Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo Classical Music suggestions? (sushi?)

Lately I've been listening to Yo Yo Ma. Quality of recording and performances are excellent. So was the one with Bobby McFerrin.

Piano and cello...I heard some in a movie last night. I liked it. What's a good cd to buy with just a piano and cello?

One of my favorites:

Brahms / Sonatas for Piano and Cello / Rostropovich (cello) & Serkin (piano) - Grammophon #410510-2 (DDD)

As usual for Brahms' chamber works, these are pretty "serious"-sounding pieces of music, but you may well enjoy... A great recording, too.

I just really love the sound a cello makes. It's so full and rich. An incredible instrument.

Agreed, Craig. Possibly the most notable orchestral works featuring the cello are the Dvorak Cello Concerto, Bloch's Schelomo and Bruch's Kol Nidrei; Fournier does all of them on DG 429 155(about $8)in older but very good performances.

Craig:

I just heard this (a short excerp on the radio) -- Bolling: Suite for Cello and Jazz Piano Trio, Sony 39059, Yo-Yo Ma and some people I don't know

Sounds like Bach meets Jazz I think I'll be buying this CD shortly. I liked it very much.

I heard that the other day on NPR I think it was...very nice, I couldn't remember the title however. There was another I believe by Heidel? With Yo Yo Ma also that was quite good.

OK...I've compiled a list, and I'll be at the Virgin Megastore tonight.

Keep the suggestions coming - especially not just the piece of music, but also which recording (cd) to get. I've noticed that most of these pieces have a dozen or more cd's available, and I know from experience that I may love one, and hate another.

It's cool that you guys are so helpful. I didn't realize until I started listing my favorites and you all pieced it together, that yes indeed my favorites do tend to be the British and Russian composers. (Though Mr. Beethoven has a lot of great stuff as well!)

On a similar subject...what do you all think of the film "Immortal Beloved"? I LOVED it...the director/editor should be shot for putting in that "flashback" recap at the very end, but besides that, I really enjoyed it.

OK...I bought a few cds.

1) Tchaikovsky | Mendelssohn first piano concertos by Lang Lang. There are a few moments on the disc I enjoyed, but overall it seemed overly rushed...I needed to catch my breath after listening. Geesh...the so much of the cd seemed frantic - not my cup of tea.

2) Brahms / Sontas for Piano and Cello / Rostropovich (cello) & Serkin (piano). I haven't had a chance to give this one a serious listen to yet. But what I heard so far, I've enjoyed.

3) Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique - LSO Live. Again, haven't had a chance to give it a proper listen, but I've enjoyed what I've heard so far. (Certainly better than the Lang Lang disc)