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

Indeed., I put mine in with "the Lark " .

More often than not Perlman is , great as he is, a bit thick for me. Just thought

I’d try him and he seemed on the spot with Glazunov .

I agree re Perlman.  Certainly a great player, but hard to match the restrained sophistication of expression of Milstein.  For instance, his glissandi are, in fact, a little “thick”.  His Glazunov “Meditation” is beautiful, but FOR ME, when he makes a glissando from one note to the other he accentuates the glissando a little much with the effect of sounding dangerously close to the overly dramatic.  With Milstein the glissando doesn’t draw attention to itself and away from the melodic line.