# Recommend best recordings / composers



## Seth442

Hello,
I am looking for recommendations for recordings / composers (including specific compositions to check out) of classical music.

About me (any my tastes in music):
I am a musician and I play mostly Jazz. 
I am not familiar with very much classical music already, but I'll give you some examples of pieces / composers that I like:

Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 is my favorite classical piece right now. I tend to like concertos and orchestral works, works for solo piano, or string quartets. My favorite instruments are piano, cello, and violin. 
I heard a piece on the radio that I thought was really beautiful and I believe the DJ said it was by Bela Bartok, and he said something about "the peacock" and the Emerson string quartet, but I haven't been able to find the piece. 

I tend to like pieces with a lot of harmonic interest, but not atonal pieces. I got a Bartok CD that has Concerto no. 2 for violin and it sounded too atonal and unsettling to me so I didn't really like it, which goes to show that my appreciation for composers varies throughout their compositions. 

Please make suggestions.


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## Chi_townPhilly

No shortage of general favored recordings threads on this forum... here are a few-

Recommended CDs

5 Favorite Recordings

3 CDs- Desert Island

Desert Island Discs- Different Perspective

But rather than simply direct you to these general threads, we'd also like to help make this thread about _you_. You mentioned enjoying the Rachmaninoff 2nd Piano Concerto- so the Martha Argerich recording of Rachmaninoff's 3rd Piano Concerto seems an easy-enough recommendation.

After this, I'd like to know a little more before offering further ideas- what Cello pieces have you liked, so far? How about Piano solo material? Does your affinity for Jazz translate into appreciation for Jazz-motivated pieces (e.g.: Gershwin, some Ravel... of maybe even Scott Joplin's _Rag Time Dance_)? [Once a full-fledged ballet-- I believe only a fragment exists today.]


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## Seth442

I wish it would let me change the title - my choice of the word "best" was poor because I am really looking for recommendations based on my taste by people who are familiar with a wide variety of pieces. I know what I like but I don't have much knowledge of what is out there. 

I will definitely check out the recording of Rachmoninov's 3rd piano concerto that you suggested. Do you have a particular recommendation for a recording of his 2nd piano concerto? 

To be honest, I can't name a single cello pieces. I like the instrument's tone and expression a lot, and I have heard beautiful cello pieces before but I don't know any of the names. It often happens when I turn on the radio and an unidentified classical piece will be playing. For piano pieces, the same goes - I don't know the names of any of the pieces that I have liked. 

As for how my affinity for jazz affects my taste - I tend not to like classical pieces that are jazz-motivated in "obvious" ways. Any influence that my appreciation for jazz has on classical music is more complex (and hard to pinpoint or explain). The main reason I mentioned that is so that people will know that I'm not just a listener but also a musician as well.


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## Chi_townPhilly

Seth442 said:


> Do you have a particular recommendation for a recording of his 2nd piano concerto?


There are _definitely_ members better qualified than I to answer this question- but as long as I'm here- I'll try a little 'stream-of-consciousness' answer:

My first exposure to Rachmaninoff 2 was a Gary Graffman rendition with Ormandy & The Philadelphia Orchestra, back in the age of vinyl. I was very happy with it- not an uncommon reaction to one's first exposure.

My current 'go-to' version of this work is also backed by the Philadelphia Orchestra... but it's Rachmaninoff's own performance of it. This recording, though has one GIGANTIC caveat- it's a mono recording from 1929. If stereo is a non-negotiable for you (and I certainly would understand if it was), then it's necessary to look elsewhere.

I also have a stereo CD of this piece- with Jenö Jandó on Naxos. It's recommendable enough and (as almost always re: Naxos) great value... but I wouldn't seriously argue with anyone who would say there's better out there.


Seth442 said:


> I like the [Cello]'s tone and expression a lot, and I have heard beautiful cello pieces before but I don't know any of the names. It often happens when I turn on the radio and an unidentified classical piece will be playing.


Here's a 'CQ' and a set-up for our resident Bach fans. I'll bet that there's been some exposure to the Bach Cello Suites, here- this is the perfect opportunity for someone to come and apostrophize these cornerstones of the Bach repertoire.

If your municipality has a reasonably-stocked lending library, it's possible that you could take some Bach Cello Suites recordings on loan. The only thing it would cost you is time...


