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Mackie mentioned about Mahler, wow! Not something easy to understand and his recordings are normally very long (2 CDs) and with vocals.

 

cmk, u can try the Mahler Symphony no.6, actually the most 'çonvertional' of all Mahlers Symphonies. However it is named 'Tragic' so be emotionally prepared. Commended by critics the most Tragic/sad Symphonies ever written.

 

The Telarc version 3CD-80586 is interesting, comes in CD and SACD version. With the price of 1 CD/SACD u get 3 CDs/SACDs with the conductor Benjamin Zander described in detailed about the works and the way he interpreted and conducted the work. The orchestra was Philharmonia. The recording and performance actually IMO not very good but from this CD set u can learn a lot about Mahler and his Sym 6. This symphony has conventional 4 movements (very unconvertional for Mahler actually) and there are 2 versions where 1 perform the 2nd movement before the 3rd and the other version the 3rd before the 2nd. Not a problem for mordern CD player as you can program the playing sequence. Also in this CD set 2 versions of the last movement are included. It was said that the original last movement with 3 hammer blows was so tragic that Mahler when first conducted it decided to change to another version without the 3 Hammer blows.

 

I also got a Karajan/Berlin version DG 457 716-2. Karajan used the original 3 hammer blows version. It is very sad, the 3 blows refering to the death of Mahler's daughter, his removal from a post, and the discovery of his fatal sickness.

 

A bit strange and errie for this symphony, is that, Mahler actully composed it during his happiest time, way before the happening of the 3 incidences, so is he able to crystal ball his future fate?..........

 

 

http://www.fuwen.net/index.php?option=com_...id=21&Itemid=60

 

Hi! My favourite CD for testing system. String sonatas by Rossini. Performed by the very good Academy of St Martin-in-the-fields and their resident conductor Neville Marriner.

 

A total of 6 string sonatas for 12 violins, and I believe 2 violas, 1 cello and 1 double bass. Written at the age of 12 and I am so surprise at what this young composer can do at that age! I like to use this for testing system as I can get violin, and especially cello and bass solos to check the system. Double bass had been given lots of solo part in the sonatas. These pieces are by no mean easy to play and need a first class ensemble to play them in the necessary precision.

 

Total of 2 XRCDs and also includes works from Donizetti, Cherubini and Bellini. Recording of the violins are a tad harsh, not typical of DECCA but probably due to the age of the recording (1964 - 1968). I have seen the normal CD version available.

 

 

http://www.fuwen.net/index.php?option=com_...id=31&Itemid=75

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my all time favorite classical music piece is Chopin's Nocturne in E Flat Major Op 9 No 2.

 

performed by Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy

from this album CBS Masterworks MS7506 Chopin's Greatest Hits in LP Vinyl.

 

i wanted to get a CD, my toddler can easily destroy my vinyl and turntable. i will need a recommendation. spoilt for choices. a few options are:

 

John o'conner piano Telarc?

 

Maria João Pires piano

Deutsche Grammophon?

 

Vladimir Ashkenazy piano Decca?

 

 

Edited by petia

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my all time favorite classical music piece is Chopin's Nocturne in E Flat Major Op 9 No 2.

 

performed by Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy

from this album CBS Masterworks MS7506 Chopin's Greatest Hits in LP Vinyl.

 

i wanted to get a CD, my toddler can easily destroy my vinyl and turntable. i will need a recommendation. spoilt for choices. a few options are:

 

John o'conner piano Telarc?

 

Maria João Pires piano

Deutsche Grammophon?

 

Vladimir Ashkenazy piano Decca?

Ashkenazy is a safe choice. So is Rubinstein (stereo version) on RCA. Yet another safe choice is Moravec. Good luck!

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hi, has anyone had a chance to listen to both brahms' symphony no. 4 by karajan & the berliner, and kleiber & the vienna phil?

 

i have the former and am thinking of getting the latter, but have not been able to find it.

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hi, has anyone had a chance to listen to both brahms' symphony no. 4 by karajan & the berliner, and kleiber & the vienna phil?

 

i have the former and am thinking of getting the latter, but have not been able to find it.

 

U will not go wrong with Kleiber's recordings. Not surprise that Kleiber's Brahms not available in Singapore.

 

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this recording of mozart's symphony 40 and 41 using period instruments is beautiful!

 

 

Hi,

 

Where can this be found? Thanks.

