Inspired by Mahler's excellent series of both holiday music and workout music, I've decided to put up a thread of my own regarding classical music recordings. These are recordings of works that are either basic or unusual repertoire (e.g., Beethoven's 9th Symphony or Torke's Adjustable Wrench) that feature (what I consider to be) excellent performances. That said, sound quality and technical skill will generally take a back seat to a less polished, but more involving (older?/historic?) recording. Please feel free to comment on the works selected or more particularly if you have or acquire the recording I mention.
__________________
Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
Antonio Vivaldi: Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione
Vivaldi: Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione, Op. 8 (The Contest between Harmony and Invention)
Europa Galante
Fabio Biondi, conductor/violin
Virgin Classics
This set of 12 concerti, published in 1725, remains his most enduring work. This is due to the overwhelming popularity of the first four concerti, each of which describes in music a season of the year, based on sonnets which some say Vivaldi himself wrote. Thus you'll hear Vivaldi's interpretation of birds, storms, bagpipes and other things as you listen to the music. (My personal favorite is Winter - L'Inverno.) Though the Four Seasons are often played on their own, the other 8 pieces in the collection are of similar quality and deserve hearing.
Fabio Biondi and the Europa Galante play all 12 concerti with gusto - the type of music making you just have to keep listening to. Even if you're familiar with these works and have recordings of them, this set is worth seeking out. I have to admit I'd always written off Vivaldi until I heard these CDs - Biondi and his band really turned me around. Here was a Vivaldi that was vital, and virtuosic. If you're looking for more of the same, their other CDs are of similar quality. And if you don't believe me, check out the audio samples. I'd also add that you get 2 CDs for the price of one making this a bargain selection as well.
Basic Library Selection (Repertoire and Performance)
__________________
Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
Brahms: Violin Sonatas 1-3; Hungarian Dances Joachim: Romance in B-Flat
Aaron Rosand, violin
Hugh Sung, piano
Musical Concepts
Here's a recording Brahms three violin sonatas, and his Hungarian Dances. For a major composer, he has remarkably few extant works but what has survived is of very high quality. This is because Brahms did not hesitate to surpress/destroy any of his works he felt were not up to his standard.
The sonatas comprise the first disc, and reward multiple hearings indeed. The shifting moods of the 1st movement of the Sonata #1 are well caught by Messrs Rosand and Sung. The 2nd movement continues this weaving of meditation and passion, with what borders on nostalgia at times. The last movement with its dancelike cadences brings the piece to a satisfying close. The other sonatas are like it in spirit (I'd say #2 is my favorite) and are certainly worth hearing. (I should add that unlike other composers, Brahms really makes the accompanist work too - and Mr. Sung does so very well.)
The second disc holds the Hungarian Dances, which Brahms originally wrote for four hands piano. The version heard here was arranged for violin and piano by Joseph Joachim (a long time friend and collaborator with Brahms), whose romance is heard at the end of this disc. And what a contrast to the classical side of this collection! Rosand and Sung play the dances as the gypsy music which inspired it, breaking any number of rules along the way. But what fun it is! I can't help but imagine both of them having a lot of fun playing them - I for one can't help but grin like an idiot hearing them traverse the cycle with virtuosity and a fine sense of mayhem.
Joachim's Romance after the dances returns the mood back to traditional classical music and is a fine piece in its own right. Lyrical, and dramatic without being melodramatic, it shows why he did such a good job with his arrangement of the Dances.
The maxim "Those who can't, teach" does not apply here - Mr. Rosand teaches at the Curtis School of Music, and clearly shows a command of his instrument as well as a sensitivity to the composer's intentions. Mr Sung, a Curtis graduate, follows his soloist's lead, but adds some great passages of his own. For a lively interplay between two accomplished artists, this recording is almost self recommending.
Cool! I'm glad you've created this thread outside your log. I'm really curious to see what's next.
