Just discovered Rachmaninoff and need some direction...

Tyson · « **Reply #20 on:** 15 Jan 2005, 03:54 pm »

Which type of classical do you prefer, baroque (Bach, Scarlatti, Handel), Classical (Haydn, Mozart), Romantic (Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Mahler), Post-Romantic (Stravinsky, Bartok, Shostakovich), or Modern (Adams, Crumb, Schnittke)? Or are you looking for more of an overview from all periods?

mcgsxr · « **Reply #21 on:** 15 Jan 2005, 04:36 pm »

I do like some Baroque music, but spent about 12 years playing it in orchestras, so I tend not to have tons of it in my collection.

I will check out the R man though, and some of the other stuff listed.

Great post!

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #22 on:** 15 Jan 2005, 04:59 pm »

Quote from: Tyson

Which type of classical do you prefer, baroque (Bach, Scarlatti, Handel), Classical (Haydn, Mozart), Romantic (Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Mahler), Post-Romantic (Stravinsky, Bartok, Shostakovich), or Modern (Adams, Crumb, Schnittke)? Or are you looking for more of an overview from all periods?

Tyson, A few fav's from each period would be nice. For myself and others. This way we can take advantage of the Tower sale this weekend. Thanks !!!

corwin99 · « **Reply #23 on:** 15 Jan 2005, 06:01 pm »

I'm glad i'm not alone in being a Bach fan

The solo Piano works of Romantic era are among my favourites, mostly because that is what i played a lot of when i was younger, and it brings back memories. I still like the pretentious grandeur of the classical era Symphonies, however

For solo piano favourites i would recommend the Chopin Polonaises.. well all of Chopin's stuff actually, but the polonaises are a good place to start.. Bach's Goldberg Variations.. Rachmaninov's Preludes...

Tyson · « **Reply #24 on:** 15 Jan 2005, 11:08 pm »

Here are some good buys, I focused on inexpensive box sets as they tend to offer great value even without the sale, and they are a great way to get a lot of music for very little money. I also focused more on the mainstream repertoire. Enjoy!!

Tchaikovsky 4 through 6 Symphonies - Mravinsky conducting

Bach Solo Cello Suites - Fourneir playing

Vivaldi 4 seasons & other Concerto's

Bach - Brandenbug Concerto's and Violin Concerto's

Bach - Solo Violin - Milstein playing

Bartok String Quartets - Takacs playing

Beethoven Piano Concertos- performed by Fleisher

Beethoven Symphonies- conducted by Szell

Beethoven Middle Quartets - performed by Emerson Quartet

Brahms Trio's - performed by Florestan Trio

Brahms Piano Conceros - Performed by Gilels

Bruckner Symphonies - Conducted by Jochum

Chopin solo piano - Performed by Pollini

Debussy & Ravel Orchestral Music - conducted by Martinon

Debussy Solo Piano Music - performed by Fergus-Thomson

Dvorak- Symphonies 7 through 9 - Conducted by Kubelik

Dvorak - Cello Concerto - performed by Fournier

Haydn - Middle Symphonies - Conducted by Adam Fischer

Haydn - "Paris" symphonies - conducted by Dorati

Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsodies - performed by Cziffra

Mahler - 9 Symphonies - conducted by Bernstein

Mozart Piano Concerto's - performed by Brendel

Mozart Symphonies - conducted by Menuhin

Mozart horn, clarenite, flute, etc. Concerto's - performed by Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

