D-MAN Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Look for some Debussy, say "Clair De Lune" and the like. I think you would really like it. I really like Styx's version of this with Dennis De Young playing it on the Crystal Ball album (great album, btw)... does that count? [] Mike Hey, don't forget Emerson, Lake and Palmer doing Mousorski's "Pictures at an Exhibition"! Now that was some FINE classical music - NOT! DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paladin Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 If you're looking for an excellent copy of Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man on CD this one is excellent: Copland: Fanfare; Symphony No.3 Conductor: Eiji Oue Ensemble: Minnesota Orchestra Label: Reference Recordings Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004UDEQ/qid=1141250481/sr=1-15/ref=sr_1_15/002-5197468-5916022?v=glance&s=classical I suppose I'd also throw out Devorak's New World Symphony and Tchaikovsky's 1812 overature. (The Telarc label (on LP and CD) has some great recordings of the 1812 overature). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kriton Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 I listened to several of Orff's other works, Antigone and some small violin peices, and I was not overly fond of them. I thought they were, perhaps in an unfair comparison, pretty dull and somewhat pedantic compared to Burana. Perhaps it was unkind of me to characterize the rest of his output in such fashion, I just didn't care for it, and it did not as you point out, receive much popular or critical acclaim that I have found. Haven't listened to "schulwerk", didn't know he wrote such things, apparently a relatively popluar method of teaching? Love Satie piano, very impressionistic, very melancholy. K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrestonTom Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 For high quality recordings and good to great performances - I have found the Hyperion label to be fairly consistent. The do offer a more eclectic selection of composers, but are absolutely stunning recordings. Mark, I could not agree more about the Hyperion recordings! Other labels that, in general, are very nicely recorded would also include: L'Oiseau Lyre; Erato; Harmonia Mundi. Denon These are smaller labels and typically will not have many of the "warhorses" that have been listed above. But certainly a very nice selection of Early Music, Renaissance, and Baroque. Many of these are very nicely recorded in churches & small theaters. Frequently the recordings are very simple in the sense that there are not of tricks introduced (ie, compression, multi-track recording etc). Certainly there are others. The big labels, EMI, Decca (and their countless subsidiaries), DG, Phillips, & London can have some very good recordings and certainly have bigger name artists. But the sonic quality is not uniform. An excellent source for reviews is Gramaphone. The ratings are done separately for performance and sonics. Among the very best are given their "Rosette" rating. These are typically outstanding, but they will not necessarily have the work you are interested in. Enjoy, -Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancientdude Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 OK, see that gives me a place to start - Try these on for size - Look for some Debussy, say "Clair De Lune" and the like, also look for R. Vaughn Williams, I think you would really like it. I have never been a huge fan of Camille - maybe just my classical versus romantic leanings... DMan, my wife plays the piano, has since 3, and can play a mean Rachmaninoff, which also happens to be one of my favorites - get a copy of Horowitz playign the Rach 2, and you will never listen to another recording of it, I promise. Then again, being from Ft. Worth, the ol vampire Van Cliburn makes a passable Rachmaninoff too! LarryC - Love Wagner, can't get enough - but my butt is getting too old to take the marathon 6 hour operas anymore - once saw the whole ring cycle over a week...man that was good stuff! I have a few Wagner interludes and prelude compilations, but they are mainly "Valkyrie" aka Apocalyse now mass consumption discs, made by Szell and Cleveland I beleive, but I have not found any that are worth a damn since then... Just so much good stuff, so very little time... K I really think that you mean Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No.3 (Opus 30 vs. Opus 18). Do not mix these two pieces, both are amazing but the 3rd is just phenomenal! And I honestly do not recall any famous recordings on the 2nd piano concerto by either Horowitz Or Cliburn. There are three different recordings of this particular piano concerto by Vladimir Horowitz: get the last one that I think was recorded in Carnegie hall in 198x. Also check the Ormandy/Horowitz from 1953 (I believe). You are right in saying that Van Cliburn makes an excellent performance of it...but you