Classical Music for Aficionados

People tend to drag their feet when penalty is death .

jcazador, Great list!, I saw 7 of them alive , Arrau moved me the most, but that’s just me .
The one that seems to be missing IMO is Murray Perahia .
He and Hewitt are my go-to’s on Bach .

It took them long enough.

No, they wern't  into fairy tales , just knew how the most famous man in Germany made it acceptable to say anything , anywhere , no matter how vile,  about Jews
As we are words , the road to action was made smooth .

@geoffkait,

Okay, let's not get sidetracked...
B

schubert
gdnrbob, those who don’t read German have no idea just how evil he was. Wrote more anti-semetic tirades then he did music .
German Historians who I studied with drew a straight line from Wagner to Hitler.

Gosh, those must have been the same historians who drew a straight line from Marilyn Manson to Columbine? Did they also draw a straight line from Furtwangler to Hitler? A straight line from Ozzy Osborne to the fall of the Civilized World?

kef_lover,

Master classes are fascinating.  You can get into the way a master thinks, and yes, it is impressive the way the pianists can change their interpretation on the fly.
That’s what you have to do when studying with any great teacher. Sometimes it’s a daunting task.

again, those links for argerich (without the intro)
I cannot be sure they are still live links, but they worked
for me a year ago

B9105F18519CF9B23980812B624E79AD17F534D7

8EB7D7C34B3EEE1023E9A327ED451DD632C92038

 

gdnrbob
here's an xlnt recording of Argerich and Maisky
includes sonata in A minor you mentioned
Phillips 412 230-2
You can download it free (I did) if you know how.
just google these links and you will find it:

magnet:?xt=urn:btih:B9105F18519CF9B23980812B624E79AD17F534D7

magnet:?xt=urn:btih:8EB7D7C34B3EEE1023E9A327ED451DD632C92038

oops
Re: Richter, I meant to say Shostakovich Preludes.

I listen to a lot of classical music, mostly solo, a lot of piano, with a strong preference for the more ethereal and less bombastic.
A good intro is "Great Pianists of the 20th Century", featuring most of the best.
The best pianist of my lifetime was Sviatislav Richter, and he made hundreds of recordings.  Among my favorites are the Chopin Nocturnes and the Rachmaninoff Preludes.
The greatest living pianists today are Alfred Brendel, Daniel Barenboim, and Vladimir Ashkenazy, though I suspect none are playing recitals today, but still conducting.  I suspect many of you audiophiles might appreciate Barenboim's "On My New Piano", on which he plays a piano with a little different design, inspired by his visit to and playing of one of Chopin's pianos.
Other favorites, dead or alive, old and not so young:
Emil Gilels
Vladmir Sofronitsky
Claudio Arrau
Michail Pletnev
Evgeny Kissin
Grigory Sokolov
Andras Schiff
Angela Hewitt
Aldo Cicollini
Martha Argerich

All my recording are high definition (mostly flac), downloaded free torrents off the internet.
I find recordings using several sites, and I use QBitorrent to manage the downloads to my external hard drive.  My first hard drive (4TB) is full, and the second one (5TB)
is now functioning.

@schubert ,
And, he was a total deadbeat...

rvpiano,

Thanks for checking that out. Being an accomplished pianist yourself, perhaps the master class was not as intriguing for you as it was for me. I was fascinated by the spectacle of these impressive pianists being put through their paces and baring their artistic souls for Bolet and the public. Some of his critiques must have been quite humbling for these brave musicians.
In the end, I was most impressed by their ability to reshape their interpretations on the fly in response to Bolet’s advice. It demonstrated their true technical command. I had always wondered how much of a particular pianist’s interpretation was dictated by their technique or lack thereof in a piece such as this. I came away even more impressed by them, even though Bolet clearly was operating on an entirely different level. Truly fascinating stuff for me.

kef_lover,

I watched the utube episodes.
iI was very impressed with the pianists as well.
But, you’re right, Bolet is the master.

R

gdnrbob, those who don’t read German have no idea just how evil he was. Wrote more anti-semetic tirades then he did music .
German Historians who I studied with drew a straight line from Wagner to Hitler .

I am more a piano guy. Piano concertos just seem to be my favorite combo.
As far as opera goes, I am limited to Mozart, Verdi, Puccini,and Bizet.
Wagner makes my teeth hurt- and he was such a horrible human being.
B

rvpiano:

I have:

  400 - CDs
5000 - LPs

I can therefore contribute more to a discussion on a thread about LPs than CDs. 

Check out that Nixon in China link and tell me what you think. 

I love opera , I’d have Puccini on my top ten list, with his "un bel di" aria from Butterfly
being among the greatest piece of music ever written by anyone in any genre at any time . He also had a fantastic touch with the theatrical side of opera .

Which is the reason I only watch opera at home on DVD . No shortage
of great performances on that media .

