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.
@schubert You are so right to remind us that music did not begin with Bach. Great recommendations. As for the Elizabethan school, may I suggest the Clerkes of Oxenford for Tallis, and Byrd on glorious vinyl by L'Oiseau-Lyre.
Going back even further, there is a fabulous French Decca set of gatefold Gregorian Chant, in about 50 volumes, of which I have only half, as well as my personal favourite, Salve Feste Dies on Phillips.
Amen to the vinyl Barbirolli’s Sibelius 2 . I have the album cover in a frame on my wall .
For refined folks in other aspects of life the piece I sometimes recommend as a start is Mozart’s Symphony # 39 , very lyrical and gentle with fantastic clarinet work, as sunny as a day in May . Best one I have is Sir Charles Mackerras with the Prague Chamber Orch. Telac CD80148 ,also has Symp.#36 I buy anything Sir Mac does period .
Mozart any lover of classical should have. Sym.#38 " Prague ". one of his very best + 40 and 41. Eine Klleine Nachtmusic K. 525 Piano Concertos 9,20,21and 24. Violin Con 3+5 Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola K.364 Clarinet Quintet K.581 Clarinet Concerto K.622 Requiem in D Minor, one I like a lot is Stattskapella Dresden under Peter Schreier , both for performance and sound
My wife and my mom don't listen to classical but love Brahms sym no. 4. Carlos Kleiber's recording generates the most adrenaline. Haitink/Concertgebouw from the 70's is super duper in my book. Honorable mention goes to Bohm/Vienna.
The classical repertiore is so extensive, I think the most useful response is suggesting some mainstream and some non-mainstream works that might open doors for those unfamiliar or minimally familiar with classical . These works are not necessarily my favorites but they might work to get the novice started.
Traditional gateway works
Symphonic:
Beethoven symphonies 3,5, and 9.
Violin Concerto
Mahler symphonies 1, 4, and 9.
Strauss, Also Sprach Zarathustra
Stravinsky, Firebird and Petrushka
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
Brahms: Violin Concerto
Bruch Violin Concerto
Sibelius Violin Concerto
Chamber Music:
All Schubert Trios
Schubert string quintet in C, op163
Beethoven Moonlight, Pathetique, and
Apsionata piano sonatas
Beethoven Archduke Trio
Non traditional gateways that might
work, especially if you like driving rhythms or can tolerate some
dissonance.
Shostakovich, Cello Sonata #2
Beethoven Late String Quartets
Bartok String Quartets, especially 4,
5, and 6.
Stravinsky, Right of Spring, Duo
Concertante, and Violin Concerto
Also I recommend a book that is
probably over 40 years old, but a wonderful introduction to the basic
classical repertoire with recording recommendations:101
Masterpieces of Music and Their Composers by Martin
Bookspan
It’s so bad with the opera cliquey on "Live from the Met’ I just stopped listening to it . Opera needs to be seen anyway, it’s half theater after all. . IMO listening to opera at home is DVD time .
I agree. If there is a spontaneous reaction from the whole audience, that’s fine. But, too often, there’s one exhibitionist who just wants to to be heard.
It bothers me if one jerk does it but not if the entire audience does it . My best moments are when 5 seconds of silence follows the last note . Some pieces favor this with a great performance and other pieces the audience on the audience on their feet with same . It is what it is .
Not for nothing, but in a recorded live performance of a symphony or concerto, who is the guy who screams approval a split second after the last note is played?
Does that annoy you as much as it does me? Or am I just a curmudgeon?
Whilst scurrying around for my Christmas CD’s today I found one I totally forgot I even had .
"Christmas with Thomas Hampson " + Saint Paul Chamber Orch. under Hugh Wolff . Teldec 2 73135-2
This is a 1991 recording ,still available, that caught the young American baritone voice at it’s peak aka Mt. Everest . The SPCO plays about as well as music can be played to further his cause . Rare for "Christmas" CD’s it is pure class from the first note to the last !
A double treat if you have any German, he sings some in the tongue they were written in in perfect German . In Germany today he is considered one of the best in the Germanic rep. esp. Mahler’s songs .
newbee, you must have good taste , the Janacek by Firkusny is truly iconic. I wore one out, on my second ..Not totally wrong about O-10 either . Al., could not agree more about the Toscannini Brahms .
