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.


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As for Yuya Wang I really think like RV she could some day be one of the greats but I do wish they would stop sexualising these young female pianists and fiddlers as it really annoys me . You would like to think that these girls would be able to compete in the arena without resorting to that but we live now in modern times and their press agents jump on every opportunity to get them to wear the tightest things possible, it just really bugs me. Rant over !!!!
agree with you Jim
and i will take it a step further and say i resent all the distractions that are so common, including the histrionics of the performers themselves
Sv. Richter once said he preferred simple lighting, eg, a couple candles,because he did not want the audience distracted from the music by his personality
I saw Yuja Wang at Geffen Hall last winter, filling in for Pollini, who called in sick. She is an amazing technician. I have to say, she is definitely selling the outfits, the bravura showmanship, and the extra-low yoga bow at the end. I think that’s just her.

She played two encores after the Schumman - before intermission!.  Including this one:

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

And she wore a red dress with a similarly risque back-cut.
Ahofer,

I agree with you.  I think all that Jazz is just her.
She is at the point that she no longer needs promotion.
Fascinating thread, too much to recommend from my side. To avoid taking too much space, I'll stick to a few Mahler & Brahms "specials" going by performance, not sound quality *which is not always bad!)Mahler symphonies 1-8: Tennstedt, LPO, Live (the live is better) -- (EMI and other labels); also Tennstedt live with NYPO, from 1980.Mahler-5: Barbirolli, NPO, emi; Mahler-9 Barbirolli, Berlin SO, (Warner Classics)Mahler - Klemperer: 2, Philarmonia (EMI) // 4 Bavarian RSO (EMI)Mahler - 8 : Horenstein, LSO, (BBC)Mahler-9 : L Bernstein, Berlin SO, live (DG)
Regards