You can start your journey of discovery in classical music worse than with Richard Strauss Till eulenspiegels lustige streiche. This is a great work to listen to. If you like it than also listen to other great works of Richard Strauss like Also sprach Zarathustra and his symphonies and symphonic poems.
1st listen, I'm currently into piano concerto no. 2. Alexander Markovich playing the 4 Scharwenka Piano Concertos with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, directed by Neeme Järvi. ...Why is this not better known? (I'm guessing because the composer was Polish, the 19th/early 20th Century rearing its ugly head.) This is intense, virtuosic piano music, very similar to Rachmaninov. The album is brilliantly recorded by Chandos (it's not always a given, I've had bad experiences). Highly recommended and, if you love Rachmaninov, I would upgrade to Essential. With the Chandos sale on Prestomusic, I've also bought the following albums from Neeme Järvi: Highly recommended, especially for PC2 and PC3. 1st rate orchestral backing. I'm waiting for the Prokofiev Symphonies box too, heard good things. Good, but Demidenko on Hyperion for Medtner's PC2 and PC3 is simply the better choice in my opinion: faster tempo, more virtuosic, more energy.
I've got the Nonesuch lps, but I didn't know about the CD set. The Nonesuch lp notes were penned by Joshua Rifkin. I asked him if he had a favorite Brandenberg recording, but he said that since he hasn't yet recorded it himself, he generally refrains from listening to recordings of it.
@Wes H is probably the biggest fan of Nonesuch among the thread participants. While I have a few Nonesuch LP's, they are nothing compared with what Wes H has. Nonesuch CD's are generally hard to find though I have a few ... The following twofer is the only recording by Rifkin in my collection but I probably have listened to the set only once ...
Now playing: Nikolai Myaskovsky - Complete Piano Sonatas - Murray McLachlan - recorded 1988 CD 1 of this set:
Thanks! I'm slowly delving into some classical music because of the aforementioned video game, Earth 2150. Now, here's one that has been driving me nuts for years as I cannot identify who and what piece(s) were sampled from, which is played in the game's cutscenes. Not even Shazam helped either! Mind you, the sound quality isn't too great given how old the game is, but I hope somebody can help...
Now playing: Joseph Haydn - Die Jahreszeiten - Gundula Janowitz, Walter Berry, Werner Hollweg, Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin, Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan - recorded 1973
On the turntable: Still going through my most recent thrift store haul. Johann Joachim Quantz, Carl Stamitz, Jan Krumlowský, Giovanni Bononcini, Johann Heinrich Schmelzer – Delightful Divertimentos & Pretty Partitas By Stamitz, Quantz, Krumlovsky, Buoncini & Schmelzer Crossroads – 22 16 0103
On the turntable: Still going through my most recent thrift store haul. William Gomez – A Guitar Recital London Records – STS 15072
On the turntable: More from the thrift store. Prokofiev - The Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy – Classical Symphony / The Love For Three Oranges Suite / Lieutenant Kijé Suite Columbia Masterworks – MS 6545
Now playing: Jurgis Karnavičius - String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2 - Vilnius String Quartet - recorded 2020
Yes it is! And Karnavičius was a Lithuanian composer. Very nice String Quartets, but probably not quite your taste.
I have that Haydn The Seasons / Karajan ...on this 3-LP box set. Released in the US on Angel Records in 1973. The Karajan recording is often stirring with a big, dramatic chorus and the Berlin Philharmonic sounds very impressive. My preferred Seasons, however, is by Colin Davis. He approaches Haydn here, as he does with the Symphonies: Energetic tempos, tight ensemble, and everything very clear & polished. It's sung in English, though, if that's an issue for anyone (not for me). Released in 1968 by Philips in this 3-LP box set, pressed in Holland... but I believe it also received a CD issue.
Light and enjoyable music of Prokofieff on the turntable: - Lieutenant Kijé Suite - Scythian Suite Claudio Abbado -- Chicago Symphony Orchestra DG LP / 1978 / German
the best song I have heard is the hymn for the weekend by Coldplay. I think there is no haters for that song anymore.
Listening to "Orlande De Lassus - Motets & Magnificat" performed by Pomerium directed by Alexander Blachly on Old Hall. 2008 O crux splendidor Impulsus, eversus sum Ecce Maria genuit Ave verum corpus Si ambulavero Regina coeli Tristis est anima mea Timor et tremor Cum essem parvulus Surgens, Jesus Descendit Sicut Pluvia Magnificat super ancor che col partire Ut queant laxis Creator omnium Christus resurgens
It definitely has the BIG Karajan sound, i.e. more romantic than classical. Still, a fine performance.
First listen to new arrival "Clara & Robert Schumann - Piano Concertos" performed by Beatrice Rana and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe conducted by Yannick Nezet-Seguin on Warner.
I am on a mono kick. I love that vintage warm sound and the dedicated performance quality. This morning :this CD-recordings from the Decca Sound mono box. 1955. Supplemented with Prokofiev’s Lt. Kije and The Love for Three Oranges suites from another Lp.
