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
Jim
I share your views on death of classical composition, about Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich.  I download modern composers, and delete them.
I had a teacher who said "if it is not in tune, and it is not in time, then it is not music".
I also agree that Osborne's Rachmaninov: Études-tableaux is wonderful.
JCThanks for your thoughts I was starting to think I was alone in my musings about the state of music but I'm glad to see I am not. In my country when we go to a concert we are always "treated" to some new composition by some "clown" just out of compositional school. Without resorting to expletives I can only summarise by saying listen to the amount of applause that is garnered after the piece finishes and how oh yes ! the half empty concert hall fills up miraculously after that piece.I think I shall rest my case.
Every time I hear a young composer expound upon composition , and I hear or read a lot of them, I come away with the same conclusion .
People who grow up in a rock culture simply rarely make good instrumental composers of classical music .
I was in a famous French philosopher’s class once upon a time .She said , "There will never be another Mozart. No one growing up in a modern society can ever have the concentration of mind available to him in the 1700’s ." Stuck in my mind for last 50 years .
now listening to
The Complete Recordings Box Set Moriz Rosenthal
Rosenthal was a student of Liszt, made few recordings, and they
have been resurrected with new technology.
I am enjoying them, a lot.
I will not attempt a critique, I defer to others who know far more.
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Recordings-Moriz-Rosenthal/dp/B006ICUJ8M