Audiogon "Recordings to Die for" a complete summary

I'll put out something completely different:

Wooden Smoke by Mike Keneally
Orbus Terrarum by Orb
Charango by Morcheeba
Joe's Garage by Frank Zappa

You can't go wrong with these in my opinion. Excellent sounding recordings.

Orb is absolutely stunning for electronica and if you want a kick, play it with reversed phase on the speakers. Those big bass notes that hit with a pull instead of a push are incredibly weird. Yeah, forgot to switch phase after putting in a tube amp. Wow...

Ron

I like the idea of "life changing LPs" more than "Records to Die for". just semantics,but it sounds more positive.

here is my list:IMHO

Mozart Requiem: Hogwood/Christ Church Oxford, Loiseau Lyre
This is the greatest piece ever written.Unfortunately it is usually performed/recorded in the big choir ,big orchestra ala 18th century barn burner fashion. This recording is done right.Too bad it is digital.

Holst Planets: One of the most recorded orchestral pieces. There are lots of sonic variables,recording to recording.
My preference goes to the Zubin Mehta on London.The Saturn movement alone sells it for me. The Previn is great too.

Faure Requiem: I began my singing career singing the Pie Jesu (treble solo) when I was 8. Since then I have sung the bass and the alto parts. The recording of choice: Kings College/Willcocks.

Bach organ works:Too many recordings to list.MHS with Ms. Alain playing some excellent old German trackers.

Herbert Howells: my favorite choral composer (I am a countertenor).The finest English Cathedral music of the 20th century. King's College singing Collegium Regale(King's College) service music,and others. Argo

Orlando Gibbons: "O clap your hands" fondly known within some choral groups as "O slap your glands". I sang this before I ever heard it.One of the best and most important motets of it's age. King's College "Gibbon's choral music". Argo

Benjamin Britten: Ceremony of Carols. a very special piece to me. performed this countless times. Always challenging and beautiful. Once again,Kings College/Willcocks

Shostakovitch: Symphony# 1. A wild ride that will test your system for presence and dynamics.It climax with a witches dance.How did Shosti write this very consuming piece at the age of 18? My recording is a 1959 RCA with Jean Martinon conducting the LSO.

Elgar: "Sea Pictures" The closest thing to English "Leider".
the Janet Baker/Barbirolli is magical. EMI

Beethoven:"9th Symphony"
The other "greatest piece ever written". Unfortunately I know of no LP I like.The choirs are always too big and have too much vibrato.Sounds like a opera chorus.No chords can be heard like that,and they are there. Just a big wash of vibration.Which is fine for tearing down the Berlin wall. However there is a excellent Nimbus CD done by a Norwegian choir with great tempos.

Allegri: "Misereri" This piece is sublime. Kings College Argo

Claude Debussy: "La Mar". The Telarc is very good,but I have some old (NOS)RCA and Mercury recordings that are more musical,however in mono.

William Byrd: "Mass in 4 parts" Written underground after the reformation. Byrd was indeed the finest of the Elizabethan composers.And a (secret)Roman Catholic.This could have had his head but instead the queen gave him and Thomas Tallis a monopoly on printed music.Seems he really was a genius. Kings College/Willcocks (again) Argo.

I could keep going. But no ones really cares about the raving of a lunatic.

Happy Christmas

e

Not sonically speaking in todays terms, however one of my desert island (lps) is Iron Butterfly "Metamorphosis"

My R2D4 or "Desert Island" records must be qualified on 3 counts:

1. Be vinyl (and played on analog gear)
2. Be Great Performances and Great Sound
3. Be listenable repeatedly, never boring, never tiring.

Since the airlines are charging for extra bags nowadays, I am forced to limit myself to just 10 "carry-on" LPs for my desert island trip:

1. Stravinsky Firebird, Dorati Mercury SR-90226
2. Stravinsky Rite of Spring, Muti Mobile Fidelity 1-519
3. Bartok the Wooden Prince, Dorati LSO Mercury SR-90426
4. Mussorgsky (Ravel) Pictures, Muti Mobile Fidelity 1-520
5. Mussorgsky the Power of the Orch Leibowitz RCA VCS-2659
6. Holst the Planets Mehta LAPO London CS-6734
7. Bartok the Miraculous Mandarin Dorati Mercury SR-90416
8. Capriccio Ital/Esp Fiedler BPO Crystal Clear CCS-7003
9. Bach Suites for Cello Starker Mercury SR3-9016
10.Dvorak Carnaval Overture, Dorati LSO Mercury SR-90236

Now, if I could only scout around and find that SNL gal and have her make me a laser turntable, I can enjoy these in hi-fi heaven and eternal bliss!

nice list