# Your Most Recommended Album This Month



## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

Feel free to think about what you'd recommend Talk Classical for a great or interesting album of Classical or Non-Classical this month. I plan to thumb-up all the recommendations in this thread simply because I really appreciate all of you (this community) and I want to keep it alive during these times. What do you think of this thread idea?: The idea is next month you can recommend something new, and so on and so forth, that way the thread's focus will be on quality and discussions. 

No pressure either. Honestly, submit something different that comes to mind or anything you want to recommend. And then you'll have next month to make a new recommendation. Think about it for a couple days.

I'm sure everyone will really appreciate the overall feedback we contribute; this is a new thread idea and the main difference here would be that these are intended as recommendations of some sort. It won't entail you shouldn't post your favorite albums. You definitely should, just that the subtle difference of language in the title might yield some top results, I hope! 

Maybe we'll even get people reviewing albums! That would be fun. Thank you and happy listening!


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

This album was a part of Presto Classical's recent Ukraine benefit sale. I quite enjoyed it, and found the sound quality to be top shelf. The music itself definitely has a Tchaikovskian feel, perhaps reminiscent of Dvorak as well. Certainly a worthy pickup if you're looking for something new/less played in the Romantic idiom.









Bortkiewicz Symphonies 1 & 2/ Martyn Brabbins& BBC Scottish Symphony


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## Holden4th (Jul 14, 2017)

Discovered this online via Qobuz. What a performance


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## marlow (11 mo ago)

I was in a charity shop the other day and bought this double album for just £1 which contains superb performances live of the Diabellii Variations (a Brendel special), Chopin, Mendelssohn, Busoni and a Beethoven sonata, all recorded live on different occasions. Not a bad investment for a pound


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

Want a soundtrack album from a film directed by Luis Buñuel?
You'll likely never acquire such an animal because most Buñuel films do not contain musical underscores.
This soundtrack below comes very close, though:










Digitmovies issued onto CD the 1972 music score by Piero Piccioni for *Il Monaco*, a film NOT directed by Luis Buñuel but, rather, based upon a script by Buñuel & Jean-Claude Carrière which was eventually helmed by Ado Kyrou.

An ecclesiastical-sounding horror movie score.


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

A nice idea for a thread, though I'll probably stick with recent releases that are new to me. I can highly recommend Belcea's Brahms Sextets. They really make them sing, with the help of Tabea Zimmerman and Jean-Guinen Queyras.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

This was a treat to myself. I suspect it will keep on giving.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Enthusiast said:


> This was a treat to myself. I suspect it will keep on giving.


Looks very interesting. I am a P&M completist so will certainly add it to my collection. :tiphat:


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## Dirge (Apr 10, 2012)

Josef SUK: *Asrael, Symphony for large orchestra in C minor, Op. 27* (1905-06)
Ančerl/CzPO [Czech Radio/Supraphon, live '67] ~59 minutes, mono sound





_or_





The recording of Suk's _Asrael_ is the great highlight of the 15-disc Supraphon box set «Karel Ančerl ~ Live Recordings», which comprises live Czech Radio broadcast recordings from 1949 to 1968. Ančerl was a long-time champion of _Asrael_ and made a fine studio recording of it with Südwestfunk-Orchester Baden-Baden in 1967 [SWR Klassik], but he never made a studio recording of it with the Czech Philharmonic for some reason. This live Czech Radio broadcast recording, also from 1967, more than makes up for that strange omission, however, as it's the most intensely wrought and incendiary account of the work that I've heard.

Ančerl's live recordings are generally more urgent, impulsive, and dynamic than their studio counterparts, but that generally comes at a cost to refinement, balance, and tension. As a result, his live accounts tend to have more drive and visceral impact at any given moment but less cumulative impact, with less edge-of-the-seat suspense, less compellingly built climaxes, and a less gripping overall dramatic narrative. That's not the case here, however, as the playing is so intently focus and intensely concentrated that tension never slackens no matter how violent or subdued, dense or sparing the music at hand happens to be. Only a degree of refinement is lost, and that has as much to do with the slightly raw and opaque (and I suspect over-filtered) sound as with the playing itself. If you're on the fence about _Asrael_, this is the performance to knock you off the fence, one side or the other.

There are other highlights from the box, of course, and the performances throughout are never less than very good, but the recording/performance of _Asrael_ is the _pièce de résistance_. There's no need to splurge on the whole box set, however, as individual tracks can be downloaded for a fair price at 7digital.com: $1.29 per track (no matter the length) in 16-bit/44.1kHz FLAC-the whole of _Asrael_ for $6.45, then.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

D Smith said:


> A nice idea for a thread, though I'll probably stick with recent releases that are new to me. I can highly recommend Belcea's Brahms Sextets. They really make them sing, with the help of Tabea Zimmerman and Jean-Guinen Queyras.


My finger has been hovering over the buy button on my Qobuz basket and reading your post has tipped me over!