should also check the following pianists: Martha Argerich...ridiculously fast playing, it will give you shivers, Maurizio Polini...cold pianist but so precise that its mind-blowing Vladimir Ashkenazy...a bit on the slow side but the recordings will pin you to the seat. Note for the Polini and Ashkenazy recordings: they both do the optional (Ozzia) part in the first movement as opposed to Argerich's and Horowitz's "regular". So listen to at least one of each...you will definately hear the difference. For more piano recordings you cannot overlook the following: Rachmaninoff plays Rachmaninoff...amazing! Evgenny Kissin at Carnegie Hall, he plays some amazing Chopin. Maurizio Pollini's Polanises' from Chopin, the best out there (deutsche gramaphone), I own it on vynil and cd. Beethoven's Piano Sonatas: Check out his 29th Piano Sonata entitled the Hammerklavier, a definite and amazing piece (the 4/5 voices that come out in the first movement sound like there are 4 hands playing!) Alfred Brendel does a decent job at this. Check out Vladimir Horowitz's transcription of Liszt 2nd Rhapsody, along with Arcadi Volodo's by ear transcription of Horowitz's' (Released by sony). If you have heard the original piece, you will understand! And the list goes on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancientdude Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Some particular pieces that you want to listen to by any pianist: Rachmaninoff's prelude in G-minor Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody's (Cziffra, the most amazing Liszt player...Or trancsedental piano player, EVER) You should all buy this CD right now: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005AVML/002-2125899-5305618?v=glance&n=5174 Listen to the 2nd and 6th Rhapsody. The rest you really have to know the pieces to appreciate them. Look for the Spanish Rhapsody by Franz Liszt: by any pianist, in particular: Evgenny Kissin and Claudio Arrau. Liszt's Dante Sonata: I heard this in concert by some virtually "unknown pianist" and it was still amazing! Chopin's 2nd Scherzo in D-Flat (Opus 31) Tchaikovsky's 1st Piano Concerto Played by Van Cliburn Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture - Telerac (Everyone knows that!) Sebastian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancientdude Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 If you want Organ (in particular Bach) , there is nothing like Virgil Fox on vynil. Check out his Jigue Fugue...Simply astounding, he dances on those pedals like he was freaking insane! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmsummer Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 I listened to several of Orff's other works, Antigone and some small violin peices, and I was not overly fond of them. I thought they were, perhaps in an unfair comparison, pretty dull and somewhat pedantic compared to Burana. Perhaps it was unkind of me to characterize the rest of his output in such fashion, I just didn't care for it, and it did not as you point out, receive much popular or critical acclaim that I have found. Haven't listened to "schulwerk", didn't know he wrote such things, apparently a relatively popluar method of teaching? Love Satie piano, very impressionistic, very melancholy. K To each his own. I personally find Rachmaninov tedious... but it doesn't make his music so. If you are ever inclined, these two discs are worth a serious listen (and they won't be used in horror movies). PMS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 D-MAN, that's probably the "Suite Algerienne." While I've never heard the whole thing, one of its movements is the "Marche Militaire Francaise" that has wowed everyone I've played it for, including the group at Thebes's get-together last year. I don't know if the entire suite is even available on CD, but the incomparable Ormandy recording of the Marche seems to be available on several Philly Orch CD collections. Unfortunately, the CD I have with its great collection of Saint-Saens has been discontinued. Larry, I found it - it's the 2nd Piano Concerto "Egyptian" in F Major, Op. 103 by Saint-Saens. And you are right - you must have the Andre Previn/London Philhamonic EMI version - that goes used for $75! I'm sure that's the one I heard on the FM radio broadcast. I was somewhat dismayed about that. I just ordered a cheaper cd, hope its good. DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Wow, DM, that's obscure for me and you got me on that one. He must have had a thing for the Mysterious Mediterranean -- "Algerienne," "Egyptian." Violin concerto No. 3 is the only one of his I'm familiar with, and no, I don't have any of his piano concertos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Ok, FINALLY got Larry! (whew! that's alot of hard work!). DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el jopez Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 If you are looking for a great recording of Carmina Burana, none capture