High Rez classical music recommendations

pmckeealaska

I'm interested in delving into classical music and since that seems to be where the lions share of high rez titles are I thought I would see whats out there. I have only one classical album, Rachmaninov's Piano Concertos No.2 and 3 in DVD-A. Since my system seems to produce the most detailed results in DVD-A format, I'm interested in what folks on here might recommend me checking out in that format, though I'm also open to anything in SACD. My tastes are mostly piano based classical and I love very technically challenging pieces as well. Hope that helps all of you in helping me find something I might enjoy!

BlueFox

Not piano, but string quartets. I love this stuff. For lack of a better description it's spacey. Not your usual classical.

I have the Shastokovich volumes 2,3,4, and 5. Volume 1 is on back-order. Oh, and it sounds great.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=mandelring+sacd&x=16&y=17

I am listening to this now, Schumann: Piano Quartet & Piano & Quintet by Madelrin Quartet. Good, but not Shastokovich.

Pycroft

If you are not an avid classical fan, rather than looking for the best sounding music for the format, I might suggest you find great musical pieces that you will like, regardless whether they are audiophile quality. I know people who've bought what others have suggested sound the best, but they hated the actual music, and people who bought what they love, and although it wasn't in SACD format, or some other audiophile grade music, they loved it. Rachmananoff is a composer in the romantic time period. You may check out composers such as Beethoven (plenty of piano sonatas and concertos), Chopin (really pushes tonality to it's heights, and is mostly virtuostic), or even for piano, composers like Ravel or Debussy - who wrote impressionist music (Think of the art of the time, and this is represented in the music - very flowing, much of it attempting to depict scenes and images, etc.). I can't recommend specific recordings because all of my piano recordings are on regular CD, but that's where I'd start.

James

cheddar

This is a unique collection. Not only can you try the SACD in this combo, but you can also pop the blu-ray in your ps3 and play the blu-ray lossless version (which I prefer over the SACD). Blu-ray lossless is basically DVD-A on steroids.

Each track is high resolution/sample rate from the original recording to the final mix on the disk, and sounds absolutely stellar. There even seems to be a link to iTunes to sample the music. If you like it, I'd get the SACD/Blu-ray combo, though.

http://www.2l.no/pages/album/050.html

cheddar

Here's a link with preview tracks.

http://www.2l.musiconline.no/shop/displayAlbum.asp?id=34188

I think I bought mine off of Amazon.

bikezappa

Try listening to a Classical FM NPR station for a wide music selection to help you determine what you like.

headrott

I can recommend this XRCD24. It sounds very good and the music is phenominal! Better get it quick as it's out of print and getting hard to find! No affiliation to the sale.

http://cgi.ebay.com/XRCD-JMXR24033-MOZART-Eine-Kleine-Nachtmusik-Divert-SS-/190359850709?pt=Music_CDs&hash=item2c5254ced5

Greg

cheddar

Just checked Amazon, and it seems they've really expanded their blu-ray music selection. Several piano concertos. In 7.1 DTS-MA too.

John K.

PM, yes there's a whole world of great classical music out there waiting for you to give a listen. In line with the comment by James, though, you'd be unnecessarily handicapping yourself by limiting your choices to DVD-As or SACDs. Great music in a great performance should be the first consideration, and many such are available in regular CDs with all the "rez" needed for full enjoyment.

Having said that, I've prepared a list per your request. DVD-A candidates are very limited, but one that I recommend highly is this Swan Lake highlights disc . SACDs give a wider choice and I'll first suggest this beautiful Vaughan Williams collection . There're quite a few good choices in RCA's Living Stereo series which have been remastered for SACD. You should enjoy the Gershwin disc featuring Earl Wild's piano; Spain ; Berlioz collection ; Scheherazade ; Daphnis et Chloe ; Offenbach collection ; Dvorak Cello Concerto ; Stokowski Rhapsodies ; Ravel collection .

zingo

I've been listening to high-rez classic music on my PC based music system. The above recommendation of 2L is a great one as I have many of their albums. HDtracks.com is a great provider of up to 24/96 material, as well as the 2L site itself.

Ern Dog

I'm a BIG Rachmaninoff fan, and I've only been listening to classical music for about 3 years. So far, this is my favorite Rach CD: http://www.amazon.com/Rachmaninoff-Symphonic-Dances-Vocalise-Etudes-tableaux/dp/B00005QD5Z/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1288493696&sr=1-1

It is recorded in HDCD by Reference Recording label and sounds Superb even on the non-HDCD layer. Symphonic Dances will push your system to the limits because it is very dynamic. It has a powerful build up leading to an awesome climax at the end which often brings me to tears because it is so emotional.

I also liked Rach's Symphony #2 and Vivaldi's 4 Seasons.

stubby

+1 with Erndog. Reference Recordings are the cat's meow. Especially the Minnesota Orchestra with Eiji Oue as conductor. If you like lots of dynamic swings in your music, I recommend The Firebird by Stravinsky. It can lull you to complete calm, then scare the hell out of you. See above label and conductor.

stubby

HHStuart

I would agree with others that you should find out what you like. You can get a lot of classical CD's cheap and you can also get them from the library. Once you have a better idea, you can get them in DVD-Audio or SACD. Having said that here are a few of my favorite classical SACD's (All bought this year so they should be available):
Bach - Jacques Loussier Trio Best of Play Bach
Beethoven (Paavo Jarvi) Symphonies 1 and 5
Bizet - Carmen Suites
Grieg - Pier Gynt Suite
Handel (Jordi Savall) Water Music/Music for the Royal Fireworks
(I didn't like the Pearlman version)
Liszt (Stokowski) Rhapsodies
Mendelssohn (Swensen) Symp. # 3 "Scottish"/Hebrides Overture
Mozart (Jordi Savall) Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Mozart (Marriner) Four Horn Concertos
Mozart (Jordi Savall) Piano Concertos 21 & 23
Paganini (Szeryng) Violin Concertos 1 and 4
Rossini (Mariner) Famous Overtures
Stockholm Guitar Quartet A Unique Classical Guitar Collection
Vivaldi (Pearlman) Four Seasons
Vivaldi/Weiss Katona Twins Concertos & Sonatas for Guitar
Various Composers (Fiedler) Pops Caviar

Enjoy