I really enjoy the sextets, but I've only had one set for more years than I can remember (Amadeus), so a new set isn't too much of an indulgence!


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

favorite recording i discovered this month  probably my new favorite mahler 1


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

This boxed set was released recently. It's all of Marriner/ASMF recordings of Haydn Symphonies with nicknames. All the original cover art is there and a nice book of information. The recordings are top notch, modern instruments, great balance, lovely sound, not too echoey. The CDs of the six Paris symphonies have now become my definitive version. The Hunt, Philosopher, Fire, and Hornsignal symphonies are particularly fun.


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## KevinJS (Sep 24, 2021)

I'll offer two recommendations for March 2022, one classical, the other not.

First off, the chamber orchestra version of Mahler's 4th symphony. There are three to choose from, as far as I'm aware. The Linos Ensemble gets the nomination because it includes Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen.









The second is Dream Theater's 15th and latest studio album, A View From The Top Of The World.









No particular story behind either choice. I like them, is all.


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## OCEANE (10 mo ago)

marlow said:


> View attachment 165061
> 
> 
> I was in a charity shop the other day and bought this double album for just £1 which contains superb performances live of the Diabellii Variations (a Brendel special), Chopin, Mendelssohn, Busoni and a Beethoven sonata, all recorded live on different occasions. Not a bad investment for a pound


That must be your lucky day!


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## John Zito (Sep 11, 2021)

I've been on a Poulenc kick since seeing a production of _Dialogues of the Carmelites_ in January, and I've especially been enjoying the Naxos cycle of the complete chamber music led by Alexandre Tharaud. It spans 5 discs, and they recently boxed it up:









I've spent the most time with the second volume, which features the violin, cello, and clarinet sonatas:


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## Chibi Ubu (11 mo ago)

*Bernard Herrmann - The Concert Suites*

*This one is a favorite of mine:*


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

KevinJS said:


> Dream Theater's 15th and latest studio album, A View From The Top Of The World.
> 
> View attachment 165203





John Zito said:


> I've been on a Poulenc kick since seeing a production of _Dialogues of the Carmelites_ in January, and I've especially been enjoying the Naxos cycle of the complete chamber music led by Alexandre Tharaud.
> 
> I've spent the most time with the second volume, which features the violin, cello, and clarinet sonatas:
> 
> View attachment 165207


Wow, excellent selections, Olias, Tchaikov6, Dirge, Enthusiast, D Smith, John Zito, KevinJS, Prodromides, marlow, Holden4th, MatthewWeflen, Chibi Ubu.

Immensely appreciated! I'm looking forward to locating and listening to these all!


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## RICK RIEKERT (Oct 9, 2017)

Recorded June-September 2021 at the First Presbyterian Church of Mt. Kisco, New York. _Fortuna Antiqua et Ultra_ centers around texts that depict struggle, coping, and resilience during life's trying times viewed through a medieval lens.


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## Fredrikalansson (Jan 29, 2019)

Second the recommendation on the Marriner Haydn symphonies. These are wonderful.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

If it only be one I also go for the Haydn symphonies set. 
Honorary others: Bavouzet no 10 with Haydn sonatas 
Benjamin Appl Schubert: Winterreise


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## KevinJS (Sep 24, 2021)

April, and time for another couple of selections. Like last month, I'll offer two, one "classical" and the other not.

Schnizer - Missa C-Dur, since I've been playing it a lot. One of my favourite choirs, the Tölzer Knabenchor, and an organ.









And since the record company finally got around to releasing a 40th anniversary edition (almost 2 years late):

Moving Pictures, by Rush. Probably significant because it's the album that finally woke up the non-cult audience. Still feels fresh. I remember hearing it on release day and watching the concert. Good times.


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## Ludwig Schon (10 mo ago)

Dirge said:


> Josef SUK: *Asrael, Symphony for large orchestra in C minor, Op. 27* (1905-06)
> Ančerl/CzPO [Czech Radio/Supraphon, live '67] ~59 minutes, mono sound
> 
> 
> ...


A truly wonderful recording, which I listened to again only last week.

Comparable to Carlos Kleiber's Beethoven 5th, in never being bettered in over 40 years, despite massive advances in sound recording during this period…


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## Chibi Ubu (11 mo ago)

*Vitezslava Kapralova: Piano Music Complete*



I picked this one up performed by *Giorgio Koukl (piano)*from Presto Music & gave it a spin. I give it 4.5 stars, perhaps it will become a 5 star after a few more plays. The music shifts between mood and tempo very rapidly, and does the same melodically moving from chromatic to tonal and back again.

I've not ever encountered a work such as this. :tiphat:


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

Got hold of Hickox/LSO Chandos recording of RVW 5th......second hand, pristine and slightly more expensive than a cup of coffee!

staggered!

What a work and what a performance/recording!


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

I think my recommendation for this month will be Nielsen Complete String Quartets, played by Danish String Quartet for the Dacapo label. Beautifully played and impeccably recorded.


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