Thanks @struts001 for your weekly food for the ears. It is a fantastic journey through the myriad aspects of classical music.
Is the Pletnev / Pictures version on the album you mentioned (just above) the 1989 version (which is actually my favorite performance of pictures)? Or did Pletnev do another one?
Thanks Rudi, I am glad you’re enjoying it!
Yes, to the best of my knowledge Pletnev has only recorded Pictures once, however according to the album credits in Qobuz (corroborated by Discogs) that was by Parlophone in 1991 (originally released on Virgin Classics).
To avoid confusion the date I quote in my listing matches the date that appears when you bring up the album in Qobuz. However it is annoyingly inconsistent. The dates given for the Gould and the Previn discs are the original album release dates (although both have subsequently been remastered) whereas the dates for the Richter and the Pletnev are the dates of the re-releases. The year given is (almost) never the year the recording was actually made.
This would indicate that the Erato Pictures is indeed identical with the Virgin issue:
Mussorgsky & Tchaikovsky - Works For Piano - Erato: 4820552 - download | Presto Music
Yes, a bit more digging revealed that the original release (with the original artwork but with an Erato logo slapped over it) is also available on Qobuz, although I had to wade through all of Pletnev’s albums to find it (with release date given as 1996!).
I missed this as it doesn’t come up under “Albums” if you search for “pletnev pictures” and I tend to prefer “Albums” as “Top results” returns too many false positives. Search is still frustratingly erratic.
Although the Tchaikovsky coupling is different the credits and the track times for Pictures match the 2005 release so I am fairly sure this is the same recording.
Week 15 Nos. 26-30
Now we’re getting down to the really core repertoire and the choice of excellent recordings is becoming massive for almost every work. Here more than ever I will tend to fall back on classic analog recordings from the 50s, 60s and 70s.
I also have a pretty good grip on period instrument/historically informed performances (HIP) since that’s my own preference, but much poorer knowledge of modern native hi res digital recordings. Grateful as always if any of our resident classical gurus want to chime in!
1439 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Ballet 1892 Play
Despite a massive field there’s only one for me here. Mstislav Rostropovich’s magical 1984 DG recording with the BPO. Rostropovich brings out the fairy tale nature of the piece with little tweaks of tempi and inflection and the remastering brings the SQ to demonstration level. This is one of my desert island discs. Truly magical.
For an alternative take try this recent high res recording by Santtu-Mathias Rouvali leading the Philharmonia Orchestra (thanks for the introduction, @PAR!)
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Rostropovich “Tchaikovsky: Ballet Suites” 1996, 16/44.1
Philharmonia Orchestra, Rouvali “Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite” 2023, 24/192
27. Symphony No. 6 in F Major (Pastoral Symphony), Op. 68
999 Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony 1808 Play
For those not familiar with this work I can recommend reading up quickly before listening as it is “programmatic”, i.e. it tells a story (or maybe recounts a dream) of a countryside scene. This will help put the music in context and maybe increase appreciation.
My father’s go-to was Bruno Walter’s classic stereo set recorded in 1958 at the peak of his “Indian Summer”, when he came out of retirement in California to re-record some of his favourite pieces in stereo for Columbia with their eponymos SO. However for a traditional choice I have to side with Richard Osborne of Gramophone and propose Karl Böhm’s 1971 recording where we find him “caressing, cajoling and inspiring the Vienna Philharmonic into one of its own – and the symphony’s – finest performances on record”. Superbly remastered sound from the DG engineers.
Once you’re familiar with how this great symphony “usually” sounds by all means try a HIP performance. I am a sucker for Emmanuel Krivine’s reading, recorded live with a hand-picked band of period instrumentalists from his La Chambre Philharmonique, although Norrington/LCP and Gardiner/ORR (as always) both provide excellent alternatives.
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Böhm “Beethoven: Symphony No.6 “Pastoral”; Schubert: Symphony No.5” 1995, 16/44.1
La Chambre Philharmonique, Kirvine “Beethoven: Complete Sympnies” 2011, 16/44.1
28. Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 582
450 Johann Sebastian Bach Organ 1713 Play
My clear favourite is the great Edward Power Biggs, but after sifting through hours of organ compilations I have unfortunately been unable to locate his 1970 CBS recording from the Thomaskirche in Leipzig on either Qobuz or Tidal (Sony/BMG never released it on CD so the only digital versions are from re-release labels Corona/Curb Classic and Berlin Classics, please let me know if anyone finds them!). So we’ll have to settle for his 1961 outing on the Flentorp Organ in the Busch-Reisinger Museum at Harvard University.
For a more recent recording try Todd Fickley playing the Schnitger Organ (1721) at St. Michaelskerk in Zwolle. What a glorious instrument!
Power Biggs “Bach: Great Organ Favourites” 1988, 16/44.1
Fickley “Bach: The Bach Project” 2014, 16/44.1
29. Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550
1222 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphony 1788 Play
Heads-up, another G minor here, Ben! Here again (see also No.95) I’ll go with Bernstein/VPO as my modern and Mackerras/SCO as my HIP recommendation.
