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.


rvpiano
Speaking of whom, I see the new recording of the Busoni concerto by Kirill Gerstein and the Boston SO popping up in people's end-of-year best lists.
I must look that one up , it's the Marc-Andre Hamelin one I have. I must admit I find it heavy going like most of Busoni's original compositions.
Mitsuko Uchida
Here is an interview/demonstration about Debussy.  It shows her depth of knowledge and skill, the seriousness of her attitude, and also her linguistic ability (she speaks german with german interviewer, with translation to english in subtitles). I really appreciate her complete package. She is not making a PR appeal with clothes or winks.  She is the real deal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA1Pn_pv4Y8
True , I had the great luck to sit about 20 feet from her at the Marlborough
Festival as she played the difficult late Schubert pieces .
Truly a great artist  !
P.S she even talked to me in her humble fashion .
Several posts ago we were discussing the sound of piano recordings.  Rooting around in the miscellaneous section of the CD racks, I found I had a BIS SACD of a Sudbin recital of Liszt, Ravel, and Saint-Saens.  And indeed, the recorded sound is both very present and natural.  I have the Scarlatti disc on order.