Classical Music for Aficionados

pete
i gave up on lp's, too much trouble to keep clean
and i gave up on cd's because i could not keep track of them
i keep everything on a hard drive
and it easy to locate a composer, a musician, a particular piece of music
I use a program "qBittorrent" to handle the downloads to the hard drive
there are a number of free peer to peer (p2p) sites that are good sources of recordings
these sites remove any recording if/when a copyright holder objects
they specify the quality of the recording, so i don't bother with mp3
unless it is some song i am trying to learn and there is no better source
there are lots of dead and incomplete links, so it takes a bit of fishing
but there is a universe of free high quality music out there

Thanks, newbee .

newbee, I will check the presto site. I did run across it recently so time to look further.

1. So I picked up Schubert Impromptus Decca Brendel edition. Played disc 1 everyday on the way to work. I think I only have one other Schubert disc.
   
2. Faure Piano Quintets Hyperion (used) I guess high-romantic? Not sure yet but sounds fine.
3. Wranitzky- the one another poster suggested. I like it.
4. Wood Works- Danish String Quartet I like this, nordic folk themes.
5. Luigi Nono- La Lontanza nostalgica.. It might take a minute. Nice sound though.
6. Danish String Quartet Beethoven, Shostakovich, Bach
7. Phillip Glass Partitas for Solo Cello-from what I recall, I need to try it again. I honestly must have just gone by reviews on this I don’t have much Glass.
8. Vivaldi --Concerto per violino VI ’La boemia’ - very nice, naive disc.
   

I am reading the Brahms book before I tackle the Bach.
Listened to the first two movements of Mahler’s 6th on the way to work yesterday, I guess I’ve had it forever. Is that considered a good showpiece or is there a better one? I mean for main system experience.

Guys who never wrote a bad note;
Mozart , Schubert, Brahms .

Bach is a given .As are Schumann’s chamber pieces .

Among modern composers Leos Janacek excels in everything .His string quartets are to die for !
If you like long , sweeping symphonies that are just plain beautiful , Sibelius is your man .
Mahler is someone you either like or you don't . No shame either way .

Pete23, As far as showpieces go, the Mahler 6 would be fine if the person whom you are showing has the patience. It is long!!! but never boring. It is my favorite Mahler by far (though I like them all). 

Now if you really want to show off your system I can't think of a better recording than that of Copland's 3d Synphony on the Reference Recording Label. The first piece is Copland's Fanfare for a Common Man. The brass and drums will light your fire for sure. And it is a pretty good version as well.

I don't know the Wood Works you refer to, but if you like Nordic folk music, for something off the beaten path you might try/like Greirr Tveitt's 100 Folk-tunes from Hardanger on BIS. Caveat though, this is not warmed over Greig or Halverson. 

And something rarely mentioned, but which I really enjoy a great deal it movie music by Nino Rota. My first Rota recording was by Muti on the Sony label, which is still my favorite by some margin. It includes an ear worm you just can't resist, Dances from Il Gattopardo.

Lastly, another outstanding piece of music you rarely hear, by another 'Hollywood' composer, Miklos Rozsa. Concerto for Violin and Orchestra. I like the recording on the Koch label but there is an excellent series of this and his other orchestral music on the Chando label.