My Essential Classical Albums.

[rando]

Glad to hear you are doing well.  I have to admit to and endearment towards the Dutch as well; One vision of a good day in my world involves setting off on my Koga road bike with jersey pockets stuffed full of stroopwafels and a ham sandwich with gouda (only to ride hills )

 

Expect all of these to require a physical purchase.

 

Bamboo Fantasy XRCD24

 

 

Pipa Xing (Works of Akira Ifukube) Played on a 25 stringed Koto

 

 

There is the 'chestnut' below but I also like modern recordings from The Washington Balalaika Society

 

 

 

Lavinia Meijer has a number of good harp albums and you could also look into the composer Keiko Abe for marimba recordings.

[sphinxsix]

1 hour ago, rando said:

Glad to hear you are doing well.  I have to admit to and endearment towards the Dutch as well; One vision of a good day in my world involves setting off on my Koga road bike with jersey pockets stuffed full of stroopwafels and a ham sandwich with gouda (only to ride hills )

Glad to hear from you, Rando! As for your recommendations I'm only familiar with Lavinia Meijer (got some of her albums and I agree - they're good) and 'Balalaika Favorites' ..cover. I've always found it so repelling that I've never checked out the music!   As for your other suggestions they are appreciated and will be checked out as usual.

BTW if you happpen to buy gouda in the Lowlands here is the proper pronunciation (I also think it's high time everybody got to know the correct pronunciation of van Gogh 'cause we all do it in a very, very wrong way )

 

As for bikes and hills - I decided to sell my full suspension mountain bike before coming here not only because of the absence of mountains but also because it both was too expensive and looked too good - it would probably disappear if left in the street in less than two minutes

 

 

[AnotherSpin]

9 hours ago, rando said:

 

 

 

If I will listen this for an hour I will kill somebody, cook on a fire and eat.

[sphinxsix]

5 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

If I will listen this for an hour I will kill somebody, cook on a fire and eat.

I just hope you won't do it

I also hope for the continuation of your positive contribution that I always appreciated on this thread ..

[AnotherSpin]

3 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

I just hope you won't do it

 

You never know what you may expect from a person who loves balalaikas. Absolute and indisputable winner in the category "the cheesiest instrument ever".

[semente]

1 hour ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

You never know what you may expect from a person who loves balalaikas. Absolute and indisputable winner in the category "the cheesiest instrument ever".

 

Hmmm... What about this?

 

 

http://www.walterwillems.com/show_image.php?id=120

[AnotherSpin]

13 minutes ago, semente said:

 

Hmmm... What about this?

 

 

http://www.walterwillems.com/show_image.php?id=120

 

Funny video....) He is one of my favorite drummers.

[sphinxsix]

3 hours ago, semente said:

 

Hmmm... What about this?

 

 

http://www.walterwillems.com/show_image.php?id=120

I think everybody will agree there is no cheesier instrument than this one. @semente Thanks, you've made my evening!

Just a little suggestion - maybe let's not get into instruments more original than Han Bennink's cheese kit here..

Treat it as an encore to the encore (real fun starts around 6:00), there is also a detailed description of the installation and Benink's performance below the video on Youtube :

 

 

[WAM]

Hello Sphinxsix, Welkom in Nederland . (But why Amsterdam ... avoid it... expensive.. tourist trap... hardly Dutchmen, only foreigners... order a pint in Dutch and you must be happy to get a glass of water...).

 

But on topic now.This tread is about essential classic albums, n'est ce pas?

I recently bought Rosalyn Turecks WTK (the 50's vision, I already had the BBC-recordings). In the box was also he 90's version of the Goldbergs. Wonderful. (But what's puzzling me: why a 50's WTK and a 90's Goldberg in box?) 

 

 

 

 

[AnotherSpin]

1 hour ago, WAM said:

(But what's puzzling me: why a 50's WTK and a 90's Goldberg in box?) 

 

Maybe because both recordings were made by DG?...)

 

She made 5 or 6 complete recordings of Goldbergs on piano. There is one harpsichord recording also, which considered questionable.

[sphinxsix]

3 hours ago, WAM said:

 

But on topic now.This tread is about essential classic albums, n'est ce pas?

I recently bought Rosalyn Turecks WTK (the 50's vision, I already had the BBC-recordings). In the box was also he 90's version of the Goldbergs. Wonderful.

We 'talked' Bach much earlier on this thread but I'm pretty sure Rosalyn Tureck's name wasn't mentioned neither in this context nor in any other. I don't know any of her recordings. Thanks for your recommendation!

