Don't watch Wings, but I looked it up and you're right. Schubert's Piano Sonata No.20 is used as the theme song. There are a lot of shows on television that use classical music extensively. Everything from Countdown with Keith Olbermann (which uses Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor during the Worst Person in the World segment and a few bars from Beethoven's Ninth as the theme song for the show) to classic Looney Tunes to Ren & Stimpy, etc. It's amazing where you can find classical music being played if you pay just a little bit of attention. As for my favorite recording of the Brandenburg Concerti - it's a recording by Nikolaus Harnoncourt and the Concentus Musicus Wien that was done in the early 60s on period instruments. Harnoncourt was a huge part of the period recording movement and was (and still is) very good at what he did. It was probably the first period recording and is my absolute favorite. Though now, I feel the need to pick up some more recordings to compare. Nice find on iTunes. I'll have to check that out. Regarding the Takács Quartet - I actually haven't listened to much they've done, so I can't comment on them.
Today, my music of choice has been Pachelbel's Canon, performed by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Albinoni's Adagio, performed by La Grand Ecurie et la Chambre Du Roy, and Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, conducted by John Eliot Gardiner. I also picked up a recording of several of Beethoven's piano sonatas performed by Walter Gieseking for under $3 on Amazon.com. I prefer Kempff, but for less than $3, I figured it was worth trying.
Here's a shot at this: For me, the performer depends greatly on the era the music came from. Certain conductors/performers are better with certain genres than others. No one interprets Bach like Glenn Gould - one of my favorites is Gould's 1981 recording of the Goldberg Variations. Continuing with Bach, Harnoncourt does a phenomenal job on the Brandenburg Concerti - my favorite of those is the 5th Concerto. Bach's Violin Concerti and Harpsichord Concerti are also great. Vivaldi's concerti in general are up there in my books, too. Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.5 is another one of my favorites. No one can come close to the performance by George Szell and Leon Fleisher. Beethoven's 3rd, 6th, 7th, and 9th symphonies are favorites of mine, along with a number of the Piano Sonatas that include, but are not limited to the Pathetique and the Waldstein. His Violin Sonatas are also superb. Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings conducted by Slatkin. I'm a huge fan of Dvořák's work, especially orchestral pieces conducted by Szell. Schubert's Lieder and late symphonies and piano sonatas are some more of my favorites. Otto Klemperer, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Robert Shaw, Emil Gilels, Maurizio Pollini, Itzhak Perlman, Karl Böhm, Andrea Marcon, Giuliano Carmignola, Glenn Gould, Trevor Pinnock, and George Szell are some of my favorite artists. I'm leaving out a lot of stuff here, but don't want to write an essay on the subject matter, so I'll stop now.
I think I have stumbled upon a lot of what you list as favorites. The Waldstein piano sonata was a hidden treasure I didn't know about, having only previously heard the Moonlight and Pathetique sonatas. Waldstein may be my second favorite behind Moonlight. I stumbled upon Schubert's "Winterreise" Lieder cycle, and immediately loved it. His piano sonatas are also superb, and I love Pollini performing both his and Beethoven's late piano sonatas. I have Perlman and Ashkenazy performing Beethoven's Kreutzer and Spring Violin Sonatas, and they get heavy play. Of the artists you list, I think I have performances by most of them. Gardiner has quickly become a favorite - I like the style that he employs, I guess they call it period recordings, trying to play them as they were originally played? I am contemplating purchasing Pinnock's recording of Haydn's Nelson Mass - Choral works are something that has surprised me. I didn't think I would enjoy them as much as I do, but I love Beethoven's Missa Solemnis and Brahms' Deutsches Requiem. Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass and Bach's Mass are next on the list in that category. My latest addition has been Brahms' sextets, performed by an all-star ensemble, including Yo Yo Ma, and others.
Alright, I have some new additions: Vivaldi's Four Seasons, conducted by Trevor Pinnock Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass, also conducted by Pinnock I also got Pachelbel's Canon performed by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and Albinoni's Adagion performed by Jean-Claude Malgoire & La Grande Ecurie et la Chambre du Roy My interest in Baroque music has been rekindled by listening to the Brandenburg Concertos of Bach more (I have a performance by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment).
Ooh, two more albums: Bach's Violin Concertos - Trevor Pinnock and the English Concert Handel's Water Music and Fireworks Music - Trevor Pinnock and the English Concert
Masonjarjar has predicted my answer, I like most of the composers and love tone poems, ballet music, and orchestration pieces and overtures. Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky and Britten can be added too. I am currently listening to Saint-Saëns.
Alright, Dom, I finally picked up the Fleisher/Szell performances of the 5 Beethoven Piano Concertos, so now I can see what all the fuss is about the 5th! Also, I found the Takacs Quartet recording of Beethoven's Early Quartets. I've come to really enjoy the Takacs Quartet, and I also have them doing the Middle Quartets (Rasumovsky and Harp and Serioso), along with Brahms' quartets. I noticed they also have a recording of works from Bartok and Dvorak. I'm somewhat acquainted with Dvorak from what you recommended, but know nothing about Bartok. I picked up a couple of recordings of Elgar's "Nimrod" variation. I really enjoy that piece. Are all of the Enigma Variations worth picking up? I tried to buy just Barber's Adagio (the Slatkin performance), but iTunes doesn't offer it alone, so I have only heard a brief 30-second snippet, which gives me no idea of what it is like.
