Classical music for Rockers

Nrchy --

Some of the recordings that I have are as follows, although I don't really have any idea of their relative merits compared to other recordings of the same works:

Verdi "Requiem" -- Karajan conducting, Deutsche Grammophon 437 473-2

Liszt "Faust Symphony" -- Conlon conducting, Erato ECD 88068

Liszt "Dante Symphony" -- Lehel conducting, Hungaroton HCD 11918-2

As a note to all, I think these are the only CDs of the Liszt symphonies that I've ever been able to locate, so I'd appreciate any recommendations for better versions!

Pat

Based on some of the more recent threads here on Audiogon, I have been meaning to put together a classical music for Rockers list. So below are my recommendations, for rockers, for those pieces mentioned in this thread.

Many of these pieces have been recorded over 100 times. For most pieces, a cross section of classical music fanatics, would probably agree on somewhere around 5-10 “must hear” or outstanding performances and list of another 10+ or so performances that are worth the time to listen to. That would be the extent of their agreement. I’ve picked performances that I think would likely appeal to those raised on rock. I grew up on both classical and rock. My current tastes in rock favor the new wave of British heavy metal and hard core punk. Anyone interested in how to pick classical recordings should check out the recent audiogon thread:

How do you find BEST classical recordings???

For most pieces below, I have recommended more than one performance. This way you will be able to quickly find out which conductors appeal to you personally. How you react to any conductor’s interpretation is highly personal. If you like something a conductor did try something else by him.

Those items marked with an * have a vinyl incarnation. I’m sloppy with the actual item numbers so they may not be accurate. All of these items are available from one of the on line CD sources. I did not include any of the contemporary recommendations.

Barber Adagio, Violin Concerto Bernstein, Stern NY Phil Sony SMK 63088*

Bartok Concerto For Orchestra Dorati London SO Mercury 432 017*
Bartok Concerto for Orchestra Fischer Budapest Philips 456 575-2
Bartok Concerto for Orchestra Solti Chicago SO Decca/London 400 052-2*
Bartok Concerto for orchestra Reiner Chicago SO JVCXCRD*
Bartok Music for Strings Percussion and Celesta Reiner Chicago SO JVCXCRD*

Beethoven Piano Concertos Fleisher Szell Cleveland CBS 42445*
Beethoven Piano Concertos Ashkenazy Solti Chicago SO Decca/London*
Beethoven Piano Sonatas Ashkenazy Decca/London *
Beethoven Piano Sonata Hammerklavier Brendel Philips 438 093 *
Beethoven Symphonies Karajan Berlin PO DG2GH5 453701*
Beethoven Symphonies Harnoncourt Chamber O of Europe Teldec 225401
Beethoven Symphony 3 Klemperer Phiharmonia EMI 66793-2*
Beethoven Symphonies 5,7 Kleiber Vienna PO DG 74002*

Bruckner Symphony 4 Bohm Vienna PO Decca/London 63742*
Bruckner Symphony 5 Jochum Concertgebouw Philips 50*
Bruckner Symphony 7 Wand Berlin PO RCA
Bruckner Symphony 8 Karajan Vienna PO DG 76112

Copland Fanfare, Symphony 3, Appalachian Spring
Oue Minnesota Reference RR-93CD

Dvorak Symphonies No 8,9 Fischer Budapest Philips 464 640-2
Dvorak Symphony 9 Reiner Chicago SO RCA Victor 62587-2*
Katchaturian Violin Concerto Aaron Rosand Malaysia Vox 7904

Holst The Planets Dutoit Montreal SO Decca/London 417 553*
Holst The Planets Previn London Symphony EMI*

Liszt Faust Symphony Fischer Budapest Philips 454 460
Liszt Faust Symphony Barenboim Berlin PO Teldec 22948-2
Liszt Sonata in B Minor Argerich DG 447 430

Mahler Symphony 1 Solti Chicago SO Decca/London 17312*
Mahler Symphony 1 Levi Atlanta Telarc 05452
Mahler Symphony 1 Boulez Chicago SO DG 459 610-2
Mahler Symphony 5 Gatti Royal PO Conifer 75605-51318
Mahler Symphony 5 Solti Chicago SO Decca/London 430443*
Mahler Symphony 5 Zander Philharmonia Telarc
Mahler Symphony 7 Bernstein New York Phil Sony SMK 60564*

Pergolesi Sabat mater Alessandrini Concerto Italiano Opus 111

Prokofiev Symphony 5 Karajan Berlin PO DG 463 613*
Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet Maazel Cleveland Decca 452 970

Resphigi The Fountains of Rome Reiner Chicago SO JVC XCRD*
Respighi Fountains, Pines of Rome Dutoit Montreal Decca/London

Rimsky Korsakoff Scheherazade Reiner Chicago SO JVC XCRD*
Rimsky Korsakoff Scheherazade Spano Atlanta Telarc 80568

Shostakovich Symphony 5 Levy Atlanta Telarc CD 80215
Shostakovich Symphony 5 Jarvi SNO Chandos 8650

Strauss Alpine Symphony Thielmann Vienna PO DG 469 519
Strauss Also Sprach Zarathustra Reiner Chicago SO JVC XCRD*
Strauss Also Sprach,Salome, etc. Karajan Vienna PO Decca Legends*

Stravinsky Firebird Boulez Chicago SO DG 437 850-2
Stravinsky Firebird suite Oue Minnestora O Reference RR-70CD
Stravinsky Rite of Spring Ozawa Chicago SO BMG 63311-2*
Stravinsky Rite of Spring Gergiev Kirov Philips 468035

Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto, etc Argerich Abbado Berlin PO DG 98162
Tchaikovsky Swan Lake Dutoit Montreal Decca/London 436 212
Tchaikovsky Swan lake Previn EMI CZS5-73624-2*
Tchaikovsky Symphonies 1-6 Karajan Berlin PO DG 429 675-2*
Tchaikovsky Symphony 4, 5,6 Mravinsky; Leningrad PO DG*
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto Heifetz Reiner Chicago SO JVCXCRD*
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto Vengerov Abbado Berlin PO Teldec
Vivaldi Four Seasons Fabio Biondi Opus 111 OPS 912

Verdi Requiem Muti La Scala EMI ZDCB 49390

Wagner Orchestral Excepts Solti Chicago SO Decca London*
Wagner Orchestral Excepts Reiner Chicago SO RCA*
Wagner Orchestral Excepts Maazel Berlin PO Telarc

Wagner Ring der Nibelungen Scenes Solti Vienna PO Decca/Londo*

Give a listen to Ralph Vaughn Williams: Symphony No. 7, "Symphonia Anartica". The Naxos label version is excellent and at a budget price. Very dramatic! Wind machines! Bombastic climaxes! for all you rock dudes.

It looks like most of the recommendations here are from the Romantic era (especially if you count Ludwig van on the leading edge). To me, good rock is minimalist rock, and I tend toward Baroque and Classical (with Beethoven on the trailing edge). Does anything rock like Bach organ works?

Hey Nrchy, I was a big RocK and Blues fan for many years. Some selections i still like to hear every now and then, Layla (especially Little Wing), Quadrophinia, Allman Brothers, etc. Years ago i began to listen to classical, and have discovered wonderful beautiful music. Here's one of picks, Sibelius Sym#1 conducted by Stokowski. For violin i like Oistrakh and Heifetz. Strange, they play like twin brothers. Keep in touch.