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## Herkku

I'm fond of concertos too, especially piano concertos, having played the instrument myself in my youth. You mention Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2. I agree with Chi townPhilly that No. 3 would be an obvious choice. I like it even more than its predecessor, but it must be with the more hellish cadenza! Having been a little distanced from classical music for some years I cannot make recommendations about the soloist or recordings that would represent the current top. I grew up listening Vladimir Ashkenazy's recordings of both (in fact of all four and The Paganini Variations) from the early seventies. Apparently the Argerich/Chailly version of No. 3 has some special magic.

Rachmaninov and Alexander Scriabin shared a same piano teacher for a time. So, why not move on to Scriabin's Piano Concerto? It is clearly heavily indebted to Chopin, but who cares? I like it very much. From here it's easy to move to Chopin himself. His First Concerto is the one I like, with its second movement something celestial. Argerich is not a bad choice here either, combined with Liszt's No. 1, which is full of energy, although I have a perverse liking of his No. 2, an austere work for such a virtuoso.

Piano concertos by Schumann and Grieg are wonderful as well, a recording by Leif Ove Andsnes, has had much acclaim. Brahms's both concertos are fine, although I prefer No. 2. Nelson Freire could be the soloist here.

If you are prepared to go back a little more in time, there is Beethoven, whose No. 4 and No. 5 are my favourites. If still more, there is Mozart with almost all his concertos. If a little more still, there is Bach, which I prefer played with a modern piano.

I won't go much to the more modern direction from Rachmaninov. My special recommendation is Francis Poulenc, both his concertos for one piano and two pianos. For me they represent some special post-war nostalgia, one age of innocence irretrievably gone. Another suggestion might be the concertos of Heitor Villa-Lobos, played by Christina Ortiz.

This should get you started with piano concertos!


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## StlukesguildOhio

I'll make one recommendation that might connect both with your admiration for Rachmaninoff and Jazz:










Ravel's piano concert is marvelous... with elements of rhythms that suggest the composer's awareness of jazz... but are never "obvious". The Micheleangeli recording is a common "first choice" disc for the Ravel... and his Rachmaninoff 4th is equally special.

For cello works, I might suggest the Brahms Cello Sonatas (for piano and cello). There are several marvelous recordings including Artur Rubinstein and Gregor Piatigorsky, Mstislav Rostropovich and Rudolf Serkin, or Yo Yo Ma and Emmanuel Ax.

Another disc of Romantic-era cello music that I might highly recommend is this:










Perhaps the greatest work for cello is Bach's Unaccompanied Cello Suites... but these are far removed from Rachmaninoff and the music you have suggested you are currently interested in. You might wish to explore these check them out on YouTube and if you are interested I would highly recommend Pierre Fournier's recording (although those by Pablo Casals, Mstislav Rostropovich, Janos Starker, and Yo Yo Ma are all worthy.

For piano solo I would recommend Arthur Rubinstein's recording of Chopin's _Nocturnes_, a collection of Beethoven's great "name" sonatas ("Pathetique", "Moonlight", "Apassionata", etc...). Here there are endless choices although you can't go wrong with Alfred Brendel, Emil Gilels, Arthur Rubinstein, or Wilhelm Kempff (although there are endless other choices of real merit). For piano concertos look into Murray Perahia's recent recording of Beethoven's and Brendel's inimitable recordings of Mozart's great late concertos (The Great Piano Concertos vol 1 & 2 with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields).


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## Herkku

I can not understand how I could have forgotten Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto. My personal favourite has been the version with Nelson Freire, but this was in the LP era. Browsing through Amazon I see that it is again available, coupled this time with the Violin Concerto.

StlukesguildOhio recommends Ravel's Piano Concerto and the most highly acclaimed recording of it by Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, coupled with Rachmaninov's No. 4, which I don't like very much as a composition, but I know that it's considered a classic performance as well. I do love Ravel's concertos, also the one for the left hand. A more modern recording both would be Pascal Rogé's, although not new any more either.

As for the cello concertos, I agree with StlukesguildOhio in recommending Dvorak's. I would like to add Elgar's concerto, and both played by Jacqueline Du Pré.

