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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
newbee
4,093 posts
 
rvpiano, Glad you enjoyed Grechaninov. I think few people have heard this music, too bad. :-)

Now for something else that I consider absolutely delightful. Debussy's La Boite a Joujoux  and Rossini/ Respighi's La Boutique Fantasique. Toy boxes and toy shops.
The former I have on a CD by Tortelier and the Ulster Orchestra (with Ravel's Me Mere l'Oye - Mother Goose ballet) on Chandos, and the latter on a Telarc CD with Rachmaninoff/Respighi's Cinq Etudes-Tableaux as a disc mate.

Now for something a tad more contemporary, but both tonal and very assessible as well as engaging - Menotti. A compilation of his works on a Chandos CD by Richard Hickox and the Spotelo Festival Orchestra. I discovered Menotti on another disc which contains Sebastian and Amahl and the Night Visitors (as well as Samuel Barber's Souvenirs ballet suite). A Koch CD. Also an excellent recording which I've loved for over 25 years.

Hope some of this works for you.
czarivey
4,494 posts
 
I played today soundtrack Madam Sousatzka. The piano sounds so clean there. 
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
1,457 posts
 
Now you've mentioned Lupu, one of my all-time-favorite piano recordings is Lupu with Brahms Op. 117, 118, 119.  Sublime music played sublimely.
schubert
4,867 posts
 
One of mine as well twoleftears . 117,118 ,119 are comfort food .
 Lupe is at his finest  in  Brahms and Schubert IMO buts he's so good on everything  whose to say .
A fabulous LP I used to have was Lupu doing the piano works of one of  my
very favorite modern composers , Leos Janacek, was to die for but its long
gone .

schubert
4,867 posts
 
One that didn't get lost of Janacek's piano music , some of the most original, charming and lyrical music written by any modern composer,
is Rudolf Firkusny playing his 3 most famous pieces on RCA 60147-2RC .
A CD with very good sound that is truly iconic .

More to discover