My Essential Classical Albums.

[sphinxsix]

It took me quite by slow, gradual suprise if I may say so - I've been listening to classical music more and more in recent years. The same process that led me to jazz years ago took place - I simply got bored with limitations of rock and other genres and (probably the best way to describe it would be to say that) I felt an urge to 'expand'. I still listen to rock, jazz, blues, world music and other stuff (and I'm pretty sure I will in the future) but my focus definitely seems to shift to classical. I've collected a couple of hundreds of classical albums (most of them in hi-res - I'm a believer) seeking advice mainly on forums like talkclassical, classicalforums etc (happened before registering on CA) but I'm pretty sure there are still many great recordings I haven't discovered yet. And I know there are many people here on CA who are deeply into classical. I think that thread like this could be on one hand a kind of guide for people like me who don't consider themselves experts (I don't read about music nowadays as much as I used to - I simply prefer to listen to it, it probably can be called laziness) and on the other I believe it could be of some use to the ones who have deep knowledge of the genre too.

 

Please post any number of albums you personally consider essential, the ones without which in your opinion no classical albums collection can be called 'complete' or 'satisfying', the ones you can't imagine your own collection without, the recordings you'd wholeheartedly recommend to anyone interested in the genre - your real desert island albums - from any period you like - starting from early music and ending with contemporary composers. Don't hesitate to post albums that have already been mentioned by  somebody else as this can be an important signal and even stronger cofirmation that the recording is an important one.

 

Additional comments on performance and sound quality are welcome!

Derailing the thread in order to go into any specific details is welcome too!

Every post is appreciated!

 

And yes, I know for some choosing just 5, 10 or even 20 most essential albums may seem virtually impossible.

But isn't the impossible tempting in a way.?

 

Hope you'll enoy it!

 

 

 

Let me start with just two albums that are important to me personally.

 

I've been listening to Glenn Gould 'Goldberg Variations' since I was 20 and still every time I listen to it am as impressed with his performance as I was back then. I've always preferred the 1981 version in part due to sound quality of the recording.

Hearing some years ago Martha Argerich - Riccardo Chailly performance of Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.3 quite explosively triggered my interest in the pianist (ok.. I'll be frank - it can almost be called a love affair), the composer - I like Rachmaninov a lot and in classical music in general. IMHO absolutely stellar performance. SQ could be better but I think the emotional impact of the music more than compansates for it.

 

 

 

 

 

[sphinxsix]

 

@earnmyturns

80% of albums you've posted are in my collection too. Seems that we have quite similiar musical taste!

 

@Musicophile

Yes, I know your blog. Been always impressed with it! Really well done IMO!

The 25-essential-classical-music-albums has already cost me some money..

 

[sphinxsix]

3 hours ago, christopher3393 said:

sphinxsix, do you have any Hildegard von Bingen in your collection?

I have 2: Vox cosmica - Hirundo Maris, Arianna Savall 24-96 and The Origin of Fire, Music and Visions - Anonymous 4 SACD. I'm not that much into early music but I heard her choral composition performed live in a local church years ago and I liked it. Any suggestions of her other recordings?

 

And BTW can someone recommend a good performance of Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini? I have two - Luganski/Oramo and Ashkenazy/Previn. It's probably quite irrational (I don't know any other performances of the Rhapsody) but I have an impression none of these two isn't the 'ultimate' version. Or maybe I'm wrong and they are really good, what do you think guys?

[sphinxsix]

1 hour ago, Musicophile said:

Terry the recent (2015) recording of Daniel Trifonov with Yannick Nezet-Seguin. It received outstanding reviews across the board. I have little comparison on this particular piece but have listened to this album (on DG) just today and like it a lot. 

Got it!

If someone is interested: http://www.prostudiomasters.com/album/page/5440

 

After checking out the first 15 minutes I have to say that for me it's the most covincing version of the three. SQ seems more than ok - I used my headphones, will check it out on my main system tomorrow. Trifonov seems to be a great pianist with fantastic technique and senstivity! And his piano is so seamlessly integrated with the orchestra which BTW is very good too.

I really like it a lot!

Could someone recommend some other Trifonov's recordings? I have his Rachmaninov - Preghiera, Piano Trios  with Kremer and Dirvanauskaite only.

