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
I used to say what was the difference between an American house -painter and a German one .

Ans . Neither knew LvB ’s music from a rock , but the American says he doesn’t listen to that uppity trash, and the German said , O’ Great man, Great man !

When you get into the German grove, hard to live anywhere else , you always know where you are and where you are likely to be.

I did know that about Arrau . My wife and I often went down to Liepzig
in the DDR to hear the Gewandhaus and Masur , About 3 bucks US .
Americans could do that anytime .

At times we had been at the Berlin with von
Karajan the day before . Many the day we both thought Masur and company the better of the two.

Every man in the Gewandhaus was trained in the Leipzig School and
with the original Mendelssohn scores , Now . that’s old school !

Cheers .
Len

P.S., Jim , here is another Piano man who liked Masur . https://youtu.be/76DXQLbXEks?t=1
         I've said it and I don't regret it , You just don't need more .
More "entry level", i.e. a good place to start.

My favorite, because of the Chorus.  Also available on SACD.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2Vpb9mRsOM

Cheers
Every year towards Easter I play most of the greatest Religious Pieces.
On here 2 hours + will not fly . This Great Vesper from perhaps the Greatest Russian composer of modern times solves that and is fantastic .

https://youtu.be/XfDreatXYeU?t=3      Start



https://youtu.be/U2NSfTXjEPI?t=2    All Vesper

Been listening to Paul Badura-Skoda, some very old recordings.
some modern piano, some historic pianos.
"He is the only person to have recorded the complete piano sonatas of Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert on both historic and modern instruments."
The more I listen, the more I like.
I have almost every one of his LP]'s,. Have had them many years and , as you say , they just get better.