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,

I just got the Sheppard disc.  Very enjoyable.  Great program.
The Gershwin especially, is played with great panache. 
He has a phenomenal technique.  I don’t see why he’s not better known.
Here are some of my favorites:

Charles Ives Symphony No. 2 - NY Philharmonic conducted by Bernstein

Bernstein’s Mass - Sony Classical remastered 1971 recording conducted by Bernstein at the Kennedy Center

Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 - Royal Philharmonic conducted by Charles Mackerras

Respighi’s Pines of Rome - Tokyo Symphony Orchestra conducted by Norichika Iimori on the Exton label.  

Hindemith Symphonic Metamorphosis - NY Philharmonic conducted by Leonard Bernstein on Deutsch Grammophone
Rarely, you will get a recording that has a composer, a soloist , a conductor
and a orchestra all of whom are both Great and at the very peak of their artistry .

One of these is Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, played by Kyung Wha Chung with Charles Dutoit conducting the Montreal Symphony Orchestra .

London 410 011-2