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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
learsfool
1,215 posts
 
I'll repeat some of what I just posted on the jazz thread here, since the Ravel Pavane has been brought up in both.  Myron Bloom, the former principal horn of the Cleveland Orchestra in most of Szell's recordings, has died the other day.  His Pavane was one of the most beautiful renditions out there- I put it on when I heard of his death. It was on the same LP with the Debussy La Mer. 
jim204
881 posts
 
Just heard yesterday of the death of the grear Jessye Norman , she will be sadly missed . Hers is the best rendition of Strauss's Four Last Songs I have ever heard and I have my daughter primed to have Im Abendrot at my funeral. My first live encounter with her was when my pal and I went to the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow to hear Mahler's 2nd Symphony with the SNO.Miss Norman sang the Urlicht and I shall never forget the experience when her voice rose above the orchestra the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. Yes she was a one in a million voice.
schubert
7,386 posts
 
Amen to that jim ! Also a fine person .

https://youtu.be/-lkwlFpickY

rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,714 posts
 
Just heard the most incredible performance of the Rachmaninoff First Concerto there is to my knowledge.  Krystian Zimerman with Seji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony, on Idagio.  I don’t know how this recording ever eluded me over the  years.
Brilliant beyond imagination, with recorded sound to match. 
You owe it to yourself to listen to this interpretation.
Rachmaninoff shines!
newbee
4,781 posts
 
I overlooked these PC's by Zimmerman and Ozawa as well. Wild and Horenstein's performances of all four have been my 'go to' versions for years. Yet, I've not hesitated to order a new CD on your recommendation.  I have Liszt's PC's by the same forces which I also recommend as you did the Rachmaninoff.

Thanks for posting you thoughts on this.

















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