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
Franz Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 101 in D major "The Clock"
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Warner Classics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wVTtkArkqo

From the notes:

..."At most he could be called the Father (though not the inventor) of the classical symphony, who paved the way for Mozart and Beethoven. ...We need to remember that Haydn was already twenty seven when George Frideric Handel died in 1759 -- the same year that Haydn composed his first symphony. And when Haydn died in 1809, Mozart had already been in his grave for nearly twenty years. Beethoven completed his sixth symphony in the year of Haydn’s death, and Schubert would compose his first symphony four years later."

I just love the factoids. Remembering the chronological order in classical music is tough.

Cheers

For a long time I have listened to the various Requiem’s of the Great One’s during Lent.
Till last year I did not even know that Dvorak had one and it come up to
the best .

I doubt if anyone will listen to a 90 minute Religious Masterpiece , but if I’m wrong , this is the all Czech best one . Choirs are from Heaven as is the norm in the Musical Powerhouse that is this little land.


https://youtu.be/I8OT2HVx23g?t=8

P.S . The only audiences with many young people eating up Classical I have seen are Prague and Budapest .
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58 - 3. Rondo. Vivace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTRA8LqpDYc

From the Notes:  "The earliest ideals for this Concerto were jotted down in a sketchbook by Beethoven in early 1804. -- The work was performed for the first time, by Beethoven, in March 1807 at a private concert at the palace of Prince Lobkowitz  -- The first public performance eventually took place on 22 December 1808, at a large benefit concert at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna.  The concert was organized by Beethoven himself and consisted entirely of works of his not previously heard in public, including the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies and parts of the mass in C."

Just think, if you were not at the concert, you just didn't hear this music. 

Cheers
Schubert: String Quintet In C, D. 956 - 3. Scherzo (Presto) - Trio (Andante sostenuto)

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

From the Notes:  "During the five years preceding his early death, Schubert wrote seven masterpieces of chamber music -- Of these, the last, and arguably the finest, is the Quintet.  The unanimous appreciation for this composition is epitomized by the comment of W.W. Cobbett in his Cyclopaedia of Chamber Music: "nothing so ideally perfect has been written for strings as this inexpressibly lovely work." --- Martin Chusid

Cheers