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The maxim "Those who can't, teach" does not apply here - Mr. Rosand teaches at the Curtis School of Music, and clearly shows a command of his instrument as well as a sensitivity to the composer's intentions.
I think I've heard that maxim among musicians more than any other field; the idea that a successful performer has so much work they don't teach on the side as most musicians do. Plus the best performers don't always make the best teachers. However, anyone who teaches (or attends) Curtis is definitely at the top of their game!
__________________ The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same. -- Carlos Castaneda
Beethoven: Symphonies 5 & 7
Vienna Philharmonic
Carlos Klieber, conductor
Deutsche Grammphon SACD
What do you get when you put together one of the world's great orchestras with one of the world's great albeit reclusive conductors with a pair of the greatest works in the symphonic literature? The answer, thankfully, has been recorded on this wonderful SACD. Klieber takes us through both symphonies with a very sure hand, and Vienna Philharmonic responds beautifully. He strips off all the dross and varnish that has accumulated to the 5th over the years, infusing it with an energy that is unforced yet vital. The 7th fares equally well - those who remember the funereal music as used in Mr. Holland's Opus may be disappointed as Klieber takes it at Beethoven's indicated tempo (allegretto) rather than the slow tempo on the version used in the film.
There is much to delight the ear here, mine (on this listening) being drawn to the woodwinds, as they provide the needed character and contrast to bring the score alive. Also, I'm not sure if it's the orchestra, or the recording or both, but I heard details in this interpretation I've missed in others. That said, this mid 70's recording really blossoms with the SACD layer - as the sound expands the virtual concert hall in which they play.
Beethoven of course is a composer who, if you're into classical music, you really can't ignore. (You know you'll end up owning all nine symphonies and his other works as well.) And like any great composer he wrote music for which perfection in performance is impossible, but excellence is expected. You may find things you prefer in other performances of these works and vice versa, but as far as these readings go, they go a long way to fulfilling the promise of Beethoven's score.
Another great choice. Interesting that you should mention the woodwinds, since Beethoven was critcized in his day for using them too much in his works. I think their use is connected to his love of nature and the woodwinds seem to be the intstruments that best capture that sound. And, I am in full agreement, you can't ignore Beethoven.
__________________ In Fitness & Friendship, MAHLER
______________________________ __________________________ There is no light at the end of the tunnel. You carry the light with you.
Another great choice. Interesting that you should mention the woodwinds, since Beethoven was critcized in his day for using them too much in his works.
Hmmm... I don't recall reading or hearing that. Sounds like a disgruntled string player if you ask me.
One of the interesting things about Beethoven's orchestration is that he often pits the strings vs the winds. It makes for some great dramatic tension, but it also highlights the "personality conflict" that already exists amongst the musicians.
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Originally Posted by Mahler
I think their use is connected to his love of nature and the woodwinds seem to be the intstruments that best capture that sound. And, I am in full agreement, you can't ignore Beethoven.
Absolutely - love him or hate him, Beethoven is one of the pivotal figures. The Romantic movement that continued after Beethoven saw the winds continue to expand as tone color became more and more prominent.
__________________ The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same. -- Carlos Castaneda
Satie: Piano Works
Aldo Ciccolini, piano
Gabriel Tacchino, piano
EMI
Much like Pachelbel before him, Satie is known mainly for one piece of music - Gymnopedie No. 1. The title may be unfamiliar, but I'd find it hard to believe that the music would be. The 3 Gymnopedies are inspired by figures in various poses painted on a Grecian urn. The music suggests a kind of Western-style Kabuki setting where the figures move ever so slowly in an elegant dance. The rest of the pieces here highlight how talented (if eccentric) a miniaturist Satie was. Reading the titles of some of the pieces those eccentricities are apparent: Three Pieces in the Form of a Pear, Truly Flabby Preludes for a Dog, 3 Sketches and Exasperations of a Big Wooden Fellow. But the music the titles sit on is all very high quality.
