Recommendations for close miked classical recordin


Anyone have any recommendations for excellent sounding close-miked classical recordings? Perhaps I spent too much of my formative years listening to rock and jazz, but what I'm looking for are orchestral works recorded as if one were sitting right in the middle of the orchestra alongside the musicians. So many classical cds I hear sound dull and lifeless, like you're sitting half way back in an empty auditorium. I want it to sound like the conductor is standing right between my speakers! (Of course the performance has to be top-notch too, or else it's a pointless exercise.) I'd appreciate any pointers anyone can provide.
warrensomebody

Showing 3 responses by chashmal

Here are a few:
1. Harnoncourt conducting in 1965 performance of Purcell's "Fantasias for viols"
2. Paul Zukofski playing Morton Feldman's "For John Cage"
3. Arditti Quartet playing Anton Webern's trios and quartets
Warrensomebody: If you want some Webern in close-miked bliss, get the Robert Craft Columbia recording of the complete Webern. It has exactly the sound you are looking for. However, for the trios and quartets it is not my favorite. That would be the Arditti quartet recording, out of print, CD only. It also has a close-miked sound, but not a severe as the Craft. If you can find a '6-eye' pressing (original) on Columbia as a box set GRAB IT!
My 2 cents: screw the sound quality and go for the best performances. Then get the best equipment you can to maximize what you love. It would be a real shame to select performances based on audiophile criteria. In general, audiophiles do NOT know diddley about music, with rare exceptions. Don't listen to the engineer's work, listen to the performers! My 2 cents.