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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
schubert
7,386 posts
 
No, but same could be said of hundreds at his high level and thousands at well worth listening to level .

I doubt if anyone would not say he is a great composer .
I listen to my favorite work of his , the Masterwork Quintet Op 81 at least once a week and his Mass in D about once a month .The former on a truly great recording, Hyperion CDA 66797 by Gaudier Ensemble , the later on ECM 449508-2
with the wonderful Prague Chamber Choir .
If the Czechs are not the most musical people in the world they are right up there with whoever is .
The pride of Central Europe .
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,320 posts
 
In similar vein, listened to a Dyson Chandos CD yesterday and wasn't bowled over.
craigl59
307 posts
 

Have always enjoyed the Dvorak Slavonic Dances live and noted there was a certain quality to the strings that could be termed "Slavic Rumble." Recently got the Channel Classics album by Budapest Festival Orchestra/Fisher and found it was the first recording I had heard that captured this "rumble" well.

Also spent some time looking for the ideal recording of the New World symphony and settled on the Cincinnati/Jarvi recording on Telarc in order to get a well-recorded performance. Still like the old Bernstein recording of this warhorse as well.

craigl59
307 posts
 
Newbee, forgot to add that a recent used bin acquisition of the complete Dvorak Symphonic Poems by the Scottish National Orchestra/Jarvi has become a regular listen for me and was surprised at how attractive these lesser-known works are.
newbee
4,781 posts
 
Craig, #While Fisher might not be the last word in Dvorak it is certainly pretty good, and the recordings are excellent. If you are interested you might try his version of the VC with the BFO and Akiko Suwanai which is excellent by any standard. If its not quite up to your snuff, you can at least divert your self by looking at the CD cover! Neither are Fisher’s recordings of the 8th and 9th Symphonies and ’Legends’. I have loved Fisher’s Dvorak, unfortunately not so much his work with other composer’ music.

Jarvi’s traversal of the of the Symphonies (and other works on Chandos also gets high marks (from me at least). Other recordings worth exploring are Belohlavek and the Czech Phil on Chandos, Kubelik, and a set by Ivan Kertesz and the LSO (who sez this can’t be done unless the orchestra is Czech.

I just love this Eastern Central European music. Schubert, I know nothing and admit to nothing I don’t know :-)
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