My Essential Classical Albums.

[AnotherSpin]

1 hour ago, sphinxsix said:

@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..

 

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

He seems to have a very good taste!

 

 

 

Grieg's Concerto - the version I would treasure most is one from Dinu Lipatti (very archive...)

 

To your other points - I think a voice is the best musical instrument humans invented ever. If my memory serves me well, Gabriel Garcia Marquez once told opera taught people how to sing better than birds. And, worst half of humans also gave some vocalists which would turn you mind out, melt your heart and bring tears to your eyes. Give yourself a few minutes and listen to Hans Hotter in Bach’s “Ich habe genug” - you will know what I am talking about. Hans Hotter was, many believe, one of the best Wagner's Wotans, and I think any superlative will not be enough to give a praise to his artistry. He recorded mesmerizing renditions of Schubert’s lieder as well. I am not trying to narrow the list of great opera male singers to Hotter and Wagner only. The problem with Wagner is the best existing recordings belong to pre- and post-war eras, and sound quality in most cases is hardly enjoyable. One could enjoy a good sounding Karajan's schmaltzy Ring, but mostly because of orchestra, not singers. Even well beloved Solti’s first ever stereo Ring is not exactly on par with Krauss, Knappertsbusch and Keilbert cycles from 50s. Or, take Verdi. Listen to “Povero Rigoletto” (try Bastianini) – isn’t it gorgeous? And to “Cortigiani, vil razza dannata” right after it – you will have goosebumps sure as hell. Or, if you want something modern, try Bartok’s Bluebird's Castle, rare instrumental music would be as creepy and beautiful at the very same time as this short but extremely intense opera is. 

 

 

[AnotherSpin]

2 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

Grieg's Concerto - the version I would treasure most is one from Dinu Lipatti (very archive...)

 

To your other points - I think a voice is the best musical instrument humans invented ever. If my memory serves me well, Gabriel Garcia Marquez once told opera taught people how to sing better than birds. And, worst half of humans also gave some vocalists which would turn you mind out, melt your heart and bring tears to your eyes. Give yourself a few minutes and listen to Hans Hotter in Bach’s “Ich habe genug” - you will know what I am talking about. Hans Hotter was, many believe, one of the best Wagner's Wotans, and I think any superlative will not be enough to give a praise to his artistry. He recorded mesmerizing renditions of Schubert’s lieder as well. I am not trying to narrow the list of great opera male singers to Hotter and Wagner only. The problem with Wagner is the best existing recordings belong to pre- and post-war eras, and sound quality in most cases is hardly enjoyable. One could enjoy a good sounding Karajan's schmaltzy Ring, but mostly because of orchestra, not singers. Even well beloved Solti’s first ever stereo Ring is not exactly on par with Krauss, Knappertsbusch and Keilbert cycles from 50s. Or, take Verdi. Listen to “Povero Rigoletto” (try Bastianini) – isn’t it gorgeous? And to “Cortigiani, vil razza dannata” right after it – you will have goosebumps sure as hell. Or, if you want something modern, try Bartok’s Bluebird's Castle, rare instrumental music would be as creepy and beautiful at the very same time as this short but extremely intense opera is. 

 

 

 

Well, this is funny..) Bluebeard's Castle.

 

[semente]

My favorite Symphonies at the moment.

Even though I am quite partial to the Romantic period I'll let LvB into the list.

I felt compelled to append a maestro but I should add that I don't own many interpretations of some of these works and some of them were bought accidentally or by magazine suggestion.

 

Beethoven: 3 (Schmidt-Isserstedt), 5 (Kleiber), 9 (Wand)
Berlioz: Fantastique (Inbal)
Brahms: 3 (Wand), 4 (Kleiber)
Bruckner: 4 (Wand), 7 (Blomstedt)
Dvorak: 8 (Suitner), 9 (Neumann)
Rachmaninoff: 2 (Fischer)
Schubert: 8 (Wand), 9 (Wand)
Schumann: 3 (Sawallisch)
Sibelius: 2 (Vanska), 5 (Vanska)
Tchaikovsky: 5 (Mravinsky), 6 (Masur)

[sphinxsix]

@AnotherSpin As for opera - if my taste changes you'll be the very first person to know.

14 hours ago, semente said:

My favorite Symphonies at the moment.

No Mahler.?

[Musicophile]

17 hours ago, semente said:

My favorite Symphonies at the moment.

Even though I am quite partial to the Romantic period I'll let LvB into the list.

I felt compelled to append a maestro but I should add that I don't own many interpretations of some of these works and some of them were bought accidentally or by magazine suggestion.