@newbee - my thanks. I'm not sure the entire body of Scriabin's work can be described as spare. There's a sound that I'll try and find a better example of, with fewer notes, more held notes. Appreciate the recommendations-- I abandoned classical for a long while, and this thread is helping me get back into things I haven't thought of, or listened to, in a while.
whart, I don't know exactly how to define 'spare' but I certainly do enjoy the composer's solo piano music below - it certainly is not exactly 'romantic' but it's not acerbic either, but then Scriabin's isn't either.
Prokofiev's Sonatas and, for me his other music as well if not more. I think Frederic Chiu on Harmonia Mundi is excelent, all 10 volumes.
Janacek - An Overgrown Path, Sonata, and In The Mist by Rudolf Firkusny on RCA.
Nikolai Medtner - A good cross section of a collection of small pieces by Geoffrey Tozer appear on Chando Vol #1 of 7 volumes. An audiophile approved recording can be found on a Chesky reissue of 3 larger works.
Lastly, Shostakovich. His 'Piano works' by Askenazy on Decca and/or Titiana Nikolayeva playing Three Fantaastic Dances, 24 preludes, and Piano Sonata #2, on Hyperion
Frogman, great to see that you've joined the thread! I had been hoping you would, providing us with the benefit of your formidable knowledge and background in classical music.
Regarding Schubert's good suggestion about YouTube links, here is a link to the complete Telarc recording of the Firebird Suite and the Prince Igor excerpts that has been discussed. The link is not to YouTube, but rather to Archive.org, which I think many of you will find worth exploring in connection with older recordings. (Entering a name or term of interest in the site's Search box is probably the best way to make use of it. For example entering "Toscanini" returns 205 hits to look through, including one that is particularly notable IMO which I've cited at the end of this post).
N.B: To hear the deep bass notes at the beginning of the Firebird Suite you'll probably find yourself turning the volume of your computer speakers WAY up. And likewise in the closing seconds of the "Berceuse," just before the "Finale" begins. Be sure to turn those settings WAY down for the dynamic peaks of the recording, which you'll see approaching in the graphical representation of the audio shown near the top of that page. Otherwise, both you and your computer speakers may not appreciate the consequences :-)
Also, speaking of older recordings which can be found at Archive.org, here is Toscanini's 1940 performance of Brahms' First, transcribed from 78 rpm records. This is my favorite performance of my favorite symphony, and is easily good enough to make the primitive sonics completely irrelevant, IMO.
Schubert, I have a different POV of what has made Orpheus10's thread endure. 1) His thread is as much about him as anything. He is opinionated, outspoken, and is prepared to defend his opinion. 2) He gets out in front with his opinions - he is not passive and he drives the thread. He is not easily intimidated (even when maybe he should be). 3) He creates dialog and controversy which can work well with folks who are not easily intimidated. Even then watching this dialog at its best is very entertaining, and often educational.
Well, I see the Frog has gifted us another example of the art of the link ! Hope more will . + 17 on his recommend of the Milstein and the Pittsburgh , neither ever made a bad recording .
Fact, if you brush up a bit on your history you will increase your fun with classical music a lot . All music is effected by where and when it was composed and the language of the composer .
I promised in my original post to list some favorite LPs, but, since they’re from so long ago I know they’ll be hard to find. So, just generally, I’ll recommend some Living Stereo records with Reiner on Analogue Productions. These are readily available.
Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale Prokofiev: Alexander Nevsky Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra Strauss: Death and Transfiguration (not sonically great, but wonderful rendering)
If anyone wants older recommendations, please let me know. (I still have some 3000 LP’s to go along with over 5000 CDs.)
The reason the Jazz post has gone on forever and a day is they link to You Tube on virtually every post . That makes it easier for someone to know if that's something they might want to purchase or not . Only poster who has done that on here so far is the respected Mapman . I would but have neurological problems that prevent my learning small things . It's hard to recommend specific recording knowing that one mans treasure may be another man's trash .
That said, I will anyway . Bach is so great that we tend to act as if classical started with him . Truth is that from the 11th to 15th century there were composers at his level but they wrote things we don't listen to much today, as in religious music .
