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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.


rvpiano
schubert
7,386 posts
 
pryso  + kef 

I had a "trick" I used to play on guys ,and gals, over to listen to my system .
As you know , Pavarotti made a career out of" Nessum Dorma" late in life.
I would play the big guys version  and everyone, including me, was  in awe of the great force of nature .
Few minutes later I would put in a CD of Bjorling singing his version and me saying , that was how you sing loud and this is how you sing good .
Usual reply after Bjorling was "Oh !"
Not knocking the big guy , I felt like my brother died  when he passed .
schubert
7,386 posts
 
rvpiano, I feel you .
I used to say I have the greatest 15K system in the world and it only cost
me 45K  !

geoffkait , you got that right homey , best voice I ever heard and ALWAYS done with pure class and respect for the music !
gdnrbob
4,508 posts
 
 Coming to this discussion late...
Pianists that I love that I don't think have been mentioned, Martha Argerich and Mitsiko Uchida, nothing like a woman's touch.
I wish I could have heard Clara Schumann play her husband's piano concerto.
Actually, there is a recording of Argerich/Rostropovich playing the A minor that is one of my favorites. I bought the album and need to have it converted to digital as it hasn't been converted- I don't know why....
B

schubert
7,386 posts
 
Amen , gdnrbob.
I once sat about 20 ft from Uchida  playing Schubert  at the Marlboro Festival . Her back was to me and it was not a warm day , but her shirt got soaking wet with effort on D960 B flat .
At or near the top of my list  for both  Schubert and Mozart  .

pryso
1,986 posts
 
schubert, of course I've heard "the big guy" perform Nessum Dorma and it was enjoyable.  But he didn't tingle my emotional fibers as Bjorling's version does.  I say that as someone without any musical training but as an active listener since I was about 14, and that was decades ago!

I feel the same about some of Uchida's performances.  Few musicians bring the same emotional response for me as her playing.

BTW, as an audio hobbyist I loved your comment "I have the greatest 15K system in the world and it only cost me 45K !"  I may have to quote that among a few friends. ;^)
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