Aldo Ciccolini is probably the most renowned of Satie interpreters - and the playing on this recording will bear witness to why. Phrasing, dynamics, and tempi all seem to be as they should be - I couldn't think of a case where I wished something was played differently. Perhaps the greatest testament to Ciccolini's abilities is that there are no less than four sets of Satie's piano music with his name on it. The present volume is the first (and cheapest) taken from Ciccolini's digital traversal of Satie's piano works in 1986. (Note though that some reviews have noted that the sound quality is serviceable, but not outstanding.) The second is a more expansive 2 Disc set drawn from Ciccolini's original late 60's-early 70's analog set of recordings. The other two options are the remastered analog set or digital set (both are 5CDs) of the complete piano works. The main difference between them is that in the original set, Ciccolini overdubbed himself in the pieces requiring 4 hands. In the digital set, he is joined by Gabriel Tacchino. In other words, if you really like what you hear on the present volume you could spring for one of the 5CD sets of Satie's complete piano works. But if you want just the hits (or hit in this case) and don't mind that the recording isn't the best of the best, you'd be well-served by this CD.
Gymnopedie No. 1 - Basic Library (Repertoire and Performance)
The Rest - Worth Hearing (Repertoire), Basic Library (Performance)
So I have a friend that works for Naxos ,there office is right down the street from where I work. He told me he can get me a discount on any of there Classic series stuff. So can you give me any recommendations for starting my collection? From my past I seem to like Rachmonioff and Tchaikovsky but am open to anything really.
I really enjoy Satie's stuff, but I'm only really familiar with the Daniel Varsano versions Sony put out. Would like to check this out sometime for some comparison.
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It's hard to be religious when certain people are never incinerated by bolts of lightning.
So I have a friend that works for Naxos ,there office is right down the street from where I work. He told me he can get me a discount on any of there Classic series stuff. So can you give me any recommendations for starting my collection? From my past I seem to like Rachmonioff and Tchaikovsky but am open to anything really.
Well Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky are certainly excellent places to start. Since you've got an in with Naxos, I'll just list the works rather than recordings:
Rachmaninov
Orchestral
Any of his piano concertos, but particularly #2 (which you heard live) and #3 (used in the movie Shine).
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Chamber
Etudes and Preludes for Solo Piano
Morceaux de Fantaisie
Vocalise
Vocal
Vespers (aka All Night Vigil)
Tchaikovsky
Orchestral
Symphonies 4, 5, 6 are the most popular but the first three (and the Manfred) are no slouches either
Piano Concerto No. 1 - he wrote two others but they're hardly ever played
Violin Concerto - another tried and true warhorse in the catalogue
1812 Overture - yeah, it's pretty hackneyed, but it's also probably his best known work. But a good performance can do wonders for it.
Capriccio Italien - A frequent CD mate of the 1812 Overture, very good in its own right.
Ballet - as a visual medium, I prefer getting DVDs here when possible, to see the full production (the dancing).
Nutcracker - either in suite form or the full score
Swan Lake - suite or full score
Chamber
Trio for Piano and Strings - this is a favorite chamber work of mine.
__________________
Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
As far as recordings go obviously there are some that are better then others correct? Does Naxos have a good reputation of quality recordings?
I would say they do. I own a number of Naxos CDs.
Offhand, I don't recall what groups they have recorded with.
__________________ The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same. -- Carlos Castaneda
As far as recordings go obviously there are some that are better then others correct? Does Naxos have a good reputation of quality recordings?
Yes, some recordings are better than others. Just because Naxos is a budget/midline label doesn't mean its recordings are necessarily inferior.
Naxos' version of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 (with conductor Antoni Wit, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra) I understand is quite good from reading reviews on Amazon.com. I've also heard wide acclaim with this conductor/orchestra on recordings of Mahler's symphonies also, particularly the 8th. The coupling (The Storm) is an unusual one that doesn't appear on many, if any, other recordings, and at $8.99 list price it seems like a good deal.
