Hello every one. I am looking to purchase a CD or two from Decca and was wondering what the forum members would recommend?
I have found two that are advertised. One I know which I can purchase locally in Australia is:
1. Opera Gold: 50 Greatest Tracks 3 CDs
2. Opera Gold: 100 Greatest Tracks. 6 CDs
I am open to others thoughts.
What do I like? Wagner, Handel, Male Tenors and anything angelic if that makes sense.
Thank you for your time and recommendations.
I should add that I do not have a record player though do own a Nait2 XS, a Marantz CD-85 from 1991 with Celestion SL6 si speakers, again 1991.
Posted on: 11 May 2016 by Gigantor
I have been to the Decca Classics website again. I was not aware that there are so many recordings of Handel's Messiah. Could somebody please recommend which I should purchase as a must have or a short list of the best five?
Being new to Opera. I am wondering if one purchases and thus collects different recordings as a new way of listening to an old favourite? The same bible but a different version. NLT, NIV, NASB, etc. All contain the same message. Just in a different way. If that makes sense.
Is this so?
Warm regards,
Paul.
Posted on: 11 May 2016 by Morton
Just to be clear Handel’s Messiah is an Oratorio not an Opera; I think a good place to start would be the Dunedin Consort directed by John Butt on the Linn label, a very good performance with excellent sound.
As for which of the two Decca sets to get, it probably does not matter too much and if possible I would always try and go to live performance of something popular such as Carmen or La Traviata, that's what got me hooked.
Posted on: 11 May 2016 by Gigantor
Dear Morton,
Thank you for setting me straight. I am obviously green in this area and have thus demonstrated that. Thank you for the leads on Handel's Messiah, Carmen and LA Traviata. Of the latter two do you have any recommendations there also. I have managed to track down Hadel's Messiah here in Australia and it is available in SACD and HDCD. I hope either format is playable on a normal CD player. I do plan to purchase a CD5 XS one day next year and then I will be in a position to appreciate the HDCD version of Butt's Handel Messiah.
Again thank you very much. It is gratefully appreciated.
Warm regards,
Paul.
Posted on: 12 May 2016 by Morton
Yes, SACD’s & HDCD’s will play perfectly well on normal cd players.
As for recommendations for Carmen & Traviata there are so many recordings to choose from, the two below are just a start.
Try on Spotify if possible before buying.
Posted on: 12 May 2016 by kevin J Carden
If you like Wagner AND Decca (me too!) then an obvious recommendation would be to start with Deryck Cookes superb, if rather boffinish, explanation of how the magnificent ring cycle works musically. Generally I don't like to be told how to listen to music but I'll definitely make an exception here. Truly enlightening.
If your appetite is then whetted by that it's a no brainier to go on to the excellent remastered box set of Solti's Ring cycle on Decca.
Posted on: 13 May 2016 by bluedog
IMO it's very easy to get out off by opera. I'd never had any great interest in opera but found my way in to it after I was given Pavarotti;s Greatest Hits. The arias grew on me - at first the very obvious melodic and dramatic ones like Nessun Dorma, then gradually the less obvious ones. As a next step I carefully chose what I thought would be an accessible and enjoyable opera to attend: I chose Tosca, which is still one of my favourites. After that I was able to listen to a whole opera recording and imagine the theatrical aspects as it played.
So in short, my advice would be to start with the golden greats CD.
