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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
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,488 posts
 
I didn’t realize that my recommendation fit so well with this discussion in that Steven Osborne is Scottish!
jim204
881 posts
 
Aye he is and a cracking good pianist as well.
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,313 posts
 

How are the Schubert Piano Duets?

The earlier Rachmaninov Preludes disc seems to have got good but not universally good reviews (Amazon).

rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,488 posts
 
Haven’t heard the Schubert.
jim204
881 posts
 

I'm afraid the Radu Lupu and Murray Perahia Schubert disc just eclipse this new one but not by so very much. They seen to have a lightness of touch and fleetness that just pips the new one for me.

I don't feel the recording process does any good for Osborne as I have some recordings I made from Radio 3 of Osborne at The Wigmore Hall and he really is a different pianist with an audience in front of him. He just seems to come alive then. I found Arrau to be the same as I have got every record he made with Philips and with a few exceptions I find most of them to be a bit earthbound. Mind you when he was re recording the Beethoven Sonatas in the eighties in digital I started to hear that glorious tone of his that I heard live. I could never come to terms with the analogue recordings of his there really was something missing and there could also be a certain steeliness in the first Phillips set of the Beethoven Sonatas. And say all you like about Arrau but in front of an audience I have never ever heard a more ravishing piano tone.

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