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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
newbee
4,751 posts
 
twoleftears, FWIW I agree with your recommendation of Ernest Farrar's Orchestral Works on Chandos. Unfortunately he has a very thin discograph. :-(

Craig, I prefer the Chandos set as well.

And, for 'English-oriented' aficionados I can easily recommend Stanford's Piano Concerto on Chandos. The disc mate is "Concert Variations upon an English Theme 'Down Amound the Dead Men'. Fingerhut on the piano, conducted by Vernon Handley and the Ulster Orchestra. 

Chandos recorded all of Stanford's Symphonies but this is the only thing that really brings me back. I'm quite fond of it.
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,488 posts
 
Well, I just had to order the Tabakova, too.

Just listening to a Nonesuch record I bought over a half a century ago, with some of the best sound ever recorded.  It’s of Bach Cantatas No.140 and No. 57.
Karl Ristenpart leads definitive performances of these wonderful works.  “Selig ist der Mann “ is a not well known, but gorgeous cantata, along with the ever popular “Wachet auf....”

I’m not sure if this cantata series ever made it to CD.
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,313 posts
 
A couple more.  R. Strauss's Alpine Symphony is remarkably neglected for a composer boasting a number of warhorses.

And talking of warhorses, an excellent "demonstration disk" is Patrick Doyle's theme music for the movie Henry V; Simon Rattle + CBSO.  There are some stirring moments.
schubert
7,386 posts
 
I have never seen a Nonesuch CD of that .
Another Ristenpart Nonesuch LP I treasure is Haydn’s Symphonies 7,8, 9
"Morning", "Noon" and "Night " . with lovely Sarre CO . There are vinyl of these on Amazon .
Some of Haydn’s most charming works on any label .

rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,488 posts
 
There was a whole series of Bach cantatas with Ristenpart on Nonesuch.
All of them with amazing sonics.
More to discover