Toe dipping into classical

Posted by: garyi on 28 September 2001

I enjoy some classical music but have very little. Now what I want to do this weekend is get a couple of CDs, and what I am after is some recommendations for some classical music.

Aware that everyones tastes will differ may I just name two peices that I personanly like and mabye this will help.

Beethovens Symphony No 6 & Barbers adageo for strings, (sorry about the spelling)

Anyhoo, I love the Beethoven one, and amongst my purchases this weekend I would like to pick up a shit hot recording of this on CD, currently I have an 'Everyman' version by the european Symphony, the recording is very poor.

Any other suggestions would be great, remember though its CD I want. Cheers.

Posted on: 28 September 2001 by Pete

...you want a tuner. Tune it to Radio 3, listen, pick up stuff you like. Also consider concert tickets: most classical concerts are pretty accessible, and much the best way to appreciate the stuff and decide what repertoire to pick up.

But if it's to be a copy of Beethoven 6, my personal fave is the Klemperer one on EMI, coupled with the Egmont Overture and a couple of other bits and bobs. IIRC it's with the Philarmonia. I don't know you'd call the recording "shit hot", it's late 50s or early 60s, but the playing and direction are quite sublime. Quite slow (it's Klemperer, after all) but IMHO that suits the Pastoral very well.

Pete.

Posted on: 28 September 2001 by Todd A

For one of the greatest performances ever of the Pastoral, I suggest Wilhelm Furtwangler's early '50s recording on EMI. Sure, it's mono, but the sound is quite good, and, most importantly, the performance is astounding. More current versions to consider include Karl Bohm's version on DG Originals and David Zinman's cheap but very good set on Arte Nova. Celibidache's performance is also excellent.

Posted on: 04 October 2001 by Bruce Woodhouse

Some good advice above, I was thinking about starting a similar thread as I find the choices and styles of classical music bewildering.

Some more ideas-many of the labels do fairly low priced sampler type CD's with various popular bits of a composers work-they may not all be the last word in performance but you can see if you like the general style and explore further. Classic FM may be classic-lite but it can give you a start.

A specific tip-if you like Adagio for Strings you may like Faure.

A good local shop is an asset here-mine will exchange and recommend stuff.

Bruce

Posted on: 04 October 2001 by Bruce Woodhouse

I had always been put off R3 as i had the impression they played long and freq obscure pieces which could be somewhat inaccesible to the casual listenerpperhaps I need to try again.

Bruce

Posted on: 04 October 2001 by Pete

quote:
Originally posted by Bruce Woodhouse:
I had always been put off R3 as i had the impression they played long and freq obscure pieces which could be somewhat inaccesible to the casual listenerpperhaps I need to try again.

There are certain times when they play some pretty dense stuff, 'tis true, but also a lot of more accessible pieces. Tom's suggested slot "Morning on 3" would indeed be a good place to dip one's toe. Depending on the programme, the concerts (usually 7:30 p.m. weekday) may be to your taste (the whole Proms season has just been and gone, regrettably).

Also, on Saturday mornings there's "CD Review" playing and commenting on new releases, followed by "Building a Library" where they take a bit of repertoire and explore the various recordings right there on air, commenting on what each does well and demonstrating with the pieces in question: a good way to learn more about what to look for IME, as well as single out discs for the collection.

But never mind just classical music, check out Late Junction (10:15 p.m., Monday to Thursday) for a superb and eclectic selection that takes in just about everything: folk, jazz, classical, avante garde, you name it, LJ plays it if it's off the beaten track, a truly remarkable and superb piece of radio. And if you like World music, Andy Kershaw's on Saturday nights IIRC. There's lots of good jazz on R3 as well, and just to top it off the transmission is uncompressed and there aren't any jingles. Probably the best radio station in the world (and I'm not even primarily a classical fan).

Pete.

Posted on: 04 October 2001 by Pete

quote:
Originally posted by Steve J C:

Radio 3 is fab too - live performances can give you recording quality that you'll never get from cd.

There aren't any recording quality issues with live broadcasts, because they're not recordings! R3 live broadcasts are recorded for future transmission, of course, but if you capture them as broadcast direct it's probably the highest fidelity source you'll get.

You'll need a good FM tuner (naim build the canine's cobblers when it comes to FM radio) connected to a decent aerial, of course, and tuners are fabulously unfashionable, but I listen to mine probably more than the CD player and turntable put together.

Pete.

Posted on: 04 October 2001 by garyi

Thanks guys.

I found the Naxos collection in Virgin, but it was very sparten, infact they must have been due a re stock as there wasn't one Beethoven title in the clssical section, (No joke)

Anyhoo plenty of good stuff here I will look into it.

My radio is crap and won't tune to Radio 3, and at work its even worse, so this could be off the menu for now.