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
Hard to argue with the Grumiaux, mahgister. Wonderful playing and luminous tone indeed. Raises the question: was it one of his Guarnieris, the Strad, or the Guadagnini? I wonder what his insurance bill was? 😊
Frederic Chopin

AREGRICH PLAYS CHOPIN

Martha Aregrich (piano)
DG  2010

Not one of my favorite composers.  I have just this one by Aregrich, one by Perahia and of course a few by Horowitz.  I think Chopin was all he played.

Ballade No.1 in G minor, Op. 23

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=payc4PKtzQo

Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58

I. Allegro maestoso 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5pdq2Rb_jI

II. Scherzo. Molto vivace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsjRye7BvC0

III. Largo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnYcrLH43xE

IV. Finale. Presto non tanto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g5KEXYvm0o

Cheers
"and and of course a few by Horowitz. I think Chopin was all he played." 

Really?  What planet do you live on?
Here's a recording that's off the beaten track, yet has some great music and some equally delightful playing.

Mendelssohn, "Discoveries. Rare Piano Works". Roberto Prosseda, Decca.  Highly recommended.
Chopin loved and played and made his students play the works of JS Bach.
This predestined fate of each chord in Chopin comes from rigorous meditation of Bach written script....

Chopin is greater than what the beauty of his melodies speak about : the human heart... He is a mathematical musical brain genius like Bach...

We feel Bach all along listening Chopin....

Chopin listened the marvellous nocturnes of the great pianist Field with the Bach tutoring, and the rest is history....

Before Chopin there is Field....

Nobody ever written so heartful melodies balancing heart and breathing in this way , Field did this the first...

Chopin listened and with the great tools inherited from Bach transform what the genius playing of Field on the new piano instrument created to more developed strongly written works and not only marvellous inspired almost improvised melodies and chords...

But we must listen to Field to know where Chopin begin using Bach track and to understand what was Chopin debt to Bach...

Whatever the genius is, the greatest geniuses stand on the shoulders of other geniuses back in time....Field is a genius but Chopin is almost a god standing of the shoulders of these  two....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEUGj9mPg2w
"and and of course a few by Horowitz. I think Chopin was all he played."

Really? What planet do you live on?

A thousand pardons o' watchful one..  Apparently I typed Horowitz, but was thinking Rubinstein.  If you have a problem with Rubinstein, too bad.

We can all be thankful that there is always an "Audiophile" ready and willing to correct all 'errors' made on this Forum.

To answer your question directly:  Earth.   You?

Cheers
Does anyone know the work of American / Dutch pianist Andrew von Oeyen. He is quite well represented on Idagio at the moment with his latest recording on their front pages. It is a recording of Bach and Beethoven with the star being the Appassionata sonata. he has a stunning technique which is put to good use here. He takes the tempo at a fair lick and the result is spellbinding. He also has other recordings on Idagio with a favourite for me of Liszt , with the B Minor Sonata being for me the star again with fast tempos favoured but with due care taken to the slow intervals. On said slow sections he has a beautiful tender side and lovely limpid touch. On the same recording he does the Rigoletto Paraphrase with gorgeous octave glissandos and stunning Chordal playing. I just wish he had room for the Three Petrarch Sonnets as his technique is really suited them.
Frédéric Chopin

CHOPIN  Études

Murray Perahia (piano)
Sony Classical    2001

Notes:
"The word "etude" means "study" - and every one of these studies addresses a specific technical concern, the mastery of which can only benefit a pianist in any other works he or she plays.  And yet the etudes are much more than mere exercises, for their Herculean physical demands are nothing compared to their musical ones.  Even Artur Rubinstein, who played Chopin all over the world for three-quarters of a century, was daunted by the etudes, admitting frankly that he was "scared to death" of them.  "To do the justice is a most difficult task, which I haven't yet had the courage to attempt," he wrote to an admirer in 1962." --Tim Page


A sampling of Op. 10  &  Op. 25.   

