Lapsed classical lover seeks guidance
December 22, 2012 4:34 PM Subscribe
Can you recommend fantastic, classical music released in the last five years or so?
About ten years ago, I was a classical music fiend. I owned at least six different recordings of Brahms's 4th symphony, played in a well-respected college orchestra, and studied music theory. However, nowadays, I'll hear something knock-out familiar in the background of a movie, and I'll have to look it up before I realize it's Beethoven's 7th. For shame.
This Christmas, I'd like to treat myself to a couple CDs to indulge my latent love of classical. Ten years ago, I loved Rachmaninoff, Brahms, Liszt, Shostakovich. I loved Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words, Bach's Mass in B minor.
I'm looking for wonderful recordings: symphonies, concertos, or chamber music. I'm open to anything, except perhaps opera. While I'm familiar with so many works (or used to be!), I'd be so grateful for recommendations of newer recordings that are celebrated as wonderful examples. Help me regain my classical groove!
About ten years ago, I was a classical music fiend. I owned at least six different recordings of Brahms's 4th symphony, played in a well-respected college orchestra, and studied music theory. However, nowadays, I'll hear something knock-out familiar in the background of a movie, and I'll have to look it up before I realize it's Beethoven's 7th. For shame.
This Christmas, I'd like to treat myself to a couple CDs to indulge my latent love of classical. Ten years ago, I loved Rachmaninoff, Brahms, Liszt, Shostakovich. I loved Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words, Bach's Mass in B minor.
I'm looking for wonderful recordings: symphonies, concertos, or chamber music. I'm open to anything, except perhaps opera. While I'm familiar with so many works (or used to be!), I'd be so grateful for recommendations of newer recordings that are celebrated as wonderful examples. Help me regain my classical groove!
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet's recordings of the complete Debussy piano works (on Chandos) don't leave my ipod.
posted by softlord at 5:20 PM on December 22, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by softlord at 5:20 PM on December 22, 2012 [3 favorites]
If you like choral music, I'd recommend the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. They have performed a variety of music, including Vivaldi, Mozart, and Rachmaninoff, but their biggest focus is contemporary Baltic composers; their recording Da Pacem of Arvo Pärt's work won a Grammy back in 2007.
posted by Aquinas at 5:30 PM on December 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Aquinas at 5:30 PM on December 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
If you like 17th-century music, there was a front-page post last week about a 2007 album of music by Nicola Matteis. (Five-piece chamber music: see the conversation there.)
On the strength of that recommendation, I bought it and really like it.
posted by AsYouKnow Bob at 8:38 PM on December 22, 2012
On the strength of that recommendation, I bought it and really like it.
posted by AsYouKnow Bob at 8:38 PM on December 22, 2012
I don't know if this would be at all up your alley or what your interest in modern alt-classical kinds of things is, but the Max Richter Vivaldi Recomposed has had a lot of play at my house.
The Richter and an actual Four Seasons recording might make an interesting pair to provide different approaches to Vivaldi. (We did this kind of thing in my junior high school with different renditions of Pictures at an Exhibition, including the ELP version.)
posted by immlass at 10:40 PM on December 22, 2012
The Richter and an actual Four Seasons recording might make an interesting pair to provide different approaches to Vivaldi. (We did this kind of thing in my junior high school with different renditions of Pictures at an Exhibition, including the ELP version.)
posted by immlass at 10:40 PM on December 22, 2012
Subscribe to Listen magazine. The ads alone give you a great idea of what recordings to look out for. Articles are great profiles of current artists, venues, new music. Not exactly classical, but my latest buy was the Goat Rodeo album which involved Yo Yo Ma along with some bluegrass musicians...
posted by randomkeystrike at 5:46 AM on December 23, 2012
posted by randomkeystrike at 5:46 AM on December 23, 2012
Also, almost forgot this: The NY Times' list of best classical music recordings of 2012, which may have something to your taste.
posted by immlass at 8:48 AM on December 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by immlass at 8:48 AM on December 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Jeremy Denk's Ligeti/Beethoven from this year is a revelation.
posted by General Malaise at 3:36 PM on December 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by General Malaise at 3:36 PM on December 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by matildaben at 5:14 PM on December 22, 2012 [1 favorite]