Jump to content

Classical music recommendations


Soul Stream

Recommended Posts

Bach's Well Tempered Clavier and work up from there through 250+ years of fantastic music.

You can get a very good (piano) version of this on 2 Naxos doubles for little money.

You can go back further if you want to find earlier styles which you might connect with Ornette, Ayler, AEC, etc. Machaut is a bitch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Carl Ruggles!!!! :tup

Naxos is supposed to have a complete Ruggles disc out in their "American Composers" series, sometime within the next year. His entire output is only like 75 minutes of music, but all of it is FANTASTIC!!!

I was just talking to the classical buyer at Tower about Ruggles (and the lack thereof on CD) the other day. All Ruggles that I have are single tracks on LPs otherwise dominated by Charles Ives, etc. Glad to know that it will all be available in one place.

That said, I'm a bit of an Ives fanatic so he'd be my suggestion -- esp. as he relates to avant-garde piano. I see elements of him in Andrew Hill and Cecil Taylor. Matthew Shipp, on the other hand, borrows *HEAVILY* from the Ives book. One of the better examples of this is his playing on "Mikuro's Blues" from David S. Ware's Go See the World. I really like that track....

Also check out Stravinsky's "Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet" ("Trios Pieces pour Clarinette Solo") if you're a fan of Jimmy Guiffre's Free Fall, Thesis or Fusion then you will undoubtedly enjoy this material. I have it on the Harmonia Mundi CD, L'Histoire du Soldat (HMT-7901356). Also includes some nice Bartok and Berg.

Lastly, if you're at all a fan of Grachan Moncur's Blue Note work (including One Step Beyond and Destination Out) you owe it to yourself to check out Morton Feldman.

Edited by Brandon Burke
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's a "new" piano concerto by Charles Ives (called the "Emerson Concerto") which has just been released this month on Naxos, in that same "American Composers" series. The Naxos recording is the world-premier recording and release, if I'm not mistaken.

Ives completed some of it in short-score form (leaving only the orchestration yet to be completed), and other parts of it were still in sketch form. It was only just 'assembled' about 4 years ago, with it's world premier in Cleveland in 1998 or 1999.

I heard it performed here in Kansas City last year (only it's second-ever performance in the U.S.), and the work is truely amazing. Can't recomend it enough.

On the Naxos recording, it is paired with a new recording of Ives' first symphony, supposedly from a new 'critical edition' of the score.

I haven't heard the recording yet (damn local stores still don't have it, even though the street-date was about a week or two ago), but I'm sure it's gonna be great.

Here's what I'm talkin' about...

Link: 8.559175 "IVES: Symphony No. 1 / Emerson Concerto"

Edited by Rooster_Ties
Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Emerson Concerto", huh. Is it an elaboration on the "Emerson" section of the "Concord Sonata"? Prehaps with more instrumentation? I thought I had read about him working on that before he passed away. Thanks for the tip. I'll definately look for it. I usually find performances pieced together after a composer's death a little suspect but, as you know, Ives scores were seldom 'set in stone', as the saying goes. On the other hand, I do enjoy the recording I have of the "Universe Symphony" and clearly that was assembled after the fact. As far as I know, a couple of different versions exist. Cant say which one I have b/c someone sent it to me in the mail without documentation.

BTW: You're lucky the KC Symph took that one on. I haven't heard the piece yet, of course, but, generally speaking, KC seems to shy away from harsh dissonance. They've traditionally run a bit of a conservative repertoire.

Edited by Brandon Burke
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've long been aware of the connection between jazz and classical music. Musically speaking, where would you suggest I start when looking for classical music that applys to jazz....

Thanks for any help :D

I think it never hurts to explore the basics: J. S. Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, Stravinsky, etc. Go to classical.net and explore the basic repertoire.

Here's another thread which discusses classical recommendations.