I have had a chance to listen to the entire Beethoven Piano Concerto cycle from Fleisher and Szell. My impressions are that they are incredible. I already had Nos. 4 and 5 by Kempff and Leitner, and I still enjoy them very much. And while I enjoyed the first 3, 4 and 5 are still the best, IMHO. For me, I think I slightly prefer Kempff's playing, especially in the 3rd movement of the 5th. However, Szell makes the performances, so overall it goes to Fleisher/Szell. And although the 3rd movement of the 5th is probably the best known of that concerto, I think I prefer 2nd movement Adagio. Beethoven could just write the most beautiful piano music, and his Adagio's are incredible for their ability to really draw out emotion. Thanks for the recommendation, Dom. Oh, and I have also been enjoying Beethoven's early string quartets, as well as Schubert's Octet for strings and winds.
This is nowhere near the level you guys are talking.... but I recently discovered Mozart's Symphony No. 12 Mov't I "Allegro." Haha, my daughter's Middle School orchestra introduced it to me. It's since become my favorite right now. I found it on Youtube, I'll post it below; any recommendations to be made based off of this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNM-ukvjfs8
Matt - I have been devouring baroque music lately - Vivaldi is right up there at the top of my list. I have really enjoyed his Four Seasons, and I also recently picked up an album with 7 of his concertos performed by Trevor Pinnock and the English Concert. I love everything by Pinnock I am finding. You might also want to try Handel's Water Music, and Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, Violin Concertos, and Harpsichord Concertos. Again, my preference here is for Trevor Pinnock's recordings. He uses original period instruments to give the music as it would have sounded then. Most of this is on the Archiv label, and the sound is spectacular. Also, check out Albinoni's Adagio. And I will say that, despite its ubiquity, I still love Pachelbel's Canon - but I prefer, again, Pinnock's recording, which is not excruciatingly slow like many tend to play it. As for Mozart, I haven't heard his earlier symphonies, but you might also enjoy his later symphonies. I would recommend his 40th symphoney. You might also enjoy his Sinfonia Concertante. Haydn might also interest you. I only have some choral work from him (The Creation, Nelson Mass) and some string quartets, but his and Mozart's works are more closely related than, say, Mozart and Beethoven's.
Beautiful stuff. Bach is incredible. I am quickly building up a collection of his works. I have his Brandenburg Concertos, his Italian Concerto, Violin Concertos, Mass in B Minor, St. Matthew's Passion, a CD of his organ music, and Goldberg Variations. I also have "Sheep may safely graze" from his Hunter's Cantata. Clearly I need to pick up his Overtures/Orchestral Suites. I have been meaning to pick up Pinnock's recording of the Brandenburg Concertos, and it contains the Orchestral Suites.
I listened to classical music on and off as a young boy. I'd find the one public radio channel in between the pop-country and religious channels. The reception wasn't always good, but a small dose from time to time proved sufficient. My mom thought it was strange, but I liked it. When I began working in North Africa two years ago, I was surrounded by a new culture and learning a new language. Because it didn't have spoken words, I found that classical music jived with my lifestyle very well. The other music I owned(alternative rock and even jazz) was so cultured-swelled, it wasn't peaceful to listen to. What I mean to say it that it no longer had a metaphoric value for me anymore. I actually have a friend coming over for pizza tonight. We will probably open a bottle of wine, talk, and just listen to music.
Here is a nice collection of classical music. It has 20 CD's from 20 different composers. Its a bit pricey at amazon, but if you look around Im sure you could find it cheaper. I bought my copy of it at walmart several years ago for 19.99. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00000K1C9/?tag=thshde-20
I just heard this on the radio a half hour ago or so for the first time and wanted to share it with those of you who visit this thread: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pRi4FUN-7o Hope you enjoy it.
I have that recording - thanks to one of the very first recommendations you gave me. It is on volume 1 of the two volume Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos recordings put out by Phillips - Brendel accompanied by Marriner and the ASMIF. That is like a gateway drug - it got me hooked on the rest of this new acquisition disorder. CMAD - classical music acquisition disorder. I now have the better part of the available 10 GB on my MP3 player consumed by classical music, and have even begun buying multiple recordings of the same piece. I managed to track down the Harnoncourt recording of the Brandenburg Concertos through my library system, which is also how I found the Szell/Fleisher recording of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5.
I listened to the String Quartets of Bartok by the Takacs Quartet, and they really didn't do anything for me. Incidentally, I had also listened to some piano concertos by Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev, performed by Richter, and I didn't care for them either. They were removed from the MP3 player. Composers that I enjoy: Bach Vivaldi Handel Mozart Haydn (some of his works) Beethoven Brahms Schubert Elgar Barber For Elgar and Barber, admittedly, I have only listened to a very little portion of their works - Elgar's Nimrod Variation and Pomp and Circumstance, and Barber's Adagio for Strings.
