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.


rvpiano
Schubert,

 It’s funny how just randomly picking something is like making a new discovery.
 I’ve been finding the same phenomenon this week in auditioning  a new piece of equipment and ferreting out new facets of old recordings.
It makes you listen to the musical message more closely.
schubert,

Apropos of our conversation, I just randomly picked a fabulous recording I would probably not consciously have ever selected:  Bernstein: Fancy Free, Age of Anxiety and Candide Overture with Andrew Liston on Virgin Classics.
Wonderful performance and sound.
Litton is a favorite of mine , seen him several times in Mpls .
I’m not questioning the greatness of Bernstein , I just didn’t like his , in fact hated his, histrionically .

As a musician you can comment on this . I could not see how anyone could follow his MANY superfluous gestures and grimaces without studying tape on him 3 hours a day or rehearsing ten times the average .
schubert, I’m not sure I understand the last sentence you wrote.

I admit his histrionics were distracting.  But, as a musician, I thought he was among the greats