I only have a small collection at this point but some stuff I really love:

Bach (Brandenburg Concertos, Mass in B Minor, Art of the Fugue, Musical Offering)

Haydn, String Quartets Op. 76 "Erdody"

Beethoven String Quartets, Symphony #7

Sibelius, Symphonies 4-7

Debussy, late chamber music (Syrinx & 3 sonatas)

Janacek and Bartok, string quartets

Bartok, Miraculous Mandarin

Bartok, Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta

Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition (piano)

Stravinsky, the Rite of Spring

Messiaen, Quartet for the End of Time

Guy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brandon -- Yes, basically the "Emerson Concerto" is (in part) a 'piano concerto' version of the Emerson movement from the Concord sonata

( By the way. for everyone reading this thread, I should mention how absolutely amazing I find Ives' works for solo piano, especially his two major piano sonatas. Fans of Andrew Hill (and especially Hill's solo piano discs) should definitely check them out. )

Supposedly all the music ("every note") of the Emerson Concerto is Ives'. Certainly parts had to be expanded upon, in terms of orchestration and the like - but it is VERY much more of a 'real' Ives work than the Universe Symphony (which is really only half an Ives composition, at best). Don't get me wrong, I dig the Universe Symphony - but it really was one of those works that was completed by somebody else, with lots of "filling in the blanks" going on. Not so with the Emerson Concerto, which seems (to my ears, anyway) to be 99% Ives.

Edited by Rooster_Ties
Link to comment
Share on other sites

( By the way. for everyone reading this thread, I should mention how absolutely amazing I find Ives' works for solo piano, especially his two major piano sonatas.  Fans of Andrew Hill (and especially Hill's solo piano discs) should definitely check them out. )

I don't know how much of a David Ware guy you are -- I think I like him more in theory than in practice. I mean I like him prefectly well and all but I might be more happy that someone's doing what he's doing than I am in love with the rcordings themselves. Make sense? Anyways, if you haven't heard it, and now that I know you love Ives as much as I do, you should really check out that "Mikuro's Blues" track. I just adore Shipp's accompaniment on that one. I'm not sure there's a more Ivesian jazz piano performance out there. Dissonance is dissonance but Shipp really nails those Ives chords on this one. It's just great.....

Again, thanks for the info on that 'new' piece. Nice to know I have another Ives buddy out here. I literally read his Memos about every 18-24 months. Whenever I'm lacking inspiration. I also recommend the Oral History if you've not read it yet. Fascinating.

Edited by Brandon Burke
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm classically illiterate, but I listen to and enjoy my 100+ classical recordings.

I found 3 labels I really like, both for sound and music.

RCA Living Stereo and Mercury Living Presensce and Decca, all recorded from mid-fifties to mid-sixties.

Mr. Berger's list as many that I enjoy.

Others I recommend:

RCA Living Stereo:

Scheherazade/Reiner

Withches Brew/Gibson

Capriccio Italien and Espagnol/Kondrashin

Decca:

Dvorak Sym #5/Kertesz

Schubert Great C Major Sym/Krips

Stravinsky/Petrushka/Ansermet

Mercury Living Presence:

Stravinsky/The Firebird/Dorati

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agreed. I grew up there and then spent 10 years in Lawerence, so I'm very familiar with the scene. Miss the BBQ dearly, though. They think they have it all figured out down here in Texas but, as I remember it: (1) the cuts aren't fatty, (2) the cuts are beef, and (3) the sauce ain't sweet but the soda pop is. Gimme some Bryant's and a strawberry soda and I'm golden. Love those Royals too....

Do they still have late-night jams at the Foundation?

Edited by Brandon Burke
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Foundation jams are going strong.

I spent about 10 years in Austin (UT grad student in the 80s- while it was still "undiscovered") where I received my early education in BBQ and Mexican food. I must say I do prefer the KC BBQ, but the actual hangouts in Austin were much more colorful. Considering I moved to Austin from Iowa, where Chi Chi's was the happening Mexican food, it was truly culture shock. Add to that my frequent summer sojourns to Santa Fe, and I've become a bit of a Mexican food snob. So far all the Mexican Food I've found in KC blows. But I'm still looking.

From Austin I miss: Threadgill's, Trudy's, Ironworks, Elgin sausage, G+M Steakhouse (on the drag- giant burgers; still there?) Katz' deli to name a few. I'm sure many of these are long gone by now.

In KC I've found Bryant's to be inconsistent, which is a drag, 'cause when it's good, it rules. In addition to the usual places (Gates, etc.) I like Rosedale's on SW boulevard.

What was this thread about, anyway? :wacko:

EDIT: Also liked County Line BBQ in Austin A LOT!

