[norwegiansnowman]

I will try to to listen to more classical myself. Might have to order a few of those cds.

 

[oosoo]

Really MEAN classical: Apocalyptica. Don't miss their records Apocalyptica Plays Metallica by Four Cellos (1996) and Cult (2000).

 

[19lexicon78]

rachmaninov..almost all his piano works (ok his best, rach 3)...and there's one pianist who can play rachmaninov = Svjatoslav Richter...

 

[some1x]

There is a lot more than just one pianist who can play Rachmaninoff well

Horowitz, Rachmaninoff, Agerich, Ashkenazy....

 

[Ymer]

Try some of Mahler's song cycles.

Two of my favorites (and ones which I guess you could call MEAN):

* Kindertotenlieder (Songs of the Death of Children)
- I suggest you look for Kathleen Ferrier with Bruno Walter (out on EMI best recordings of the century, good price, great quality, Ferrier <3 <3 <3)
- Another great options are Christa Ludwig with Herbert von Karajan and Brigitte Fassbaender with Sergiu Celebidache. Also, Janet Baker with Sir John Barbirolli (under EMI best recordings of the century) is also considered one of the great versions by many.

* Das Lied von der Erde (The Songs of the Earth)
- My favorite version: Kathleen Ferrier and Julius Patzak with Bruno Walter, out on DECCA's Legends series, recently remastered. There's also the live version which is even stronger, out on Tara Records, as "Kathleen Ferrier: In Memoriam - Das Lied von der Erde".
- Other favorites are: Brigitte Fassbaender and Francisto Araiza with Carlo Maria Giulini. Also, Christa Ludwig and Fritz Wunderlich with Otto Klemperer under EMI's Best Recorings of the Century series is great.

0.2

 

[19lexicon78]

No, Richter plays the russian soul best.

 

[RobertR]

Volodos is the new rising russian star. listen to his rach 3rd and solo works. technique with soul , something horowitz often sacrificed for sake of virtuosity.

 

[samhuff]

Beethoven 5th & 3rd Eroica John Eliot Gardiner Orchestre Revolutionaire and Romantique 4445944-2

 

[Wilson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by geek42 The kind of stuff that uses organs and shakes the room

That would be "Rutter Requiem and Five Anthems" on Reference Recordings, take a look:

http://www.referencerecordings.com/choraleorgan.HTML


The low notes recorded are incredible. Try it!


Happy listening,
W

 

[third_eye]

Mussorgsky-Pictures at an Exhibition.

 

[roll-man]

try Shostakovich Symphony #4. Very mean

 

[Tyson]

How about exciting and bombastic? The 1st Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto (Argerich on piano), and his 4th, 5th, and 6th symphonies (Mravinsky on Deutsche Gramaphon). Pretty intense stuff.

 

[Gummy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by third_eye Mussorgsky-Pictures at an Exhibition.

Hmmm, I played that (in real life)
It's funky, but I would say it's MEAN

Get Perlman's spanish stuff.
Got some wicked playing going on in there.