Ahhh,thats KEF .
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.
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.
3,872 responses Add your response
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Re recent comments about the minimalist movement (Glass), evolution in music…..and television. If one gives any credence to the notion that any art form’s relevance can be judged (some would say should be) by how well it portrays the time of its creation, the question of greatness is put in a context where it becomes, if not irrelevant, pointless to compare to geniuses like Mozart and Bach; greatness, the likes of which we will probably never see again. While I’m generally not a fan of this type of relativism, it is certainly true that evolution does not necessarily mean “better”. However, in this context it is also true that it doesn’t necessarily have a to mean “worse”. Came across this interesting Belgian chamber ensemble that I think is a pretty good example of minimalism meeting today’s genre-crossing and globalist attitude: https://youtu.be/NSIFpi4fBQc https://youtu.be/mJzrFbdthyg |
I think we live in an era where listening music is no more only a "cultural" activity, but also no more only a religious activity either... It is more nowadays a conscious spiritual activity ...With all the reproducing technology, music is no more confined to be a social or familial event only.... We are listening nowadays not the sound only, but the effect of the sound traveling through our body to our heart and from our heart to our "seeing"....This fact is reflected in the musicians playings and the listeners alike... We listen not the music style so much sometimes than the effect of the music on our own Body/heart/brain...These are 2 different complementary way to listen... One is a cultural and a nostalgia habit, the other is a search of meaning more than a leisure... Minimalism, dodecaphonism, gong and hymalayan bowls, or any "new sounds world" attract us now...They are the signs and symptoms of the new "aperspectival integral era" in musical history for the philosopher Jean Gebser... Music is emotion yes, but also a " new meaning" we can "see" for the first time in history and which can push us toward a new kind of emotion or a new level of emotion... It is a good thing sometimes to forget our own taste and go at risk....Muting the crocodile so to speak.... At the end music is an initiatic mystery....An introduction to the invisible cosmos seen through the internal eye : the ears... Personally i discovered music with Bach very young...After that at mid-life with Scriabin and Bruckner and Mahler....They changed my way of "seeing" music... In the last 20 years i discovered that all written music and unwritten one is played by musicians... I listen musicians now more than music.... 😊 Then i can listen any genres or styles, because i listen more the musician effect on me than the music he choose to play.... Music is like some plants at the origin of many religious experience a way to open our consciousness...And music is more subtle in his action than LSD or psylocibyn but no less potent on a life long period.... This is the reason why music is also a fundamental social and cultural,spiritual and therapeutical need and a "drug" only music can give for the best or for the worst... Music is like an economical "spatial ship" to explore the stars or our own metabolism ...Nothing less for me.... |
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I consider myself a Christian, with no church affiliation though... I like choral religious music a lot...On par with Bach.... 😊 For me Josquin Des Prez is a musical god, and Tallis and Obrecht ,Gesualdo and too many others to be named... Between Hildegard of Bingen and Bach the number of musical known geniuses COMPOSERS by me exceed the number of geniuses composers i know of in the period beginning AFTER Bach till our day ... And sometimes so good a modern genius is , it does not move me like an old one....Glass whom i like a lot is not a genius on the level of Schutz or Vittoria or Schubert or Bruckner...This is clear...But it is also clear how Glass inherited from the growing seeds of these master in him....His music make sense in this history not out of it....I will place Glass with Villa-Lobos for example and others great modern masters...Neither walk in the shoes of the past giants but they are admirable and original pupils at least and own a merit which is related to compositional and fusional techniques which are relatively new in their scope.... It is perhaps the opposite for the number of great musicians compared to composers in this century, i feel there is more geniuses playing musicians now more than ever.... Demographic? Technological succeess of music diffusion and reproduction? With the communicating interpenetrating cultures now , written music has receded in favor of improvisationnal playing and fusion....jazz was the begininng of the modern era for me.... A great % of my music collection is more improvised music than european written one....Some tanbur master may rival Bach on his own ground....Ostad Elahi for example.... And also astute observation of history has proven that the instinct toward the "sacred" when no more satisfied by genuine traditional religions oriente itself towards cults, uncontrolled irrational fears and idolatry and sometimes worst : new abominations and unrecognized and hidden "religious movement" like transhumanism.... Good point schubert.... Thanks |