the spirit and passion of the song more than the London Philharmonic led by Franz Wesler-Most. I picked up my copy at a Barnes n Noble. Honeslty, this has to be the best recording to date. My only complaint is that the audio does not have a huge amount of bass in the recording. However, that small technicality falls to the ways side when you hear the orchestra and Chorus seamlessly blend pitch tone and tempo together. Buy it! http://www.emiclassics.com/phpNewSite/catalogue/cat-select.php?search=true&id=56192 As well, look into Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorsky performed once again by the London Philharmonic led by Yan Pascal Torelier. Once again, one of the best recordings ever created to date. This cd may be harder to come by since it was part of a magazien subscription to the BBC Music Magazine. I snagged my copy on eBay after finding it in a college library. If you can locate it get it. Ill try to get a scan of the album cover to help anyone who would like it. Another great bombastic symphony would be the The Rite of Spring by Stravinsky. Im trying to pin down an excellent recording. This work of art is amazing when listening to it. When Stravinsky first performed it, many many people were unsettled by this new 20th century sound that was if you will violent. When the first few bars were played people ran out of the concert hall since it was to different. Honestly. most modern day hollywood composers copy and try to emulate what these artistic visionaries created decades to centuries ago. Lastly, look into The Planets by Gustav Holst. Moving suite of music that captures raw emotion, sensitivity and power. Mars: The Bringer of War is an exceptional demo song. With the right recording you will scare yourself and your neighboys sh*tless, guaranteed! The last two albums I am still shopping for since some composers and orchestras dont capture the emotion and energy others can. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Now didnt this thread take off whilst I was sleeping!!!!There is so much I would like to comment on and I cant remember all the posts.Starting with the last first - I have all Saint Saens Piano Concertos - as luck would have it, on a single set:Saint Saens Music for piano and orchestra Philippe Entremont Du Capitole De Toulouse Michel Plasson CBS 76 532 Stereo UK 3 Record Box SetNow ole Phil there happens to be a favorite Pianist of mine and no-one ever seems to mention him. In a way that is like Brendel - who is also a favorite of mine - especially for Liszt and Chopin.Anyway I have a mono Tchaikovsky Piano concerto with Phil doing the hard stuff and I would recommend it to anyone.The Rach 3 we must have discussed on this forum add-nauseam. Aside from the CD version that dare not speak its name, we'll call that the pyrotechnic one:I have 3 in my collection at the moment:Rachmaninov Piano Concerto 3 Vladimir Ashkenazy London Symphony Andre Previn London KIJC-9204 S JapanSuper Analogue DiscThis is the best recording of the Rach 3 available today in terms of quality /performance mix. Sonically it is one of the greats but it is not cheap to buy. Rachmaninov Piano Concerto 3Ashkenazy Philadelphia Eugene Ormandy RCA Red Seal ARL1-1324 S USA much more normal version - no glamourous recording but the music is much the same. Rachmaninov Piano Concerto 3Rachmaninoff Philadelphia Eugene Ormandy RCA Victor Red Seal LM-2051 M USThe definitive recording - but held mainly for historical interest more than anything else - sadly the condition of the this record does not lend itself to regular playback - but Rachmaninoff himself playing was a must have in my book.Now who said no British composers?ELGAR!!!!!Although I think he may be the only real one. Forgotten everything else I have read in here - probably better that way - great thread though - way to go Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancientdude Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Thank you For the details of those Rachmaninoff's 3rd Concerto recordings! The Ashkenazy's recording are by far the best sonically recorded ones to date and the Horotiwz/Ormandy on the RCA is definately the smoothest and most satisfying to listen to! I did actually manage to find a copy of Rachmaninoff playing his own concerto...a few years back, too bad I cant find it anymore! [] but I guess him playing some of his preludes (G-minor, C-sharp Minor, and the Flight of the Bumblebee, to name a few) is just wonderful enough for me! If you want some good Debussy and Liszt, check out the Zimmerman collection. And of course, Arthur Rubinstein for his famous Chopin...especially his (Chopin's) Waltzes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Rubinstein - now you are talking!!!! Favorites of his (of mine) include: Beethoven Piano Concerto 5 Rubinstein Boston Symphony Erich Leinsdorf RCA Victor Red Seal LSC-2733 S US Dynagroove Grieg Piano Concerto Artur Rubenstein Alfred Wallenstein RCA Victor Red Seal LSC 2566 Stereo US Living Stereo Grieg / Rachmaninoff Concerto in A Minor / Rhapsody on Paganini theme Rubinstein Chicago Reiner RCA Victor Red Seal LM 2087 Mono US Liszt Various Piano pieces Rubinstein RCA Victor Red Seal SLP-5 Mono US I am not a huge chopin fan to be honest - all a bit twinkly for me - although my mother adores him so I have a few for when she visits. Who knows - I might grow into him later on - I am only 41!