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
By the way another one of my idols is :

Ervin Nyiregyházi,he is perhaps the greatest pianist that ever be with Scriabin,Rachmaninoff,Liszt,Barrere,Sofronitsky,Moravec,Feinberg,Neuhaus and not many more...If you doubt it, read the letter that Schoenberg wrote to the young Klemperer, after listening a concert of him... I dont think that Schoenberg takes times to notice any pianist ,as great as it is, and write a raving piece about it, mostly when the pianist interpretation contradict his own esthetic like Nyiregyhasi; his letter begins in incredulity and ends in an extasy with an invitation for Klemperer to comes and listening to him...Then you will know that it is not my own single opinion...Listen to that and your heart will melt or open without limit.... Liszt indeed was a great great composer,it takes a Nyiregyhazi to play it...Manifestation of divinity at this level in the art of interpretation are rare indeed...I am in love with Liszt now more than ever, guess why?

He plays here Oberman valley of Liszt, in the slowest and the thunderous heartfelt version of this opus that exist on earth:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLk6vqaxU1Y&list=PLnQJF3Qi_4_CLUPjzY3hqtkR1OBfPKOYY

Even Richter in the same piece cannot touch the stellar power of this god, any other pianist is truly at most only a giant compared to this god indeed...
To conclude I will only add that if Bach is  the first proof of the existence of God(dixit Emil Cioran) I will say that Nyiregyhazy playing is the second proof for me...
I was somehow banned for the past several days, and now this has apparently been corrected
thank you Tammy
My comment which was banned is simple.
thanks to mahgister for introducing Nyiregyhazy

there is a lot of him on youtube and i like some of it a lot

I some time ago listened to and read about   Nyiregyhazy  and came to the conclusion of are we talking about the same person here, because the Nyiregyhazy portrayed here and the one I listened to were totally different. I came to the conclusion that this man didn't care a jot about a concert technique as his playing is all over the place just like Cortot another pianist viewed through rose tinted lenses. I shall stick with Arrau who along with` Horowitz kept a good technique into their eighties.