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
Orfeo d’ Or reissues historical recordings. My favorites are from the Salzburg Festival. The Clara Haskil remaster is in mono but it’s so amazingly beautiful. Also, many years ago their existed the Andante label and their vintage recording remasters are exquisite. It’s very apparent that performance practices have changed since the early 20th century and it can be enlightening to hear people like Wilhelm Backhaus or a young Vladimir Horowitz.
Just listened to Schumann: Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13 by Sviatoslav Richter. Melodia release, available on Tidal. It is astounding. Is there another notable recording of this ? 
ei001h,
I’d recommend looking at the apr label, here’s a Richter recording,

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=221050

Here’s a list of recordings with Schumann’s Symphonic Etudes for Piano, some are listed as recommended;

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/albumList.jsp?name_id1=10915&name_role1=1&comp_id=2717&a...
@ei001h  My favourite in Schumann's Etudes Symphoniques is Mikhail Pletnev although not for everyone pianistically and musically  his interpretation  goes down to my very core and he seems to hit parts of me that few others do. Heard him in recital once at The Edinburgh Festival  and I was ecstatic.