[sphinxsix]

I have to confess - couldn't wait. I checked out Daniil Trifonov's 'The Carnegie Recital' fragments. His Scriabin and Liszt seemed more convincing than Chopin  (the additional problem with his 'Carnegie Recital' is some low (!) frequencies noise of this live recording which I can clearly hear using my headphones while streaming the samples from Prestoclassical, quite disturbing as it is it would be even more disturbing on my main system) so I moved on to his Liszt album. Judging by fragments again (risky idea, I know..) - sounds great to me! And I have very few Liszt albums in my collection (which BTW may be a mistake). Ordering. Hope it won't be a mistake!

[sphinxsix]

9 hours ago, Musicophile said:

His Liszt Transcedental Etudes are excellent you won't regret your purchase. 

I don't. I checked out the begining of the album before going to sleep yesterday. Sounds fantastic to me!

I think I will have to take a closer look at Liszt..

[sphinxsix]

19 minutes ago, Musicophile said:

And of course the b-minor sonata:

 

https://musicophilesblog.com/2016/06/21/argerich-vs-angelich-liszts-b-minor-sonata/

I have a couple of versions of this one including Argerich's performance (unfortunately CD only - from her 'Collection - Solo Recordings' box).

A great review! I can't disagree with your opinions on Argerich. Let me quote some of them here:

' once you’ve heard her, you’ll never forget her.'

' Basically she was a pure genius from day one.'

(AFAIK Gulda asked who was his greatest musical inspiration used to answer - Argerich, who of course was his student)

' If this leaves you bored, you’re probably deaf.' (!)

As I stated before I owe her Rach 3rd my serious interest in classical!

I will check your other Liszt recommendations. Thanks!

[sphinxsix]

5 hours ago, accwai said:

 

Of course I'll never recommend these oddities over the originals. Don't forget I'm an obsessive completist. For me, it's never an either or question. Actually, asking me for essentials is pretty futile. You'll never get a straight answer

I am fully aware that any list of 'essential' albums is a subject to some simplification and compromise.

At the same time any list like that contains some seed of (more or less subjective) truth. Thanks for your recommendations (this is the first time I hear about Johann Nepomuk Hummel - will check him out) and hope to hear again from you on this thread.

[sphinxsix]

8 hours ago, christopher3393 said:

You're probably set then. If I were to choose one Hildegard recording myself it would be:

Hildegard von Bingen - Canticles Of Ecstasy

Thanks for this. I'll check it out soon.

 

9 hours ago, accwai said:

reaking things down into time period and/or genre would help focus the "seeding". So what interest you the most?

Actually with few exceptions my collection starts with Baroque and ends with 20th century composers.

Maybe a good idea to start with would be to ask you guys about earlier - Medieval and Renaissance - periods. I'm practically 100% ignorant here.

I'll repeat it once again - both performance and SQ matter but music comes first. I prefer hi-res formats - 24bit, DSD, SACD especially with well recorded material but I listen to 16bit too.

 

[sphinxsix]

@accwai

Ps.

As for Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante - got Vilde Frang in my collection. 

Clarinet Concerto - i like it too - it's Neville/Andrew Marriner.

I'll have to check out Carl Maria von Weber's Concertino for Clarinet, don't know this one.

[sphinxsix]

@accwai Thanks. I'm unfamiliar with all (!) the names you've mentioned. Which is great! Will explore the subject step by step.

@christopher3393 Yes, I've noticed your interest in  Guillaume de Machaut  on 'Album of the..' thread recently. Just listening to his  Messe de Notre Dame. I hope to hear more from you on this subject!

[sphinxsix]

Ps. A question to all of you guys - are there any Scarlatti compositions as charming as his piano sonatas.? If so - which recordings would you recommend?

[sphinxsix]

23 hours ago, accwai said:

Gregorian Chants. Perhaps somebody else can recommend an essential album here.

I'd appreciate some recommendation too..

 

17 hours ago, christopher3393 said:

Guillaume de Machaut

 

17 hours ago, christopher3393 said:

Messe de Notre Dame

Listening to this is like being transprted back in time.. I like purity and clarity of this composition. Waiting for recommendation of a particular recording (patiently).

[sphinxsix]

@christopher3393 I picked up (quite accidentally) Oxford Camerata performance last night.

[sphinxsix]

35 minutes ago, christopher3393 said:

This is an accessible performance, maybe a bit "polite", with ok sq

I didn't buy it, just checked what the composition sounds like.

 

36 minutes ago, christopher3393 said:

I'll be mentioning other performances soon.

There's no hurry at all.

