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.
Funny you should mention it. Right now I’m listening to Schumann’s complete orchestral works with Holliger. Not one rotten egg in the bunch. Even the unknown overtures are sublime works, especially in Holliger’s hands. Recorded sound is wonderful too. Listening on IDAGIO.
My travels down the byways of 19C pianism have led this afternoon to a couple of concert pieces by Raff. Not going to change the world, but worth a listen...
Kurt Mazur , often gave little speeches before down-beat with the Gewandhaus . My favorite was Schubert-Schumann -Brahms were the greatest move forward in Germanic Music . I would not say Holliger is the greatest Musician alive but would say nobody's any better , (bow towards Korea ) .
Just heard Helene Grimaud in her “Memories” album on IDAGIO. A lot of very familiar pieces (and some unknown) played ravishingly. Undoubtedly, one of the great pianists of today.
Yes indeed, love Helene Grimaud. Her 5 cd collection (Brilliant Classics) Water (2016) Her collaborations with Sol Gabetta and with Mojca Erdman. Thanks for the tip about Memories, will try to find that. I have been listening to a lot of Lazar Berman, wow. His Rachmaninoff of course, being Russian, but all else as well. I never could get into the Schubert vocal pieces, something about voices. But now listening to Berman playing Liszt transcriptions of Schubert,and they show the beauty of Schubert's melodies. DICD 920164-5
If you haven't already, you might enjoy Berman's performance of Liszt's 'Annes' on DG. One of the best I think, although it is hard to find a performance I don't enjoy.
Telarc made two recordings of piano rolls performances by Rachmaninoff doing his own works for solo piano on one CD and the works of others on a second one. The CD's are titled 'A Window in Time'. Amazing works realized by Wayne Stahnke. It is facinating that they could do this at all, let alone so well. I suspect that most listeners would, initially at least, think that these are live recordings of a real performing person (Rachmaninoff).
Yes, I have those CDs. They are amazing in every way. The piano roll captured his touch and pedaling. When I first heard the recordings, I said to a friend: “all the rest are like children.” And I wasn’t even speaking of his legendary technique. I was describing his phrasing and command of nuances that you can’t hear on pre-1948 acetate masterings, even with expert restoration.
Listened to an Anton Rubinstein concerto yesterday, no. 5 I think, not unpleasant but florid and generally a bit OTT.
Next up today is Brahms' #1, and the contrast isn't even funny. B. is ten powers superior in every way. Still, listening to some second-string composers now and again reminds one of why the greats are the greats.
The classic Gilels recording, never sounding better on my system at the point now to which it has evolved. At a really moderate volume I nearly jumped out of my seat with that first chord.
@twoleftears Rubenstein's #4 concerto has been a favorite of mine since I first heard it 40 years ago... It was on an old VoxBox collection with Micheal Ponti. Actually, I rediscovered it on Spotify. They had 3 volumes from Early Romantic to Late Romantic. Not the greatest piece of writing, but it has all the Romantic hallmarks. And, yes, Brahms deserves to be in the Big 3 with Bach and Beethoven. Funny, maybe not, but his First Symphony never clicked with me. The other 3 rank as some of the greatest Western music ever composed. Not to mention the Piano Concertos... Bob
newbee et al I share your appreciation for "Les Annees" and Lazar Berman. I think my favorite recording of "Les Annees" is by Ciccolini. From 1961 & 1969, on EMI
I have been away from this site for a long time now, and have just caught up with this thread. I'll mention that I too would agree that Grimaud is one of the best working today. I've had the good fortune to work with her I think on three different occasions in my career.
Speaking of keeping the music alive, one thing that has recently done that for me as far as listening goes was my purchase of john Eliot Gardiner's complete set of the Bach Cantatas that they did a few years back for the anniversary. Just one great chorus after one great aria after another. None of it of lower quality. Bach is a great choice if you need a reboot.
Amen to that !The Gardiner's set is the go-to set of the Cantatas , I have some of it but my complete set is Rilling because it was available in vinyl . Every morning for the last twenty years I start the day with a cup of coffee and a Bach Cantata . I honestly believe this is a major factor in me livingto be as old as I am .
Oh, each and every Bach lover should read Gardiner's 2014,600 page, tome on Bach , "Music in The Castle of Heaven " . Beyond doubt the most masterful book on the Master written in English . A fabulous read !
