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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
edcyn
1,876 posts
 
I have Pollini vinyl from both the EMI and DG eras and I got no quarrel with either, other than DGs' slightly cool tonal quality.  As a matter of fact, it was the DG volume of Chopin Etudes that induced me to drag my childhood piano out of my parents' house and start going at it again.  I may have mentioned this previously but I saw him live once.  Utterly superb.
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,194 posts
 
He played the whole concert with not a finger out of place and some of the most perfect pianism I have ever seen , but cold as ice. Pity.
It was also my experience of him.....in cd....Not lived tough....Perfection is not enough...

« Imperfection is the peak»  René Char
jim204
881 posts
 
@mahgister     I think you are absolutely right regarding his CD's , I also find them quite cold to  listen to with the exception of Stravinsky's Three Movements from Petrushka. He plays that piece as if The devil or in Scot's parlance ( Auld Nick - for you Len ) was sitting at the keyboard playing it himself. If poor old Arthur Rubinstein the dedicatee could have played it like that , but sadly that is the type of thing that Pollini excelled at. While on the subject of Pollini has anyone heard Pollini's latest Beethoven's last three piano sonatas, I wish I could say it was great but I found it quite difficult to listen to. That famous accuracy is gone and the pieces lack any cohesion and there are a few finger slips which I am putting down to age. Take Martha Argerich she is now over seventy five now and she plays like a 40 y.o. which I am sure most 40 year olds would love.
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,318 posts
 
Way back in the day, when the Penguin Classical Record Guide was riding high, Perahia and Pollini seemed to me to be represented on a lot of the same repertoire.  Trying them both, I always preferred Perahia, because Pollini struck me as, yes, too cool in the interpretation.
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,194 posts
 
i second you....

Between Perahia and Pollini, the first has some magical sparkle that the other has not.... 2 great artists tough for sure....
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