12 Etudes, opus 10

No. 3 in E Major "Tristesse"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU7bY13EcCk

No. 5 in G-Flat Major "Black Keys"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya8Fm-1tvSY

12 Etudes, opus 25

No. 10 in B Minor "Octave"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmihKi-A59s

No. 11 in A Minor "Winter Wind"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0doWiXaPfhI

No. 12 in C Minor "Ocean"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDc4UpspuKQ

Cheers
John O'Conor recorded Field's Nocturnes many moons ago with Telarc (I can't find an original issue date); I remember getting the CD as soon as it came out.

He also did a complete survey of the Beethoven sonatas (also Telarc) which is often overlooked.  Contradicting J Gordon Holt's dictum, it's a very good performance of great music in excellent sound.
"Apparently I typed Horowitz, but was thinking Rubinstein."

Almost as wrong for Rubinstein.
Aaron Copland

COPLAND 100

Minnesota Orchestra
Eiji Oue
Reference Recordings  2000  HDCD

Notes:
"The special qualities of Copland's Appalachian Spring(1944), one of the composer's most popular works, owed much to choreographer Martha Graham, for whom it was written.  Copland stated, "....Nobody else seems quite like Martha: she's so proud, so very much herself.  And she's unquestionably very American: there's something prim and restrained, simple yet strong, about her which one tends to think of as American."

Appalachian Spring Suite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3luGMG3PoY&t=131s

Cheers
When I sit down at the piano nowadays, it's the book of Chopin manuscripts that I open first. Of course, I go for the easier pieces but that doesn't mean they're easy. In any case, no matter how how easy or difficult a Chopin work may be, they never fail to totally enthrall.  
Mahgister, still enjoying Mozart by Paul badura skoda, can’t get enough 

just got my sofronitsky Vinyl collection from Russia, very excited
Antonín Dvořák & Max Bruch

VIOLIN CONCERTOS

Julia Fischer (violin)
Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich
David Zinman
Decca  2013

Dvořák: Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 53

1. Allegro ma non troppo - Quasi moderato
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYmM2trDVro

2. Adagio, ma non troppo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jlFaOXB7Ck

3. Finale (Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUAKS-j-cAk


Bruch: Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor, Op.26

1. Vorspiel (Allegro moderato)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYBkAYgh9Y0

2. Adagio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwD0QC-xHHs

3. Finale (Allegro energico)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeKELatEDVY

Cheers
Antonín Dvořák  and Max Bruch:

Notes:
"There is one rather sad difference between these marvellous concertos.  Whereas Dvořák was encouraged by his publisher Fritz Simrock to write the A minor concerto  and was decently paid for it, also receiving performance royalties, Bruch unwisely sold the G minor concerto outright to a publisher for a fixed fee.  A royalty contract would have given him a handsome pension at the end of his long life, when he was living in poverty.  As an old man, he was even cheated out of the promised sale of the manuscript score."  Tully Potter


Some things never change.

Cheers
Vlad
now listening to Vladimir Feltsman, "A Tribute to Tchaikovsky"
so wonderful
melody, yes, melody

Antonín Dvořák  

SYMPHONY NO. 9

Berlin Philharmoniker
Ferenc Fricsay
DG   1960 / 2001

Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 "From The New World"

1. Adagio - Allegro...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJL8n6HThnM

2. Largo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrCbRZV252c

3. Scherzo (Molto...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkv85G1I8es

 4. Allegro con fuoco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIRC_SFSd7k

Cheers




Antonín Dvořák 

PIANO CONCERTO

Sviatoslav Richter (piano)
Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Carlos Kleiber
EMI   1977 / 1998

Piano Concerto in G minor, Op. 33

I. Allegro agitato
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3x79Ci4qMA

II. Andante sostenuto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJKFwM7gGrI

III. Allegro con fuoco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpKZINtoBXs

Cheers



Franz Schubert

PIANO CONCERTO

Sviatoslav Richter (piano)
Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Carlos Kleiber
EMI  1963 / 1998