I just ordered that book a few days before finding this thread.It will probably take me quite a while to finish but I have that one and one on Brahms that a friend recommended on order. I'm just a novice though even though I've listened to classical on and off for years.
Right, I have read every book I could find on Brahms , not just because his music is so great , but because his mind and manor are fascinating to me as I grow old .
A couple of CD sets some of you may like, a lot. I do anyway.
Sokolov The Salzburg Recital and Sokolov Schubert //Beethoven. The former is mainly Mozart and Chopin and the second, as the title suggests, Beethoven and Schubert. Both live recitals with encores as well. Very high level of performances. Both DG CDs.
I recently discovered this recording of a few pieces by the Wranitzky brothers. a violin concerto, a symphony and a cello concerto. They are contemporary of Mozart. I have shown it to many ppl and everyone likes the music. The music is lively and dynamic. Feels like a mix of Mozart and Haydn. The Sony recording is great sonically too.
Interesting! Reminds me of Shchedrin's Carmen Suite - only in that there are no (!!!) horns. I really like that piece. There are several in print for anyone interested in a really enjoyable take on an old chestnut.
newbee Sokolov is perhaps my favorite of all pianists now performing, have never heard him live. I have downloaded dozens of his recordings including the two you mention. I never tire of some of his recordings, e.g., Couperin. Unfortunately, most of his old soviet era recordings are not commercially available, but have found them free online on a russian website.
Is it my imagination or do newer release box sets seem to go out of print fairly soon? I've seen a few only a couple years old already gone from amazon except from high-priced resellers. What do people use as a resource for upcoming releases? A long time ago I used to subscribe to BBC Music Magazine but I'm not sure what is best now. Thanks for any advice.
Bonus question: does anyone use a website or program to keep track of their collection? I used to use a program years ago that was discontinued but it was not very good at tracking classical if there were multiple composers and many compositions on the same disc. So I am a few years behind in cataloging now. Mainly looking to avoid acquiring too many duplicates of the same composition, unless a deliberate "upgrade".
After a major hiatus [aka work] I resumed my survey. Right now Saint-Saens piano concerto #1. First movement very showy, flowery, second movement didn't really seem to know where it was going.
jcazador, I agree and for folks who want to explore on the cheap there is a 10 CD set (on Amazon) title ’Complete Recordings’ for $44. Only a couple of nits: 1) it isn’t complete; 2) These are excerpts from live performances so the recordings aren’t really SOTA but they are fine none the less. The music though is truly outstanding. And for me his Schubert 960 is transcending - hard to describe, but it is musical poetry of the highest order.
pete23, I get weekly e-mails from Presto Music in England - they are both an excellent source for classical music as well as reviews and alerts for new recordings. Prestomusic.com.
A new acquisition from Chandos that I really love. "Old American Dances" by Robert Russell Bennett. Royal Northern College of Music Wind Orchestra by Clark Rundell. An excellent break from all the ’serious’ stuff.
Amazon has it under 'Schubert Grigory Sokolov' Sonatas D 894 and 960. A two disc set which only contains the two sonatas, one on each disc. A Naive disc OP30387. BTW the 894 ain't chopped liver! :-)
This set is also part of the "Complete Recording" set referred to above so if you want to hear more from him this set is certainly worthwhile.
No. 2 seems much more put together, if still very "virtuoso" in style. I'm really enjoying Cecile Licad's playing, beautifully delicate in the quieter passages, accompanied by Mr Previn.
pete i gave up on lp's, too much trouble to keep clean and i gave up on cd's because i could not keep track of them i keep everything on a hard drive and it easy to locate a composer, a musician, a particular piece of music I use a program "qBittorrent" to handle the downloads to the hard drive there are a number of free peer to peer (p2p) sites that are good sources of recordings these sites remove any recording if/when a copyright holder objects they specify the quality of the recording, so i don't bother with mp3 unless it is some song i am trying to learn and there is no better source there are lots of dead and incomplete links, so it takes a bit of fishing but there is a universe of free high quality music out there
Phillip Glass Partitas for Solo Cello-from what I recall, I need to try it again. I honestly must have just gone by reviews on this I don’t have much Glass.
Vivaldi --Concerto per violino VI ’La boemia’ - very nice, naive disc.
