[nph134]

recently I decided I had for too long put off getting more into classical music despite enjoying it very much. So....

I bought myself a pair of HD650s and after hours of searching for advice on google chose what seemed to be the best recordings of works by different composers and bought 40 CDs in one go hehe.

Only now do I understand what a huge difference the conductor/ ochestra/ soloists/ sound engineers make in terms of how much you enjoy a particular work by whatever composer.

So if anyone has any advice on what are regarded to be the best recordings/performances avaliable for any composer/period I'd be very grateful. Setting the time aside to sit with my eyes closed listening to this stuff really makes me feel great.

 

[Coltrane]

Being rich must be nice.


I recceommend going to http://www.naxos.com/mainsite/default.asp


They have many excellent cds at nice prices, plus you can preview every album they have available.

 

[kentamcolin]

Is CD your only format, or do you also have vinyl, SACD, etc? There are some wonderful recordings out there by Mercury Living Stereo, RCA on vinyl. Acoustic Sounds has many reissues, remastered on SACD and vinyl. Even if you don't have these formats, you can see what they have bothered to reissue as they are probably the best performances, and then buy your CD's based on that for a start. Also, check the Hi-Fi mags which review recordings each month for all types of music including classical. Can't beat the lush sound of strings on vinyl played through tubes though. I'm listening right now to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Tchaikovsky 1812 overture cunducted by Reiner on RCA Victor Red Seal vinyl played through a restored Fisher all tube receiver. Recorded 1956 and Wuuunderful.

 

[mbhaub]

nph: Your request is a tall order. I think many of us stumbled into the classics and somehow the repertoire you listen to just keeps growing and growing. You also don't tell us what 40 cds you bought, what period you like, what medium you like (orchestra, choral, piano, string quartet etc.)

Still, if a beginner came to me looking for suggestions, at this time I would try to interest them in these selections. I do not agree that Mercury, RCA Living Stereo or Naxos are a good place to start. Beginners are best hooked with glowing beautiful sound, and frankly, many of those older disks just can't stand up beside well produced modern digital sound. (I know there's going to be a lot of disagreement on this.)

1) Stravinsky: Petrouchka & Firebird Suite. P. Jarvi on Telarc
2) Ravel: complete orchestral works. Abbado on DG (3 disk set)
3) Mahler: Symphony no. 3. Bernstein on DG.
4) Rachmaninoff: Piano concerto 2. Andsnes on EMI.
5) Beethoven: Symphonies 4 & 5. Vanska on BIS.
6) Tchaikovsky: Sleeping Beauty. Pletnev on DG.
7) Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade. Mackerras on Telarc.
8) Grieg: orchestral music. N. Jarvi on DG.
9) Dvorak: Symphony 9. Kondrashin on Philips.
10) Canteloube: Songs from the Auvergne. von Stade on Sony.

I love all of this music more than you can imagine. The sound on all is superb and the performances are all excellent. Some people will argue to death that maetro's so-and-so Beethoven is better in some way than another maestro's, but who cares? At this time, you just want a solid, good performance with great sound. Then, when you're addicted, you can start collecting and comparing 24 different recordings of Mahler 6 just for fun...

 

[kentamcolin]

mbhaub: thanks for the suggestions. I will certainly seek these recordings out. I'm relatively new to classical music myself. My suggestion was based only on my own experience. I have purchased a lot of classical on vinyl lately partly because of the medium and partly because I've been able to find some beautiful recordings of music I didn't know for two or three dollars each. In general, recordings reissued by acoustic sounds are selected because of their beauty as much as their significance. I cannot afford to buy everything I listen to from them at $30 or more (much more) each, so I start with what they have selected then comb area stores selling used vinyl to find the same original recording. I'd love to have a top 100 or top 1,000"must have" classical LP list to work from but I don't know of any. I too just want to collect more of this great music. Thanks for sharing your expertise, and please feel free to share more!

I might add that vinyl is my preferred medium. I had to chose between getting a very good vinyl rig or very good digital rig, but not both. I chose vinyl since it can sound better and won't be outdated anytime soon. And it's fun collecting records.

 

[Zanth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kentamcolin mbhaub: thanks for the suggestions. I will certainly seek these recordings out. I'm relatively new to classical music myself. My suggestion was based only on my own experience. I have purchased a lot of classical on vinyl lately partly because of the medium and partly because I've been able to find some beautiful recordings of music I didn't know for two or three dollars each. In general, recordings reissued by acoustic sounds are selected because of their beauty as much as their significance. I cannot afford to buy everything I listen to from them at $30 or more (much more) each, so I start with what they have selected then comb area stores selling used vinyl to find the same original recording. I'd love to have a top 100 or top 1,000"must have" classical LP list to work from but I don't know of any. I too just want to collect more of this great music. Thanks for sharing your expertise, and please feel free to share more! I might add that vinyl is my preferred medium. I had to chose between getting a very good vinyl rig or very good digital rig, but not both. I chose vinyl since it can sound better and won't be outdated anytime soon. And it's fun collecting records.

In my area, it seems classical music is THE music available on the cheap. I can find lp's of classical for a few bucks or less, marvelous recordings. Jazz and Rock the prices leap, Electronic music and we are into the stratosphere.

 

[Tyson]

Don't neglect the solo or chamber music recordings. I'd recommend a set of Bach Solo Cello Suites (Fournier is my favorite), and Solo Violin Sonatas and Partitas (Milstein on DG is very good).

 

[Bunnyears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyson Don't neglect the solo or chamber music recordings. I'd recommend a set of Bach Solo Cello Suites (Fournier is my favorite), and Solo Violin Sonatas and Partitas (Milstein on DG is very good).

I have to agree with Tyson on this. Chamber works are extremely important and his suggestions are a great starting point as they are excellent interpretations at good price points.

In addition to these works, try some of Mozart's smaller works such as his divertimenti and serenades.

I can recommend Karl Böhm's recording of the Sinfonia Concertante with the Berliner Philharmoniker on DG-Eloquence and Neville Marriner has recordings of the Serenade in G Major K525 Eine Kleine Nachtmusik on Universal Classics as well as his recording of the Overtures (EMI) all available at budget prices.

 

[PSmith08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nph134 recently I decided I had for too long put off getting more into classical music despite enjoying it very much. So.... I bought myself a pair of HD650s and after hours of searching for advice on google chose what seemed to be the best recordings of works by different composers and bought 40 CDs in one go hehe. Only now do I understand what a huge difference the conductor/ ochestra/ soloists/ sound engineers make in terms of how much you enjoy a particular work by whatever composer. So if anyone has any advice on what are regarded to be the best recordings/performances avaliable for any composer/period I'd be very grateful. Setting the time aside to sit with my eyes closed listening to this stuff really makes me feel great.

Answering your original question: paraphrasing an old joke, if you get seven classical fans in a room, you'll get eight opinions on which recording is best. For example, I recommend Furtwängler's 1951 performance of Beethoven's 9th at Bayreuth as the best for anyone. However, some think that the sound quality might be off-putting for new listeners. In my mind, both opinions are "right."

If I were you, I would look at reviews, read the behemoth threads here, and go out and listen to see what you like the best. Really, the 50+ page classical threads are the best resource for many of the composers. Recordings, conductors, and biography are all discussed.

 

[bigshot]

I put a lot of thought into this list...

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=134171

See ya
Steve

 

[nph134]

thanks for the great response, plenty for me to get on with here

 

[Omnis]

I really like anything done by the Cleveland orchestra. Their contributions in my two Telarc samplers are absolutely amazing, in my opinion.

edit: Also, I find that all the CD's i've listened to that were published by Deutsche Grammophon are top notch.