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
Len  a wee bit ago you were talking of Previn well can I recommend another disc of Previn's it's Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet , an absoloute belter I couldn't recommend it enough.
And how laddy , I had that and loved It , victim of my many moves .
All those decades behind us and Previn still has the very best recordings of many of the best British composers ! Perfect example of a conductor and an orchestra both at their zenith . I’ll Amazon it this day .


Scotland Forever .
 P.S,  Done. All 3 new vinyl  records at 38$ , A bargain . My Gorbals gran told me "there is nay Scot who isn't penny wise and pound  foolish" .
Your Granny couldn't have been more right Len. I have been on Idagio 
and have found it there and have to say it is just as good as I remember and it is the whole shebang and not just a conductors mix. The sound quality is stunning and quite up to todays if you don't mind some tape hiss.

Freeeedom !!!!!     All the best Jim.

@phomchick     I meant to reply to you on your last post b I'm afraid I got distracted . I too may years ago used to listen to a nearfield configuration wit a pair of Rogers LS3/5a with a hugh Rel sub. I used to get some awesome sound from it with the Rogers producing much more volume than the Quad 57 Electrostats I had downstairs ( Mahler's Second symphony was awesome from that setup). What made me comment was I have just seen an advert for a pair of original Roger's for the eye watering price of £6,500 . Now I'm one for nostalgia but those speakers in the day were just short of £5oo.oo so if someone buy's those they have more money than sense.
I do the same with a pr. of Totem Signature 1 stand mounts and a Gallo cylindrical sub which is both fast and unobtrusive .
The best thing I did was put the speakers on Target stands with Herbie’s fat dots under them and 40 lbs of a mix of lead and fine sand in each .The detail is unreal !Far better than any of BBC midgets and I’ve had most of them  over the years .Driven by a amp that will do 450 watts into the Totems , not to play loud but to not clip on the micro- peaks that a symphony generates and make strings harsh , if the audio guy hasn’t already . Sit 4.5 feet away .


jim , may I be so bold as to ask if you went to Glasgow Uni ?