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
"Apparently I typed Horowitz, but was thinking Rubinstein."

Almost as wrong for Rubinstein.
Aaron Copland

COPLAND 100

Minnesota Orchestra
Eiji Oue
Reference Recordings  2000  HDCD

Notes:
"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.  Copland stated, "....Nobody else seems quite like Martha: she's so proud, so very much herself.  And she's unquestionably very American: there's something prim and restrained, simple yet strong, about her which one tends to think of as American."

Appalachian Spring Suite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3luGMG3PoY&t=131s

Cheers
When I sit down at the piano nowadays, it's the book of Chopin manuscripts that I open first. Of course, I go for the easier pieces but that doesn't mean they're easy. In any case, no matter how how easy or difficult a Chopin work may be, they never fail to totally enthrall.