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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
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,821 posts
 
For those of us that sometimes have a problem with the sound of our systems (I know I do) I wrote this on another thread.

“When I listen just for the “sound” of my system I hear all kinds of abnormalities, but when I’m listening to the MUSIC instead of my SYSTEM everything seems to sound natural. It’s like the “suspension of disbelief” you adapt when reading a book or seeing a movie. I don’t think we can ever really match the sound of real instruments on our sets, so if we listen just for that we’re going to be very disappointed. However when we listen for the music itself, we’re not so much concentrating on the physical sound, but the musical message being expressed. So if we “suspend” the belief we’re listening to live instruments we can get into the music much more easily and the instruments sound just fine.”
newbee
4,821 posts
 
One of the downsides of elevating the performance level of an audio system is that one spends more time evaluating the system than actually listening to (and hearing) the music. Witness all of the devotion in this forum to components that are 'revealing' (uber revealing in fact) which are really doing nothing much more than presenting a sound which one would never hear in a live performance. I think (and have found) that a certain dumbing down of a system can often result in a sound that is reasonably listenable with most recorded music, not just the best recordings  over very high end systems. Since the system can no longer be expected to put a Bosendorfer in your room you stop trying to hear it and relax so you can (again) hear the music. IMHO/FWIW.
schubert
7,386 posts
 
If your System has no weak links you can come very close to live music .
Heard one of the greatest Brit pianists 2 weeks ago live , came home and played same music , only real difference was in volume and slight dynamic compression .
Ditto for a Brahms 1st a few weeks before that .
Synergy is everything .


I have maybe 20K in my entire system but it took a lot more than that and many years to get everything just right ,also, like anything , some luck . IMO much of it is impedence matching which is a cut and paste deal .

And yes it really doesn’t matter .


rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,821 posts
 
Totally agree, newbee.  I’ve often wondered why I sometimes can get into the music better with my car radio than with my system, which is twenty times more expensive (at least.)
The reason is, I don’t care how it sounds.  I’m just listening to the music.
 I admit I have to make a conscious effort to NOT pick CDs and records for their sound quality, but for the music that’s on them.
  As you say, that is the downside of this hobby.  Ironically, if you’re not wary, it can be, and is, counter productive to the love and appreciation of the music.

rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,821 posts
 
That is not to say that a high end system cannot enhance the musical experience.
 Indeed, when you’re listening for the MUSIC, it can multiply your enjoyment to ecstatic levels.
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