Opera , like all of classical music , has an ever shrinking audience .
I predict the last note every played live will be in Japan in 2071, I hope
it’s "Madame Butterfly " .

banyanbull, you could NOT do better than Elly Ameling ! None better,
I’ve had several people who I have played her Schubert lieder for burst into tears.Along with me .
P.S . I used to climb banyan trees .

My greatest musical shortcoming is lack of opera appreciation.  I do know and love some of the popular ones, such as The Marriage of Figaro, La Boheme, Turandot, Die Meistersinger, etc. but I really can’t say opera is a regular part of my listening regimen. I can trace it back to an early mentor and piano teacher (a well known accompanist of major performers) who put opera down as lesser music.  It had a major impact on me from which I never recovered.

unreceivedogma,

I would loved to include records to my lists. The majority of my listening is to LPs.
The reason I don’t is that most of my records are decades old and not readily available today.
However, since you mention it, I’ll start compiling a list.
(Right now, I’m listening to a wonderful sounding LP of a great performance of Ravel’s La Valse conducted by Pierre Boulez with the New York Phil.)

vindanpar,

As far as myself, I overdosed on opera before leaving home for college. My father played nothing but Italian opera on his stereo while I was growing up. I just don't crave hearing it. Orchestral, chamber and solo piano make up the bulk of my listening.

I will be able to contribute more when you start an LP thread. To the people complaining about the lack of opera recommendations, I have about 150 opera sets. I have listed two below, and an “oratorio” and a dance song cycle. Opera is not dead: these are 20th century works. The clip of the performance of the Adams opera is outstanding. 

For now, I recommend

Philip Glass - Violin concerto
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kJoClZ7JosM
Sister Marie Keyrouz - Chant Traditionnel Maronite
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FPWHi2zKBiM
Frederick Rzewski - 36 Variations on a Chilean Theme: The People United Will Never Be Defeated
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WHVFlYsVi9o
Frederick Rzewski - Coming Together (“oratorio”)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RSuuwJFw4wU
John Adams - Nixon in China (opera)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0mtMI_huRtY
Curt Weill / Bertolt Brecht - The Seven Deadly Sins of Small Time Citizens (songs for dance)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg_Iu-mxHLk
and
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9T62J1A6AkY
Robert Ashley - Celestial Excursions (opera)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FQuwQKxcOUQ

Any recording by the great Dutch soprano Elly Ameling.  The great ones make it sound so easy.  Also the wonderful American soprano Barbara Bonny.  

Interesting that there is so little posting on opera performances and recitals that it is quite indicative of the quick loss of interest in this art form over the last few decades. Is it the none existence of the greatest of singers that once upon a time would throw audiences into a frenzy or has the sound of the operatic voice somehow become exaggerated and alien for the most part to us. 

The New York City Opera is no more. Why? Met performances have plenty of empty seats. On all these pages there is only one mention of a specific opera recording and a few nods to people like Bjoerling, Tebaldi, Corelli, Baker and Hampson. But really not much.

Do most of you not like opera and not have the patience for it? Opera recordings used to be huge sellers even at a time when people could also hear phenomenal exciting live performances. The Met sat afternoon broadcasts were hugely popular across the nation for those who did not have access to great opera houses.

This has all been lost and is not coming back. You could point out exceptions and to this and that but it really no longer has any major hold on cultural life.

I get to see Imogen Copper live on Saturday , she plays a bit .

gdnrbob,

I enjoy listening to non-professionals as well. When I was in college, I seized every opportunity to hear student and faculty piano recitals that came along. There were many times when I was shocked at the quality of the playing, and it always kept me coming back for more. Even after I graduated I continued to attend these recitals for years until I finally moved out of the area.
And yes, it surely does give a greater appreciation for the world-class musicians.

Kef_lover,

Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll look it up.
Bolet was quite a pianist!

Strangely enough, even though the balance of my system has been perfect on almost all my CDs and records, there is still a predominance of the right channel in the Nocturnes.  So much so that I began to worry that the problem had returned.
But not so, it was fine on other CDs. 
It’s probably my set, but to be honest, on my system, the sound of the Nocturnes, although quite good, doesn’t quite match the best of the RCA’s such as the best  Reiners and Munches. Of course,  It has everything to do with the imbalance I’m hearing.  Without that imbalance, it seems to be a superior sounding CD.
 

rvpiano,

I also wanted to ask if you've seen the videos of "Bolet Encounters Rachmaninoff"? It's basically a master class by Bolet on the Rach 3 with 6 very accomplished pianists, one of whom is Barry Douglass. It originally aired on PBS probably 25 or more years ago. I've always thought that this was the best program I've ever seen about classical music. It actually got to the issue of interpretation and the decisions that are, or should be, before the musicians.
Aside from Bolet's many thoughtful critiques and insights, I've always marvelled at the contrast between his playing of some of the passages and the same passage as played by one of his students. While initially I may have been impressed by the apparent virtuosity of the student, it became apparent almost immediately that the music seemed to be literally pouring out of Bolet's hands when he played. The focus no longer became virtuosity or technique, at least not as I had thought of it up to that time. For me it was a fascinating program. If you haven't seen it, you can look it up on YouTube. Given your background, I'd be very interested in your impressions. Thanks.