 

37 minutes ago, christopher3393 said:

Will also recommend chant, Gergorian plainchant as well as other forms.

Will appreciate it.

[sphinxsix]

47 minutes ago, accwai said:

Intersting

Yes it is. IMO these overtones sound great. I understand that harmonic singing might not be known in Europe in the Middle Ages but I don't mind it at all in this musical conext.

[sphinxsix]

@christopher3393 Thank you very much for your recent recommendations! I will need some time to check them out. Both Trio Mediaeval (full of subtle gentleness..) and Marcel Peres & Ensemble Organum (wow it's really powerful and I don't mind Eastern influences in music at all, just the opposite) sound magnificent! As for Jordi Savall - I have to confess I have 9 his albums (5 with Hesperion). I discovered his music some time ago and have lots of respect for him! His both 'Orient - Occident' albums and 'Armenian Spirit' are just fantastic.

 

 

 

One word quite often comes to mind when I listen to early music (regardless of its origin) -

timelessness...

 

 

 

[sphinxsix]

4 hours ago, Teresa said:

I like all kinds of music including rock, blues, jazz, bluegrass, and world

Me too, maybe except from country (with very few exceptions). Thanks for your recommendations, Teresa (you mention some compositions I haven't even heard of which is great), I will check them out.

 

BTW can someone recommend some Eastern (Orthodox Church, Middle Eastern, Arabic too) or Eastern influenced music, especially early one? Thanks in advance!

 

 

[sphinxsix]

@accwai Thank you. The samples sound intriguing, especially: Mozarabic Chant Ensemble Organum, Marcel Pérès (all Pérès recordings I've checked out are just impressing!). I will explore all of these albums. As for Jordi Savall like I said before I have some of his recordings - both Orient-Occident 1&2 and 'Armenian Spirit' are great IMO.

 

[sphinxsix]

@christopher3393 Thanks a lot too. Sounds interesting! Will check her out too.

 

 

[sphinxsix]

Albums of the evening (excerpts) :

 

 

 

 

Which led me to microtonal music (well, I know some musicians using microtones eg jazz-fusion guitarist David Fiuczynski) and this composer:

 

 

I'm glad I am still able to suprise myself every now and then..

Am I the only one who thinks that 'Preludio a Colón' sounds great.?

 

[sphinxsix]

On 8.05.2017 at 1:16 AM, sphinxsix said:

Which led me to microtonal music

Unfortunately I didn't find a lot of interesting microtonal music (someone can recommend something.?).

But I decided to explore Karlheinz Stockhausen a little. Some of his stuff (eg Stimmung, Mantra, Gruppen) is very interesting. I ended up watching this (beware - lots of analog noise )

 

 

BTW I haven't decided yet which version of Machaut's mass to choose. Five performances I checked out in detail are so different one from another.. I didn't know the early music interpretation formula is so 'open'..

 

 

[sphinxsix]

33 minutes ago, christopher3393 said:

This one's growing on me slowly.

My first impressions (samples) are very good.

 

34 minutes ago, christopher3393 said:

Stravinsky's Mass, which was influenced by Machaut

Didn't know about it. Never heard his mass. Thanks!

[sphinxsix]

12 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

but takes certain effort and time to digest.

It definitely does! I skipped it (this time)..

 

 

[sphinxsix]

This thread and your recommendations have already cost me some money the single artist who's cost me most being Marcel Peres - I've bought 4 Ensemble Organum CDs (great music IMO!): Chant Cistercien , Mozarabic Chant , Le Chant des Templiers and Chant de L'Eglise de Rome. As for Machaut's Messe de Notre Dame (I mentioned my problems with choosing one performance before) - after checking 6 versions and quite a lot of consideration I decided to get what I would call a safe and balanced (I'm not that often after 'safe' and 'balanced'!) preformance by Ensemble Gilles Binchois / Dominique Vellard. And it's just a part of my spendings. I have to admit I haven't checked out all the names and recordings that's been recommended here yet but I will progressively do it.

I really appreciate your contribution guys!

 

Piano is an instrument that I always liked. But in recent years I've been after its sound even more than before. So one more question for you guys - could you name your 'desert island' solo piano classical recordings.? And if it's to general for somebody - ok, please concentrate on Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Rachmaninov

(but I'd really like to discover some names and compositions that I'm not familiar with too).

As usually - performance is what matters most but SQ is important too.

Thanks in advance!