I never have been much into classical music, but there are a few things I would like to have. What I need to know is, what is the definitive LPs I need to purchase to hear this music?

William Tell Overture

Ride of the Valkyrie

1812 Overture

Beethoven's Ninth

Bolero

That's really about all the classical I think I'd ever really listen to. I already have a copy of "Bolero" but it's on CD. I need vinyl!! ( I have no idea if the spelling is correct for these.) Thanks for the help!

Dave :smoke:

Some Mozart. Amadeas was da man back then.

I'd suggest:

Tchaikovsky's fourth and fifth symphonies.

Smetana's Moldau.

Maybe a bit of Grieg, like the Peer Gynt Suite (you'll recognize parts of it).

"Victory at Sea", if you can find it. Very evocative of the sea.

Scheherazade.

Faure's Pavane. [Great thing to relax to in the evenings, with closed eyes and no distractions.]

Suite Andalucia by Ernesto Lecuona, especially the sixth movement: the Malagueña. [The Malaguena is often available separately, including a nice guitar version by Jose Feliciano, but the whole thing is nice.] Maybe some Albeniz, too.

These are all easily accessible and "nice"; you don't have to be "into" classical music to appreciate them. Just sit back, close your eyes and "go with the flow". They're all musical, tuneful, emotionally picturesque, relaxing and GOOD. :music: :thmbsp:

I don't think you guys are answering the question that Dave is asking. I believe he is asking which are the best recordings of those pieces mentioned in his post. Dave I know that some recordings are more desireable than others, but I don't know which is which. Look to see who is posting on the classical playlist thread and maybe drop them a line, surely those guys would know. Also, you could check out the reviews in old audio magazines. Good Luck.

They would give their opinions with in depth discussion on why particular recordings of a Classical piece is the best out there. They would take in consideration performance,sound,and interpretation of the piece in their synopsis.
I find for Aaron Copland or Ferde Grofe stay with the recordings THEY conducted as the best out there. Everest has remastered in SBM 20 bit both of these conductors conducting there own material and the sound is superb.

Without digging out the LP, I think the 1812 version on Telarc is one of the sonic masterpieces of the 1812. The Mercury Living Presence Stereo is popular and fairly common to find of the 1812. The others I have no opinions on. You might want to post this question over at the Vinyl Asylum, lots of die hard classical inmates who are willing to lead you in the right direction. If you have a lot of time to do some research, Arthur Salvatores' site will lead to his suggestions for best SOUNDING ( sonically ) recordings.
HTH
http://www.high-endaudio.com/supreme.html

Kim

I never have been much into classical music, but there are a few things I would like to have. What I need to know is, what is the definitive LPs I need to purchase to hear this music?

William Tell Overture

Ride of the Valkyrie

1812 Overture

Beethoven's Ninth

Bolero

That's really about all the classical I think I'd ever really listen to. I already have a copy of "Bolero" but it's on CD. I need vinyl!! ( I have no idea if the spelling is correct for these.) Thanks for the help!

Dave :smoke:

There are no definitive LPs. Each one has some flaws, either sonically or musically. The best performance often has mediocre sound, and vice-versa. Too many guys here will recommend the ones with spectacular sound but little musical substance.

William Tell Overture

The Toscanini on RCA is a great performance, but it is 50s mono. For something modern, I like the Gamba on London/Decca, fine performances in excellent sound.

Ride of the Valkyries

The Furtwangler in 50s mono is the great performance. For modern sound, there are many good ones - I like the Stokowski on RCA Living Stereo.

1812 Overture

The Telarc is the famous audiophile one, but the on that is actually musically interesting is the Markevitch on Philips.

Beethoven's Ninth

There are three great ones: the 1962 Karajan on DG, the Schmidt-Isserstedt on London/Decca, and the Fricsay on DG.

Bolero

Most conductors accelerate too rapidly and overemphasize the snare drum. I like Monteux's languid and sensuous performance on Philips, where he lets the tone colors of the various instruments play out naturally.

If you like these, maybe you might also like: Dvorak's New World Symphony, the Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherezade, Prokofieff's Lt Kije.

Thanks you guys! Very informative and very helpful. I love this place. :smoke:

You might try Samual Barber's Adagio for strings. Bach is always good too. Air on G String is very accessable.

i'm new here but, there are two things i test all speakers with -RUSH- Tom Sawyer and -Ennio Morricone- soundtrack to THE MISSION. if that fails rock with -DIE WALKURE- by WAGNER.

What, no Vivaldi? "The Four Seasons" is widely available, and in my opinion, addictive. Like audio Prozac.
Your local library probably has CD's you can check out to kinda try a piece out before you start digging around for it on vinyl. That being said, there's a LOT of classical vinyl out there and it's easy to go overboard. It's also usually really cheap if you know where to look. You may find that you like the bombast of Wagner or the emotion of Beethoven and Mahler. Maybe Rachmaninoff's and Chopin's piano concertos or Vivaldi's strings. Organ? Bach. You may also figure that you like chamber music (small groups, generally strings) versus the large orchestra. You may dig opera. There's so much out there to be found and explored that in my opinion it's a neverending journey. I was a rock snob for years until my wife turned me on to Beethoven and Chopin piano stuff, and since then I've been off and running digging through 400 years of classical music.
I like bright string stuff (Vivaldi) on car trips and at work, piano or baroque for late evening or mood music, chamber music for solo chill time and driving, it really kind of depends on the application. I've been able to zero in on what I like in the spectrum of classical and learn that it's really not all the same kind of stuff. "Classical" is not a very good descriptor; there are many sub-species within that genre. The word classical means Beethoven's Fifth (da-da-da-dummm) to some and Strauss waltzes to others.
Certain record labels are usually good too, like Philips, RCA Red Seal, Columbia Masterworks, Angel, Nonesuch, and a few others I can't bring to mind right now.
If you ever get up to KC look me up and I'll send you off with a nice sampler package. The willingness to learn is the biggest step-from there it's all rewards.

1. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Sunrise) - R. Strauss
2. Mars (The Planets) - Holst
3. Overture 1812 - Tchaikovsky
4. Entry Of The Gladiadtors - Fucik
5. Sabre Dance - Khachaturian
6. Procession Of The Sardar - Ippolitov Ivanov
7. Night On Bald Mountain - Mussorgsky
8. Anvil Chor (II Trovatore) - Verdi
9. The Thunderer March - Sousa
10. Thunder & Lightening Polka - J. Strauss
11. Prelude To Act III : Lohengrin - Wagner
12. The Ride Of The Valkryies - Wagner
13. Montagues & Capulets (Romeo & Juliet Ballet Suite) - Prokofiev
14. The Storm: Symphony No. 6 In F Major, 'Pastorale' - Beethoven
15. Rondeau - Edward Carroll
16. Overture: Fireworks Music - Handel
17. March To The Scaffold: Symphonie Fantastique - Berlioz
18. LesToreadors - Bizet
19. William Tell Overture: Finale - Rossini
20. Revolutionary Study - Abbey Simon
21. Fanfare For The Common Man - Copland
22. Sym No. 1 'Titan' IV Sturmisch Bewegt (Excerpt) - Mahler
23. Augurs Of Spring From Rite Of Spring - Stravinsky
24. Russian Dance From Petrouchka - Stravinsky
25. The Great Gate At Kiev From Pictures At An Exhibition - Mussorgsky



Not on LP but I have this one on cd.