My Essential Classical Albums.

[accwai]

37 minutes ago, Musicophile said:

You have to add Schubert to that list: [...]

 

And Boccherini too. Complete set is quite big, but this is a very good summary:

Boccherini: La musica notturna delle strade di Madrid

Cuarteto Casals, Eckart Runge, Carles Trepat

 

 

Awesome program: Probably very few in the western world has never heard the minuet from Op 11 No 5. The Op 30 No 6  La musica notturna delle strade di Madrid is a must have. And so is the fandango from the guitar quartet G. 488.

 

By the way, what would be a good version of Schubert's The Trout?

 

 

[Musicophile]

For the Beethoven string quartets, given their broad range, it is hard to give a universal recommendation.

 

Among the recent high res complete sets the Tokyo (DSD) and Belcea (24/96) are both good, although my favorite is probably the recent high res remaster of the early 2000's Takacs box.

[AnotherSpin]

Schubert's Quintet (D.956) is one of my few very favorite pieces of classical music. Naturally, I am trying to get as many various interpretations of it as I could. One of the recent is hirez recording from Quatuor Ebène, coupled with several lieder performances with Matthias Goerne. Here is the promo:

 

 

[Bob Stern]

14 hours ago, accwai said:

what would be a good version of Schubert's The Trout?

 

If you can tolerate 1965 sound, my favorite is the wonderfully spirited and nuanced classic recording by Peter Serkin, Alexander Schneider, Michael Tree, David Soyer, and Julius Levine, on the Vanguard label.

[Bob Stern]

12 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

Schubert's Quintet (D.956) is one of my few very favorite pieces of classical music. Naturally, I am trying to get as many various interpretations of it as I could. One of the recent is hirez recording from Quatuor Ebène, coupled with several lieder performances with Matthias Goerne.

 

+1 for Schubert's string quintet being one of the absolute masterpieces of classical music.  Like the Beethoven late quartets, no single performance seems to capture everything.

 

Is the Ebène one of your top 3 favorites as a performance, disregarding SQ?   What are your other favorites?  I suppose mine is the 1952 (monaural) by Stern, Katims, A. Schneider, Casals & Tortelier.

[AnotherSpin]

4 hours ago, Bob Stern said:

 

+1 for Schubert's string quintet being one of the absolute masterpieces of classical music.  Like the Beethoven late quartets, no single performance seems to capture everything.

 

Is the Ebène one of your top 3 favorites as a performance, disregarding SQ?   What are your other favorites?  I suppose mine is the 1952 (monaural) by Stern, Katims, A. Schneider, Casals & Tortelier.

 

I am trying to avoid making a comparative top lists. As you said, there is no definitive performance of D.956, and, I hope, it will never be. Sometimes, I hear Quintet performance with just doesn't work for me, or something goes wrong - in such case I tend to believe my own perception might be the reason. Of course, I am not speaking about terrible SQ, but, I am very tolerable here, and I love many archival recordings.

 

Well, your favorite version is very good, I listen it often. Was very much impressed with Lindsays version lately. But... I think I have more than twenty recordings of it, and I like every one of them.

[Musicophile]

19 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

Schubert's Quintet (D.956) is one of my few very favorite pieces of classical music. Naturally, I am trying to get as many various interpretations of it as I could. One of the recent is hirez recording from Quatuor Ebène, coupled with several lieder performances with Matthias Goerne. Here is the promo:

 

 

Fully agree.  Here's my review (*****):

 

https://musicophilesblog.com/2016/04/27/quatuor-ebene-gautier-capucon-play-schuberts-string-quartet-cant-get-enough-of-it/

[Musicophile]

6 hours ago, Bob Stern said:

 

 

 

Is the Ebène one of your top 3 favorites as a performance, disregarding SQ?   What are your other favorites?  I suppose mine is the 1952 (monaural) by Stern, Katims, A. Schneider, Casals & Tortelier.

 

My current top 3 all combine SQ and performance as all recent. Pavel Haas, Ebene, and Takacs.

[Musicophile]

21 hours ago, accwai said:

 

And Boccherini too. Complete set is quite big, but this is a very good summary:

Boccherini: La musica notturna delle strade di Madrid

Cuarteto Casals, Eckart Runge, Carles Trepat

 

 

Awesome program: Probably very few in the western world has never heard the minuet from Op 11 No 5. The Op 30 No 6  La musica notturna delle strade di Madrid is a must have. And so is the fandango from the guitar quartet G. 488.

 

By the way, what would be a good version of Schubert's The Trout?

 

 

One of my favorite trouts is this 2005 recording with the Capuçon brothers:

 

 

[sphinxsix]

On 17.06.2017 at 5:29 PM, Musicophile said:

You have to add Schubert to that list:

I have added his quintet. I think I'll go for Pavel Haas or Takacs. BTW what would be your recommended performance of his 'Death and the maiden', guys.?

As for the Beethoven string quartets - it's probably going to be Belcea - I have Takacs box (CDs unfortunately). I'll check the other recommendations - thanks, guys - I'll try to go slowly this time, I have OD-ed Bach some days ago..

