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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
newbee
4,751 posts
 
Tough assignment considering that it is likely that most recommendations wouldn't be appreciated (useful).

We really don't know what composers you are attracted to. Nor do we know what periods interest you.

We really don't know what styles of classical music you prefer, such as Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Neo Classical, Modern, Neo Romantic or even simply orchestral, chamber, solo instruments, vocals etc, other than the few you mention. It appears you might prefer chamber and Baroque, but Holst and Lecuona are a bit distant in similarity.

Bottom line you might have set the response level too high for folks who don't even know if they can be of any help to you, me included.

But, if this will help get you out of your equipment reviewing/equipment buying habit.......

You mention Lecuona - You might enjoy music by Louis Moreau Gottschalk. There are 3 Vanguard Classic CD's - Vol 1 is for solo piano by Eugene List, Vol 2 is a combo of orchestral and solo piano with Eugene List and Maurice Abravanel and the Utah OS. Vol 3 is orchestral and includes his A Night In The Tropics and Morton Goulds Latin American Symphonette. Great American music with a Cuban/Latin influence and the recordings are very good as well. Very lively, assessible, stuff!

Re Holst's Planets - I think Dutoit's with the Montreal SO on London is outstanding, both in the performance as well as the recording. This has been widely acclaimed - I'm sure you can find refined reviews on line if this interests you. It is my favorite version -

Refine your requests to composers and/or individual pieces, or at least periods/styles and I'll bet you'd get a lot better response.

:-)
gsm18439
895 posts
 
Zubin Mehta and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra is another good recording of the Planets.
j_evege OP
29 posts
 
Newbee,

I think my post is clear if you read it. I hope your comments don't dissuade others from posting. This is definitely not an assignment; it's a forum for those who enjoy sharing and discovering great classical music recordings with other audiophiles. I studied jazz performance at the Conservatory in Cincinnati and I appreciate all eras and genre's of orchestral and ensemble music and know a fair bit about classical music. I'm interested in learning about works, composers, recordings I may or may not have of and expanding my knowledge and classical music library. : )
rushton's avatar
rushton
2,445 posts
 
J_evege, I greatly appreciate your focus on the music and your willingness to start some further conversation about great music. However, I join Newbee in a reluctance to launch into such a broad topic as you've outlined. If you take a look at Newbee's "Answers" you will see that he has made a tremendous contribution over the years. You'll also see many music threads listed under my "Answers" here. An example of where you might start in the archives is to take a look at the threads:

Audiogon "Best Recommendation" threads, a list

Whats on your turntable tonight?

Regards,
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