Fantasy, D.760 "Wanderer" in C major

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0b7gybf6-Y&t=112s

Cheers




Sir Edward Elgar

VIOLIN CONCERTO

Nigel Kennedy (violin)
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Vernon Handley
EMI  1984 / 1991

Notes: "Nigel Kennedy's interests go beyond classical music into Indian music and Jazz;  he has given concerts with Stephane Grappelli and played at the Chichester and Cork Festivals with American Jazz musicians.  Nigel Kennedy plays a Stradivari violin loaned to him through J&A Beare LTD., at the express wish of its former owner, the late Mrs Dorothy Jeffreys of Trebetherick, Cornwall."

Violin Concerto in B minor, Op. 61

I. Allegro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsxnWd8vafc

ll. Andante
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOZE7IjuLIk

III. Allegro molto - Cadenza - Allegro molto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_XreFMt0cY

Cheers
Manuel de Falla

THE THREE CORNERED HAT

Colette Boky (soprano)
Huguette Tourangeau (mezzo soprano)
Richard Hoenich (bassoon)
Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal
Charles Dutoit
Decca  1983

The Three Cornered Hat  Part 1

Introduction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxfG4X2Xru8

Afternoon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s9sdGNPd5M

Dance of the Miller's Wife
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oos034Z7CRU

The Grapes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3Uk570yyIQ

Cheers
Manuel de Falla

THE THREE CORNERED HAT

Colette Boky (soprano)
Huguette Tourangeau (mezzo soprano)
Richard Hoenich (bassoon)
Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal
Charles Dutoit
Decca 1983

The Three Cornered Hat Part 2

The Neighbor's Dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ljE_kRdok4

The Miller's Dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSmEJxfsV3A

The Corregidor's Dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHSB7XpQUVc

Final dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTjkZWYhexk

Cheers
Gabriel Fauré

PIANO QUARTETS

Emanuel Ax (piano), Issac Stern (violin)
Jaime Laredo (viola), Yo-Yo Ma (cello)
Sony Classics   1992

Notes: "Perhaps no other composer has ever been so generally ignored outside of his own country, while at the same time enjoying an unquestionably eminent reputation at home." -- Aaron Copland
"The first piano quartet is a work of almost incredible accomplishment.  The writing, especially for the piano, is completely idiomatic, and creates a kind of intensity combined with transparency that is entirely  Fauré's own.  If one of the indications of great music is that the composer has his own individual sound, certainly  Fauré's is a member of that elite ."

Quartet for Piano, Violin, Viola and Cello No.1 in C minor, Op.15

I. Allegro molto moderato
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIgG8hJPucc

II. Scherzo. Allegro vivo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2lNyiU5gBg

III. Adagio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTTCPXIis_k

IV. Allegro molto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Om9w1UkWDBw

Cheers

Thanks for posting Faure.
‘What a lovely piece!


Glad you liked it.  He, and today's posting, Franck, are sort of new to me.

Cheers
Cesar Franck

SYMPHONY IN D MINOR

Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
Lorin Maazel
DG  1961 / 1996

Symphony in D minor  (Franck's only Symphony)

1. Lento - Allegro ma non troppo - Allegro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc1YUTRT_TE

2. Allegretto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIPyrga4-To

3. Allegro non troppo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=robM0EchTbg

Cheers
George Gershwin

PREVIN CONDUCTS GERSHWIN

London Symphony Orchestra
André Previn
EMI  1981

Another disc from the dawn of CD.  From 'World Of Music', Nürnberg, Germany DM32.95    08/85

Cuban Overture
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kieoC3vQMOc

Second Rhapsody
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9sRDl42ReM

Porgy and Bess
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fSofG_-eW4

Cheers
George Gershwin

RHAPSODY IN BLUE

Boston Pops Orchestra
Arthur Fiedler
Earl Wild (piano)
RCA 1959-1961 / 2005    SACD

