Maurizio Pollini - Beethoven: Diabelli Variations

Beethoven: Diabelli Variations

Composed near 1820, Beethoven's Diabelli Variations are some of the best classical music for piano ever. Some of my favorite variations are 4, 10, 19, and 32. All of these are performed with great piano playing by Maurizio Pollini.

Borodin String Quartet - Shostakovich: String Quartets Nos. 2, 3, 7, 8 & 12

Shostakovich: String Quartets Nos. 2, 3, 7, 8 & 12

Shostakovich wrote some of the best string quartets ever. These were composed from the 1940s to the 1960s and are a must hear for everyone who likes string quartets. This is a great recording by the Borodin String Quartet.

Donizetti: Anna Bolena

Donizetti: Anna Bolena

Anna Bolena was first performed in 1830. Will King Henry the VIII spare his wife Anna Bolena after he accusses her of being unfaithful? King Henry's wife, played by soprano Anna Netrebko has great singing along with Elina Garanca. The costumes for the opera are stunning. This opera was performed in 2011 at the Vienna State Opera in Vienna, Austria.

Handel: Admeto

Handel: Admeto

Admeto was first performed in 1727. It is one of my favorite Handel operas. Who will Admeto choose? Alceste or Antigona? All of the performance are great, including Tim Mead who plays the King, Kirsten Blaise, who plays Antigona, and Marie Arnet who plays Alceste. This opera was performed in 2009 at the Deutsches Theater in Germany.

Puccini: Madama Butterfly

Puccini: Madama Butterfly

Madama Butterfly was first performed in 1904. It is one of the most performed operas today. The story is set in 1904 in Nagasaki, Japan. The opera uses Japanese pupperty for the child of Madama Butterfly. Madama Butterfly, played by Patricia Racette, has great singing throughout opera. This opera was performed in 2009 at the Met in New York City, and has very nice set designs and costumes.

Lully: Armide

Lully: Armide

Armide was first performed in 1686. It is one of Lully's best operas. Will Armide choose hatred or give in to her feelings of love for Renaud? Armide, played by Stéphanie D'oustrac stands out. Armide also has great set designs and costumes, along with the Baroque music of Lully. This opera was performed in 2008 at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, France.

Classical works

I listed some classical works I like.

Piano Sonata No. 26 in E flat major, Op. 81a "Les adieux" - by Beethoven
Pines of Rome - by Respighi
Roman Festivals - by Respighi
String Quartet No. 2 in A major, Op. 68 - by Shostakovich
Symphony No. 2, Op. 16 "The Four Temperaments" - by Nielsen
Violin Concerto, Op. 14 - by Barber

Henze symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Henze.

Symphony No. 1
Symphony No. 2
Symphony No. 3
Symphony No. 4
Symphony No. 5
Symphony No. 6
Symphony No. 7
Symphony No. 8

Lutoslawski symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Lutoslawski.

Symphony No. 1
Symphony No. 2
Symphony No. 3
Symphony No. 4

Walton symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Walton.

Symphony No. 1 in B flat minor
Symphony No. 2

Penderecki symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Penderecki.

Symphony No. 2 "Christmas"
Symphony No. 3
Symphony No. 4
Symphony No. 5

Bernstein symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Bernstein.

Symphony No. 1 "Jeremiah"
Symphony No. 2 "The Age of Anxiety"

Scriabin symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Scriabin.

Symphony No. 1 in E major, Op. 26
Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Op. 29
Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 43 "The Divine Poem"

Nielsen symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Nielsen.

Symphony No. 2, Op. 16 "The Four Temperaments"
Symphony No. 3, Op. 27 "Sinfonia Espansiva"
Symphony No. 4, Op. 29 "The Inextinguishable"

Britten symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Britten.

Cello Symphony, Op. 68
Simple Symphony, Op. 4

Concertos

I listed some concertos I like.

Cello Concerto, Op. 22 - by Barber
Violin Concerto, Op. 14 - by Barber

Classical works

I listed some classical works I like.

Adagio for Strings - by Barber
Candide Overture - by Bernstein
Cello Concerto, Op. 22 - by Barber
Quatre Morceaux, Op.56 - by Scriabin
Symphonic Dances from West Side Story - by Bernstein

Berlioz symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Berlioz.

Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17
Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14

Shostakovich symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Shostakovich.

Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10
Symphony No. 4 in C minor, Op. 43
Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47
Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 54
Symphony No. 8 in C minor, Op. 65
Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93
Symphony No. 15 in A major, Op. 141

Bruckner symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Bruckner.

