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.


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I don’t think that cut is on the Coopers 2009 . I will try to see what is what .I have all the Kempff vinyl myself, still love and play them .
I’ve read several tomes lately by scholars who are coming to believe we have just begun to understand the genius that was/is Schubert.
AYE , say I .



Cooper was in St .Paul last year under the auspices of the Schubert Club
which is old ladies with old money who bring the best artists to a 350 man Hall
at Macalester College . ( Founded by Scots in 1800’s.)This is one of THE best private liberal college colleges in the USA .And millions have been spent on their Hall’s acoustics which are superb .

Her program was mostly Haydn and Cooper really woke me up on that !She is a very powerful player , at times I thought the ghost of Arrau was in the house .

P.S . The old girls brought us the pride of Scotland last spring , Nicola Benedetti . Sadly I was under the weather .

Len   That was a pity you didn't see Nichola last year  as I have seen her play once but have seen her many times in Ayr my hometown as she was schooled here in Ayr where I live and when home she goes shopping in Ayr with her mum.
Thanks Jim .  What she does for Scotland should get her a Victoria Cross .
I doubt if any other top musician would  take the risk of changing their fingering to make a record honoring the folk music of their  native land !

Has anyone sampled Andreas Staier's "period" performances of the late sonatas?  I was reading somewhere (where?) a modern pianist say that Schubert phrasing was difficult, because the compositions were conceived for the limitations (and advantages) of piano technology of his time.