My personal choice as best is Josquin Des Prez who was Luther's, no mean composer himself, favorite Two of his Masses are sung by The Tallis Scholars on Gimell label CDGIM 206, this was a" Gramophone Record of the Year Award" . To get that from the English Bible is the highest Critical Acclaim !
Claudio Monteverdi is woefully underplayed , his magnificent Vespers are on a great recording, Virgin 2x1 5 616662-2 starting the greatest singer of period music alive , Emma Kiirkby . There are many great recording of this , one on BIS has great sound .
Jean Philippe Rameau ,who wrote the book on harmony(literally ) , has a nice example of his lighter works on Naxos 8.553746. Almost anything recorded of him is good really .
Guillaume Dufay a 15th century composer of great eloquence has a fine rendition of his work on Naxos 8.553087 by the Oxford Camerata/Summerly. Not many dogs on Naxos, for sure the leading bang for the buck label .
John Dowland (1563-1626) Is surely one of the greatest writers of song in English. Sweet recording of that and his lute music on Naxos 8.553326 by Rose Consort of Viols .
Heinrich Schutz(1585-1672) died just before Bach was born .A VERY pious man who wrote only religious music, he is the equal of Bach in same . Bach admired him greatly and went to school on him as was usual in those days and which he freely admitted . A lovely performance of his Christmas Story()Weihnachtshistorie) is on Naxos 8.5535514 again with Summerly and his fine Oxford Singers .
whart, I don't know if you are asking for a recommendation of Scriabin's piano music but just in case -
You can get a set of the entire solo piano works performed by Maria Lettberg (8CD's) on the Capriccio label for chump change (unbelievable in fact, I've seen it selling for less than $30.) It's a great place to start.
Frogman, Glad you came to the party. Symphonic Dances has been one of my favorites. I really preferred Ashkenazy for years (I had his entire Rachmaninoff output in which I think he excels and still prefer his performance of Sym #1). I just found his performances more exciting than others available. Then I found Yuri Terirkanov and the St Petersberg PO on RCA. As exciting, and a better recording, I think. FWIW.
Off the beaten path perhaps, but I would suggest folks might enjoy the music of Joseph Suk. Some prime Czech music from the 'romantic' period which is very accessible. I can easily recommend Libor Pesek and the Czech PO. Start with 'Praga/A Fairy Tale' and/or 'Serenade for Strings/Under the Apple Tree. For something more advanced and not as accessible, perhaps initially, his Asrael Symphony. I equally enjoy Rafael Kubelik and the Bavarfian SO and Vladimir Ashkenazy and the Helsinki PO. (Can you imagine a Russian conductor and a Finish Orchestra playing Czech music? : -).
Speaking of Czech music, composers, and another Czech pianist, Antonin Kubalek. As with Moravec (my last post) Kubalek doesn't get near the accolades he deserves. IMHO, two recordings on Dorian of Brahms work are outstanding. He has quite a few other recordings on Dorian, mostly of Czech music which are worth exploring as well.
Now for Schubert enthusiasts, If you haven't heard them yet you should listen to Volodos play Schubert's Sonata in E maj unfinished and his Sonata in G maj 394. If you are just familar with Volodos more 'theatrical recording's, I think you might be pleasantly surprised.
I’ve found that I like a certain period of modernist piano- some of the work of Scriabin. I gather that one of the best interpreters was his son in law, Sofronitsky. The vinyl selections seem pretty bleak, originating from the old USSR. Any suggestions along these lines? I’ve just bought a CD of the Moscow 1960 performance. Any others, by Sofronitsky or of other composers who were creating a modern, spare sound in that period? One sort of stupid way I segued into this was the limited edition record of the Cloud Atlas Sextet, not the soundtrack, but a special record --a copy of a movie "prop" if you will--that was part of the film’s narrative, and produced in limited quantities. I did buy one when new, but it was badly warped. The price has since skyrocketed to ~$500 or so for a copy, and it’s not worth that to me.
Many wonderful recommendations; thanks to all. I would like to recommend the music of some less known composers and some unusual works.