I find I enjoy listening to students, and non professional musicians.
Even though it may not be up to Horowitz standard, it is still interesting.
I also hear what the composer was trying to convey, and make me appreciate the music all the more.
It also gives me greater appreciation for the talent that Horowitz (or any professional musician) offers.
B

rvpiano, 

Yes, there is much to be said for the magical experience of having the notes under one's fingers. Kind of like walking on holy ground. Over a period of time though, my lack of ability overshadowed the experience and ultimately left me feeling overwhelmed.

As far as the Nocturnes, is there still an issue with the balance? As far as sound quality, how do you feel it stacks up against other RCAs from the period?

kef-lover,

I couldn’t agree with you more.
First of all, I can tell you from my years of experience teaching, it’s just about all but impossible for even the most intelligent and musical adult to take up the piano and be able to fluently play it.  You are to be congratulated for trying such a difficult task.  And yes, even if you get the notes, the mastery needed for extracting the music is daunting.
It can be a very frustrating experience, but if you enjoy it, it’s worth the effort just to see how the music works.

kef-lover,

i hear much much more in the recording now than I heard before.
my opinion still is that it is gorgeous .

rvpiano,

I just reread an earlier post in which you describe the differences between those whose focus was listening vs. playing music, specifically piano music. I listened for many years before taking piano lessons. It took me about 5 years of lessons and intense practice as an adult to convince myself that I'd NEVER be able to produce from a piano what I was hearing in my head. Even the "easy" pieces were far beyond my ability to recreate them as I wished, and only served to demonstrate that there really are no easy pieces. They may be easy to hit all the notes, but to extract the music that lies within is another matter altogether. Humbling.

To me, that Nocturnes recording is one of the few most neglected recordings from Golden era RCA. It never received a Classic Records or similar audiophile reissue on LP. Same for the West Side Story and Porgy and Bess Suites with Bennett conducting, and the Wagner Munch on RCA Victrola.

rvpiano,

Please try the Nocturnes with Monteux again now that you have your preferred system back up and running. I'd like to get your opinion.

Without the craziness of HiFi-mania, I generally get more consistently involved in the MUSIC with the car radio than with my set.  Oh well........

And yes, there was that girl ..................

I'll tell my deepest dark secret, I often gets as excited in my car over
music with speakers that cost Nissan a cool 10 bucks for the four of
them as I do with my system .

Well, there was that girl in Baltimore .............................

Schubert,

I’m sorry I gave up stamp collecting as well.
My system has given me, by turns, agony and ecstasy.
Sometimes within the same day!

I think TT is one of those conductors, like Stokowski, who takes a hand in the final product of a recording — spends some time in the control room.  I’ve found that many of his recordings sound very natural.
Stokowski would do all sorts of weird things (like boosting the bass) that might not sound natural, but sounded very good nonetheless.

I have an old DG recording of the Tchaikovsky 1st symphony with the BSO which I think is one of the finest Tilson Thomas recordings. I recall he did some weird quadrophonic recording of Gershwin.

The Gershwin recording, perhaps

Agree to what, tzh21y ?

I agree.  The early Tilson Thomas recording is spectacular and a great performance as well

Not an easy hobby , sometimes I think I should have stuck with stamps .

Well, I finally (hopefully) got my NuForce amps back from repair and my system seems to be in balance again.
What an ordeal!!!

Oh yes. I had forgotten that , I remember I had quite a few Ricci back in the
day. I know I had a Sarasate or two but can’t remember the music so will be new to me . Can’t wait .

I ordered the whole Naxos box , they have done so much for Classical Music I try to buy from them If possible .


I also ordered a Sarasate from my beloved Julia Fisher as well to see if I’m hallucinating . I know he is a favorite of hers.
.

No need to pay me back.  
If I had a dollar for every dud I bought, I’d have enough for a new system!
Not that I expect her to be a dud.  You have excellent taste.

I love Sarasate’s violin pieces. Years ago, I had an LP of Ruggiero Ricci playing many of them with his teacher Louis Persinger at the piano.
Very attractive repertoire.

Thanks , rvp., If you aren’t taken with her I’ll buy them off you for what you paid + shipping . Was about to order them myself .

I've been sitting here trying to think of someone who mesh's technique with  just the right tone, tempo,and volume etc that the music at hands requires and closest I can think of is Julia Fisher . But to my hears she is even better ,(gulp) .

I just checked Tianwa out on Amazon.  She has quite a discography on Naxos.
At your urging, I ordered her Sarasate set.