The Must have list for a Classical Neophyte....Trying to help expand the minds here.

[lowendall]

a great little recording to recpomend
well i brought maxim vengerov today 4509-90881 claudio abbado playing tchaikovsky , very very good

still sounds like the fiddle has a mic next the the finger board and sitting in a different room , but the playing is good ,not sure i hav eheard any edits , to speak of , some great orchestra playing nice natural mic presentation , all flutes percussion seem not to be close miked, a good thing and the orchestra as a whole seems to have its own balance,, going on , good and rare i find ,

the close miked fiddle is sittiing sort of ok , but its not too bad ,

i wonder why there is very very rarely a recording form the front with a coupel of extra mic'spointed at the soloist to pick up ,

i had a lydia mordkvich fiddle recording , once that was so alive as result of a good capture mic possitioning , it was great , ..

also box set hmv classics the mood collection , some good recordings, sadly the cds are so thin and see through that my recent cd player a nice old puoneer dvd thing will not play any of thewm , it just spits them out repeatedly,???

but the things play fine on a much cheaper sony dvd i have for cd playing duties .

recommendation s.

regards
lowendall.

[tuga]

Liszt

[NAM]

Liszt

That looks interesting....damn you!

[adamdea]

I love that cd. The lizst is of course absolutely bonkers.

[musicbox]

^ I've got it on LP... its a great recording, but the Liszt 1st cto is possibly the worst great piano concerto in a sort of grin-inducing way. The 2nd is a good bit better IMO.

Which reminds me - I'd have the Grieg Piano Concerto on my must have list.... and make sure not to miss the Morecambe & Wise send-up with Andre Previn

[neilmack]

A couple more:

Beethoven Piano sonatas , particularly the Hammerklavier, Waldstein, Appassionata, Moonlight. I'd particularly recommend Kovacevich. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-Fa...5146736&sr=1-4 Ridiculously cheap too.

Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies http://www.amazon.co.uk/Liszt-Hungar...5146880&sr=1-1

Schubert Winterreise song-cycle http://www.amazon.co.uk/Franz-Schube...5147060&sr=1-1

Finally a couple of Beethoven Piano Trios http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-Pi...5147314&sr=1-1

Kind regards
Neil

[neilmack]

And an interesting way to explore opera : this marvelous series of Chandos recordings are performed in English. This disc is highlights from Mussorgsky's masterpiece Boris Godunov, well sung and very well recorded. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mussorgsky-B...5207509&sr=1-1 It's a sin they didn't record the work complete.

[SSM]

Which reminds me - I'd have the Grieg Piano Concerto on my must have list.... and make sure not to miss the Morecambe & Wise send-up with Andre Previn

One of their greatest skits ever. Never fails to make me laugh.

SS

[TomTomClub]

I'm looking for a definitive recording of Schuberts Unfinished Symphony. I really love this piece of music, so any pointers are very much appreciated...

[Boxer]

Try Kleiber/VPO on DG, coupled with Schubert 3, or Sinopoli/Philharmonia, also on DG, coupled with Schumann's Rhenish Symphony.

Both excellent performances, but the sound quality ain't the best - bloody DG!

[TomTomClub]

Try Kleiber/VPO on DG, coupled with Schubert 3, or Sinopoli/Philharmonia, also on DG, coupled with Schumann's Rhenish Symphony.

Both excellent performances, but the sound quality ain't the best - bloody DG!

Thank you very much for that

[NAM]

Liszt

Received this today....great cd, thanks!

[tuga]

You're welcome. Here's another one you will most certainly like

Chopin

[ncdrawl]

Recent faves(for musicianship AND sound)

https://arkivmusic.eu/music/label/1333/Philips-Duo

http://www.hbdirect.com/album/277827...r-chorale.html

http://www.amazon.com/Appalachia-Wal.../dp/B000002C0Y

http://www.amazon.com/Appalachian-Jo...8039782&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Short-Trip-Hom...8039801&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Goat-Rodeo-Ses...8039817&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich-L...8039836&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.com/Henryk-Gorecki.../dp/B000005J1C

http://www.amazon.com/Lily-Lamb-Poly...8039884&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Music-Glass-Be...8039900&sr=1-6


http://www.amazon.com/Pieces-Africa-...8039928&sr=1-1


http://www.amazon.com/Arvo-Part-Kalj...8039960&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000066C6K/?

http://www.amazon.com/Canto-Spectacu.../dp/B0014QNGA0


http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000009IAZ/?


http://www.amazon.com/Medtner-Comple...4&sr=1-1-fkmr0

http://www.nonesuch.com/albums/a-portrait

[willfloats]

Gustav Holst:A choral fantasia psalm 86 & Gerald Finzi Dies Natalis on EMI HQS 1260 i hve this on vinyl, not sure if it is available on CD etc.

[The Count]

Gustav Holst:A choral fantasia psalm 86 & Gerald Finzi Dies Natalis on EMI HQS 1260 i hve this on vinyl, not sure if it is available on CD etc.