Prokofiev Piano Concertos - Performed by Ashkenazy

Prokofiev Violin Concertos - performed by Oistrakh

Richard Straus - various orchestral music - conducted by Solti

Ravel Orchestral music - conducted by Dutoit

Saint Saens - Piano Concertos - Performed by Roge

Schnittke - String Quartets - performed by the Kronos Quartet

Schubert - Piano and String Trios - performed by Beaux Arts Trio

Schubert - Impromptus - performed by Brendel

Schubert - last 4 String Quartets - performed by the Quartetto Italiano

Schumann Symphonies - conducted by Sawallisch

Scriabin - Piano Sonatas - performed by Roberto Szidon

Shostakovich String Quartets - performed by Borodin Quartet

Shostakovich Symphonies - conducted by Barshai

Shostakovich - Cello Concertos - performed by Kleigel

Sibelius - Symphonies 1,2,4,5 - conducted by Davis

Sibelius - Symphonies 3, 6, 7 & Violin Concerto - Conducted by Davis

Stravinsky - Rite of Spring & other Orchestral - conducted by Tilson Thomas

Rachmaninov - Piano Concertos - performed by Ashkenazy

Vaughan Williams - Symphonies - conducted by Haitink

Walton - Symphonies and Concertos - conducted by Previn

birdwizard · « **Reply #25 on:** 15 Jan 2005, 11:55 pm »

Awesome!

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #26 on:** 16 Jan 2005, 06:32 am »

Thank you Tyson for all the work you did on this classical list.....GREAT !!!

I'll head back tomorrow and check for the selections you posted....as well as checking out a few Naxos cds. Can't beat the price....six bucks a cd (Naxos)!!! Spotted this thread at Audiogon.......

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?rmusi&1012420599&openusid&zzSdcampbell&4&5 ..... I've got a few already, but always room for more.

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lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #27 on:** 16 Jan 2005, 08:01 am »

I mentioned Naxos in the above post. Found an old post by Tyson concerning Naxos recordings....

Quote

Naxos, oh yes, there are a few and since Naxos tend to only have a single recording of each work, I can just list the works:

JS Bach:

Piano Concerto's
Well Tempered Clavier books 1 and 2
Violin (and Harpsichord) sonata's

Chopin - most of Biret's performances are good.

Bruckner - Tintner rules! His performances are the best I've heard, period.

The Liszt solo piano series is very good (multiple different pianists, they are all quite good).

Schubert Piano Trio's

Verdi - Requiem

Feeney - Dracula

Shostakovich - String Quartets and Cello Concerto's

I'm sure I'm forgetting some, but that's most of the good ones I have.

Now, there are also some to avoid, IMO.

DO NOT BUY:

Beethoven or Brahms symphonies or any of the Concerto's

Mozart Piano Concerto's

Mahler Symphonies

Tchaikovsky or Rachmaninov Symphonies or Concertos

Schubert - Piano Sonata's

Shostakovich - Symphonies

All of this is just my humble opinon, of course
_________________
Music is nothing more than wiggling air molecules decorating time.

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CSMR · « **Reply #28 on:** 16 Jan 2005, 03:04 pm »

If you're getting the Well Tempered Klavier, Naxos has Fisher's great recording, but EMI's transfer is said to be better (I haven't heard the Naxos). They have an excellent transfer of the Casals Bach Cello Suites, which I would recommend before the Fournier. Mravinsky's Tchaikovsky, Milstein's Sonatas & Partitas, Brendel's Mozart, and the Borodins' Shostakovich are all seconded.

Tyson · « **Reply #29 on:** 16 Jan 2005, 04:09 pm »

Gotta disagree w/the Casals rec. IMO he is quite ponderous, and loses the dance element of the music. Fournier is lighter, but still deeply felt. We all owe Casals a great debt for bringing these pieces in to the standard repertoir, but his are not the best performances. All IMO, of course

Rich Carlson · « **Reply #30 on:** 16 Jan 2005, 07:10 pm »

Quote from: corwin99

*wonders if he's the only one here that likes Baroque music*

Nope -- Bach for breakfast a couple of times a week in this house

Randy · « **Reply #31 on:** 17 Jan 2005, 03:52 am »

Guys,
You owe it to yourselves to get two Hyperion CDs that feature the piano music of Nikolai Kapustin. Incredible, fantastic music, and unbelievable performances.

While I'm at it, also on Hyperion, any or all of the Bach CDs of Angela Hewitt. Fabulous.

corwin99 · « **Reply #32 on:** 17 Jan 2005, 06:14 am »

Quote from: Randy

While I'm at it, also on Hyperion, any or all of the Bach CDs of Angela Hewitt. Fabulous.

Agreed. Those Hewitt recordings on Hyperion are Amazing. If you have SACD, i would recommend the SACD versions even more so.