 

Beethoven: 3 (Schmidt-Isserstedt), 5 (Kleiber), 9 (Wand)
Berlioz: Fantastique (Inbal)
Brahms: 3 (Wand), 4 (Kleiber)
Bruckner: 4 (Wand), 7 (Blomstedt)
Dvorak: 8 (Suitner), 9 (Neumann)
Rachmaninoff: 2 (Fischer)
Schubert: 8 (Wand), 9 (Wand)
Schumann: 3 (Sawallisch)
Sibelius: 2 (Vanska), 5 (Vanska)
Tchaikovsky: 5 (Mravinsky), 6 (Masur)

Lots of Wand  in there. Like it. 

[AnotherSpin]

17 hours ago, semente said:

My favorite Symphonies at the moment.

Even though I am quite partial to the Romantic period I'll let LvB into the list.

I felt compelled to append a maestro but I should add that I don't own many interpretations of some of these works and some of them were bought accidentally or by magazine suggestion.

 

Beethoven: 3 (Schmidt-Isserstedt), 5 (Kleiber), 9 (Wand)
Berlioz: Fantastique (Inbal)
Brahms: 3 (Wand), 4 (Kleiber)
Bruckner: 4 (Wand), 7 (Blomstedt)
Dvorak: 8 (Suitner), 9 (Neumann)
Rachmaninoff: 2 (Fischer)
Schubert: 8 (Wand), 9 (Wand)
Schumann: 3 (Sawallisch)
Sibelius: 2 (Vanska), 5 (Vanska)
Tchaikovsky: 5 (Mravinsky), 6 (Masur)

 

I would not be willing to select one conductor for most of this...) 

[semente]

14 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

I would not be willing to select one conductor for most of this...) 

 

I tried not to think too much about it, just decide quickly.

[semente]

3 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

@AnotherSpin As for opera - if my taste changes you'll be the very first person to know.

No Mahler.?

 

Me and Mahler don't get along too well. 

[semente]

1 hour ago, Musicophile said:

Lots of Wand  in there. Like it. 

 

This box set is a real treat:

 

The Great Recordings https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0069EOZT8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_I2tuzb0ED1QMY

[semente]

I am now listening to Sibelius' Pelléas & Mélisande (Baudo / CPO - Supraphon), writing down another list, this time with a few concertos.

 

[AnotherSpin]

On 6/27/2017 at 0:25 AM, semente said:

I am now listening to Sibelius' Pelléas & Mélisande (Baudo / CPO - Supraphon), writing down another list, this time with a few concertos.

 

I was trying very hard to appreciate this opera, no success as per now. Oh, I meant Debussy's opus.

[semente]

45 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

I was trying very hard to appreciate this opera, no success as per now. Oh, I meant Debussy's opus.

 

I can understand you.

[Bob Stern]

1 hour ago, AnotherSpin said:

I was trying very hard to appreciate this opera [Pelleas & Melisande], no success as per now.

 

Same here.  Pelleas is much more abstract and non-melodic than Debussy's instrumental music.

 

Poulenc's "Dialogues of the Carmelites" is a more inviting entry point for modern French opera.  Berlioz' "Les Troyens" is an interesting opera to explore.  It's long and not uniformly inspired, but the best parts are wonderful.

 

On the whole, I must admit I vastly prefer Italian opera.

[AnotherSpin]

1 hour ago, Bob Stern said:

 

Same here.  Pelleas is much more abstract and non-melodic than Debussy's instrumental music.

 

Poulenc's "Dialogues of the Carmelites" is a more inviting entry point for modern French opera.  Berlioz' "Les Troyens" is an interesting opera to explore.  It's long and not uniformly inspired, but the best parts are wonderful.

 

On the whole, I must admit I vastly prefer Italian opera.

 

Not trying to be selective, but I could survive easily without any French opera. Yes, I will keep Carmen in my desert island chest, just as an example to support a general rule. And, just because chest is not so big, I will limit my collection down to Wagner, Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, mostly.

[semente]

On 2017-4-22 at 10:34 PM, sphinxsix said:

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?

 

I like Kocsis' Rachmaninoff recordings for Philips.

His take on the PC2 might even be my favourite.

[semente]

On 2017-4-23 at 0:08 PM, sphinxsix said:

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..

 

Give Jando's recording of Les Anées de Pélerinage (Naxos) a listen.

[semente]

On 2017-4-23 at 0:57 PM, Musicophile said:

Liszt has written a LOT. You need to triage his work (unless you want to buy the excellent complete Liszt piano box by Leslie Howard, but we're taking about 99 CDs...). 

 

Try "Les Années de Pélerinage", his Schubert song transcriptions, and the Rhapsodie espagnole for a start. 

