2. music
  3. 132810-89202

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
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,708 posts
 
Jim,

I’m just now listening to Rachmaninoff’s 1st with  Pletnev.  I see what you mean.
Really authoritative. He brings out so many interesting things and makes it sound like a major symphony.  Wonderful!
 I can really hear the Tchaikovsky influence in this interpretation.
What a  shame that the first performance, with a drunken Glazunov conducting, messed Rachmaninoff up so much.
Also a great pity that this great, great composer wrote so relatively little.
Think of how the world would be enriched if circumstances were different, and he had a full life of composing!
schubert
7,386 posts
 
IMO Ivan Fisher is the greatest conductor alive when leading  his Budapest
Festival .
jim204
881 posts
 
RV,I am glad you are enjoying Rachmaninov's First with Pletnev and the Fischer's Mahler First. There is also a superb Mahler's Fourth with Fischer and the Budapest Forces also on Idagio and it is so beautifully recorded. I think that is also a superb symphony from Mahler but of all the recordings that Gramophone reviewed and recomended the thing that often bugged me was in the last movement some warbling soprano always spolied it for me. i must say that the new Fischer one has a very acceptable soprano for me because after all it was a child's view of Heaven and he stipulated a soprano with a light childlike voice. Yes I must say I do indeed like Fischer.
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,708 posts
 
Check out Pletnev in Rachmaninoff’s “The Bells.” Superb!
on the same set as the symphonies on IDAGIO.
What a talent Pletnev is.  A great pianist as well as conductor.
He loves Rachmaninoff.
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,708 posts
 
Schubert,

I'm just watching Ivan Fischer live from Berlin on the Berlin Philharmonic Digital Concert Hall (available by subscription.)  Performing Prokofiev, Debussy and Ravel.
He is quite a conductor.
More to discover