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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.


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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 :-)
craigl59
307 posts
 

Newbee:

Have some of Fisher's Mahler recordings and find them powerful with system-testing crescendos. Will check out the VC.

Speaking of CD covers, just found an interesting recording of Franck and Szymanowski Violin Sonatas and Chee-Yun is on the cover looking as if she is making out with the instrument.

So.....checked out the reviews on Amazon and there are 9 reviews of the album -- 8 reviews refer only to completely different violinists and recordings. What's going on? Is there sabotage in the violin world?

Her playing is very powerful and the pianist is quite good -- Eguchi.

schubert
7,386 posts
 
Well newbee, Fisher is among the best , he and his Budapest are world class and he goes for string slides in Slavic music .If you want a superb "New World" check out Marin Alsop with the Baltimore SO on Naxos .

I kinda sort of agree about the Istvan Kertsesv/London SO from the 60"s but he was SO great and SO Czech I’d put him as an exception that proves the rule ! I used to have them on Vinyl, sob. sob .At least they are ADD .

I know a little newbee, but fake a lot . .
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