My current favorite version of Tchaikovsky's 5th is a fairly new CD from Ondine. Christoph Eschenbach and the Philadelphia Orchestra do a fantastic job with it (the horn solo that opens the 2nd movement is particularly beautiful) and the sound, particularly on an SACD player is exemplary. The coupling here is the first half of Tchaikovsky's The Seasons, which Eschenbach plays very well. However, the list price (at least from Amazon) is $18.98 - just over double the price of the Naxos recording.
However, if you want a Russian conductor/orchestra (Yevgeny Mravinsky/Leningrad Symphony Orchestra) in these works (Symphonies 4, 5, and 6), there's a 2 Disc set from Deutsche Grammophon that quite a lot of people seem to like. The sound might not be the equal of today's modern digital wonders, but I understand the performances are some of the best ever. This set lists for $33.98 at Amazon.
A couple of notes - I don't have the Naxos or DG recordings, but I do have the Ondine and I like it a lot. Also, Amazon's marketplace frequently provides better bargains than Amazon itself, so it'd be worth a look. My suggestion would be to listen to the audio samples and see which one you like and go for it.
__________________
Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
Well Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky are certainly excellent places to start. Since you've got an in with Naxos, I'll just list the works rather than recordings:
Rachmaninov
Orchestral
Any of his piano concertos, but particularly #2 (which you heard live) and #3 (used in the movie Shine).
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Chamber
Etudes and Preludes for Solo Piano
Morceaux de Fantaisie
Vocalise
Vocal
Vespers (aka All Night Vigil)
Oooo. ooooo. Can I add a few?
Symphonic Dances
and the choral symphony "The Bells"
Good stuff.
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Tchaikovsky
Orchestral
Symphonies 4, 5, 6 are the most popular but the first three (and the Manfred) are no slouches either
Piano Concerto No. 1 - he wrote two others but they're hardly ever played
Violin Concerto - another tried and true warhorse in the catalogue
1812 Overture - yeah, it's pretty hackneyed, but it's also probably his best known work. But a good performance can do wonders for it.
Capriccio Italien - A frequent CD mate of the 1812 Overture, very good in its own right.
Ballet - as a visual medium, I prefer getting DVDs here when possible, to see the full production (the dancing).
Nutcracker - either in suite form or the full score
Swan Lake - suite or full score
Chamber
Trio for Piano and Strings - this is a favorite chamber work of mine.
Great list. I am glad to see you included the first three syphonies and the Manfred. The only other items I might add would be the "Romeo and Juliet, Fantasy Overture" and the ballet "Sleeping Beauty." The orchestral suites might be a stretch, but are quite beautiful.
__________________ In Fitness & Friendship, MAHLER
______________________________ __________________________ There is no light at the end of the tunnel. You carry the light with you.
You have given me a great start. I think I will start with Rachmonioff. As sense hearing this live I will be more fluent with it. I also think I want to pick one composer and study his life and work a little, before checking out any others. Does this seem like a good plan? I am interested in this whole Dahl and Rachmonioff connection. Kind of interesting to see how he may have influenced his composing.
You have given me a great start. I think I will start with Rachmonioff. As sense hearing this live I will be more fluent with it. I also think I want to pick one composer and study his life and work a little, before checking out any others. Does this seem like a good plan? I am interested in this whole Dahl and Rachmonioff connection. Kind of interesting to see how he may have influenced his composing.
You can start anywhere you like. That's the beauty of it. You could start by composer (as you've indicated), period (baroque, classical, romantic etc), instrumentation (violin, piano, guitar, cello etc), musical form (symphony, concerto, quartet, preludes, etudes, overtures etc), nationality (Russian, French, German, etc) or any combination thereof.
