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
Giacomo Puccini

THE ULTIMATE PUCCINI COLLECTION

London Compilation     1998

Notes give a brief synopsis of each song plus talks about movies in which Opera comprises much of the soundtrack.

Turandot / Act 3 - "Nessun dorma!"     (Luciano Pavarotti)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6mhrP00MGs&list=OLAK5uy_kFBSHKyaD46JLJRU26j-1dzn-htr584bM&i...

Gianni Schicchi - O, mio babbino caro    (Dame Kiri Te Kanawa)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EIixBWoI5U&list=OLAK5uy_kFBSHKyaD46JLJRU26j-1dzn-htr584bM&i...

Madama Butterfly / Act 2 - "Un bel dì vedremo"      (Regine Crespin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBh9aG89Jhg&list=OLAK5uy_kFBSHKyaD46JLJRU26j-1dzn-htr584bM&i...

Tosca / Act 2 - "Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore"            (Birgit Nilsson)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQhGuOyKiYw&list=OLAK5uy_kFBSHKyaD46JLJRU26j-1dzn-htr584bM&i...

Cheers
IMO Prokofiev is bested by only Sibelius and Carl Nielsen among modern composers .

IMO, his best " Romeo and Juliet" is the Previn /LSO outing is the greatest.
Most of all he did with the LSO is never been bested.

Celbidache did a stunning Classical and his 3rd Piano Concerto with the Berliners but is hard to find on Urania.
Ormandy also did an fine 1and 5 .As did Thomes Sandard with Royal Scottish on Linn .
Valery Gergiev had the Russian touch on many labels and is can’t miss
on all of them.

My fav piece is his his 6th . Mravinsky’’LenPoPraga/67 my best outing.
Nothing wrong with Ormandy's 6 either.

Cheers


Sound familiar?:

More than familiar.    I think  David Hurwitz talked about this also, using the same music in both pieces.

Thanks

Cheers
My dear friend Len , so good to see you in print again ( I thought you were in the huff with us. Right enough I haven't been contributing either and it's been too hot for headphones as well. Thank goodness it's piddling with rain here now as I can get back to my beloved Bach and I am as happy as a wee pig in s**t just now listening to Maria Jiao Pires playing the masters' Partita No 1 in B Flat Major. What a wonderful pianist she is,  playing as if she's spinning gold.
I hope you are keeping ok Len." Lang may yer lum reek." Jim.
Scotia  ain Jim !   I'll have to check that B Flat Major .Lang may yer lum reek as well .