Among violin cocncertos I have three clear favourites: Beethoven, Brahms and Sibelius. I love the first performed by Perlman, I'm not sure about Brahms nowadays - perhaps Joshua Bell, and Leonidas Kavakos for the Sibelius.

I very much agree with Chopin's Nocturnes by Rubinstein, absolutely the right touch! From Chopin I would like to suggest the Ballades by Zimermann, No. 1 being an absolute must. The Scherzo No. 2 comes close. Then there are the polonaises and etudes!

I could go on and on...


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## Guest

For the Rach Piano Concerto No. 2, I have a newer recording by Hough/Litton that I enjoy - clearer sound than most. But an excellent one is also Richter's recording - I can't remember who with, I think it was a Polish orchestra. My recording is paired with a Prokofiev piece, but I think now it is paired with Tchaikovsky's piano concerto on the Deutsche Grammophon label.

If you like Rachmaninoff and you also like cello, the Dvorak Cello Concerto is excellent (I like the Rostropovich/Karajan recording for DG, and the Queyras recording on HM), but you should definitely look into the Elgar cello concerto - excellent late romantic music, in the same vein as Rachmaninoff. There are other good recordings, but I would start off with the iconic recording - Du Pre/Barbirolli on EMI. One of my favorite works.


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## Herkku

Richter's classic Rach No. 2 is indeed accompanied by Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Stanislaw Wislocki. It is now coupled with Tchaikovsky's No. 1 with VPO and Karajan.


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## Sid James

If you like "jazzy" classical pieces, check out George Gershwin (_Rhapsody in Blue, Piano Concerto, Three Preludes_), Darius Milhaud (_La Creation du Monde, Le Boef sur le toit, Saudades do Brasil_) & Leonard Bernstein (_Prelude, Fugue & Riffs, Three dance episodes from "On the Town_," even his later _Mass_). & yes, Ravel's piano concerto in G is alot of fun.

& if you like Rachmaninov, check out his 2 piano trios (he called them Trio Elegiaque). & I agree with some above, Tchaikovsky's first piano concerto is a good companion piece. & if you like this genre (as I do), don't hesitate to get into the wide variety of piano concertos, from Mozart & Haydn, through to Beethoven, Hummel, Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, Brahms, right through to more modern ones like Bartok, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Lutoslawski, Sculthorpe, etc. etc.)...


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## Herkku

I think Seth442 wrote "I tend not to like classical pieces that are jazz-motivated in "obvious" ways".

I was intrigued by the Bartok-Peacock-Emerson thing. I can imagine The Emerson String Quartet playing Bartok's quartets, but the peacock seems to fit more easily into Zoltan Kodaly's (Bartok's compatriot) Peacock Variations, which is an orchestral work. An arrangement for a string quartet wouldn't be impossible, but I'm certainly not aware of such a thing. So, maybe there is some kind of a mix-up here.

One more piece of music I could recommend is Cesar Franck's Violin Sonata, maybe performed by Kaja Danczowska and Krystian Zimerman. Now, that is some music packed with sensuality.


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## Seth442

Thanks guys, I'm going to go to the library and check out a lot of stuff this week =)


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## Ukko

Seth442 said:


> To be honest, I can't name a single cello pieces. I like the instrument's tone and expression a lot, and I have heard beautiful cello pieces before but I don't know any of the names. It often happens when I turn on the radio and an unidentified classical piece will be playing. For piano pieces, the same goes - I don't know the names of any of the pieces that I have liked.
> 
> As for how my affinity for jazz affects my taste - I tend not to like classical pieces that are jazz-motivated in "obvious" ways. Any influence that my appreciation for jazz has on classical music is more complex (and hard to pinpoint or explain). The main reason I mentioned that is so that people will know that I'm not just a listener but also a musician as well.


I too have 'an affinity for jazz', mostly the laid back music from the '30s, Oscar Peterson from anytime, and the Pete Fountain - Al Hirt version of New Orleans jazz. So... I will recommend a work for solo cello that has no obvious connection to jazz - probably no other kind of connection - except that when the work is finished my mind is similarly, um, distracted:

Kodaly - Sonata for solo cello, Op. 8. My far-and-away favorite recording is by Wispelwey, but every recording I have heard works to some extent.

For the Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto I suggest Cliburn/Reiner. It may a little low on fire, but the smoke is sweet.


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