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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
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,414 posts
 
I feel I have to restate my admiration and love of Mikhail Pletnev as pianist and conductor. By way of a review, I just discovered his definitive performance of Rachmaninoff’s 3rd Symphony.  IMHO, Not since Rachmaninoff himself have we had such genius in performance AND conducting.
 (Of course R wasn’t bad as a composer as well.)
Just about everything I hear from Pletnev in both capacities is first rate and inspired.
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,414 posts
 
One might put Ashkenazy in the same category.
But I think Pletnev has the edge.
mahler123
3,029 posts
 
Listening to Jordi Savall Beethoven 1-5 in multichannel.  Simply superb.  You fall in love all over again
jim204
881 posts
 
RV    I heartily second your Pletnev admiration. I have seen him a few times at The Edinburgh Festivals as pianist, just have to see him as conductor now and it'll be complete.
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,414 posts
 
There’s a lovely new recording of the great Liszt B minor Sonata by the 28 year old British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor on Qobuz.
He really does it justice.
More to discover