A very broad historical perspective can be very rewarding and puts the music in better context, imo. The compositional evolution of the music throughout its various historical periods can be fascinating. As such, I would like to recommend a recording of the music of one of the most intriguing composers of the Renaissance period, Carlo Gesualdo. His personal life was marked by notoriety and scandal. His music was incredibly ahead of its time with the use of dissonance and chromaticism in a way that would not become commonplace for at least two hundred years. I Iove his madrigals; Book 6 in particular. Two favorite recordings:
Moving ahead almost three hundred years. One of my favorite composers, this time from the late Romantic period, Alexander Glazunov. His Violin Concerto is a favorite. Although the RCA recording by Jascha Heifetz is probably the most popular, my favorite is by the great Nathan Milstein with the Pittsburgh Symphony on EMI:
Another composer whose vocal music I really like is the Hungarian composer Zoltan Kodaly. This recording of the Girls Choir Of Budapest on Angel Records (EMI) is, as far as I know, available only on original lp, but is worth finding and copies should be available. It also includes choral works by Bela Bartok:
Speaking of Bartok. His string quartets are described by some as “difficult” music; of course, that is entirely relative. His Quartet No.3 is a good place to start for anyone unfamiliar with his unusual harmonic language. This recording by the Kasacs Qt. on Decca is excellent:
John Adams is my favorite of contemporary “Minimalist” composers. IMO, his music is in an entirely different category compared to the more well known Phillip Glass. This recording on Nonesuch Records of his chamber work “Road Movies” for violin and piano is typical Adams with emphasis on rhythmic impetus and the influence of other genres including jazz and bluegrass.
The OP mentions one my favorite works, Rachmaninov’s “Symphonic Dances”. Also one of my favorite records from the standpoint of sound. Fantastically natural timbres that remind me of the best of the Decca recordings (but a little “juicier”) which as much as one can generalize about recorded sound of different labels are my favorites. Pretty good performance overall; but, imo, kind of lackluster as far as individual solo performances are concerned; especially the woodwinds (the beautiful saxophone solo is borderline embarrassing in the intonation department). This version on Reference Recordings with Eiji Oue conducting the Minnesota Orchestra is my favorite:
Glad you both are enjoying the Telarc Stravinsky/Borodin recording. As you undoubtedly saw I mentioned having that recording in LP form earlier in the thread, although I neglected to mention that in addition to the Firebird Suite it includes the Overture and Polovetsian Dances from Borodin's Prince Igor.
The latter will sound familiar to many who are not classical music aficionados because the music of the popular song "Stranger In Paradise," originally used in the 1950s musical "Kismet," was derived from it. That song in turn having been recorded over the years by many popular artists, with Tony Bennett's version perhaps having been the most popular.
In my earlier post, also, I had cited the incredible dynamic range of the Firebird recording. The most notable example being the contrast in volume between the almost whisper-like notes in the few seconds preceding the finale, and the concluding note of the work, which I've measured as reaching nearly 105 db at my listening position while listening to the recording at average levels in the mid-70s!
Great performances and sound.
Indeed! And regarding the sound, the quality is all the more remarkable considering that it was recorded digitally in 1978!
Best regards, -- Al
P.S: Schubert & Gs5556, thanks very much for your suggestions re the Cello Quintet.
Al, well you can’t have too many of Op.163 , seems to be the Holy Grail for string players. I like the Berg/Schiff myself bit I'm not very fussy over sound as a rule . One I don’t own that I remember had good sound on the ASW label with the English Lindsay Qt. with a cello player whose name I forget . My absolute fave is the Hungarian Festetics Qt with the great Belgian player Wieland Kujiken on cello. Arcana label . Hungarian ensembles stay together forever and audiences in Budapest are a tough crowd .Only place I’ve seen in recent times where audiences are mostly young people who are crazy about classical and very knowledgeable !
I have the D956 by the
Emerson String Quartet with Mstislav Rostropovich (DG 1992). Sound quality is very good -- except the cellos are a bit forward and prominent -- and the performance is robotically flawless, with the only quibble is the adagio could use a touch more passion. I had this since it first came out and have been playing it regularly ever since.