Rhapsody in Blue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5muXFPEMow

Cheers
George Gershwin

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

Chicago symphony Orchestra
James Levine
DG  1993

Gershwin: An American In Paris - Revised By F. Campbell-Watson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jmjL1MyLfY

Cheers
Ferde Grofé

GRAND CANYON SUITE

New York Philharmonic
Leonard Bernstein
Sony      1959 - 1964 / 1997

The Grand Canyon Suite

I. Sunrise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19-AvDRKRO4

II. The Painted Desert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BriHovmzuBw

III. On the Trail   (John Corigliano, violin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETqM3G5xvI4

IV. Sunset
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOIIlsjfGb8

V. Cloudburst
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ligECqFWi8

Cheers
From the Notes of The Grand Canyon Suite:

"In 1962 the orchestra relocated to its present home at Lincoln Center. The acoustics of Philharmonic Hall were tested during a "tuning week" in May, and the first public concert, on September 23, elicited enthusiasm from some and concern from others. By the time this recording of ’The Grand Canyon Suite’ was made the following spring, the consensus was that Philharmonic Hall was not an acoustic success. Between 1963 and 1969 three separate remodeling attempts proved ineffective and in 1976 the hall was gutted, reconfigured, and reopened as Avery Fisher Hall, thereby saluting the philanthropist who financed the overhaul. Although recording technology could obviate the hall’s original shortcomings, this reading of the Grand Canyon Suites documents a bittersweet time when the orchestra struggled to make beautiful music despite the shortcomings of its hall."
James M. Keller

Cheers
Edvard Grieg & Robert Schumann

PIANO CONCERTOS

Leif ove Andsnes (piano)
Berliner Philharmoniker
Mariss Jansons
EMI Classics  2003

Notes: "There are some legendary recordings of this pair of concertos and it's challenging to put on disc two such popular works that have been recorded so often.  But it's music of great richness and there are always new interpretative possibilities."

Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16

I. Allegro molto moderato
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo9Ke0FP-iw

II. Adagio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl2zhPOJtXk

III. Allegro moderato molto e marcato 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3xduhQs8Hw

Cheers
Edvard Grieg & Robert Schumann

PIANO CONCERTOS

Leif ove Andsnes (piano)
Berliner Philharmoniker
Mariss Jansons
EMI Classics 2003

Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54

I. Allegro affetuoso (Excerpt, Opening)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w1IlVGHrkw

II. Intermezzo (Andante grazioso)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MQcrglbEcg

III. Allegro vivace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSeoZvxBNmk

Cheers
George Frideric Handel

CONCERTI GROSSI OPUS 6

The Avison Ensemble
Pavlo Beznosiuk
Linn Records 2010 SACD

Opus 6 No. 1 in G Major, HWV 319

I. A tempo giusto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6V47O8mVaU

II. Allegro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5pfGID3lBo

III. Adagio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2_J-3n-vz8

IV. Allegro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDZxqfACnp8

V. Allegro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=739FWRJQUSQ

Cheers

Front Cover Painting:
The interior of the Rotunda, Ranelagh Gardens, c.1751
(oil on canvas) by Canaletto, (Giovanni Antonio canal) (1697-1768)
George Frideric Handel

CONCERTI GROSSI OPUS 6

The Avison Ensemble
Pavlo Beznosiuk
Linn Records 2010 SACD


Opus 6 No. 2 in F Major, HWV 320

I. Andante larghetto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC-p3blX1v8

III. Largo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwJYjmv_EZU

II. Allegro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozNs263KCZ0

IV. Allegro, ma non troppo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcakWHTcMyU

Cheers


Joseph Haydn

9 PIANO TRIOS

Beaux Arts Trio
Menahem Pressler(piano)
Isidore Cohen(violin)
Bernard Greenhouse(cello)
Universal / PentaTone  1976 / 2009    SACD