It has indeed: http://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Comp...4774670&sr=1-3

The Choral Fantasia with Dame Baker has also been included on http://www.amazon.co.uk/Holst-Choral...4774670&sr=1-7

[JeffL]

It's easy to respond by saying " Define what you mean by best". This thread has produced a wide range of music that anyone interested in classical music would call great: i.e. profound, masterly, beautiful, challenging, memorable - and still listened to and performed years after their composition. Your brother might be someone who can engage with some of that work straight away. If so, he has a lifetime of enviable pleasure before him. I rather go with Adam's response that suggests approachable works with melody - Dvorak, Mozart - and I'd add Grieg and Sibelius. Brahms's 3rd opened my ears to what music could be. Copland wrote some very accessible stuff. Then there's Bizet and Debussy, and the intensely colourful works of the Russians. Borodin's Steppes always gives me goose bumps when the melodies combine in the major key towards the end, though many would call that a Beecham Lollipop, Classic FM stuff. Stravinsky's Firebird is a knockout especially if heard live. But most composers wrote works of varying stature and scale, surely, and a lot depends on what your son finds appealing in any music, not just classical: tune, rhythm, sound colour/orchestration... It may be that he could be helped by hearing short pieces, or extracts from longer works, so that he gets a flavour and might be tempted to listen at greater length. Sibelius floated my boat years ago as well: the Karelia Suite first, then the 2nd Symphony - the first movement build-up still thrills today. So much to choose from. Chamber music or solo instrumental music (other than piano) might be hardest, but an outside bet might be Ravel Intro for Harp etc., Grieg Sonatas and Faure. I couldn't get anywhere with Beethoven chamber works and still find them hard work. Final tip - so much available on tap, but get your bro to some live concerts after he's done some listening. The atmosphere is so different. And talk to him about what he likes and doesn't like - and wish him happy listening!

[rabski]

It's easy to respond by saying " Define what you mean by best". This thread has produced a wide range of music that anyone interested in classical music would call great: i.e. profound, masterly, beautiful, challenging, memorable - and still listened to and performed years after their composition. Your brother might be someone who can engage with some of that work straight away. If so, he has a lifetime of enviable pleasure before him. I rather go with Adam's response that suggests approachable works with melody - Dvorak, Mozart - and I'd add Grieg and Sibelius. Brahms's 3rd opened my ears to what music could be. Copland wrote some very accessible stuff. Then there's Bizet and Debussy, and the intensely colourful works of the Russians. Borodin's Steppes always gives me goose bumps when the melodies combine in the major key towards the end, though many would call that a Beecham Lollipop, Classic FM stuff. Stravinsky's Firebird is a knockout especially if heard live. But most composers wrote works of varying stature and scale, surely, and a lot depends on what your son finds appealing in any music, not just classical: tune, rhythm, sound colour/orchestration... It may be that he could be helped by hearing short pieces, or extracts from longer works, so that he gets a flavour and might be tempted to listen at greater length. Sibelius floated my boat years ago as well: the Karelia Suite first, then the 2nd Symphony - the first movement build-up still thrills today. So much to choose from. Chamber music or solo instrumental music (other than piano) might be hardest, but an outside bet might be Ravel Intro for Harp etc., Grieg Sonatas and Faure. I couldn't get anywhere with Beethoven chamber works and still find them hard work. Final tip - so much available on tap, but get your bro to some live concerts after he's done some listening. The atmosphere is so different. And talk to him about what he likes and doesn't like - and wish him happy listening!

Para

graph


please.

[JeffL]

Apologies for not using paras and breaks.

Is there a house style/preferred layout guide somewhere?

My message looks a bit heavy, not intended. Happy to back off.

[montesquieu]

Just looking at this list, mine would be (has been when asked) entirely different. Not pompous standard works but stuff that will engage anyone with ears to listen.

I would start with Mozart because of all composers he's the most accessible. And his chamber music is more engaging than his symphonic or vocal music as it was written largely to suit himself, not some vulgar patron. This is one of the finest classical recordings of all time, whether from a hifi or musical perspective as is easily my No 1:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mozart-Matur...7&sr=8-1-spell

The cantatas are Bach at his most spiritual, musical, and practical. For me the best selection is this one, Rifkin is the scholar who single-handedly transformed Bach performance as we owe him a debt for killing off Bach as the stern, sluggish shoolmaster, substituting someone altogether more playful and human: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-Cantata...6663573&sr=1-1

Then Beethoven, the rebel, the revolutionary who put EMOTION at the forefront of everything ... Jackie du Pre, Barenboim and Zuckerman (the self-appointed 'Kosher nostra') play the piano trios better than anyone before or since http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-Pi...6663734&sr=1-2

For Schubert, the perfect introduction is Bostridge's wonderful collection, so beautifully judged and resplendently performed: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Schubert-25-...6663870&sr=1-1

The high point of English music was indisputably Dowland ... there is a box set of the complete lute songs, lute music and viol music from L'Oiseau Lyre's, but if forced to choose from this compendium of heavenly music, this performance of the Second Book of Lute Songs is the apex: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dowland-Seco...663972&sr=1-14

Italian music reached its high point with Vivaldi, before descending into operatic bombast and cheap thrills. Unfortunately most Vivaldi recordings are potboiling rubbish. But not Janine Jansen's Four Seasons which sounds fresh even to ears tortured by years of call centre debasement: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vivaldi-Four...6664284&sr=1-1

If you must have full-on romantic music then the French did it best, and surprisingly a Korean manages to perform it to perfection without the obligatory Galois hanging from his lips http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kun-Woo-Paik...664475&sr=1-10

Jumping back, the musical foundations of Bach can be found in Palestrina. Unfortunately many recordings of this composer are musical wallpaper, not so this recording which is totally engaging (I was fortunate enough to sing this as a teenager): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Palestrina-M...6664537&sr=1-8

For me the classical (and romantic) world ended with Mahler and Richard Strauss: Mahler is at his best stripped of an orchestra, in song: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lieder-eines...6664942&sr=8-1 Strauss equally reached his high point in song, and the ultimate interpreter is Elizabeth Schwarzkopf: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Strauss-Four...4&sr=1-2-spell

Disagree all you like but there's a proper induction here with no symphonies or concertos anywhere near and no avant garde 20th century hokum making up the numbers. A proper classical top 10.