[john53]

Hi,

I would appreciate if you give me some recommendations for classical music(bethoven,mozzart,bach,the well known music because i don't have much experience with classical music and i would like to be introduced with the famous masterpieces first)

I would prefer it to be in sacd format,but you can recommend and cd's,too.I would also like the sound quality to be top of the top(excelent recording quality)
and to be well performed too.

And please don't recommend me something that i can find only from the internet because i never buy anything this way.

 

[paaj]

Not an expert myself either, but I've got a nice set of the Rachmaninov piano concerts, played by Ashkenazy and conducted by Previn. I think this is the one, but searching for these names should come up with some alternatives.
I've been listening to the third concert since I was 8 and just lately got myself to look for the others, now I really need to get myself a physical copy of those

for pure piano, the Beethoven sonatas played by Alfred Brendel, here, are a good start. I love the Pathetique and Moonlight, play those myself, but have not really gotten the time to get to know the rest.

 

[revolink24]

Lets see I'm not sure of any particular recordings but here are some nice pieces,
Barber - Adagio for Strings
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 5 "Reformation"
Elgar - Cello Concerto, E Minor

 

[robm321]

There are numerous threads with great recommendations on this.

 

[john53]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 /img/forum/go_quote.gif There are numerous threads with great recommendations on this.

Yes,you are right,i should have searched for it first.But i thought it was a good idea to ask since i want sacd mostly and with the very popular/well known classical pieces to introduce me to this kind of music

 

[LevA]

Quote:

Originally Posted by john53 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi, I would appreciate if you give me some recommendations for classical music(bethoven,mozzart,bach,the well known music because i don't have much experience with classical music and i would like to be introduced with the famous masterpieces first) I would prefer it to be in sacd format,but you can recommend and cd's,too.I would also like the sound quality to be top of the top(excelent recording quality) and to be well performed too. And please don't recommend me something that i can find only from the internet because i never buy anything this way.

if sacd is a must I would recommend Karajan's beethoven symphonies box set.

for baroque era music look for harmonia mundi record label like handel concerti grossi etc. they have a few sacd and the sound quality is probably the best you can get.

However, if you really interested in good performance, you should check older recordings. if you are worried about sound quality, a technique I use is go to itunes store and have a listen to the previews. if you are happy with the sound you know its going to better as its only 256kb in itunes vs Cd quality.

 

[alphapig]

I like many of the old RCA Living Stereo recordings, which are now out on SACD. Here are a couple:

Brahms/Tchaikovsky Violin Concertos, Heifetz, Reiner
Rubinstein, Beethoven Sonatas (piano)
Strauss, Also Sprach Zarathustra, Ein Heldenleben, Reiner, Chicago Symphony

Other recs (the last two are not SACD, but I think the Philips and remastered Sonys sound pretty good):

Bach Violin Concertos, Hilary Hahn, LA Chamber Orchestra
Mozart, The Great Piano Concertos, Brendel, Marriner
Mozart, Serenade "Gran Partita", K.361, Berlin Philharmonic, Mehta

I guess I've been in classical music too long to remember what is "famous", but these are all great pieces. Hope that helps.

 

[gilency]

Where to begin?
Beethoven's 5th (directed by Von Karajan) or his Emperor Concerto for Piano., or the Kreutzer Violin Concerto, or his Apassionata piano sonata.
Bach's Cantatas are heaven to me.
Chopin's Waltzes
Mozart's flute quartet's
Vivaldi's 4 season's to start with.
On a lighter note, you could also listen To Joshua Bell playing Kreisler.
Excellent musicians: Brendel playing Beethoven, Yo-Yo Ma playing Vivaldi, Rubinstein playing Chopin, or Kissin with more modern recordings; Harnencourt directing Bach's Cantatas; Braham's quintets played by the Emmerson quartet....and the list goes on and on...
Classical music is wonderful, is heaven...welcome to Classical!!!

 

[john53]

Thank you all for your replies.There are so many different options,i may be a little confused at first.

 

[goosemeister]

The First 10 CDs of Your Classical Music Collection

Classical - Basic Library recommendations

If you are building a Classical Piano CD collection...

Building a Beethoven Collection?

Building a Bach Collection?

Building a Brahms Collection?

Top 10 Mozart CDs to Start Your Classical Music Collection

 

[goosemeister]

if there were one cd that i think you should run (not walk) to purchase, it is carlos kleiber's (vienna philharmonic) interpretation of beethoven's 5th and 7th symphonies. this is the beethoven recording. in fact, i think it may be the classical recording.

cd

sacd

 

[john53]

goosemeister,thank you very much for your recommendations/link's.

 

[scytheavatar]

Classical CD Guide -- Top 10 CDs to Start Your Classical Music Collection

 

[Uncle Erik]

Try:

This is available on SACD. I'm playing it right now through the Moth and the Si2A3. Just wonderful!

 

[john53]

Thank you all very much for the recommendations.I think i'm gonna give a try at the sacd goosemeister recommended on his second post and uncle eric on his post.I'll also search what else i can find from the ones everybody recommended.