3 hours ago, WAM said:

Hello Sphinxsix, Welkom in Nederland . (But why Amsterdam ... avoid it... expensive.. tourist trap... hardly Dutchmen, only foreigners... order a pint in Dutch and you must be happy to get a glass of water...).

Dank je wel Good to know there are some Dutch audio aficionados here. Why Amsterdam..? I used to live in New York, Paris, London and some other places but Amsterdam for me is a little bit like a woman you want to go back to although you have much bigger choice than just her To put it briefly - this city has always had the ability to charge my inner batteries. As for foreigners being against them would have in my case some autodestructive dimension  I'haven't been that much after beer (and alcohol in general) in recent years but I admit that I'd rather get a strong tea with lemon instead of water. That's one of my two addictions. If you're curious about the other - I'm a smoking aficionado. Tobacco smoking (I haven't been that much after alternative smoking materials in recent years either). I love to smoke. Good tobacco in every possible form (but for past 10 or more years these were mainly 'roll your own' cigarettes). I don't fight it! I enjoy it! A lot! And here comes another reason for being here. A couple of months ago I made a photo I entitled 'Three good enough reasons for being in the Netherlands'

(it's actually a little lie 'cause the third one isn't sold here, it was brought to me by a friend from her holidays in the Czech Republic where they also have the lightest, white version that you also can't buy here, but my favorite is the middle one) :

 

 

But let's go back to music...

[AnotherSpin]

6 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

We 'talked' Bach much earlier on this thread but I'm pretty sure Rosalyn Tureck's name wasn't mentioned neither in this context nor in any other. I don't know any of her recordings. Thanks for your recommendation!

 

I believe Tureck was mentioned earlier, she is one of the most important performers of Bach ever. It is enough to note that Glenn Gould named her as his only influence. Happy you, there are several recordings of Goldbergs and WTC, plus something for a change. Try DG, then both twofers in Great Pianists series on Philips. Most of Tureck's Bach was recorded in archive quality, but performing is nothing less than transfixing.

[sphinxsix]

6 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

I believe Tureck was mentioned earlier

Yes, she was. I've just checked it out via 'search this topic', which BTW is a good tool for somebody looking for classical music recommendations. My mistake, sorry.

[sphinxsix]

On 4/27/2018 at 11:32 PM, rando said:

Pipa Xing (Works of Akira Ifukube) Played on a 25 stringed Koto

 

 

Been sitting like hypnotized for the past half an hour listening to  Pipa Xing playing compositions by Akira Ifukube. Thanks! (couldn't find no 'Bamboo Fantasy' samples though)

[rando]

I can think of only two instances in recent years music has truly impacted me.  The first was hearing a vinyl recording of Berwald's "Symphony Singulière" conducted by Sixten Ehrling.  The second was Toshiro Mayuzumi's haunting opening composition "After The Bomb" for his soundtrack to the official documentary of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.  Which through research I discovered Akira Ifukube was intimately but quietly involved in.  One the realistic height of peace and communal joy.  The other ashes and horror the world had never known.

 

Discovering Akira Ifukube's symphonic contributions was critical to my exploration of music he wrote for traditional instruments and melodies.  His ability to mix Eastern and Western music in soliloquy quite unique.  Godzilla music included, a lifelong erudite fascination with the world shines through.  I'm quite glad you have enjoyed my small suggestion as greatly as I had hoped.

[sphinxsix]

The Four Seasons for orchestra and oud 

What do you think, guys.?

 

 

 

[rando]

To think, the reaction you had towards some of our equally distant relations to this piece of music!  ?

 

I like it. 

[sphinxsix]

I found this while searching for Wu Man's performances on Youtube. IMO the orchestral parts are quite safe - sweet but Wu Man's pipa playing is excellent.

 

 

 

[sphinxsix]

I watched the first two parts of Tunes For Tyrants BBC documentary recently. The fragments of two compositions that were presented in it caught my attention - Richard Strauss 'Metamorphosen' and Shostakovich 5th symphony. I actually don't have any Strauss albums and just a few compositions of Shostakovich in my collection. Could you guys recommend some essential recordings of the above-mentioned composers (I apologize to the fans of the genre but I'm still not an opera lover).

As usually both performance and SQ matter.

Thanks in advance!

[AnotherSpin]

7 minutes ago, sphinxsix said:

I watched the first two parts of Tunes For Tyrants BBC documentary recently. The fragments of two compositions that were presented in it caught my attention - Richard Strauss 'Metamorphosen' and Shostakovich 5th symphony. I actually don't have any Strauss albums and just a few compositions of Shostakovich in my collection. Could you guys recommend some essential recordings of the above-mentioned composers (no operas, please). As usually both performance and SQ matter.

