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
Ludwig van Beethoven

TRIPLE CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN, CELLO, & PIANO IN C, OP.56

David Oistrakh(violin), Mstislav Rostropovich(cello), Sviatoslav Richter(piano)
Berliner Philharmoniker
Hebert von Karajan
EMI Great Recordings of The Century     1970 / 1997

Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello & Piano in C Op. 56

Notes: "Four months after taping the "Triple" in Berlin, it was to be repeated in Moscow.  But having supported Solzhenitsyn in the Russian press, Rostropovich was 'replaced', and (much to official dismay) Oistrakh and Richter refused to perform with any other cellist.  Finally, the authorities were forced to relent: "Those who witnessed the concert," wrote Rostropovich, "remember it to this day, for it was an occasion when music won over oppression."

Allegro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVqbzl-SKLw

Largo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVJ3dcBJSjk

Rondo alla polacca
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O98HHUxw1Hk

Cheers


Johannes Brahms

DOUBLE CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN & CELLO IN A MINOR, OP.102

David Oistrakh(violin), Mstislav Rostropovich(cello)
The Cleveland Orchestra
George Szell
EMI Great Recordings of The Century     1970 / 1998

Notes: "A feared martinet, ruthless authoritarian, brilliant chamber musician and incomparable orchestra-builder, Szell once wrote to Oistrakh, confiding that "there is no musician today that I respect more than you; nobody with whom I feel more "at home" when I play and with whom I feel so strongly that we are heart and soul."

Wow!

Double Concerto for Violin & Cello in A minor Op. 102
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et1zSwsXubE

Cheers
Beethoven Triple Concerto .
Three absolute Titans who are never going to be equalled in this piece .
I wore out a few LP's playing this piece every night and I never got sick of it. These three were equally matched in temperament with Richter incandescent on the piano holding everything together. Oh yes and Karajan for a change number 4 on the ratings.!!
Rok2kid 

interesting story about Rostropovich and Solzhenitsyn 

I know richter Rostropovich and oistrakh are unequaled in their respective instruments but I couldn’t get into their triple, it was a bit dry and uninspired For me

have you listened triple by geza anda, schneiderhan, fournier? Another great one is szell fleisher stern 

thoughts ?
Maria João Pires playing the Goldberg Variations. Absolutely sublime. She made the recording Rowan’s the end of her career and you can tell she’s playing how she feels it. She doesn’t have  anything to prove, so none of the showboating you see in other recordings. But it’s clear what a showman she was without showing it.