Since we're on Schubert's chamber music: Schubert: Piano Trios Opp. 99 & 100,
Andreas Staier, Daniel Sepec & Roel Dieltiens - This is a period instrument recording and I would highly recommend it as a change of pace. Wonderful sound and an excellent performance.
The focus by Schubert and others on chamber music reminds me that a number of critics and many classical music aficionados consider the Schubert String Quintet, Op. 163, D. 956, also known as Schubert’s Cello Quintet, to be the single greatest piece of chamber music ever written. It’s certainly among the greatest IMO.
I’m also reminded that it is under-represented in my collection. I have the recording by the Alban Berg Quartet with Heinrich Schiff, from the early days of digital, and the early 1970s recording by the Juilliard String Quartet with Bernard Greenhouse. (They also recorded that work in digital form in the 1980s, when some of the membership of the Juilliard Quartet was different). Both are fine performances, but leave something to be desired sonically.
Anyone else have some recommended recordings of the Cello Quintet?
Schubert, re: Guarneri, Debussy/Ravel--there's an LP of the later edition of the Guarneri playing the Ravel only. Two movements per side. The playing and the recording are both very fine. It's called "French Album No. 1" and well worth the money and effort if you can find it.
Thanks so much for all of the recording recommendations, just fantastic. I have a lot of purchasing, discovery and listening ahead of me. I am looking forward to it with much enthusiasm and anticipation. Charles
I can believe this - I just spent half an hour posting and when I hit the post button it was lost, and guess who's sorry!
Anyway - gs5556, Re your Schubert recommendation, until I heard Mackerras and the OAE doing the 9th (and 8th) I don't think ever really appreciated it that much. I just love this version and prefer it to all others. Previously I always felt it was a bit too "Great". I felt the same way about a lot of performances of Beethoven's until I heard Harnoncourt's performances of the symphonies, just not a strongly.
Re Mahler's 7th - I like Geilen's 7th, and his others as well, however for some reason I always come back to Levine's 7th. For me his experience in the theater influenced it - it is just more dramatic, mysterious, etc.
Charles1dad, I just can't resist recommending Maria Kliegel's work. A not so well known cellist but unjustifiably IMHO. For a sample check out 'Romantic Cello Show Pieces', Virtuso Cello Encores', 'Virtuso Cello Showpieces', and Sonatas of George Onslow.
And then there is Janos Starker doing 'Romantic Cello Favorites', the music of David Popper on Delos.
And for something a bit difference check out 'Our American Roots' on Delos. Music of Gershwin, Barber, Walker and Copland. Mostly arrangements for Cello and Piano.
My contribution today is the solo piano music of Ivan Moravec. Two of his records that are just outstanding are his Beethoven Sonatas and a compilation of Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahams. This level of pianoship should not be missed by anyone who cares! He was a giant! He has a limited recorded output but these are a dozen or so more should you agree
Charles1dad 12-10-2017
I particularly like cello and piano duets and would appreciate all recommendations of this type.
Charles, cellist Janos Starker and pianist Gyorgy Sebok recorded three Bach sonatas (S. 1027, S. 1028, and S.1029, which may also be identified as being in G Major, D Major, and G Minor respectively) on the great Mercury Living Presence label many decades ago. I have it on an original LP, and I don't know if it has been released on CD or incorporated into a CD set or compilation. But if it has been, and you can find it, I guarantee you will be delighted!
charles1dad, Schubert did more piano duos than any other great composer. A 4CD set by two fine pianists . Christoph Eschenbach and Justus Frantz on Brilliant Classics 92858 from HMV originals gives you 4 hours of the best at a cheap price .ADD CD A dark horse with Evgeny Kissin and James Levine on RCA 8287669283-2 sounds good to me, A DDD recording .one CD .
A cello piece that might be interesting to a jazzman like yourself is Takemitsu's "Orion " a beautiful piece with piano pizzicatos , very modern classical piece that could be called avant jazz IMO .
For cello lovers, there’s an incredible, but pricey, set by my favorite cellist called the “Art of Maurice Gendron” on Decca. He was certainly one of the greatest cellists of the 20th century, with a tone like liquid gold. The set contains both his solo and concerto recordings. He was like none other with the possible exception of Emanuel Feurman, with whom I believe he studied.
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