If you can find it in good condition and for a price you are willing to pay, I would recommend the 1978 Sheffield Lab direct-to-disk recording of Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet," Erich Leinsdorf conducting the LA Philharmonic. It is also available, btw, on a Sheffield Lab cd (readily available from Acoustic Sounds and others). The string sound is a bit too bright, but otherwise one of the ultimate examples of well recorded "big dynamic sound." No one will ever fall asleep listening to this recording!
Regards,
-- Al |
Look for London Stereo Treasury Lps with an orange label. These tend to be excellent pressings, but are not expensive on the used market (at least for now). |
The Firebird Siute/Lt Kije:Mercury
Rapsodies/Stokowski
Solo cello suites/Starker/Mercury
Maybe a copy of Witches' Brew and a Decca/London or two. |
The recommendations you say you already received are all good, as are the suggestions offered in the relies above. I definitely second the "Royal Ballet Gala Performances" set. I would also add:
The Power of the Orchestra, recent 45 rpm reissue of RCA VICS 2659 from Analogue Productions (includes Mussorgsky's "Night on Bare Mountain" and "Pictures at an Exhibition" in different orchestrations that one usually hears; an incredibly powerful orchestral recording)
The Reiner Sound, RCA LSC 2183 (particularly in the 45 rpm resissue from Classic Records) (includes a dynamic performance of Ravel's Rapsodie Espagnole)
Vieuxtemp's Violin Concerto No. 5, with Heifitz on RCA LSC 2603 (another excellent 45 rpm reissue from Classic Records)
Prokofiev's Scythian Suite on Mercury |
The Prokofiev Romeo and Julliet to get is the Maazel/Cleveland Orch recording on London or Decca. It was on The Absolute Sound's preferred list for sound and performance. I just love it. How about opera? The Bernstein "Carman" is wonderfully recorded and performed. ..and lets not forget the London/Decca "Ring". The first opera (I know, it's a "Music Drama" not an opera) is Das Reingold. Your neighbors will call you wondering if your house is still standing at the "Rainbow Bridge" section. |
The following titles from Speakers Corner Decca re-issues. All have superb sound and performances and none of them will put you to sleep.
Fruhbeck De Burgos - Albeniz: Suite Espanola
Georg Solti - Stravinsky: Le Sacre Du Printemps/ The Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Zubin Mehta & the Los Angeles Philharmonic - Holst: The Planets
Oivin Fjeldstad - Grieg: Peer Gynt
Ernest Ansermet - de Falla: The Three-Cornered Hat
Lorin Maazel - Respighi: Roman Festivals/ Pines of Rome
Ernest Ansermet - Stravinsky: Petrushka Complete Ballet
Pierino Gamba - Bizet-Sarasate: Carmen Fantaisie Op.25/ Ruggiero Ricci, violin
Ernest Ansermet - Rimsky-Korsakov: The Tale Of Tsar Saltan
Ataulfo Argenta - Espana!
This Mercury re-issue from Speakers Corner is also quite stunning.
Antal Dorati - Bartok: Dance Suite
Here are some RCA Living Stereo Classic Records re-issues that blow doors.
Alexander Gibson - Gounod: Faust Ballet Music/ Bizet: Carmen
Pierre Monteux - Sibelius: Symphony No. 2
These Classic Everest re-issues are of the best sound and performance. No sleeping when these are played.
Sir Eugene Goossens - Antill: Corroboree/ Ginastera: Panambi
Sir Eugene Goossens - Villa Lobos: The Little Train of the Caipira
This Classic Records Mercury re-issue is top flight in everyway and has stunning sound and dynamaics. One of the very best.
Paul Paray - Ravel: Rapsodie Espagnole/ Ibert: Escales |
thanks for the list guys! keep it coming!! |
Al, I just bought a copy of that Romeo and Juliet, and am looking forward to getting a chance to give it a listen - perhaps tomorrow! |
Learsfool -- Enjoy!
I've calculated, btw, based on the assumption that this recording brings my amp close to the clipping point (and I'm pretty certain it does) that it produces peaks of about 103db at my listening position (or 113db at 1 meter)!
Which is nevertheless considerably less than the peak volume I once experienced during a live performance of the same work, by the BSO, while seated in the very front row at Tanglewood!
BTW, I would not particularly recommend this recording to anyone whose system has an accentuated treble, because of the bright string sound I mentioned in my previous post.
Best regards,
-- Al |
Any more suggestions.
Trio, appreciate how you organized your choices. Makes it easier to hunt in acoustic sounds website. |
Buy a few of the ones recommended above, listen, and tell us what you like. Then we can offer more suggestions in line with what you've liked. Any more suggestions. |
Dvorak Symphony #9, Chicago Symphony with Carlo Maria Giulini on Deutsche Grammophon is a great recording. |
Try gemm,com You may find many of these recordings at fair prices.The re-issues vary.My preference falls toward the "originals",when possible.YMMV. |
Other than acoustic sounds, musicdirect and audiophileusa, any other place were we can buy these LPs cheaper ?
thank you for the inputs |
Elusivedisc.com is another excellent resource. But all will price the in print reissues similarly. One can watch for specials (sales) which are offered from time to time. . |
