2. music
  3. 132810-89202

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
craigl59
306 posts
 

rvpiano:

Lang Lang's 2013 recording of the Bartok 2nd proves your point. It also shows that Sony is recording well in the post-SACD world.

mceljo
983 posts
 
I currently have to CDs that I consider to be unbeatable for both music and recording quality.

(1) Ceremonial Music For Trumpet & Symphonic Organ - Michael Murray

(2) Neeme Järvi Conducts Saint-Saëns - Neeme Järvi

I think I can honestly say that I don't have any other CDs that match the recording quality of these two.  If you enjoy the music they cannot be topped.
learsfool
1,206 posts
 
Hello all - the Schumann Konzertstuck is indeed a great piece. I do have that Gardiner recording, though it would be not quite correct to call all of the instruments natural horns - at least a couple of them do have valves on that recording. They are period instruments, but valves had been invented by then and were already in wide use. I would have to dig the liner notes out to figure out exactly what sort of instruments those are that are used on that recording. 

Schubert, do you remember who the other three soloists were when you heard Baumann play it? Were they people from the Gewandhaus section? 

By the way, I would not say the Nielsen is grossly underplayed - it is a staple in any good woodwind quintet's repertoire. However, there are probably less than a handful of professional woodwind quintets, at least that tour at all. I have played the piece a few times.  For another great woodwind quintet piece, try the Samuel Barber Summer Music, if  you do not know it. 

A couple of other great chamber works involving the horn would be the Beethoven Septet, and the Schubert Octet. 

Newbee, the Gliere is a great concerto. Baumann has an excellent recording, and another interesting one is the Valery Polek one, with the composer conducting! Polek premiered the work.  

Another really great horn concerto is by one of Schubert's favorites, Hindemith. It was written for Brain, who made an excellent recording of it. Another great piece would be the Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings. 
craigl59
306 posts
 

learsfool:

Yes, you are correct -- the Schumann notes say "horns with three rotary valves crooked in F."

BTW, we learned as musicologists that Brahms was the last major composer to specify natural horns -- and did so when most others were moving to valve instruments. Is this true? Are you familiar with any period recordings of the Brahm's symphonies that use natural instruments?

Keep buying Brahm's symphonies trying to find performances with in-tune string playing. His dramatic first violin leaps upwards never seem quite accurate and/or comfortable. The best I have found so far is the Zweden recording with the Netherlands Philharmonic. But Zweden is very cautious with tempi and the gestures never are molded the way Solti and others do so effectively. Let me know if you have any candidates.

schubert
4,867 posts
 
learsfool, I assume they were from the Gewandhaus , Baumann did a solo piece but can’t remember what it was . Was a long time ago and my brain is 85 .

I can just say that the two wind players than made the greatest impression
on me live are Baumann and Heinz Holliger, who was so good it was hard to believe he was human .
Of course every wind quintet has Op43 as a staple , but they are few enough that I have never heard it live.

My favorite band is the Gewandhaus , has been since Masur. God willing. I’m making my last trip to my beloved Germany in Oct. to hear them play the the Mahler 1 and some Tchaikovsky.. Andris Nelsons has them playing very well as did Chailly before him . 53 Euros for center right ticket to Heaven ! Lufthansa is a bit more .
More to discover