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
The same old story , sad to say, sex sells .
rv, at our age what we hear is largely what memory the brain has stored of a given LIVE piece ,.aka garbage in garbage out .
And how some conductors are better then ever into their 90’s aka Herbert Blomstedt .
And why present generations will become essentially robots .
Just listening to a new recording beautifully performed by the Danish String Quartet of maybe the greatest movement ever written: Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge (on Adagio.)
Holloway and Tragicomedia performing Biber's Mystery Sonatas.  These have got to be the pinnacle of this genre of music.  That the recording is available on a bargain Virgin Veritas 2CD is an added bonus.
Podger's competing version is winging its way to me right now; looking forward to making the comparison.
Sex and drugs and rock and roll
Is all my brain and body need
Sex and drugs and rock and roll
Are very good indeed 🤪