Bored with Jazz recs? Here is Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Opera etc.

[maxg]

Over the last few weeks I have been trying to sort out my own collection to identify favorites that never seem to get played. Having boiled down a list of some 80 odd pieces I kinda like and need (actually it is more - there are all Beethoven's symphonies as a single entry for example) I thought I would post it here. Hopefully someone will find it useful and others may want to add their own favorites.

We could turn this thread into the definitive classical collection in time - if it takes:

So anyway - here is my list to date - probably as notable for its exclusions as inclusions. Someone can certainly add Mahler choices in - just not a Mahler fan.

As follows:

1 Bach Tocatta and Fugue

2 Bach Violin Concerto

3 Beethoven All nine symphonies

4 Beethoven Piano Concerto 5

5 Beethoven Violin Concerto in D

6 Bizet Carmen

7 Bizet L'Arlesienne

8 Brahms Violin Concerto

9 Britten Young Persons guide to the Orchestra

10 Carl Orff Carmina Burana

11 Corelli Concerto Grosso

12 Debussy Clair Du Lune

13 Dvorak Cello Concerto

14 Dvorak Symphony 9

15 Elgar Cello Concerto

16 Elgar Enigma Variations / Pomp and Circumstance

17 Elgar Violin Concerto

18 Frank Symphony in D minor

19 Gershwin Concerto in F / Cuban Overture / I got rhythm variations

20 Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue / Piano Con in F

21 Grieg Pier Gynt

22 Handel Messiah

23 Handel Water Music Suite

24 Handel Music for the Royal Fireworks

25 Haydn Paris Symphonies

26 Haydn London Symphonies

27 Holst The Planets

28 Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies

29 Liszt Piano concerto 1

30 Mendelssohn A midsummer night's dream / Hebrides

31 Mendelssohn Symphony 4 (italian)

32 Mozart Cosi Fan Tutte

33 Mozart Don Giovani

34 Mozart Piano Concertos 21, 27

35 Mozart Symphonies 35,39-41

36 Mozart The Marriage of Figaro

37 Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition

38 Mussorgsky Night on Bald Mountain

39 Offenbach Orpheus in the Underworld

40 Offenbach The Tales of Hoffmann

41 Paganini Violin concerto 1

42 Prokofiev / Saint Saens Peter and the Wolf/Carnival of the animals

43 Puccini La Boheme

44 Puccini La Fanciulia Del West

45 Puccini Madame Butterfly

46 Puccini Tosca

47 Rachmaninov Piano Concerto 2

48 Rachmaninov Piano Concerto 3

49 Rachmaninov Piano Concerto 4 / Rhapsody on theme by Paganini

50 Ravel Bolero

51 Respighi Pines of Rome / Fountains of Rome

52 Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade

53 Rossini Barber of Seville

54 Saint Saens Symphony 3

55 Schubert Trout Quintet

56 Schubert String Quartet in C major

57 Schubert Symphonies 5, 8, 9

58 Sibelius Symphony 5

59 Sibelius Violin Concerto

60 Strauss J Die Fledermaus

61 Strauss J Waltzes

62 Strauss R Also sprach Zarathustra

63 Strauss R Der Rosenkavalier

64 Stravinski Petrouchka

65 Stravinski The Firebird

66 Stravinski The Rite of Spring

67 Tchaikovsky Concerto for Violin - Meditation

68 Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto 1

69 Tchaikovsky Symphony 5

70 Tchaikovsky Symphony 6

71 Verdi Aida

72 Verdi Ernani

73 Verdi Il Trovatore

74 Verdi La Battaglia Di Legnano

75 Verdi La Traviata

76 Verdi Luisa Miller

77 Verdi Otello

78 Verdi Rigoletto

79 Vivaldi The Four Seasons

80 Vivaldi Concerto for Violin and strings 3,8,10,11

81 Wagner Gotterdammerung

[DTLongo]

Some additional suggestions. See comment re Khorns at the end.

Beethoven - the five piano concertos

Beethoven - Archduke Trio Op. 97

Beethoven - Trio Op. 11

Bizet (derived) - Carmen Suite

Bizet - Symphony in C

Brahms - Symphony #2

Britten - Simple Symphony

Dvorak - Symphony #9

Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto

Mozart - Ein Kleine Nachtmusic

Mozart - Horn Concertos

Prokofiev - Classical Symphony

Rossini - William Tell Overture

Saint Saens - Organ Concerto

Schubert - all six symphonies

Stamitz - Clarinet Concerto #7 (third movement)

Stravinsky - Pulcinella Suite

Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture

Tchaikovsky - Nutcracker Suite

Tchaikovsky- Violin Concerto

Comment: the difference between Klipschorns and lesser speakers is in my experience less on classical than in more closely recorded music - acoustic jazz, solo vocals, rock, disco, etc. On the latter the Khorns really shine in being able to pick up every little detail, cymbal brush, air through wind instruments, etc. On classical the quality of the recording becomes critical. With a great recording the orchestra's inner voices, counterpoints and subtleties emerge noticeably better on Khorns. With lesser recordings the differences are less dramatic. On DVD's with a classical- or classocal-type music accmpaniment, if you listem you can get a real sense of that orchestra itself as a performing entity.

Of course, with a full symphony orchestrA pouring it on fortissimo, the Klipschorns have enormous, unrivalled dynamic range. You are THERE in a quite real, exciting audio and sensory experience.

[LarryC]

Two great lists! Since you guys did the hard work, I'll just add some things around the edges.

Bach Tocatta and Fugue -- I like two of his tocattas: the famous D minor, and the F major. The latter is special for fast pedal by itself.

Dvorak Symphony No. 9 -- I also like the exuberant No. 8, and the stormy No. 7. The slow movement (Largo) of No. 9 is a MUST.

Haydn -- The Creation is a very great choral work for anyone who likes Haydn.

Mozart -- The Magic Flute

Schubert -- the string Quintet in C (is that the one you meant, Max?).

Schubert -- I agree with Tom about all the Schubert symphonies. No. 8, the Unfinished, stands at the top of my list.

Strauss (Richard) -- While all his tone poems are amazing works, the one I like best for seriousness and power is the Alpine Symphony.

Stravinsky -- not my favorite composer, but I like the Firebird and an occasional dose of the Rite of Spring.

Tchaikovsky -- I like all three of his later symphonies. No. 4 in particular is a real showcase for a Klipsch system, with its highly melancholic second movement, remarkable string pizzicato 3rd movement, and powerful outer movements.

Larry

[stan krajewski]

A little more rounding.

Mahler - symphony #1, #3 & #9. The last of the great classical/romantic symphonists. If you can spare the time and you are in the mood.

Shostakovich - Symphony #5 . As well written as anything out there.

Bartok - concerto for orchestra. A 20th century standard.

Beethoven - Sting quartet #14 opus 131 - my favorite Beethoven work. This reaches far into the future. More so than any other Beethoven piece.

[maxg]

bump - just in case those that want to see this missed it.

[pico_de_luuks]

This is a really interesting thread, but I think it can be of even more value if performer/orchestra and/or record label recommandations are added, based on performance or recording quality. I am currently replacing some of my classical CDs I bought years ago for "better" recordings as the Klipsch revealed the shortcomings in those recordings.

Just recommending Holst-the planets is probably not enough for somebody new to classical music.

I personally would recommend André Previn, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Holst, The Planets (Telarc), based on the excellent sound quality, great dynamics and sound performance. I am very interested in similarly detailed recommendations by others out here, since I am certainly not an expert on classical music - but eager to explore!