Edited by Free For All
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What was this thread about, anyway? :wacko:

Ehh.....who gives a damn. :D

Bryant's is inconsistent but ALWAYS worth the trip, in my opinion. I have some freinds who swear by L.C.'s as the best BBQ in town but I've not been there. And these are people whose opinions I trust on most matters, so I imagine it's worth the trip as well. Trudy's has turned into a quasi-fraternity/sorority hangout, though it depends on the time of day, I guess. Not familiar with G+M. Perhaps before my time. I completely agree with you regarding the Tex-Mex. I'll never be the same after having lived here. It's great AND cheap. On another greasy food note, folks talk up Hut's Hamburgers here but they pale in comparison to either Town Topic or Winstead's. Lastly, you mentioning Theadgill's made me think of chicken fried staeak, which made me think of fried chicken, which made me think of.........Stroud's. :tup

Edited by Brandon Burke
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, Stroud's is some nasty yardbird lovin'. About once every three months. It hurts so good. I've heard about LC's, need to check it out.

Austin is also where I became aware of the BREAKFAST BURRITO. Best eaten at 3AM or so.

Have you tried County Line? I really liked that place. There also is/was a great place way out in the hill country, like a big barn.........the Salt Lick!

I'd have to say the best single BBQ meal I've ever had was in Memphis at a place called the Rendezvous. It must have been a good day, 'cause it was AWESOME! Dry-rub ribs.

Man, I loves to talk about da foods! :rsmile:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haven't tried County Line but liked Iron Works alright. The Salt Lick was a bit of a disappointment, frankly, but you have to take into consideration that I was raised on the KC style. And it's waaaay different. I was very intrigued by Salt Lick once folks told me that it was (1) cash only and (2) BYOB. I mean you gotta know that's a good thing. Didn't really dig the food so much, especially the sauce. In fact, I haven't found a sauce that I like down here. I get my folks to send me Bryan't Original in the mail when I run out and then put that on anything that I get' to go'. Ruby's, for example. Yea, I know it's ridiculous but.....hey.

Somewhere I've not been yet (in Austin) is the place on Airport that everyone talks about. Taco Express #2 or some such name. Either way, it's [something] #2.....Tamale Hut #2, actually! Their breakfast buritos are supposed to be dynamite. They typically have about a 30-45 minute line on Saturday mornings. Wow....

Edited by Brandon Burke
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I'll hijack this thread back on topic. Nielsen's 4th and 5th Symphony are great, I like the Naxos pairing as well as some others. More than any other recording, this obeys Nielsen's annotation in the 5th that the drummer plays "as if at all costs to stop the forward motion of the orchestra". Schubert's C Major Quintet d. 960 is very great, much more heart-on-sleeve than the elegant Trout quintet. The Melos Ensemble does nicely by that one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

More than any other recording, this obeys Nielsen's annotation in the 5th that the drummer plays "as if at all costs to stop the forward motion of the orchestra".

Sounds interesting. Where can I find out more about Neilsen?

Here.

NPR also had a program or series on his 6 symphonies a while back. I am not sure whether it is archived online.

Guy

Edited by Guy Berger
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My late Missus was a classically trained violinist and pianist, and hipped me to who was who in the classical world.

Check out David Oistrakh on violin. He came from the Ukraine, and appeared as if out of nowhere after WW II. What an awesome, rich tone! When he plays the Beethoven violin concerto, the solo passages are absolutely gripping. I remember one time when we were playing it in the living room, and everyone, kids and adults, just froze, completely captivated by it. Anything by him is well worth getting. There's no-one to touch that guy! The Russkies are sitting on a huge pile of unissued live recordings, including many by him. (A friend with a Russian wife told me that Uncle Joe had them record nearly everything that was broadcast over the radio.)

Also, the boss man on the piano is Artur Rubinstein. Terrific, and well represented in the RCA Victor catalog, especially Chopin. He came from a world that can never be duplicated. He trained with a friend of Brahms. A highlight of his recordings is a 1954 RCA Victor recording of Brahms's First Piano Concerto, with the Chicago Symphony under Fritz Reiner (a great orchestra and conductor combination!). It is even in stereo, one of the first such recordings.

Even if jazz is your main bag, ah garontee that you will like those guys!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...