__________________
Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
Hildegard von Bingen: Sequences and Hymns
Emma Kirkby, soprano
Gothic Voices
Christopher Page, director
Hyperion
This recording from the early 80's is what started the intense interest in Hildegard's music. An abbess of a 12th century monastery at Bingen, she was a frequent correspondent with the leading figures of the day - kings and pope among others. In addition to musical composition, she was also the author of books in such diverse areas as medicine, geology and botany. She was also a mystic whose visions frequently found their way into her music.
The pieces here are monophonic and are scored for voices (usually sopranos) or for voices with one or two accompanying instruments (reed drones or a symphony). Their simplicity both in composition and performance lends to them an austere beauty which is compelling, and as one would expect the singing is first rate. That said, it's possible to listen to this recording just as something to relax to, but that would be missing the point. Hildegard's music is a call to the listener to become (as she had said of herself) a feather on the breath of God.
Absolutely - that's what makes threads like this fun.
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Originally Posted by Mahler
Great list. I am glad to see you included the first three syphonies and the Manfred. The only other items I might add would be the "Romeo and Juliet, Fantasy Overture" and the ballet "Sleeping Beauty." The orchestral suites might be a stretch, but are quite beautiful.
Yes, I've always been of the opinion that if you really like a piece of music you should investigate what others are out there. Thus, I include the first three numbered symphonies and the Manfred as they'd be of nearly the same quality, even if not as popular. And of course, something I really like, you might really dislike, and vice versa - but that's part of the fun.
__________________
Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
So I ordered from Naxos Rachmonniov's Piano Concerto's No 1,2,3, and 4. The first disk has 1 and 4 and the second 1 and 3. From that I guess 2 and 3 are the most popular of the 4. I was trying to get things in the order he did them, but obviously its not a cost effective way to do it as they don't seem to package things this way. I love hearing the progression of an artist. There are so many things that influence them: the culture, politics, personal issues, etc. So that is what I plan on doing. Studying the composer and the piece with the history surrounding it.
So I ordered from Naxos Rachmonniov's Piano Concerto's No 1,2,3, and 4. The first disk has 1 and 4 and the second 1 and 3. From that I guess 2 and 3 are the most popular of the 4. I was trying to get things in the order he did them, but obviously its not a cost effective way to do it as they don't seem to package things this way. I love hearing the progression of an artist. There are so many things that influence them: the culture, politics, personal issues, etc. So that is what I plan on doing. Studying the composer and the piece with the history surrounding it.
The journey begins!!
Thanks everyone
Well chosen! I have the Hyperion set with Stephen Hough as soloist and am quite pleased with them. Though I daresay I probably spent twice as much for my set as you did yours. Still, I bought them at a signing Hough did when he was in town to perform with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Since you're just starting your journey, do you know that Naxos offers a streaming service? You don't actually own the music, but you can play it through your pc whenever you wanted. I'm not sure what the fees associated with it are, but I was thinking it might be cost effective that way for you to listen to full recordings before purchasing them. And that said, the best way to learning is to listen, listen, and then listen again - to anything and everything, as there's always something new. It's not been infrequent where I will prefer a composer's lesser known work to his more popular one (Hanson's Nordic (#1) over his Romantic (#2) symphonies for example). Very exciting - please report your findings.
__________________
Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
I will listen and listen for sure. Like I said I think I want to dedicate my long run days as my "critical listening days".
With other forms of music I have found that I too seem to like Artist's non "commercial" stuff. I could go into a whole state of the music industry and what is wrong with it, ok I think I just did, but this is why I like older music. Artist/Composers were allowed to grow and change as artists. So by understanding the time frame of the recording or composition you can learn more about them.
Some of my favorite records that I have worked on were those that I got to know the artist during the making of it. Understanding who they were when the wrote and recorded the record. The problem with just hearing someones more popular pieces is you may or may not find the music that meant the most to the artist. It may just have meant more to the public or more than the case the record company that marketed the record.
As Tom said, Tcoy -- enjoy the journey! And I'd love to hear of your findings, too.
__________________ The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same. -- Carlos Castaneda
Building a Classical Music Library (My Version)
Linear Mode