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancientdude Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 No Excuse Max! Im 19 and I adore Chopin, listen to Chopin's Heroic Polanaise (Opus 53) just one more time...listen to Gerrick Ohlsenn's performance of it...the closest to Horowitz! The Opus 44 is another amazing one. I admit his Piano Concertos and and Waltzes and Noctures can be a bit "twinkly" but you have to give credit to his Scherzo's, Etudes and even some of those Preludes! I just got myself the whole Chopin collection by Ashkenazy and though he is not the best Chopin player (a bit harsh), you get a taste for everything Chopin's second Sonata performed by Vladimir Horowitz is so dark and frightening...its ridiculous! (that reminds me of Rachmaninoff's second sonata which is just transcendentally exhilarating!). Some of his Mazurka's are enjoyable, especially Opus 59 No. 3! And do not underestimate Chopin's Ballades (No.3 is my favorite!). Get a good recording...again Rubinstein comes into play here. And last but not least Chopin Opus 49, the Fantasie and of course his Fantasie-Impromptu which is one of his finest demonstration of his musicality! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Now you are starting to sound like my mother. OK - I have not given Chopin a fair crack of the whip - but there is so much more out there and so little time my listening simply gets taken up elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 I like Chopin from time to time and some pieces more than others. Nevertheless let me add some recordings: For his concertos I really like the relatively quick speeds of Emanuel Ax on Sony. He might have recorded them more than once - the recording in question is the one on period instruments (which do not sound thin) - the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (love that name!) conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras. For op. 53 (I love that piece too) Malcom Frager on a Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand sounds pretty powerful due to the instrument (on Telarc) - though as an interpretation I'd probably go for Horowitz on Sony. An unusual piece by Chopin is his Cello Sonata op. 65 - I like Argerich/Rostropovich on DG. Liszt: I am a big fan of his B minor sonata - lots of good recordings out there - but I have a soft spot for a live recording done by Richter at the Aldeburgh festival in 1966 (decent sound on AS 345). Interestingly this disc also includes a recording of the first piano concerto. Like on the famous Philips disc Richter is accompanied by K. Kondrashin - but at much greater speed! IMO Richter is also very good in Schubert - one of my favourite pieces in all solo piano music is the Sonata in G Major D.894. Played by Richter the first movement is an emotional tour de force.....does any piece portray loneliness more accurate? And if you are really into that kind of music (which is less depressing than I might have put it) try the recording of that piece by Marta Deyanova on Nimbus (with her the Sonata clocks in at 59.35 ! - the first movement alone lasts 29.18). Elgar has been mentioned. Sure, his symphonies and Enigma Variations are very good, but don't forget his choral works. For a start try 'The Dream of Gerontius' - recordings: Barbirolli on EMI or Britten (yes, the composer) on Decca. If mono is an option I'd also get live Barbirolli on Arkadia because Jon Vickers in the title role should not be missed (the set also includes a live version of 'Enigma' which I find emotionally stronger than his EMI studio stereo recording). Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lindsey Posted March 2, 2006 Author Share Posted March 2, 2006 Well, I can see this thread has started to take on a life all of it's own. LOL You guys have written so much now you have all really confused me. It's really nice to see that there are a number of people on the board who are into classical, and now I know who you all are. If I have any questions you'll be hearing from me. [] I think I'll start with some of the titles on the first page and see what I like (hopefully all of it), and will progress from there. I really love the piano, and think I will have to try one of the Rachmaninoff 3's that you mentioned, and will try one of the Symphonies, Concerto and an Opera that Max suggested. Larry also provided a few cd's worth having. I will start there and see where it leads me. Thanks again for all the great suggestions. It's been a learning experience. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.