the MA recording of J. S. Bach / 6 Suites a Violoncello Solo Senza Basso Vol. 1 by Martin Zeller and Bach On A Steinway performed by Jeffrey Biegel. - |
First I agree with Erndog, although our preferences in recordings vary. I prefer Askenazy's performance on London. You might argue that the RR disc in HDCD is a 'better' recording, but I find the Ashkenazy recording more crisp which makes the music even more dynamic sounding. FWIW. If you do choose the RR recording, be sure it's the one by Eiji Oue and the Minnesota Orchestra. (They have another by Keith Lockhart with different accompanying pieces which to my way of thinking are less attractive than Oue's.) Now, for another RR recording that is outstanding, Copland Symphony # 3, Appalachian Spring suite, and it includes the Fanfare for the Common Man (think Olympic's theme). That 'Fanfare' will test your system, in spades! Turn up the volume! Featuring piano, try Bavouzet playing in the piano concertos by Ravel, Debussy, and Massenet, on Chandos. Absolutely beautiful music if nothing else, but less extroverted than the other two recordings I mentioned. But, the recording quality is excellent. |
Not sure if it is still in print and/or readily findable, but if you can find it I think you would be thrilled with Chesky CD31, Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 ("From The New World"), the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Jascha Horenstein. You also would not believe that it was recorded in 1962! Also, see my post in this recent thread. Regards, -- Al |
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