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Canadian Military: I am sure the troops are just fine, however they do have a serious and I mean serious problem with the senior officer corps. The last three Canadian equivalents of our Chairman of the Joint Chiefs have been relieved of command for sexual misconduct. Three in a row! These are their highest ranking officers in uniform. Their special ops Chief was also relieved for sexual misconduct. One Admiral has been accused of RAPE by a fellow female officer. All of this in the past few years / months. A few years ago, a full Colonel, their best and brightest Air Force Officer, he flew the Queen around Canada during her visit, was commander of their largest Airbase, was convicted of two murders of young women, one a female airman under his command. He also burgled many houses and took selfies of himself while wearing the underwear of the women of the houses. They do have an anti-military socialist government and it shows. But, when you have a border with a friendly superpower, you tend to get sloppy. Cheers |
my gut still says Putin is more dangerous than ping-pong .Belarus is his test .I don't think either one is a military threat to the U.S. We are in a class by ourselves when it comes to military power and the ability to project that power. I think Putin wants influence in the world and a buffer between Russia and NATO in Europe. He is also a master at sowing discord within Europe and to a lesser degree in NATO. He has a talent for seeing the weak links. He even tested the U.S. in Syria but 2 or 3 hundred Russians were missing from morning formation the next day. Ping-Pong is more of a economic threat. They too want more global influence. But, we could always stop buying their stuff and educating their elites. Geography works against them. Few friends and bases outside of the country. And last, but not surely not least, we have the 1st Cavalry, and they don't. :) Cheers |
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The singing is great of course, but listen to the strings! I have never heard it played like this before. Like an old 3D movie, it just jumps out at you. Love it. Handel - Messiah (Stephen Layton) stroll down and click on part 2 -- at 1:33:01 why do the nations so furiously rage together? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXjYsBZTBTA&t=5746s Cheers |
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@schubert Len, I see your favourite Orchestra and Conductor ( Vanska ) won the Gramophone Orchestra and condutor of the year. Well done!!! Take care friend , Jim. |
This is indeed uplifting like many other sublime rythmical works from New world composers in 18 centuries Spanish and Portuguese americas...
This version is top....And especially moving... I will search for it.... Thanks very much and my deepest respects...
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Well , as I said , Jim . The Minnesota was always good but Vanska made it world -class . VERY unusal for the Classical Bible to give 5 Stars to any US band not on a coast !!! Vansa is going to Seoul next year , I would say it has about 50 times as much cash as Twin Cities an to boot he is taking our 1st violnist with him , but considering he married her , not much we can do .
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P. S . Reading the semi-story of you life you put on shows me, but one thing . You are Scotland and You are Brave ! And a true son of Babby . Ah dinnae ken if I could do what you have .
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Does anyone know any interesting concert venues in upstate NY around Albany NY area? I am aware of SPAC in saratoga where philadelphia orchestra plays one week every august. I’m looking for smaller music halls in the area that host world class soloists. Is there such a place within 100 miles of albany NY? |
Ya , NYC . In Troy on top of a Bank is a small hall that has FANTASTIC sound and World Class recordings are made there , Long time since I’ve been there but guess a few jet-setters do play there. Actually the Albany orchestra it self is worth listening to if not world class . 2 of the rich colleges about 1/2 way down the Hudson, Bard and Vassar, have very good music concerts . |
- Claude DEBUSSY, Suite bergamasque, Zoltán Kocsis (piano) - discogs. Magnificent interpretation, very good recording.
INTERPRETATION: 🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼 SOUND: 🎼🎼🎼🎼
-Steve REICH, Music for 18 Musicians, ensemble Signal - discogs - Superb interpretation (awarded in French magazine Diapason), outstanding recording.
INTERPRETATION: 🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼 SOUND: 🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼 |
Just finished listening to an Idagio stream of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Pittsburgh Symphony conducted by William Steinberg. Recorded who knows when, sometime in the 1950s or early 1960s. Anyway, a compelling, full-blooded performance that satisfies on all levels.
Interestingly, it seems the producers/engineers had to move their mike positioning for the fourth movement to make room for the chorus and vocal soloists. Sound quality took an unmistakable hit. What was previously spacious and lovely was now a bit flat and buzzy. Dynamics went south, as well. Still, a performance eminently worth visiting. |
"political/historic subjects are a turn off" "good bye"
If it "turns you off" sitting in the comfort of your home listing to your million dollar stereo system, try to imagine what it was for the kidnapped children undergoing sexual abuse and torture. I bet they thought it was a real 'turn off' also. Good Bye and Good Riddance. |
What a discovery for me, and thank you. I have one album from Messiaen that I never could approach since it was contemporary (I'm more a fan of classical(-baroque/+romantic)). But this piece is phenomenal for what it conveys from its backstory. You can sense the sadness, despair, and fear of death underneath - but what’s up front is the hope and devotion to faith, which underlines all of human nature. Thanks again - I’m looking for another album now... |
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