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
Great list Gerry !

If i had only one violin concerto to keep on the proverbial desert island , It would be the Elgar  with Menuhin/Boult  in mono or the later stereo .

Another very fine recording of the Elgar is Kang/Polish National Orch. on Naxos .
Ranking of 1 or 2 - best-recorded violin masterworks in my humble opinion, the second part (TMI) - I was told to move this post here

10. Mendelssohn Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64
10.1 Viktoria Mullova, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields & Sir Neville Marriner
10.2 Anne-Sophie Mutter, Kurt Masur & Gewandhausorchester Leipzig

11. Aram Khachaturian, Concerto in D Minor
11.1 Itzhak Perlman, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra & Zubin Mehta
11.2 David Oistrakh, Philharmonia Orchestra

12. Mozart Sinfonia Concertante in E-Flat Major for Violin, Viola and Orchestra, K. 364
12.1 David Oistrakh and Igor Oistrakh, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Kirill Kondrashin
12.2 Itzhak Perlman, Zubin Mehta & Pinchas Zukerman, Philharmonic Orchestra

13. Vivaldi Violin Concerto 1 in E Major, Four Seasons
13.1 Itzhak Perlman, Philharmonic Orchestra
13.2 Sarah Chang & Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

14. Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47
14.1 Jascha Heifetz, Walter Hendl & Chicago Symphony Orchestra
14.2 Midori, Zubin Mehta, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

15. Camille Saint-Saëns, Concerto No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 61
15.1 Itzhak Perlman, Daniel Barenboim & Orchestre de Paris
15.2 Gil Shaham, Giuseppe Sinopoli & New York Philharmonic

16. Max Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26
16.1 Sarah Chang, Philharmonie, Kurt Masur  
16.2 Rachel Barton Pine, BBC Symphony Orchestra & Andrew Litton
16.3 Joshua Bell, Sir Neville Marriner & Academy of St. Martin in the Fields;

17. Samuel Barber: Violin Concerto, op. 14
17.1 Hilary Hahn, Hugh Wolff, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
17.2 Gil Shaham, André Previn & London Symphony Orchestra

18. Dvorak Violin Concerto A Minor, Op. 53
18.1 Julia Fischer,  Zinman, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich  
18.2 Anne-Sophie Mutter, Manfred Honeck & Berlin Philharmonic

More to follow, unless no one cares. Kind regards - Gerry
I remember the David Oistrakh recording. It was on a small label classical company that I can't remember. They rereleased a number of Melodia (sp?) recordings.
In any case, it gave me goosebumps.
B
Great violin/violin and violin/cello duet recordings:

19. Duets for Two Violins, Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zuckerman
This is just a wonderful album. Highly recommended for those who love the violin.

20. Duets for violin/cello, Mozart, and Beethoven, Boris Abramov & Carmine Miranda, a bit too compressed but still nice

20. Viola - I used to be the first viola in an orchestra - everyone's least favorite instrument, but Harold in Italy by Berlioz is great (supposedly commisioned by Paganini):
20.1 Nobuko Imai, Sir Colin Davis & London Symphony Orchestra - my favorite
20.2 Gérard Caussé, John Eliot Gardiner & Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique - an odd version
20.3  Donald McInnes, Leonard Bernstein & Orchestre national de France, flamboyant 
Yup, the Davis, Imai version was the first one I ever listened to. I really loved it.
B