O/T orchestra/symphony lovers!

[priapus]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, big thanks to sputnik and boom for their for their offer

The level of knowledge, and the generosity of everyone here constantly surprises me. (although it shouldn't anymore) I will definately resurrect this thread when I listen to a few things, let everone know what I got and heard. Sorry for the late response, we ported in Portugal yesterday and things were really hectic for a while. Maybe I can get a hold of some things over here that aren't found in the states, and finally be able to contribute something instead of just leeching knowledge from everyone.

Thanks Again

-Rob

[Colin]

All of the above recommendations are excellent IMO for a beginning lover of classical (read orchestral) music. To this list, I would also add the great 19th century French composer Hector Berlioz, best known for his startlingly original, five movement Symphonie Fantastique (1830).

[chuckears]

Though not technically a symphony, one of my favorite classical disks is Daniel Barenboim and the English Chamber Orchestra performing Mozart's Piano Concerto No.'s 22 and 23... these recordings, made in 1972 and 1969, have more emotion and immediacy than any modern performance of the same works that I have heard.

There is a performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 (along with the over-heard 5th) by Bernard Haitink and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchesra (Philips label) that I am also very fond of.

Howard Shore's LOTR soundtracks are some of my favorite, although the purists might frown at my lumping it in with the likes of Mozart and Beethoven