2. music
  3. 132810-89202

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
stargazer3's avatar
stargazer3
135 posts
 
In the past I have quite often collected Cds of Wagner which contain his mastepieces or highlights.  One such Cd (an old one) is  called 'The Classical Collection' by Orbis De AGostini Group, this cd is special, not so much because of the technical sound or any interpretations of the music, its special because of the  choice of music.  It has masterpieces from Lohengrin, Tanhauser, The Mastersingers of Nuremberg and The Flying Dutchman but the unusual inclusion is the choir of the Pilgrims' Chorus (Radio Symphony Orchestra and Choir Ljubijana Conductor Marko Munh). To hear this chorus is so moving to me and the way Wagner has added the orchestration at the latter  part of this music is nothing but sheer magic.  It does not surprise me that Prince Ludwig of Bavaria became obsessed with Wagner's music and even built a  Wagnerian Castle to live the dream...
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,320 posts
 
If you enjoy Chopin and Liszt piano concertos (as I do), check out John Field.  There are a couple of recordings, both good.  Also, get his Nocturnes.  I like John O'Conor's recordings on Telarc.  Enough to buy also, back in the day, the set of Beethoven sonatas.  Good balance of performance and recording quality.
jcazador
417 posts
 
twoleftears
I downloaded a 10 cd collection of Staier last night, listening to it now, Scarlotti and Bach so far, harpsichord.
Excellent, thanks.
Another story?
This one was told by Edward Said, famous Columbia professor who rewrote the meaning of literary criticism, and then was drawn into advocacy for Palestinians, and throughout was the nyt critic of piano recitals/concerts in nyc, and yes he played classical piano, tho I never heard him.
Anyway, story goes
Saint Saens won some piano competition in Paris as a child, and was given a visit to Wagner in Germany.  This was horse and buggy days, no trains from Paris to Germany in those days.  So he arrived at Wagner's and was greeted by both Wagner and Liszt, (they were buddies, hung out together, Wagner married Liszt's daughter).  St Saens sits down at the piano, and there is an orchestra score of Tannhauser Overture, which Wagner was working on. As you probably know, that is one of the most complex orchestra scores ever written.  St Saens sight-transposes it to piano and plays it through.
jcazador
417 posts
 
FTM
The Andreas Staier 10 cd torrent hash I used is:

e389b4a3189aaa6605b61a7930079a3d786abc81

google it, you will fink free links to download

It is 3.35 GB, excellent quality


geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Wagner’s Lohengrin, Kempe and Vienna Philharmonic, from 1964. Super duper.
More to discover