# Classical music fans: favorite video recordings of famous works **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [June 7, 2021, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733 "2021-06-07T01:55:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/41 "2021-06-09T07:38:51Z")
From the same occasion, another great performance of a piece by Fauré, _Cantique de Jean Racine_. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/pB_3rG7KZyU/maxresdefault.jpg ""Cantique de Jean Racine" Gabriel Fauré | Choir of King's College, Cambridge (Stephen Cleobury)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB_3rG7KZyU) ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/42 "2021-06-09T12:25:58Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > There are some pieces of music that just sound better with a boy’s voice. Well, yeah, especially considering the Psalm is supposed to be sung by the boy David. But you can’t always get your hands on a boy soprano. That didn’t come out right… ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/43 "2021-06-09T13:54:48Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Well, yeah, especially considering the Psalm is supposed to be sung by the boy David. But you can’t always get your hands on a boy soprano. That didn’t come out right… 🙂   I found the full audio version of the clip I linked to above. It’s a version I particularly like, with George Hill singing the solo: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/g_vkIyPPJuk/maxresdefault.jpg "Chichester Psalms: II. Psalm 23 - Psalm 2,1-4") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_vkIyPPJuk) ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/44 "2021-06-09T16:52:43Z")
That is indeed an exquisite performance of that movement. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/45 "2021-06-09T18:50:18Z")
Here’s a fave: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BLtqZewjwgA/hqdefault.jpg "Bartoli & Fleming - Le Nozze di Figaro - Sull'aria") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLtqZewjwgA) I was actually at the Met for that performance. I’d been a huge fan of Cecilia Bartoli, but only knew her from recordings. Then I saw her as Susanna, and she was amazing. And of course Fleming was in peak form then, and Bryn Terfel basically owns the role of Figaro. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/46 "2021-06-09T19:59:33Z")
You don’t get choruses more spectacular than this! Handel’s _Zadok the Priest_ sung by the Choir of Westminster Abby and the Choristers of the Chapel Royal. (The latter are standing in front in red uniforms unchanged since the 17th century.) Handel wrote this piece for the coronation of King George II in 1727. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JcfR4utkASo/hqdefault.jpg "Zadok The Priest - Westminster Abbey Choir and Choristers of the Chapel Royal") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcfR4utkASo) ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/47 "2021-06-09T21:31:38Z")
I am loving, loving, loving these so much. Thanks everybody! Hope this counts: more pageantry than symphony, but hard to get more authentic than this, Hubert Parry’s _I Was Glad_ at Queen Elizabeth’s golden jubilee with St. Paul’s Cathedral Choir (men and boys). They did this too at Kate’s wedding (heck, they do it at all the weddings) but production is better here, I think: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/rI00qOQPYxE/hqdefault.jpg "Saint Paul Cathedral Choir: I Was Glad") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI00qOQPYxE) ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/48 "2021-06-09T21:34:00Z")
These are so great. Do you happen to have a favorite full Faure _Requiem_? I keep thinking a French choir ought to do it best, but have not found the perfect version yet from any country. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/49 "2021-06-10T03:20:15Z")
Mendelssohn’s _ **Hebrides Overture** _. So much of my knowledge of high culture comes from watching Warner Bros cartoons… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/MdQyN7MYSN8/maxresdefault.jpg "Mendelssohn: Overture 'The Hebrides' | Sir John Eliot Gardiner") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdQyN7MYSN8) ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/50 "2021-06-10T05:05:08Z")
My current favorite video is Maria Callas, _Una voce poco fa_. The video quality isn’t great, but seeing her _acting_ it along with her incredible singing is fantastic! [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kG0BIOgl-aQ/hqdefault.jpg "Maria Callas Una Voce Poco Fa Barbiere di Siviglia G. Rossini") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG0BIOgl-aQ) ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/51 "2021-06-10T05:23:33Z")
_Carmina Burana_. The video resolution and sound quality are not the greatest, but the staging is great and very funny in spots. > This was the dramatic rendition of Carl Orff’s most famous piece of music, how he wanted it to look but seldom performed as such nowadays. It was finally filmed by West German TV in 1975 with the close co-operation of Orff in honour of his 80th birthday. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Gj-tBVq61as/hqdefault.jpg "Carmina Burana , Carl Orff (Ponnelle)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj-tBVq61as) ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/52 "2021-06-10T06:10:08Z")
I enjoyed that! ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/53 "2021-06-10T06:18:07Z")
> [@Briny\_Deep](#): > > Do you happen to have a favorite full Faure _Requiem_ ? I keep thinking a French choir ought to do it best, but have not found the perfect version yet from any country. I’ve also never found a definitive version. My favourite section is _In Paradisum_, sung here by La Chapelle Royale and Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Louis, accompanied by the Ensemble Musique Oblique, conducted by Philippe Herreweghe. (Yes, France has a choir called La Chapelle Royale, even though they don’t have royalty!) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6-i1ESIRKdA/hqdefault.jpg "Gabriel Fauré - Requiem : 'In Paradisum'") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-i1ESIRKdA) ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/54 "2021-06-10T06:21:40Z")
Turning to French opera, I don’t think anyone has ever sung the final trio from Gounot’s _Faust_ better than Victoria de los Angeles. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/tGpcPMkU40M/hqdefault.jpg "Siepi, De Los Angeles, and Peerce live at the Met in 1955 - Trio and finale from "Faust"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGpcPMkU40M) ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/55 "2021-06-10T07:53:41Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > _Carmina Burana_ . The video resolution and sound quality are not the greatest, but the staging is great and very funny in spots. That was a spectacular and wonderful version! Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/56 "2021-06-10T12:16:07Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > That was a spectacular and wonderful version! Thanks. @rowrrbazzle Ditto that! ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/57 "2021-06-10T12:49:23Z")
I always thought that playing the organ, Bach style, was one of the more ridiculous feats of musicianship ever demanded of a single person. This is highlighted by this version of his ‘Gigue fugue’, BWV577, where the performer literally _dances_ a jig with his feet while playing: [https://g.co/kgs/P7EbDp](https://g.co/kgs/P7EbDp) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/58 "2021-06-10T13:54:11Z")
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: These three can sing the pants offa me. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iEtSkJDA61g/hqdefault.jpg "The Roches Hallelujah Chorus 1982") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEtSkJDA61g) Carmina Burana for us smart asses (with subtitles): [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/pQEfxhvAy0c/hqdefault.jpg "O Fortuna sung with Misheard Lyrics by NMKO") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQEfxhvAy0c) ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/59 "2021-06-10T19:15:00Z")
I saw a documentary of Dimitri Shostakovich, and one scene was at a train station with clouds of steam and what ever piece they were playing was perfect. I’ve liked his stuff ever since. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2021, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733/60 "2021-06-11T05:00:08Z")
One more. The King’s College Choir has done this piece for Christmas several times, usually with a standard baritone. Fine jobs, of course, but in this performance the soloist is apparently a _light_ baritone and it’s just perfect. Ever since I found it, it’s a must-listen for me every Christmas (and a few other times in the year). [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUMNucHrE28) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-fans-favorite-video-recordings-of-famous-works/943733.md?page=4)