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.


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Schubert
Funny about Benedetti but she was educated in my hometown of Ayr and I have seen her many times in Ayr as well shopping with her mum. She went to a swanky private school for girls in the town and I am glad she won the BBC competition Young Player of The Year as that got her away from the stupid education system of this country and into a whole new area where art is first and foremost. A couple of years ago she helped The international composer now James McMillan with a festival that he organised in his hometown of Cumnock about 13 miles from our town. I went to one of their concerts and Miss Benedetti played the Chaconne of Bach and very well she did it. The other stuff in the program was definitly not to my taste, I cannot stand music that I cannot hear at least the gist of tonallity in it. I have often been chided about my tastes in music but I really have no interest is any music after Shostakovitch. I used to go to subscription concerts in Glasgow and they used to have the experimental music on first and after the piece was over there was a scramble of people rushing into the hall to get their place for the next piece on the program. I am glad I am an old retired gentleman now as I won't have to stomach that swill for too much longer.

UK public education is similar to US model . If your economy rests on buying scraps of paper from someone who then sends you an I.O. U . you’d better keep them dumb . Even in private schools they neglect that .

I like some composers , like the Great Leos Janacek ,who use dissidence but with him it is logical with what he has to say which is a lot . Simple truth was revealed to me at uni by an eminent French philosopher . She said none born in the age of TV and rock will ever have the clarity of mind to write something like Bach or Mozart . Brain is rewired .


I spent a night in Ayr after landing at Preswick for the sole purpose of the Bobby Burns museum , you could do a lot worse laddy .



Schubert
You should see Ayr today Len it is a very sad place . The unemployment rate is huge and there are hardly any shops open in the High St. The pavements of the place are begging points for Romanians and Roma gypsies. I had a laugh the other day when a known MUSLIM tried to sell me a pro Christian pamphlet which in itself is freely given out for nothing and when I told her to piss off she literally swore every swearword known in Arabic. So I don’t think I shall get into her version of heaven ( Lucky me )

Well jim , IMO England and the Royal Racket have always used Scotland as cannon fodder and cheap labor . Simple .

The entire UK acts like the Queen is their mother , high road to never growing up .Makes a loser think he’s a winner .

I’m truly sad that Ayr has fallen on hard times .

But , though we may never see it the match is not over .If Norway can do it , certainly Scotland can do it as well .



Your comments on Scotland and education are very interesting, so I hope none will be offended if we wander outside of classical music.  I have never been to Scotland, but that is where 75% of my ancestors came from (the Sutherland clearances) and I feel a connection.
I know so little of the reality, e.g. about schools, that I do not pass judgment.  However, in the grand scheme of things governmental/political I firmly believe that Scotland has no need for Trident.  And it has no need for any governance but its own.