Thanks in advance!

 

Vier Letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs) is one of my most beloved pieces of music ever. But, it is a songs cycle, not sure it will fit your requirements. Anyway, version from Karajan with Janowitz is absolutely gorgeous. Also sprach Zarathustra and An Alpine Symphony would be risk-free choices as well. I can not name one selected recording for each, there are more than a few with good SQ. Reiner or Karajan (Decca) are very good for former, but both are old recordings. Previn on Telarc for latter is a safe choice.

 

I am not a great fan of Shostakovich. String quartets cycle is the only selection I would insist on keeping. Borodin or Fitzwilliam versions are very good. Piano Concertos would be recommended as well. Giltburg performs both with great artistry. Many people praise several installments of symphonies recordings from Nelsons/Boston. The sound is very, very good, but material is beyond my ability to take it seriously.

[Musicophile]

+1 on Nelsons for Shostakovich. 

[Hugo9000]

7 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

I watched the first two parts of Tunes For Tyrants BBC documentary recently. The fragments of two compositions that were presented in it caught my attention - Richard Strauss 'Metamorphosen' and Shostakovich 5th symphony. I actually don't have any Strauss albums and just a few compositions of Shostakovich in my collection. Could you guys recommend some essential recordings of the above-mentioned composers (I apologize to the fans of the genre but I'm still not an opera lover).

As usually both performance and SQ matter.

Thanks in advance!

Karajan was superb with the music of Richard Strauss.  This 5-disc set is excellent, despite the cheesy cover, and is only $25 on Amazon right now:

 

 

If you like Karajan and want his earlier recordings on DG of these works, there is a large-format (LP-sized) boxed set of 11 CDs plus most of the music on a single Blu-ray as well.  Normally, it sells for between $75 and $90, but it's on Amazon for $47 and change right now.

 

 

The first option is great as an introduction, as they are terrific recordings in very good sound for a really low price.  This is a great recording as well, Karajan with the Vienna Philharmonic (good sound, despite the age of the recording):

 

 

I absolutely adore Neeme Järvi's cycle of the symphonic poems on Chandos, but I'd suggest the $25 Karajan set first, to see how much you like this music before investing in the Chandos recordings.  Richard Strauss is one of my favorite composers, I have many recordings of his work if you have any questions, feel free to PM me or ask here.

[Hugo9000]

If you're interested in the Järvi recordings, look for these editions:

 

 

Great performances, and beautiful sound typical of Chandos.  If you aren't familiar with the Scottish National Orchestra, don't worry, they are indeed a world class ensemble.

[rando]

This new Järvi is supposed to be very good.  A bit hard to source if you aren't looking for MC.

 

      

 

  With the caveat of superior sound quality.  The other real powerhouse besides Karajan was Furtwängler.  Unsure which release is most desirable so I'll say two disc Archipel Desert Island with the following in mind.

 

Quote

Perhaps a more obvious case of Strauss reckoning with history, rather than dodging it, is “Metamorphosen.” Written for 23 solo strings as an elegy for a culture destroyed by war, the work was completed by Strauss in April 1945. Wilhelm Furtwängler’s blisteringly angry recording comes from just two years later, recorded in the Titania-Palast with the Berlin Philharmonic in October 1947. Strauss’s lament, in the hands of a conductor whom Daniel Barenboim once said felt “he personally could save German culture from the Nazis,” is suffused with promise, its quotation of the funeral march from Beethoven’s “Eroica” Symphony offering hope rather than the death that Strauss’s “In Memoriam!” exhortation in the score implies.

 

 

     

 

 

You will find excellent performances and sound quality on both the above Shostakovich Symphony No. 5.  V. Gergiev does interject with some vocalizations from the podium.  The Kreizberg and Haitnik are also quite good alternatives

 

     

[Bob Stern]

As an introduction to Strauss, I would not recommend Alpine Symphony or Sinfonia Domestica.  The consensus is these are not his best works.

 

The two Strauss pieces similar to Metamorphosen are:

(1) the string sextet that opens his last opera, Capriccio.  You should be able to find the sextet without buying the opera.

(2) Death and Transfiguration (shown above).

 

His best orchestral works are Ein Heldenleben, Don Quixote, Also Sprach Zarathustra, Don Juan, and Till Eulenspiegel.  None of them are elegiac like Metamorphosen.  Don Quixote and Till Eulenspiegel are jocular, the others are dramatic/heroic.

 

A completely different aspect of Strauss is the lovely tunes in his operas.  If you're averse to vocal music, try the orchestral suites or "symphonic syntheses" from his operas such as Rosenkavalier and Frau Ohne Schatten.