 

Regards

CK

Edited by ckng

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i pass by hmv citilink today. Ashkenazy dun have Chopin Nocturne in Op 9 No 2 in E flat. Rubinstein 2 CD is $53 cant afford.

hmv have a couple of other players like Martha Argerich, Horowitz. and a couple of the Lang Lang cds.

 

maybe better luck at other stores. hmv has miserably small collection of classical music for a store of its size. its going mainstream more focus on dvds and pop music.

 

 

 

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i pass by hmv citilink today. Ashkenazy dun have Chopin Nocturne in Op 9 No 2 in E flat. Rubinstein 2 CD is $53 cant afford.

hmv have a couple of other players like Martha Argerich, Horowitz. and a couple of the Lang Lang cds.

 

maybe better luck at other stores. hmv has miserably small collection of classical music for a store of its size. its going mainstream more focus on dvds and pop music.

 

Sadly, it has been like this for years. Both the HMVs here have drastically scaled down their classical collections, Tower likewise before it closed down. To add insult to the injury, the HMV classical prices actually went up. I now go to the Gramophone @ Capitol Building, though their collection is still not that extensive. Borders probably has one of the largest collection now.

 

Regards

CK

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"Best of Best" CD - Classical Piano Music

 

83 tracks...

With composers like Liszt, Chopin, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Elgar, Schubert, Brahms and many more compiled in 4 CDs...

 

Piano only...

 

Don't know where to find it in stores though... Found it on google... :P

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Theres this chinese cd printer XingWaiXing which reprints Deutsch Grammophon classical cd for the China market, to counter the rampant piracy. I have jazz cds from xwx which are very good quality. Any1 seen these being pallarel imported.

 

btw recently China have been producing a few top notch pianists like Lang Lang, Li Yundi and Chen Sa. these are named the top 3 Chinese pianist by the legendary Fou Ts’ong. (Fu Cong)

Edited by petia

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U will not go wrong with Kleiber's recordings. Not surprise that Kleiber's Brahms not available in Singapore.

 

will keep looking. if all else fails, will hunt down a copy when i visit vienna next year!

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will keep looking. if all else fails, will hunt down a copy when i visit vienna next year!

 

In case u have not read my article on Kleiber and are keen:

 

http://www.fuwen.net/index.php?option=com_...id=16&Itemid=48

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thanks fuwen! i saw the dvd of beethoven 4 & 7 at gramophone the other day. but am presently obsessed about brahms symphony no. 4, in particular the 1st movement ....

 

which orchestral sounds do you fancy?

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thanks fuwen! i saw the dvd of beethoven 4 & 7 at gramophone the other day. but am presently obsessed about brahms symphony no. 4, in particular the 1st movement ....

 

which orchestral sounds do you fancy?

 

Hi! Do not quite understand your question. But to answer in general,

 

I prefer DG artists very much, those good old days u also got very well photographed CD front covers (strange reason for buying a particular label, but u know I am a crazy (film) photographer.), and DG has the most good artists under their label. Recording wise DG not really the best, in fact many audiophiles consider DG recordings sometimes harsh. Decca has better recordings.

 

I prefer European orchestras like Berlin Philharmonic and Wiener Philharmonic. To me the European orchestras are more refined, especially the woodwinds and brass. In particular the woodwinds of Berlin Phil, they are really good, despite already gone through a few generation of musicians.

 

Recordings that I like can be found on my website and in this thread.

 

BTW, I do not particularly like Brahms, and in general Kleiber's recordings are just about average, it is his interpretation that attracts..... lively and energetic.

Edited by fuwen

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I prefer European orchestras like Berlin Philharmonic and Wiener Philharmonic. To me the European orchestras are more refined, especially the woodwinds and brass. In particular the woodwinds of Berlin Phil, they are really good, despite already gone through a few generation of musicians.

 

heya, that's exactly what i was curious about. thanks for sharing.

 

i like symphonies / concertos with a certain darkness. brahms has it, mahler too. rachmaninov, and in a more curious way shostakovich as well.

 

i also find the tone and balance of the berlin philharmonic's woodwinds quite fetching. the philadelphia orchestra's woodwinds under eugene ormandy do quite well too. however, my favourite woodwind moment is still listening to the SSO live when the principals are playing!

 

for strings, i have a soft spot for the wiener phil and the london symphony orchestra (the latter probably because i was brainwashed by the soundtrack of Star Wars ....).

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