I like bach for breakfast, lunch, dinner.. sometimes midnight snack too..

i also like Vivaldi.. ever since i started using the 3rd movement of "Summer" on the Carmignola/Marcon recording to test the 'attack' of speakers i was auditioning i have grown so familiar with the peice that i like it even more.. unlike pop music.

birdwizard · « **Reply #33 on:** 22 Jan 2005, 06:53 pm »

So, I've discovered something so silly and simple:

I dug around in my CD collection and pulled out various classical samplers, an Isaac Stern Beethoven performance, Ravel, Debussy and some other stuff that I bought years ago but never really liked.

I'm now enjoying a lot of it! I've noticed I'm hearing details deeper in the music and getting a sense of the space and grandeur in the orchestra that I could never connect with before. In addition, piano and violin in particular have more richness and harmonic presence than I've heard in the past.

And then I realized- my new (3 months old) speakers are largely responsible for my new enjoyment of classical. The power of detail and realness, now I understand
the value of classical music in evaluating speaker performance.

I just put in Willie Nelson Stardust last night- same thing. His voice is so pure and velvety like never before. Either its my speakers or someone put acid in my coffee

Thanks for all of the suggestions everybody. I have a few things on the way from Tower and a few more from the Sony online SACD promotion.
I can't wait.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #34 on:** 22 Jan 2005, 07:13 pm »

And...thank you again Tyson for that Tower and Naxos list.... right on target ...

!!!

Randy · « **Reply #35 on:** 22 Jan 2005, 10:43 pm »

I'm now enjoying a lot of it! I've noticed I'm hearing details deeper in the music and getting a sense of the space and grandeur in the orchestra that I could never connect with before. In addition, piano and violin in particular have more richness and ...[/quote]

Boys, you remind me of the time I got my first so-called high-end speakers. After listening to Sansui speakers (carried on my back to my hootch in Viet Nam from the Freedom Hill PX in 100 degree heat) for 14 years, I obtained a pair of Magnepans from a now-defunct store in Casper. I had grown up listening to classical, rock, etc., and had acquired a taste for jazz in college (Charlie Parker and Coltrane in particular) but after settling in with those speakers I found that listening to any music other than classical was a monumental waste of time. Yes, better sound leads you to better music. Not trying to be a snob, I hope, but I can't fathom hi fi reviewers in the mags who audition and then write reviews on equipment using pop and rock music. Besides being highly processed recordings, most of it is mind numbing, boring, and with no intrinsic value.

Tyson · « **Reply #36 on:** 23 Jan 2005, 01:28 am »

lonewolfny42,
So what did ya get? I'm curious to know your thoughs on the stuff you got. Looks like you got the vivaldi box set on Virgin, with Hugget? I remember the first time I heard that set it was quite an ear-opener to hear vivaldi played with panach and vigor, instead of the smoothed-over-and-prettified crappy performances one usually hears.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #37 on:** 23 Jan 2005, 03:24 am »

Quote from: Tyson

lonewolfny42,
So what did ya get? I'm curious .....

Randy · « **Reply #38 on:** 23 Jan 2005, 04:41 am »

You might like the symphonies of George Loyd on Albany. My favoite warhorse is Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings, you'd love it. For some more modern fare, try symphonies of Holmboe and Tubin on BIS, and those of Robert Simpson on Hyperion. Also, the Saga Symphony of Liefs on BIS, and the gorgeous symphonies of Atterberg on cpo. If you get into classical vocal try the late Haydn masses on Chandos, masterworks all, and the songs of Schubert, Schuman, Brahms, Strauss, and Wolf preferably sung by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Not sure if Tyson mentioned Mahler, but there's ten great symphonies to get to know right there, not to mention varioius other vocal works also best sung by Fischer-Dieskau or Christa Ludwig or Janet Baker. For the Mahler symphonies your best bet are the Ricardo Chailly versions if you can find them. And don't fail to pick up the three Elgar symphonies and the cello concerto played by Du Pre. Mozart piano concertos, etc.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #39 on:** 23 Jan 2005, 04:50 am »

Randy, I've got a few of the Mahler Symphonies....and Elgar is covered (one of my fav's...as is Holst). I'll look into your other picks....thanks for the info !!!!