Symphony No. 1 in C minor
Symphony No. 2 in C minor
Symphony No. 3 in D minor
Symphony No. 4 in E flat major
Symphony No. 5 in B flat major
Symphony No. 6 in A major
Symphony No. 7 in E major
Symphony No. 8 in C minor
Symphony No. 9 in D minor

Symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like.

Symphony No. 2, Op. 16 "The Four Temperaments" - by Nielsen
Symphony No. 2 in C minor - by Bruckner
Symphony No. 4 in E flat major - by Bruckner
Symphony No. 5 in B flat major - by Bruckner

Classical works

I listed some classical works I like.

Symphony No. 1 in C minor - by Bruckner
Symphony No. 2 in C minor - by Bruckner
Symphony No. 4 in E flat major - by Bruckner
Symphony No. 5 in B flat major - by Bruckner
Violin Sonatas Nos. 1-12, Op. 5 - by Corelli

Sibelius symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Sibelius.

Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43
Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 105

Prokofiev symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Prokofiev.

Symphony No. 1 in D major, Op. 25 "Classical"
Symphony No. 2 in D minor, Op. 40
Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 44
Symphony No. 4 in C major, Op. 47
Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, Op. 100

Piano trios

I listed some piano trios I like.

Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 63 - by Schumann
Piano Trio No. 2 in F major, Op. 80 - by Schumann
Piano Trio No. 3 in G minor, Op. 110 - by Schumann

Classical works

I listed some classical works I like.

Piano Quartet No. 1 in D major, Op. 23 - by Dvořák
Piano Quartet No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 87 - by Dvořák
Piano Quartet in E flat major, Op. 47 - by Schumann
Piano Quintet in E flat major, Op. 44 - by Schumann
Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 63 - by Schumann

Schumann symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Schumann.

Symphony No. 1 in B flat major, Op. 38 "Spring"
Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 61
Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 97 “Rhenish”
Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120

Mahler symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Mahler.

Symphony No. 1 in D major "Titan"
Symphony No. 2
Symphony No. 3
Symphony No. 5
Symphony No. 6 in A minor
Symphony No. 8 in E flat major "Symphony of a Thousand"
Symphony No. 9

Haydn symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Haydn.

Symphony No. 45 in F sharp minor
Symphony No. 88 in G major
Symphony No. 92 in G major "Oxford"
London Symphonies Nos. 93-104
Paris Symphonies Nos. 82-87

Schubert symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Schubert.

Symphony No. 1 in D major, D. 82
Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, D. 125
Symphony No. 3 in D major, D. 200
Symphony No. 4 in C minor, D. 417
Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, D. 485
Symphony No. 9 in C major, D. 944

Mendelssohn symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Mendelssohn.

Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56 "Scottish"
Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 "Italian"

Elgar symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Elgar.

Symphony No. 1 in A flat major, Op. 55
Symphony No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 63

Vaughan Williams symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Vaughan Williams.

A Pastoral Symphony
Symphony No. 4 in F minor
Symphony No. 6 in E minor
Symphony No. 8 in D minor
Symphony No. 9 in E minor

Dvořák symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Dvořák.

Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 10
Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 13
Symphony No. 5 in F major, Op. 76
Symphony No. 7 in D minor, Op. 70
Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88
Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 "From the New World"

Brahms symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Brahms.

Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73
Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90
Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98

Mozart symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Mozart.

Symphony No. 25 in G minor, K. 183
Symphony No. 26 in E flat major, K. 184
Symphony No. 29 in A major, K. 201
Symphony No. 31 in D major, K. 297 "Paris"
Symphony No. 35 in D major, K. 385 "Haffner"
Symphony No. 36 in C major, K. 425 "Linz"
Symphony No. 38 in D major, K. 504 "Prague"
Symphony No. 39 in E flat major, K. 543
Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550
Symphony No. 41 in C major, K. 551 "Jupiter"

Tchaikovsky symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Tchaikovsky.

Symphony No. 1 in G minor, Op. 13 "Winter Daydreams"
Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Op. 17 "Little Russian"
Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29 "Polish"
Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36
Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64
Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 "Pathetique"

Beethoven symphonies

I listed some symphonies I like by Beethoven.

Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 "Eroica"
Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 "Pastoral"
Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92
Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 "Choral"

Corelli classical works

I listed some classical works I like by Corelli.

Twelve Concerti Grossi, Op. 6
Violin Sonatas Nos. 1-12, Op. 5