Haydn: Piano Trio in F, H.XV No.2 - 1. Allegro moderato
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssxUWqXm0lE

Haydn: Piano Trio in F, H.XV No.2 - 2. Menuetto (Allegretto)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldjuLLmbwxg

Haydn: Piano Trio in F, H.XV No.2 - 3. Finale (Adagio con variazioni)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAOdbdULZcU

Cheers
Franz Joseph Haydn - Antonio Vivaldi

CELLO CONCERTOS

Lynn Harrell (cello)
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Neville Marriner
English Chamber Orchestra
Pinchas Zukerman
EMI Records    1980-1983 / 1992-2001

Notes: "The Artists: Lynn Harrell studied at the Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute, making his debut with the New York PO at Carnegie Hall in 1961.  At the age of 18 he became a member of the Cleveland Orchestra, and from 1964 to 1971 was principal cellist there."

Haydn: Cello Concerto in D, Op. 101

I. Allegro moderato
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM_kqB_6Vis

II. Adagio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlEZmKb8fQE

III. Rondo (Allegro)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vk3eOd3skk

Cheers



Franz Joseph Haydn - Antonio Vivaldi

CELLO CONCERTOS

Lynn Harrell (cello)
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Neville Marriner
English Chamber Orchestra
Pinchas Zukerman
EMI Records   1980-1983 / 1992-2001

Notes: "The Artists: Sir Neville Marriner was music director and conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra (1978-86) and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra(1986-89).  He was made a CBE in 1979 and knighted in 1985."

"Pinchas Zukerman was music director of the St Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota (1980-87) and has also conducted or played violin in the premieres of works by Boulez, Lutoslawski and Takemitsu."

Vivaldi:  Cello Concerto in G Major, RV 413

I. Allegro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRc4JN-cRII

 II. Largo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXkfSecSKtw

III. Allegro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYShpgKZKKo

Cheers

Joseph Haydn  (1732-1809)

THE LONDON SYMPHONIES  VOL. 1

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis
Philips  1977,1978,1980,1981,1982  / 1994

Notes: "Symphony No. 95 in C minor is scored for strings and pairs of flutes, oboes, bassoons, horns, trumpets and timpani and was probably performed for the first time on 29 April 1791.  It is the only one of the London symphonies not to begin with a slow introduction, and the only one in a minor key (although this only applies to the first movement, which ends in C major, and to the minuet)."

Symphony in C minor, No. 95

1. Allegro moderato
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWGAsqXgDao

2. Andante
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdDw5FPJAY0

3. Menuetto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2tyw3gryfs

4. Finale (Vivace)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX0MAzFBtmM

Cheers

Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

THE LONDON SYMPHONIES VOL. 1

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis
Philips 1977,1978,1980,1981,1982 / 1994

Notes: "Symphony No.96 in D, scored like No. 95, was for years known, incorrectly, as "The Miracle" (see No. 102) and was possibly performed at Salomon's first concert in 1791, on 11 March."

Symphony in D, No. 96   "Miracle"

1. Adagio - Allegro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8MLzBBBL7U

2. Andante
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR4iWiwx8ro

3. Menuetto (Allegretto)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq22Z1z0XAk

4. Finale (Vivace)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbdsuZv4kCA

Cheers







Joseph Haydn

SYMPHONIES 68 & 93-104 "LONDON"

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Teldec Classics / Warner Classics and Jazz 1987-1993 / 2006
5CD Box Set

Notes: "...The last phase of the Turkish wars was two years past, but its horrors must have impressed Haydn deeply, for his choice of "Turkish" instruments was not designed to be exotic and picturesque, but rather to serve as a warning. In this sense it would be permissible to speak of an "anti-military" Symphony."

Symphony No. 100 in G major "Military"

I. Adagio - Allegro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH06_0w7K1g

II. Allegretto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSQfT_rOU30

III. Menuet (Moderato)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WewPKUTikGY

IV. Finale (Presto)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XfW42rSBok

Cheers