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
Back on track?
Another CD of The Rare Fruits Council, Biber,Tam Aris Quam Aulis Servientes, sonatas for both alter and table.  Soundstage a little better, performance equally as good, music to me even more enjoyable.
Wow!  Just wow!  John Holloway, Biber, Unam Ceylum.  ECM.  Playing is fantastic, recording is fantastic, sound picture with just 1 violin, 1 harpsichord, and 1 organ is amazing.  This is likely to become one of my audition discs for visits to audio stores.  BTW, to explain the title, he gathers some of the more adventurous pieces from Sonatae a violino solo (1681) together with several unpublished sonatas.  Pure joy!
I just compared the SQ of IDAGIO to Qobuz and found IDAGIO’s to be better.
 I wonder if anyone else has done this comparison.
Yes I did the same and came to the same conclusion so I dropped Qobuz. I find Idagio to be more open despite the fact that they only stream CD quality.