Your Favorite Classical Music Recordings


I've spent too much time reading reviews and buying stuff. I'd like to get back to the music which is the real reason I love this hobby. I'd like to hear what some of your favorite classical music recordings are. I enjoy all types of classical music from early medieval music to experiemental electronic music. I'm very open minded so long as it's good music. I enjoy classical music because of it's depth and complexity. There's so much to listen to and to listen for! I also love jazz, electronic, and alternative music, but classical is the most fun music to listen to on a good sound system (probably because it is mixed the least).

Please rate your favorite classical recordings based on the musicianship and performance as well as the quality of the recording as far as depth, sound stage, etc. If you have the time, please state the orchestra or ensemble, the label, and catalog number. I will start with several really great classical recordings I've picked up recently. Does anyone has a good recording of "The Planets" by Gustav Holst?

copy/past this if it helps:
compose:
album:
Label/catalog #:
Orchestra/Ensemble
Conductor:
Comments:

composer: Camille Saint-Seans
title: Le Carnival Des Animaux
label: Virgin Classics 7243 5 45603 2 3
bought from barnes & noble
Renaud Capucon
Gautier Capucon
Emmanuel Pahud
Paul Meyer
Musicianship is fantastic. This disc makes me feel like a kid again. There is a sweet innocence to the performances that are very engaging. Sonics are 9/10.

Composer:Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: Mario Sollazzo
(bought from www.cdbaby.com)
catalog# KHA004 (KHA is an Italian label)
album: La 32
If you love piano music this is a truly superb album. The sonics are 10/10 and the performances are so full of joy, humor, and pathos. Lecuona is the most famous Cuban composer and he was obviously no slouch b/c these compositions are incredibly complex and sophisticated.

composer: Rameau
album: Nais / Le Temple de la Gloire
label: Harmonia Mundi HMU 907121
(from barnes & noble)
Orchestra: Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra
Conductor: Nicholas McGegan
Sonics 9.5 of 10. This disc beautifully captures all the splendor and simplicity of 17th century and 18th century France . The delicate trills, airy strings, and bouncy melodies are thoroughly engaging. One of my favorite classical discs. The music is presented in a wonderfully authentic mood and spirit that lacks any pretentious air often associated with this type of music.

Composers: Bach, Monteverdi, Scarlatti, Handel
Artist: Wendy Carlos
Album: The Well-Tempered Synthesizer
ESD81612
This is a must have for any audiophile who loves detail. If only to test out how sensitive your system is and how detailed sounds can be. These remastered performances really show off how much of a genius Bach was. The contrapuntal lines of The Well Tempered Klavier are reinvented with synthesizers. Each sound is so specific that it's obvious Wendy Carlos spent thousands of hours perfecting these sounds and tweaking the performance. Hollow, crisp, crunchy,punchy, boomy, bouncy,laser-light, ticky tacky, bubbly, fizzy, round, mellow, wet, and pneumatic are just some of the words that I can find describe the many wonderful sounds on this disc but in the end it is certianl stil music and indeed very musical. 10/10 sonics. 10/10 performance.
j_evege

Showing 2 responses by audphile1

J_evege, your intentions are good. I understand.

But the problem with classical music is that it is an endless subject. Honestly I would not even know where to begin answering about what my favorite classical recordings are. There are at least 50 i can name.
If it was more specific to a certain composer, time period, or even a certain conductor/orchestra, it would be easier and even then it would come down to an individual preference. It would only serve as a guideline.

Newbee makes an excellent point in his first post. If you are interested in a particular piece, then the recommendations would follow. Also I agree with him on the assessment of classicstoday reviews. Example: I recently bought a Mahler set by Gary Bertini that they had rated the highest 10/10. I kind of like the set as far the performance is concerned but the recording quality is very far from being 10 grade. More like 6 I would say.

So if you refine your request and make it more specific, at least down to a certain style of composition, time period, scale(orchestral, instrumental, chamber), then it would be easier. I'd be glad to chime in.
based on what you said you like, try:
1)Schubert "Trout" Quintet with Emil Gilels and Amadeus Quartet on DG
2)Hilary Hahn plays Bach - Sonatas and Partitas
3)Schubert Piano Music for 4 hands with Kissin, Levine on RCA(live recording, Carnegie Hall)
4)Brahms - Piano Concerto No.1, Sonata No.3, Rapsodies, Piano Pieces with Radu Lupu on DECCA(3 disc set)
5)Tchaikovsky - Symphonic Poems with Mikhail Pletnev on DG(3 disc set)
6)Mahler Symphony No.1 with Benjamin Zander on Telarc(I think 9th is a bit rough to start with)
7)Mahler Symphony No.4 with Fritz Reiner on RCA Living Stereo; or with Riccardo Chaily on DECCA
8)Shostakovich Piano Concerto Nos 1 and 2 with Mikhail Rudy on EMI(this disc also has Shostakovich's 1st symphony)
9)Tchaikovsky - Symphonies 4, 5 and 6 with Karajan on DG

If you're not ready for Mahler, don't attempt it, don't force yourself. But the 1st and 4th symphonies are the lightest ones of all. For Brahms symphones I really like Karajan on DG, but might as well start with lighter Brahms, such as solo piano works with Radu Lupu or even String Quartets with Emerson String Quartet on DG.