[Bob Stern]

2 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

what would be your recommended performance of his 'Death and the maiden'

 

Alban Berg String Quartet, 1997.  (I include the date because they probably recorded it multiple times.)  More variety of expression than the Takacs.

[Musicophile]

8 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

I have added his quintet. I think I'll go for Pavel Haas or Takacs. BTW what would be your recommended performance of his 'Death and the maiden', guys.?

.

Beyond the modern recordings of Pavel Haas and Takacs, there is a legendary historic recording (with tolerable SQ) that is a must have, the Busch Quartet.

 

http://www.qobuz.com/ch-de/album/schubert-string-quartets-nos-14-15-busch-quartet/0077776979557

 

 

 

[AnotherSpin]

9 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

[...]

As for the Beethoven string quartets - it's probably going to be Belcea - I have Takacs box (CDs unfortunately). I'll check the other recommendations - thanks, guys - I'll try to go slowly this time, I have OD-ed Bach some days ago..

 

I'd rather focus my attention on Italiano, Guarneri, Fine Arts or Tokyo. In my very subjective opinion modern performances lack something important old readings had. If you tolerate very modest SQ I would suggest to try first Vegh, early Budapest, Busch, or even Loewenguth and Capet. 

[sphinxsix]

As for names starting with 'Sch..' - I have very few Schumann recordings - most of them are late M. Argerich performances and her earlier recordings mainly from 'The Collection' and 'EMI Classics' boxes. Haven't heard a lot of Schumann however I remember I liked his cello concerto. I count on your recommendations again guys! (both 70s-90s and newer recordings)

[AnotherSpin]

37 minutes ago, sphinxsix said:

As for names starting with 'Sch..' - I have very few Schumann recordings - most of them are late M. Argerich performances and her earlier recordings mainly from 'The Collection' and 'EMI Classics' boxes. Haven't heard a lot of Schumann however I remember I liked his cello concerto. I count on your recommendations again guys! (both 70s-90s and newer recordings)

 

I like his Piano Quartet and Piano Quintet very much. 

[Musicophile]

2 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

As for names starting with 'Sch..' - I have very few Schumann recordings - most of them are late M. Argerich performances and her earlier recordings mainly from 'The Collection' and 'EMI Classics' boxes. Haven't heard a lot of Schumann however I remember I liked his cello concerto. I count on your recommendations again guys! (both 70s-90s and newer recordings)

The must have Is the piano concerto. I'd go with Andsnes but there are other good ones (Lupu). 

 

On the symphonies i have a rather atypical recommendation, Thomas Dausgaard:

 

https://musicophilesblog.com/2017/01/26/musicophiles-25-essential-classical-music-albums-part-ii/

 

others may recommended Gardiner or (but this is 1960s) Szell. 

 

Finally there is the Violin concerto. Not essential per se but very well recorded by Isabelle Faust. 

 

Beyond that I see Schumanns biggest potential in the solo piano genre. 

[AnotherSpin]

45 minutes ago, Musicophile said:

The must have Is the piano concerto. I'd go with Andsnes but there are other good ones (Lupu). 

 

On the symphonies i have a rather atypical recommendation, Thomas Dausgaard:

 

https://musicophilesblog.com/2017/01/26/musicophiles-25-essential-classical-music-albums-part-ii/

 

others may recommended Gardiner or (but this is 1960s) Szell. 

 

Finally there is the Violin concerto. Not essential per se but very well recorded by Isabelle Faust. 

 

Beyond that I see Schumanns biggest potential in the solo piano genre. 

 

+1 for Dausgaard. Piano concerto - I will pick Lupu (besides, on his Decca album it is paired with Grieg's Piano concerto, both in beautiful renditions).

[sphinxsix]

3 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

I like his Piano Quartet and Piano Quintet very much. 

What performance(s) are your favorite ones? (I know Argerich's performances only, I like them).

1 hour ago, Musicophile said:

Beyond that I see Schumanns biggest potential in the solo piano genre.

I think I have always seen him in that way. That's why I decided to stick to Argerich (whom I just love) recordings. BTW she used to say that she and Schumann 'understood each other' very well ('Evening Talks with MA' documentary). Meaning his music was close to her and that she enjoys playing it.

 

Thanks, guys!

[AnotherSpin]

22 minutes ago, sphinxsix said:

What performance(s) are your favorite ones? (I know Argerich's performances only, I like them).

[...]

 

If you have EMI box of chamber music with Argerich it contains very good performances of both. Otherwise you may try Jerusalem Quartet with Melnikov. 

[sphinxsix]

15 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

I will pick Lupu (besides, on his Decca album it is paired with Grieg's Piano concerto, both in beautiful renditions).

Andsnes album includes Grieg piano concerto too. I think I'll order both. How about Richter's Schumann and Grieg PC (mid 70s recordings, I've found used SACD set at a good price - it includes Dvorak PC too).?