I am reading the Brahms book before I tackle the Bach. Listened to the first two movements of Mahler’s 6th on the way to work yesterday, I guess I’ve had it forever. Is that considered a good showpiece or is there a better one? I mean for main system experience.
Guys who never wrote a bad note; Mozart , Schubert, Brahms .
Bach is a given .As are Schumann’s chamber pieces .
Among modern composers Leos Janacek excels in everything .His string quartets are to die for ! If you like long , sweeping symphonies that are just plain beautiful , Sibelius is your man . Mahler is someone you either like or you don't . No shame either way .
Pete23, As far as showpieces go, the Mahler 6 would be fine if the person whom you are showing has the patience. It is long!!! but never boring. It is my favorite Mahler by far (though I like them all).
Now if you really want to show off your system I can't think of a better recording than that of Copland's 3d Synphony on the Reference Recording Label. The first piece is Copland's Fanfare for a Common Man. The brass and drums will light your fire for sure. And it is a pretty good version as well.
I don't know the Wood Works you refer to, but if you like Nordic folk music, for something off the beaten path you might try/like Greirr Tveitt's 100 Folk-tunes from Hardanger on BIS. Caveat though, this is not warmed over Greig or Halverson.
And something rarely mentioned, but which I really enjoy a great deal it movie music by Nino Rota. My first Rota recording was by Muti on the Sony label, which is still my favorite by some margin. It includes an ear worm you just can't resist, Dances from Il Gattopardo.
Lastly, another outstanding piece of music you rarely hear, by another 'Hollywood' composer, Miklos Rozsa. Concerto for Violin and Orchestra. I like the recording on the Koch label but there is an excellent series of this and his other orchestral music on the Chando label.
Dances from Il Gattopardo. I see old man Burt Lancaster dancing with beautiful young Claudia Cardinale and jealous Alain Deloit watchinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb0IlSBFVt0
@pete23 I strongly recommend Mahler 4 as the gateway drug to Mahler fanaticism. Thereafter the world's your oyster: 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10. There are passages in all that will test a system.
I agree Mahler 4 is the gateway, but I would posit Symphony 1 as the next step in the quest for Mahler prehension. And it’s last movement will certainly be a challenge for any system.
Speaking of Mahler, although I have both the early (Sony) and late (DG) sets of Bernstein’s renderings of the symphonies, for some reason have avoided listening to them lately. I just recently selected the DG set to listen to again and WOW! What wonderful interpretations. The sound is first rate as well. I guess I took for granted they would be great, but hearing them again I’m more impressed than ever. I highly recommend this set as a great introduction for the novice. I’ll return to the earlier Sony set when I’m finished with the DG set for comparison.
@rvpiano, I got into Mahler through the 1st symphony, then the 6th (which you know) then the 7th, Lied von die Erde last. I never warmed to the 4th. I know Bernstein was supposed to be a great interpreter of Mahler, but I never cared for his renditions. I guess I was stuck on Bruno Walter- those CBS Masterwork recordings were discounted heavily in the old Barnes and Noble in Manhattan. $1.99, if I recall. Just me, I suppose... @twoleftears , I suggest listening to Pascal Roge's Saint Saens recordings. One of my favorite. Bob
I just found another composer I never knew existed: Woldemar Bargiel. It seems he was step brother to Clara Schumann. Wikipedia posts that they became close and Clara tried hard to get his music recognized. A little nepotism never hurts... Nevertheless, he seems to have very good structure and is very listenable. A bit of Mendelssohn, a bit of Schumann- nice. B
I’m impressed you got to know the 7th so early. It took me years to crack it. But now that I did, I love it. I think most people (including me) were introduced to Mahler through the First Symphony.
I was actually introduced via the Second; the classic Solti Chicago SO on vinyl is imprinted on my teenage memory patterns. After I got to know all ten, it just seems to me that the Fourth captures a lot of the mature Mahler and is at the same time highly approachable.
I agree that the First is also approachable, but parts of it still sound a little as if written by a Mahler still learning the craft.
I have multiple, multiple recordings of all except of 7 and 8--one each I think. I never even remotely warmed to 8. 7 I never understood, and apparently I still don't. To me it just doesn't seem to move beyond anything that he achieved in 2, 3, 5, 6. Kind of drab or not really knowing where it's going. He's back on form in a big way in 9. And there are some excellent completions of 10.
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