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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
craigl59
307 posts
 

Superb description, LeftEars. Pontinen has the right feeling for this gesture but the overall rhythm in the BIS recording is ever so slightly muddy at this critical entry. Am going to order the Ashkenazy.

It's an exceptional formal design as the movement starts out like a symphonic theme and variations, then the piano enters as an accompanist, then POW the movement becomes a dramatic piano concerto and, finally, the reversion back to the opening theme.

Have noted this formal experimentation with other symphonies by Scriabin to his credit. Did you enjoy the piano bass notes at the ending?

schubert
7,386 posts
 
Small world !
On my bi-weekly Goodwill vinyl hunt this AM I ran across what looked to be a mint LP of one Alexander Scriabin’s 2 Tone Poems, "The Poem of Ecstasy" Op. 54 and The Poem of Fire : Prometheus Op. 60" .
I enjoyed the former and was downright smitten with the latter !
Heresy I know , but I’d rather listen to Op. 60 than any Mahler Symphony .
I strongly suspect my favorite modern composer , Leos Janacek , was at least a bit influenced by Scriabin , he knew Russian music backwards and forwards, and had the same thing that is required for real musical genius , passion .

I remember liking some of Scriabin"s solo piano I bought back in the 60’s but they are long gone and don’t remember hearing anything else of his .
Played Album twice , pretty sure it was never played, Dallas SO under Donald
Janos, an excellent band and an excellent conductor .
On Candide(one of the better old labels) CE 31039 must be from early 60’s
in the unlikely event you run in to one buy it .
The sound is quite good esp. since is a Dolby, one of the best things I ever bought for $1.99 .

craigl59
307 posts
 
Monteverdi: Madrigals of War and Love, Book 8. Two 2017 releases by Delitiae Musicae/Longhini and Le Nuove Musiche/Koetsveld.
Remember those Telefunken days of the 70s? Discovering period performances, L'Orfeo, and the Vespers? And, especially, the Madrigals!
So, in a return to youth, decided to find a good modern recording of the 8th Book of Madrigals; yes, it really is the Beethoven 5th of the early Baroque.
First got the Koetsveld and it was not so much bad as it completely misses the point. Have no idea why they are recording all the madrigals.
Then, today, the Delitiae Musicae arrived.
WHOOOOOOO!
This is one of the finest early music performances I have heard along with superb recording, acoustics, and, especially, scholarship. The male vocalists and boy soprano are superb.
Won't waste any more of your time -- just get this Naxos CD as soon as you can. It's that good. Hope its out there for streaming somewhere. Recorded in 2005 but just released by Naxos (did it appear earlier somewhere else?).
craigl59
307 posts
 
Schubert:
Those sub-$2 finds are always the best! Will be exploring Scriabin much more in the future.
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,313 posts
 
Years ago I was able to go to a concert of Prometheus: Poem of Fire with the color effects that Scriabin stipulated.  It was definitely fun, but not ultimately necessary.
More to discover