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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
gdnrbob
4,469 posts
 
I just discovered a pianist named Roland Batik on Spotify.
Wow, he is pretty talented, both Classical and Jazz.
Bob
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,320 posts
 
@newbee Just enjoyed a very spirited performance of the Schumann PC courtesy of Stephen Bishop and Colin Davis.  Looking on Amazon, I see there are highly touted versions available from both Lupu and Perahia, two of my absolute favs.  This will be the ruination of me...

Listening as I type to second movement of Arrau Chopin PC 2.  Yes, the balance of the piano sound is definitely more, err, robust.  I love Arrau's phrasing and interpretation, I just wish the orchestra were balanced differently; it seems to me that this movement needs to shimmer more with a kind of restrained inner light.  Going back to check Giulini now, though Inbal takes a full minute longer than he does.  ...And yes, this is more like it!
gdnrbob
4,469 posts
 
@twoleftears ,
When I saw PC, I thought Power Cord. It took a minute to register...
In my opinion, the nicest recording of the Schumann A minor (PC), is Martha Agerich and Rostropovich. It isn't available on CD, so I bought an LP and will have it digitized.
Bob
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,714 posts
 
Gdnrbob,

If you search Amazon deeply, you’ll find CD copies of the Argerich/Rostropovich.
It was re-released in 2016
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,320 posts
 
Bought a bunch of CDs recently, many of them based on recommendations from this thread.
First one to arrive is Igor Levit, 2CDs, late piano sonatas.
Recording: piano image is very present, well fleshed out, more neutral than warm in tonality.  Sounds recorded in a fairly small space.  The piano is right "there" starting at about the plane of the front wall behind the speakers, so if this were a concert, I'd be sitting close.
Performance: 28 sounded, well, intellectual.
29 is a bit more stirring.  Perhaps it's just the nature of the late sonatas that I'm reacting to, and perhaps it's Levit.

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