Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #26)

I have some early Decca cds with Charles Detoit and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, namely Ravel Daphnis and Chloe, Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition and Saint Sans Organ Symphony.
The sound is marvelous and the performances are top notch.

 

Another first listen.

 

Did you really just say "I was curious George?"

 

Then that would make me Rose River Bear.

 

Right now...

Shostakovich
Quartet No. 1, Op. 49
~
Beethoven
String Quartet, Op. 95
Carpe Diem String Quartet
Live, Mees Hall, Capital University, Columbus, OH. 2007



Our local quartet, who also recorded these for Naxos:

 

Late last year Sony France released this box set (which looks to be available through Amazon UK and maybe elsewhere). IIRC the contents of the box are identified on an earlier thread. I believe I noted at the time, that it seemed to be designed as an introduction to classical music. As I recall there was no post-romantic era music, but it had a number of seminal recordings from the Sony/Columbia/BMG/RCA library. And it's all redbook.

If a classical music lover wanted a place to start an investigation, this could be a very good starting point.

 

Summertime!

Who really knows? Straaange things do happen here, I can't even check if you were dating or... posting all those hot-induced polls under different nicknames.

 

Playing now...

 

A cool idea and probably a great bang for a buck (esp. if scored under $60). They also released a similarly packaged jazz box set (I had already owned some of the discs, otherwise I could have pulled the trigger).

BTW, there's also a bigger Sony box for a baroque novice. Looks lovely. Can't comment on the value of the included recordings but some of them are long OOP. Recently it was on sale at jpc.de and the price (less than $50 shipped) was very tempting even for me despite I own at least a half of these works (but not the performances). But in the end I voted for some new music...

 

I think all the recommendations for a beginner above are great.

I would just say get the Living Stereo SACDs now (like today!) while you can still pick them up for what are bargain prices.

There are also the DG 111 years boxes which are great value

 

You have to get this....it is the best Schumann Fantasy on record IMO. The Schubert is good also. But the Schumann is stunning.

 

I meant to recommend the Living Stereo discs as well. The sound quality is fantastic. I have all but one.

The one reservation I have with them as an introduction to classical music is their limited scope. No Mozart, less than a disc's worth of Bach. The Sony box seems to go try very hard to cover the breadth of classical music (at least up to 1900). There's orchestral music, piano music, chamber music, vocal music.

 

Yuja Wang will be playing at the Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco in the next few days. she'll be playing Bartók's Second Piano Concerto with MTT and SFS on Sunday, Bay Area fans beware.

 

I'll be there. And as of now, I have one spare ticket for Saturday night and Sunday afternoon

 

I suddenly feel the urge to own a recording of Schubert's String Quartet No. 14 ('Death and the Maiden'). Can you guys recommend one with a brilliant performance, outstanding sound quality, that's easy to get and dirt cheap?

 

I second this optimistic request.

 

How about The Lindsays?

http://www.amazon.com/Schubert-Stri...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1308174848&sr=8-1

 

A very promising start. I could get that for 12 Euros. Not bad. And the cover artwork is sexy too.

 

Not bad either. I could get that even a little cheaper and it's two CDs. It loses some points for the less sexy cover though...



Thanks so far guys.

 

Here are two of my favorites. I don't make sound quality recommendations, though.

http://www.amazon.com/Schubert-Quin...artet/dp/B000001GXF/ref=cm_lmf_tit_18_rsrsrs0

http://www.amazon.com/Schubert-Stri...=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1308175313&sr=1-2

 

Belcea Quartet's 2010 2CD on EMI Classics is a good option because you get the big three Schubert string quartet/quintet works in one package, and it's on sale at Presto for 6.35 euros.

• String Quintet in C major, D956
• String Quartet No. 15 in G major, D887
• String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, D810 'Death and the Maiden'

 

You 're welcome, there are so many good recordings of the "Death and the Maiden" that is hard to choose sometimes.

 

Yep, don't expect uber-bargains, sex must be paid for. But... is she dead? Ooops...

 

Ah, I already stumbled upon that one, but the age of the recordings made a little uneasy.

Ok, another vote for the Takács Quartet.