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
rvpiano -- yeah, been lovin' that Currentzis Figaro. Yeah, eventually the rapid tempi tire me out a little but all told it's a recording to treasure.
Mozart
DIVERTIMENTO IN E-FLAT  (K.563)
CBS Records Masterworks  -  1985
*also available on conventional disc & cassette  :)

Notes:  State this work is infrequently played and is astonishingly little known in spite of it being one of Mozart's greatest masterpieces.  Perhaps the reasons have to do with it's generally dark, even severe cast...dedicated to the Mason, Michael Puchberg, who so often had helped him in his troubles, i.e. money.

Allegro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buvM8PvOFrY

Adagio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSaK98LZ6R0

Allegro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZuxADlAqhY

Cheers

Aaron Copland

COPLAND 100
Minnesota Orchestra  --  Eiji Oue
Reference Recordings
HDCD   Recorded 2000

The Notes:  "In 1942 Eugene Goossens and the Cincinnati Symphony commissioned and premiered eighteen new fanfares over the course of the symphony's 1942-43 season.  "It is my idea," explained Goossens, "to make these fanfares stirring and significant contributions to the war effort."  Copland's 'Fanfare for the Common Man' premiered on 12 March, 1943."

"The special qualities of Copland's 'Appalachian Spring(1944), one of the composer's most popular works, owed much to choreographer Martha Graham, for whom it was written."  ... "there's something prim and restrained, simple yet strong, about her which ones tends to think of as American."

Fanfare for the Common Man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku3kH7-sUTs

Appalachian Spring
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3luGMG3PoY

The music definitely has that 'American' sound to it.  Optimistic, like, everything will be alright.  We can do it.

Cheers