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
I also have the Vanguard LP , an absolute gem!I buy ANY Vanguard I see , period .
The "Great Recording of the Century " Mahler 6th with Sir John Barbirolli
and the New Phil  lives up tothe title . On adigio with the bonus of R.Strauss
"Metamorphosen" 

On maturer reflection: it's clear that there's some compression going on in the Sony recording.  This is a bad thing and a good thing.  I initially warmed to it, because I was able to set one volume at the opening of the first movement, and didn't have to fiddle with the remote again.

On the other hand, it certainly takes away from some of the more massive dynamic contrasts.  The problem is that with other recordings I often find myself riding the volume on the remote control, effectively providing my own spur-of-the-moment compression.  When then loudest fff are set not to break the speakers, the pp passages aren't as audible as I'd like.  Hmmm.

Twoleftears,

There is a wide volume range on all Currentzis recordings.
probably deliberately so.