[AnotherSpin]

11 minutes ago, sphinxsix said:

Andsnes album includes Grieg piano concerto too. I think I'll order both. How about Richter's Schumann and Grieg PC (I've found used SACD set at a good price - it includes Dvorak PC too).?

 

Inspired by your question I'm going through a marathon audition of various Schumann Piano Quintet versions since yesterday. I also made an evaluations which marks not a quality but my subjective preference of some Quintet versions over others. You could compare it with your findings if will be interested:

 

Argerich/Schwarzberg, etc. - 5+

Adsnes/Artemis - 5

Pires/Dumay, etc. - 5

Rubinsten/Guarneri - 5

Larrocha/Tokyo - 5

Zacharias/Leipziger - 5

Demus/Barylli - 5

Entremont/Alban Berg - 5

Melnikov/Jerusalem - 4

Howard/Schubert Ensemble - 4

Serkin/Budapest - 3

Hamelin/Takacs - 3

Rosel/Gewandhaus - 3

Pressler/Emerson - 2

 

I do not like Richter.

 

 

 

[sphinxsix]

45 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

Inspired by your question

Wow! I'm really impressed!  And there are moments when I think that my 500+ albums classical collection is something (for somebody whose interest in classical developed quite recently).. Also glad that M. Argerich is at the top of your list. I'm not that much into chamber music so I'm afraid I won't have a chance to make a similiar comparison any time soon but I like her performance (in fact most of her performances in general). Thanks for posting your list!

[AnotherSpin]

11 minutes ago, sphinxsix said:

Wow! I'm really impressed!  And I do sometimes think that my 500+ albums classical collection is something.. Also glad that M. Argerich is at the top of your list. I'm not that much into chamber music so I'm afraid I won't have a chance to make a similiar comparison any time soon but I like her performance (in fact most of her performances in general). Thanks for posting your list!

 

I do not expect everyone will support such approach, but I'd rather get another version of a piece I really love (I am happy to know not much of those) than will dive deep into the depth of composers and their compositions for which I didn't develop an interest. I listen chamber and solo performances much more than before, and I almost stopped listening to symphonies and opera which topped my interest for decades. Anyway, I collected much more music that I would listen to if only they will not invent some way to enlarge a day from 24 to 48 hours. 96 will be even better.

[WAM]

I do like that approach. If I a piece of music really touches me, I like to listen to different performance of the piece (i.c. Bach's works for solo instruments, Bruckner, Mahler and Beethoven symphonies, Beethoven piano sonatas/string quartets, Janacek/DSCH string quartets) .

I do not pretend " to understand the composer better" or " the music better" when I listen to different versions, but I like to hear the music from - how should I say it - from a different angle. Surprisingly, I do not develop a preference for a certain performance, which version I choose, depends on my mood. But, I do develop a dislike for some performances (i.c. Ratlle on Mahler (still regret buying his fifth, utterly waste of money), Rachel Podger on Bach).

 

BTW, this thread is not good for my budget, just ordered Schumann string quartets (and som more discs) :-). Many thanks for all the suggestions, gave me lot of pleasure reading the info/reviews of the various  recordings.

 

And now enjoying a very good pint of Rochefort and Wayne Shorter's Speak no Evil (present from my son :-)). Happy listening! Kind Regards, WAM

[sphinxsix]

@AnotherSpin As for different subgenres of classical preferences - I believe they can evolve. I got interested in chamber music about a year ago. Got quite few chamber recordings though. For now.. Unfortunately I'm not fond of opera (got just some Wagner and Callas but I like some instrumental transcriptions - eg IMO Gould's Wagner is quite interesting just like some of Wagner orchestral transcriptions). My main problem are male vocals. The female ones are easier to accept in my case.

What I'm doing right now reminds me of time (years ago) when I discovered jazz. I used to buy dozens of CDs per month back then - much more than I was able to listen to. Just used the momentum - enthusiasm connected with discovering whole new music world. Today I know all these albums I ordered back then. Some of them 'by heart' - note after note, musical nuance after musical nuance.. I know myself quite well  - the same will happen with all classical albums I've been buying recently. I don't buy music that is completly new to me in a random way - I look for information, ask people who know much more than I do (like you, guys) etc to minimise the number of second-rate recordings. I'm pretty sure 24hours day will be enough to get to know it all (96 hours would make the process faster yet do we really want 'faster' with music.?).

 

I'm very glad you guys directed my attention to Andsnes and Lupu albums (I've ordered both) - not only because of Schumann piano concerto but also because of Grieg's pc which I knew in fragments but I didn't know it was Grieg's(!). It's such a fantastic composition! Are there any performances that are  significantly better than the two above mentioned.? (it's not that I don't like them.. just asking)

 

Been just listening for the first time to Grieg's Lyric Pieces performed by Andsnes. Sound great too!

That's another bad news for my wallet..

 

15 hours ago, WAM said:

BTW, this thread is not good for my budget

Glad I'm not the only one to suffer in this regard

15 hours ago, WAM said:

Wayne Shorter's Speak no Evil (present from my son :-)).

He seems to have a very good taste!