Vienna Philharmonic Orchetsra, Bernstein “Mozart: Symponies 39 & 40” 1984, 16/44.1
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Mackerras “Mozart: Symphonies Nos.38-41” 2008, 24/88.2
30. Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98
594 Johannes Brahms Symphony 1884 Play
Here I’ll go with Carlos Kleiber’s 1981 recording with the VPO, narrowly edging out several excellent Karajan/BPO offerings as well as Bruno Walter with the Columbia SO. My HIP recommendation is the ever on-form Gardiner with the ORR.
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Kleiber “Brahms: Symphony No.4” 1981, 16/44.1
Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Gardiner “Brahms: Symphony No.4” 2010, 24/48
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I have been trying to be quiet on this thread simply because I really don’t know what the 100 Greatest pieces are or what criteria might be used to include ( or reject) them.
Anyway on this occasion, I feel the need to point out that neither of the two recordings cited are of the Nutcracker! They are both of the Nutcracker Suite. This is an extract made by Tchaikovsky of 8 numbers from Act 2 of the ballet for concert performance. Wonderful indeed as each is some of the most famous pieces of music ever written. Even if listeners think that they have never listened to any classical music I guarantee hat all or most of them will be immediately familiar.
Much as the suite is familiar and includes some of the most famous melodies, the rest of the ballet is full of the most inventive music. Do read a précis of the action so that you understand what us going on. Gritty realism it’s not.
So, what about a recommendation ? Of the modern recordings I ( and all of the recent criticisms that I have read) go for this. Astonishing ( live) performance, superb recording:
Vladimir Jurowki/State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia. Pentatone. DSD64
BTW, great work Andrew.
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Thanks Pete. To be clear, I am not claiming that these are the 100 Greatest Classical pieces in my opinion, nor asking anybody else to offer theirs. Wayback when @Leggie started a Classical Music tps thread which would serve that purpose well.
I used this list, originally put together by digitaldreamdoor.com which others had found helpful. It is (IMO) a fairly representative list of some of the best known classical pieces which I have chosen quite arbitrarily to use and not question, and am asking anyone who contributes to this thread to do the same. The aim is to make it simpler for classical n00bs by providing focus in the belief that divergence and diveristy do the opposite and simply make it more overwhelming. I tried to explain this here and here.
So see this as a “site seeing tour” though classical and try to ignore the click-bait title which I chose also to use. What I am doing is proposing my own personal favourite performances/recordings of these 100 and asking others to contribute theirs.
That said, huge thanks for chiming in and thanks for hauling me up on the Nutcracker Suite. You’re quite right. I formed a preference for the suite very early in life (iirc based on being taken to a very uninsipring performance of the full ballet) and kinda forgot about it thereafter, my bad. I will happily give it a new chance though and check out your recommendation!
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Thanks as always for all these posts, @struts001 — it really is working 
75 (Beethoven, String quartet no 15 in A Minor, Op 132, Lindsays) Very nice. I’m not sure what’s happening here…might my hit rate be on the up?! Feels like progress.
74 (Shostakovich, Symphony 10 in E Minor, Op 93, Karajan) Good in places, but needed a second go before I felt like I had a handle on what I thought. More rumination required.
73 (Beethoven, Piano concerto no 4 in g major, op 58) Can see why yer pa liked this. Actually, maybe why he liked this might be beyond me for a while yet, but it doesn’t surprise me that he liked it. Very nice indeed.
72 (Mahler, Symphony no 2 in c minor, Jurowski) What a start! And not just the start, either. Gorgeous, grand, and even playful at times. Good fun. Absolutely loved this.
71 (Chopin, Polonaise in A flat major (heroic) op 53) I went with Blechacz from your choices, and enjoyed it. A wee bit frenetic in places, but sometimes that might be just the ticket.
Ben, Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony? That’s an unusual reaction for a work concerned with death, God’s judgement and resurrection ( subject to belief).
@struts001 After your comments of the Power Biggs Bach, I went out and purchased the Brilliant Classics reedition of the Thomaskirche 1970 CD.
To my suprise I also found this album on qobuz, even in two editions.
Brilliant Classics
Eterna
Really an album worth searching out. Here’s a glimpse behind the scenes:
“E. Power Biggs, Concert Organist” | Open Indiana | Indiana University Press
Enjoy
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@jacobacci Thanks for this. Interesting.
I’m a fan of E. Power Biggs but, for some reason, these links didn’t work for me…?
Maybe the two albums are only on the French qobuz site. The CD can be found cheaply on Discogs.
The complete epub is here
https://muse.jhu.edu/book/84798
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Thanks @jacobacci
@Bauer Try searching for these two album codes on qobuz:
0782124853228
re3oogt3uaasa
which country is your qobuz account associated with? i can then check with qobuz why it doesn’t appear
Thanks.
I have a UK account.
Jonathan, I too have a UK Qobuz account and neither if these albums can be found from a search. So either they are hidden for some reason or the UK service has not an agreement with these labels.
Thanks, Pete.
I does seem odd, though, that, for me, one of the albums is showing as available, but the other one isn’t…
There is a third edition of the Biggs / Thomaskirche on qobuz (also from Berlin Classics). Maybe that one works for @PAR
0782124142223
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