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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
mahler123
3,265 posts
 
I heard Milstein in recital months before he died, in Chicago.  The outstanding memory is of hom playing the Bach Second Partita (the one with the great Chaconne), simply staggering playing, particularly for an Octagenarian.  After he died many CDs were issued on labels such as Doremi of live Milstein concerts through the years, and that Bach Partita was a staple of through the years, so it must have been firmly in his fingers until the end.
   Milstein DG set of the complete Bach Sonatas and Partitas is still my favorites.
schubert
7,386 posts
 
Same here , Milstein was my favorite for many years .Still listen to the 30 or so LP.s I have .
Julia Fisher is my leader of the pack these days .
recluse
270 posts
 
Thanks for the link Schubert.

What a treasure:-)
jim204
881 posts
 
@schubert         Len I share your views on Julia Fischer She shares a triumvirate I think with Maxim Vengerov and Leonidas Kavakos and I think those three reign supreme at the moment. Kavakos at the moment has a recording on Idagio of him playing and directing the Beethoven Violin Concerto and at times the playing verges on the impossible with tempos and his control of the orchestra . Have you heard his playing of the Sibelius Violin Concerto in the original manuscript and the revised one, no wonder Sibelius revised it, it must have been the very devil to get your fingers round it. And Julia Fischer who as well as beautiful playing is quite a beauty herself , the Bach unacompanied sonatas and partitas will be at the very top of the pile for quite a time. She is also nearly as good a pianist as she is a fiddler.
schubert
7,386 posts
 
A great case for "less is more" from the most popular classical composer alive .Spiegel

It may sound easy but it is very difficult to play .
https://youtu.be/FZe3mXlnfNc?t=4
More to discover