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
Thanks for the confirmation.  They really should be more well known than they are.
@rvpiano     Hi RV just thought I'd let you know of a good harpsicord find which I am listening to now on Idagio. It's Henry Purcell , Suites for Harpsicord played by Ewa Rzetecka-Niewiadomska which I am playing at least three times a day at the moment. She has a beautiful technique and her ornaments are very tasteful and the harpsicord has a lovely lute stop which sounds really superb in the recording. The recording is really well done with the mikes not in the guts of the thing. Talking about lutes I played the lute and classical guitar for forty years but I'm afraid I was also a closet keyboard lover who never had a chance to study it. Never mind I'll leave it to folks who do it a whole lot better than I could ever dream to.
Jim,

I will definitely check that out.  Thanks for the recommendation.
Also on IDAGIO, I just discovered a recording by Heinz Holliger  conducting Schubert Symphonies 1 and 5.  Seems to be as beautiful as his Schumann symphony recordings.  Perfectly balanced recording, idiomatically rendered.
Jim,

Currently, listening to the Purcell harpsichord suites.  Really beautiful, sensitive playing.  And the sound really makes the speakers sing.  The lute stop you mention is quite lovely. 
Truth be told, I’m not much of a harpsichord player myself, merely a pianist who has filled in on harpsichord when needed professionally.
RV   I'm quite sure you are being overly modest but I am glad your a harpsicordist now as there is quite a ressurgence in harpsicord popularity at the moment and I am heartily glad of it. I love the sound of the instrument with those wonderfull treble overtones, it must be a nightmare to record. I spent months one time trying to get an acceptable recording of the Goldbergs on it and I found it last week again on Idagio, Kenneth Gilbert .I must admit that I have allways loved the instrument but mostly live but now with modern digital recording techniques they don't now need to insert various mikes inside the poor instrument. I also think that todays instruments have a super tonal range from new but I do wonder if any of them will last for three hundred years as the old clavecins have. I will certainly look up that Schubert with Holliger conducting but a the moment I am listening to Sibelius Symphony No 1 with the Gothenburg SymphonyOrchestra cond by Santtu-Matias Rouvaly. Its on Idagio and it really is quite stirring. Well thanks for the recomenation and I'll let you know in a few days.