# Your special gems of classical music



## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

What rare recording or unusual pieces would you like people here to know about that they aren't familiar with?

Here is one:









Korngold's Die tote stadt worth it.


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## Ludric (Oct 29, 2014)

The works of Jan Dismas Zelenka are generally overlooked, and each one is a special gem in its own way, so I'll just share one - his _Litaniae Xaverianae_, ZWV 155:


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Here is another rare piece:


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

This changes from week to week, but currently, it is:









Busoni Doktor Faust
Nagano/Lyon

I have only heard the Prologue and other sections that precede the first act, but I am overwhelmed by the moving performance. This is a Faust of anguish, despair, rage, terror, etc. The orchestral parts are stunning and complement the voices perfectly, without becoming background or accompaniment. The organ adds a touch of the gothic and macabre to give this masterwork a charm and authenticity that goes beyond any other Faust I have heard.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

Just looking into the most famous composers, there are loads of what I might call _hidden_ gems (lesser known pieces of particular favour, often not in the genre the composer was most noted for). Without scanning my collection, I can list these off the top of my head:

Prokofiev : String Quartets 1 & 2
Tchaikovsky : Piano Trio; Suites for Orchestra
Haydn : Late Piano Trios


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

For probably the 87,000th time, I'll bring up Busoni's Fantasia nach Bach





And cuz of that, I'll bring forward one of my most cherished albums in my collection that should be more popular:










Great music, with the Fantasia Contrappuntistica being one of the greatest solo-piano works of the last century IMO

I also love this album: six of Haydn's Keyboard Concertos, played on the organ, by Ton Koopman. Delightful, sunny music! [well, expect for the minor key ones but hey]


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

The works of Jan Dismas Zelenka are generally overlooked...

Actually, Zelenka is fairly well known among baroque aficionados. There are increasingly more and more excellent recordings being released every time I look him up on Amazon. I fully agree that there are many gems among his works that would be a real interest... especially to admirers of Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, etc...


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

I have only heard the Prologue and other sections that precede the first act, but I am overwhelmed by the moving performance. This is a Faust of anguish, despair, rage, terror, etc. The orchestral parts are stunning and complement the voices perfectly, without becoming background or accompaniment. The organ adds a touch of the gothic and macabre to give this masterwork a charm and authenticity that goes beyond any other Faust I have heard.

All that from the Prologue? I think for the time being I'll stick with Gounod:


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Charles Koechlin's name rarely seems to show up in discussion... although I know we have one member who is a real fan. I've never been able find a high-quality recording of his late work for solo flute, Les Chants de Nectaire, which reminds me in many ways of a marriage of Impressionism and Japanese flute music:


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

albertfallickwang said:


> What rare recording or unusual pieces would you like people here to know about that they aren't familiar with?
> 
> Here is one:
> 
> ...


Marietta's Lied?


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## Ludric (Oct 29, 2014)

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Actually, Zelenka is fairly well known among baroque aficionados. There are increasingly more and more excellent recordings being released every time I look him up on Amazon. I fully agree that there are many gems among his works that would be a real interest... especially to admirers of Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, etc...


It's true, in the past couple of decades there has been a greatly increased interest in the works of Zelenka with many wonderful recordings being made. Fifty years ago you'd find almost no recordings at all. Still, many of his works have yet to be recorded, and often you're better off looking up his music through Youtube rather than Amazon, as several individuals have uploaded live recordings of his music from concerts, such as this recording of another musical gem of his:


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## Hmmbug (Jun 16, 2014)

The Moszkowski E Major Piano Concerto. Sublime.


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## Celloman (Sep 30, 2006)

Penderecki - Chaconne from _A Polish Requiem_


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

Bach's Fantasy and Fugue in A minor, BWV 904

One of my favorite of his keyboard works, which doesn't seem to get its due. An extraordinary live performance from Sokolov--I'd like a recording of this one!


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