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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.


128x128rvpiano
jcazador
417 posts
 
schubert
You are fortunate to have heard such great pianists.The only great one i have actually heard live was Ashkenazy,at a high school auditorium, back in the 70's when he was stillon a leash held by USSR.
Richter said he greatly preferred Haydn to Mozart, so you are in good company. Angela Hewitt, Arrau, and Brendel are my favorites too.
I have a video of Brendel, "Man and Mask"  BBC (2000).  Post concert in London there is a long line of beautiful bejeweled women patiently waiting for his autograph, hoping for a word from the man.  Shades of Mick Jagger.He played his last recital in 2008 (age 77), but his lecture/discussion/demonstrations continued, and are so excellent, in both content and tone.Love that soft refined Viennese accent.
Alfred Brendel 2018 lecture about Beethoven last period, here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFgfRZXsYVQ
https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/08/the-writer-who-makes-perfect-sense-of-clas...
jcazador
417 posts
 
more Brendel
The 2011 Beatty Memorial Lecture - Alfred Brendel (over an hour)
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmxFrzIxFqA
0:23 / 12:46 Conversations with Alfred Brendel - Oscar Caravaca, Man Minnie Ho (13 minutes)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCdN7JpKAss
jim204
881 posts
 

I too have seen some wonderful concerts over here in the UK. just a small selection are, Brendel in Glasgow, 1. - The last Three Schubert Piano Sonatas,

2 - Brahms First Piano Concerto 

3 - Mozart - Piano Concertos.

Ashkenazy in Glasgow - The Five Beethoven Piano Concertos and Choral Fantasy in one week. Absolutely amazing all from memory.

Boris Beresovsky in Edinburgh - playing Mussorgsky Pictures and Liszt - Transcendental Etudes. I have never heard such volume from a piano.

Pletnev in Edinburgh playing Bach Book 1 of the Forty Eight Preludes and Fugues.

Perahia in Glasgow playing Bach Goldberg Variations.

Kissin in Edinburgh playing Bach Busoni Chaconne and Chopin Etudes.

and at the end of the concert he played 11 encores.

Kissin in Glasgow playing Liszt B minor sonata and loads of Chopin.

In Wigmore Hall in London

Angela Hewit  playing Bach

Igor Levit playing Beethoven last three Piano Sonatas.

In Royal Festival Hall my all time idol Claudio Arrau playing Beethoven last three piano sonatas. I was on cloud 9 all the way back up to Scotland

I have been to many many more but these are the most memorable that spring to mind. All these people absolute masters of the keyboard and you havn't lived unless you have seen and heard a pianist of the highest rank playing a Steinway just yards from you. Also recordings are a poor second to listening to one of the greats live.





schubert
7,386 posts
 
Jim204, According to my Glaswegian grandmother Glasgow is not in the UK , barely in Scotland !I’m over 80 and she was over 90 when she passed , a Gorbals lass with
a 2nd grade education who was the wisest person I have ever known.

Scotland Forever !
jim204
881 posts
 
Aye Gaun Yersel !!
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