 

I prefer Liszt's piano works to his orchestral but the Eine Faust-Symphonie is quite attractive:

 

[semente]

On 2017-4-24 at 0:43 PM, accwai said:

 

Well, Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra was mentioned in the Album of the Evening thread recently. It's well known for its ravishing middle movement. That's rather essential. And of course, middle movement of the Mozart's Clarinet Concerto is equally ravishing. And along the same line, Carl Maria von Weber has the Concertino for Clarinet. Beautiful slow first movement develops into a lively sprint. Short and sweet.

 

There you go

 

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

 

Mozart's Adagio from the Clarinet Concerto was of course made universally famous for its appearance in the film Out of Africa.

For both this work and the Weber I suggest the BIS recordings.

[semente]

On 2017-5-23 at 0:17 AM, cpvniii said:

There are many great recordings. For some of the younger fellows this 30 year old recording deserves a listen. One of the greatest piano performance of my life time.

 

Great pick.

I'd add his recording of the Emperor to my favourite performances:

 

[semente]

On 2017-6-6 at 1:46 PM, accwai said:

 

 

The difference between piano and harpsichord goes much deeper than the sound. For me their expressions are fundamentally different and are not interchangeable. How plausible a piano rendition is depends on the piece itself. A lot of the more well known Bach pieces work Ok with piano. But some do not translate well to piano at all. Those are usually closer to fantasticus style. And they are the ones essential to me personally.

 

Story: In a recent local music festival, ARCT List A is divided into WTC and non-WTC categories. Almost everybody in the non-WTC group played one of the Toccatas in the BWV 910-916 range. Some of them are very expressive in piano terms, but not a single one even come close to the fantastic and extravagant style required for these pieces. At the end, the adjudicator mentioned to one of the players "I'd be very interested in hearing you play Chopin." Umm...

 

Plus many of the French Baroque keyboard work do not make much sense when played on piano. François Couperin is a good example. Even Angela Hewitt is unable to pull a rabbit out of the hat here.

 

It's perfectly fine to remove harpsichord from your consideration, but doing that will also render a rather substential portion of Baroque keyboard works inaccessible. Just my 2 cents...

 

I find the playback of harpsichord recordings quite challenging for even the finest systems.

[semente]

On 2017-6-6 at 6:24 PM, Musicophile said:

I'm much less sophisticated than Accwai on this topic but agree that harpsichord really is a different animal and an acquired taste. But it is one well worth acquiring as it opens up a whole new universe. 

 

(Writing this while listening to Jean Rondeau play his beautiful harpsichord on "Imagine"). 

 

My appreciation of the harpsichord only came after listening to live performances.

Many systems just don't do it justice.

[rickca]

On 6/6/2017 at 1:24 PM, Musicophile said:

The difference between piano and harpsichord goes much deeper than the sound.

I agree.  I love the harpsichord, but I find very few recordings that I like.  It must be a lot more difficult to mic properly than piano.  In most ensemble pieces the harpsichord is far too recessed compared to the other instruments.  If you play both piano and harpsichord, I think you will fall in love with both of them for different reasons.  They are both beautiful, like blond and brunette.

[semente]

On 15 May 2017 at 11:27 PM, sphinxsix said:

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!

 

First a couple of recitals:

 

 

 

 

 

[accwai]

2 hours ago, semente said:

I find the playback of harpsichord recordings quite challenging for even the finest systems.

 

As you have previously pointed out, my system is quite deficient. Not disputing that. But harpsichord is my main music interest. Can't be helped. Good thing I'm not really an audiophile, just playing one on internet.

 

2 hours ago, semente said:

My appreciation of the harpsichord only came after listening to live performances.

Many systems just don't do it justice.

 

Curious where you hear live harpsichord performances. Harpsichords in general don't project well. They don't sound very good live even in the tiny Walter Hall at University of Toronto, for example.

 

As for reproducing them, don't you just need an accurate system? What would make them challenging even for the finest systems? And what would be an example of a system that is up for it? I would assume you have one right? Care to share some details?

[semente]

38 minutes ago, accwai said:

 

As you have previously pointed out, my system is quite deficient. Not disputing that. But harpsichord is my main music interest. Can't be helped. Good thing I'm not really an audiophile, just playing one on internet.

 

 

Curious where you hear live harpsichord performances. Harpsichords in general don't project well. They don't sound very good live even in the tiny Walter Hall at University of Toronto, for example.

 

As for reproducing them, don't you just need an accurate system? What would make them challenging even for the finest systems? And what would be an example of a system that is up for it? I would assume you have one right? Care to share some details?

 

I think that good transient response and a clean, smooth treble are essential, as well as adequately balanced high-mids and lower treble.

Speakers and amplifiers mostly.