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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
jkotze
16 posts
 
As a casual and mediocre musician (piano and classical singing) you appreciate the great artists even more and become a lot more critical of the rest. This is bad since it change your focus from music appreciation to being a critic and those two do not go together unless you hit nirvana.

I've heard Pollini in Symphony hall in Chicago playing  Schumann's "Kreisleriana" in 2001 and that was a Nirvana moment. Also heard Hvorostovsky sing the " Cortigiani, vil razza dannata" from Rigoletto with piano accompaniment also in the Chicago Symphony hall. Another nirvana moment. These moments are the exception and not the norm.

I think that is why I enjoy rock, pop and jazz a lot as well, since I'm critical but not from a classical music training back ground.
pryso
1,986 posts
 
schubert, I expected my admission about lack of musical training would be well understood.  I don't have much basis for technical evaluation in comparing performances.  So I rely on emotional reaction, along with memories of other performances of the same music which is where personal preferences come to play.  Offered just to be clear.
schubert
7,386 posts
 
Since music is an emotional instinct that sounds pretty normal to me .

As I said , my technical is small but after attending over 2,000 concerts in last 50 years you get a fairly good idea what’s what .
I’ll listen to anybody who plays with passion , and passion can be cold, hot and in between , sometimes a college kid in senior recital is more moving than a world-class jet-set musician who Is mailing it in Twin-Cities .

Not a knock on them , they don’t control the music business etc .

rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,823 posts
 
As a trained musician, who started studying piano at the age of six, I can tell you that music is something that is perceived not as much by training, as by listening.
I separate the two.  I started LISTENING to all kinds of music as a pre-teen, not just piano repertoire.  Not to be boastful, but that set me apart from the majority of Juilliard pianists who perceived music through their fingers.  At many Juilliard student recitals, little in the way of musical communication was present.  (That was years ago, the standards may be higher today.)
The point is that music is an aural art, not a technical one when it comes to appreciation. Even musical analysis, which can help you “understand” the music, cannot tell you how to you FEEL it.  There are music professors who have orgasms over the intricacies of musical structure, who often don’t get the point which, of course is COMMUNICATION.
So, I feel on equal footing with those who love music but don’t have musical training.
gdnrbob
4,508 posts
 
It's too bad that children aren't given a chance to listen to live music when they are young. I think it would foster a greater appreciation of what music is and how it got there.
How I came to love Classical is beyond me. Like rvpiano, it 'spoke' to me, despite my parents thinking I was nuts.
B
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