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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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rvpiano OP
2,666 posts
 
Yes, Pogorelich is a great individualist.
I saw him in his debut Carnegie Hall recital over twenty years ago.
He showed utter disdain for the audience, never cracking a smile and barely acknowledging the presence of the audience.
But, what a pianist!
 I know he stopped playing after his piano teacher/wife died, I believe in ‘97.
I didn’t realize he resumed his career until I just read it.
 He’s in the cut of Glenn Gould (one of my two favorite pianists, the other being Horowitz) in that he re-interprets a piece without regard for conventional performance.  I much admire that.  An original thinker.

As far as favorite pianists, there’s also Rachmaninoff — but he’s a god!
fusian
129 posts
 
FLAC:
- Stravinsky; Le Sacre du Printemps, Nezet-Seguin/Philadelpia/DGG 24/96 hi-res

Vinyl:
- Stravinsky; Le Sacre du Printemps, Stravinsky/Columbia Symphony/Columbia Grey two-eye (1967?) pressing
- Bartok; Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta/Concerto for Two Pianos and Percussion, Bernstein/New York Philharmonic/Columbia
- Bartok; Concerto for Orchestra, Reiner/Chicago/RCA
- Bach; Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin, Szeryng/DGG
- Shostakovich; Symphony No. 8, Previn/London/Angel
- Stravinsky, L'Histoire du Soldat, Stravinsky/Columbia Ensemble/Columbia
Prokofiev; Lt. Kije, Szell/Cleveland/Columbia
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,318 posts
 

Here's another name, Andrew Manze, to add to Andreas Staier, Rachel Podger, etc., as a great modern musician.  Both as a performer and a conductor, there hasn't been a disc of his that I haven't liked.  (We can't always stay wrapped up in Walter and Dorati.)

And while I think of it, another Andrew, Lawrence-King, with another across-the-board recommendation, though his Spanish Dances CD is very special.

jcazador
417 posts
 
Now watching/listening to
Grigory Sokolov plays Schubert, Beethoven, Rameau and Brahms – Recital at the Berliner Philharmonie, 2013
I am stunned at Sokolov's pure musicianship.  No show, all go.
His technique is so incredible, it seems to make room for more rhythmic nuance than I have ever heard.
I have been listening to him for some years, but never saw a video of his performance before this.
Remarkable how he mouths the music.
Description here:
http://facesofclassicalmusic.blogspot.com/2015/10/grigory-sokolov-plays-schubert.html
jcazador
417 posts
 
Sokolov story
He plays all over the world, except in UK.
When he tried to get a visa to play in London, they required eye scans.
He told them that reminded him too much of USSR, and refused.  He was born in Leningrad, USSR, which became St Petersburg, Russia (as it had been before USSR).  So he knows.
More to discover