以下係幾款初聽古典必備 CD, 全部由錄音史上頂級大師演繹, 有 D 香港買唔到, 要上網訂:
1. Bach Guild - Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, etc / Tomasow, et al
Composer: Antonio Vivaldi
Performers: Tomasow, Jan (Violin), Heiller, Anton (Harpsichord), Ganoci, Anton (Mandolin), Pavlinek, Ferdo (Mandolin), Wobisch, Helmut (Trumpet), Holler, Adolf (Trumpet)
Orchestras/Ensemble: I Solisti di Zagreb
Conductor: Janigro, Antonio
Igor Stravinsky, the great Russian composer, considered this version of The Four Seasons "The best interpretation of this work during the past twenty years".
The conductor Antonio Janigro (1918-1989) was an expert in 18th century music "discovered" by Pablo Casals (1876-1973), the father of cellist.
Besides the best version of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons", I highly recommend the "Concerto for 2 Mandolins" in this CD. The interpretation is so elegant.
The recording years are from 1957-1964 that we called "the golden era of recordings". The sound effect of "vaccum tube stereo" in this CD I consider much better than modern digital recordings.
You may compare this version with N Kennedy's and you'll find that why he should be completely forgotten.
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2. Serenata - A Bouquet of Favorites for Strings
Composers: Tomaso Albinoni, Arcangelo Corelli, Luigi Boccherini, Maria Theresia Paradis, Ottorino Respighi, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gio Battista Pergolesi, Jean Sibelius, Samuel Barber, Franz Joseph Haydn
Performer: Baker, Julius (Flute)
Orchestras/Ensemble: I Solisti di Zagreb
Conductor: Janigro, Antonio
Another great recording by Antonio Janigro with "Ultra Analog Stereo".
3. William Boyce Eight Symphonies
Composer: William Boyce
Conductor: Antonio Janigro
Performer: Herbert Tachezi
Label: Vanguard Classics - #46
4.Stokowski Conducts Vivaldi/Bach/Corelli/Mozart
Composer: Antonio Vivaldi, Johann Sebastian Bach, et al.
Conductor: Leopold Stokowski
Performer: Igor Kipnis
Label: Vanguard Classics - #8009
This CD also contains the best version of Correli's "Christmas Concerto". About the great conductor Leopold Stokowski (1882-1977), I'll post his biography later here.
5. Mozart: Serenades et Divertimenti Vol 2 / Sandor Vegh
1. Serenade no 13 in G major, K 525 "Eine kleine Nachtmusik"
2. Serenade no 6 in D major, K 239 "Serenata notturna"
3. Divertimento for String Quartet in B flat major, K 137 (125b)
4. Divertimento for String Quartet in D major, K 136 (125a)
Conductor: Vegh, Sandor
Ensemble: Salzburg Mozarteum Camerata Academica
Sander Vegh (1905?-1997) is one of the greatest conductor in the music of Mozart and Hydan. He is also a great violinist. One of his teacher is the great violinist Jeno Hubay (1858-1937).
His version of Mozart's "Eine kleine Nachtmusik" K525 is the best stereo version. It's so magnificent! You can compare it with other "routine" performances.
6.Jascha Horenstein conducts Mozart: Symphonies, etc
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performers: Lipp, Wilma (Soprano), Ludwig, Christa (Mezzo Soprano), Dickie, Murray (Tenor), Berry, Walter (Bass Baritone)
Orchestras/Ensemble: Vienna Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Horenstein, Jascha
Label: Vox Box Legends
1. Symphony no 41 in C major, K 551 "Jupiter"
2. Symphony no 38 in D major, K 504 "
rague"
3. Mass in C major, K 317 "Coronation"
4. Symphony no 39 in E flat major, K 543
5. Vesperae solennes de confessore, K 339
A MUST FOR YOU !!!
7. Bach: Brandenburg Concertos / Jascha Horenstein
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Written: 1708-1710
Conductor: Horenstein, Jascha
Ensemble: Vienna Symphony Chamber Orchestra
Label: Vox Box Legends
It's the very first recording of this work in original instruments of 18th century.
8. Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 4 & 5 / Schnabel/Stock/Chicago Symphony Orchestra
This is an ideal CD as an introduction of Beethoven's music. The pianist Artur Schnabel (1882-1951) was called "the one who invent Beethoven". I'll post his biography here later. This is his best version of these 2 concertos.
9. Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I & II
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Performer: Wanda Landowska
Wanda Landowska (1879-1959) is the greatest interpretor in 18th century keyboard music. Detail information will be posted later. These 2 CD box sets include the teaching notes written by the performer.
10. Baroque Esprit - Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks, etc
1. Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV 351
2. Water Music, HWV 348-350
Collegium Aureum is one of the most important orchestra in performing 18th century music. This version of Water Music & Royal Firework is the best one I've ever heard!
11.Rameau: Ballet Suites, Dardanus / Collegium Aureum
Composer: Jean-Philippe Rameau
Orchestras/Ensemble: Collegium Aureum
Jean-Philippe Rameau 1683-1764
Avid reader of Zarlino, Kircher, and Descartes, as a youth Rameau set out to discover the laws of harmony for himself. His Traité de l'harmonie (1722) laid the foundation for a rational science of music, and his concept of the invertibility of triads--a stroke of genius by any measure--had great consequences for the teaching of theory. At first not received well in France, Rameau's ideas were introduced into Germany by Marpurg. Rameau was a first-rate composer as well as theorist, composing mainly operas but also sacred, harpsichord, and chamber works. In the "War of the Buffoons" of 1752 Rameau was a defender of the French opera style of Lully and Destouches as opposed to the opera buffa of Pergolesi. In later years, however, Rameau said that if he had it to do over again he would have gone to Italy and studied with Pergolesi.