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
@newbee         Yes I completely forgot about that movement, that mighty crash from the beginning of that movement it' as if Heaven has been split asunder. Also Mahler was quite young when he penned it and a little aside , when he played one of the movements to Hans von Bulow he exploded at the end shouting to Mahler that it would never work. Thank goodness Mahler stuck to his guns is all I can say or ( maybe if he had been a better pianist !!! ).

The last movements of 2, 3 and 9 are all clear runners up, but I’m a sucker for the Adagietto in 5.

Otherwise: Vaughan Williams, Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus.

@rvpiano       RV that was a lovely podcast about Julia Fischer I enjoyed it immensely. She really could succeed on either instrument, what a talent she is and her dedication puts her on my top 3 fiddlers list. I was bowled over by her octaves in the cadenza of the first movement of the Grieg. She really does deserve to be at the top of the tree.