the most wonderful classical music recording EVER is.....

Agharta by Miles Davis....

Er, not really. Davis once said that if he had one hour left on Earth, he would spend it strangling a white man. Slowly.

What's wrong with that?

ACT

Someone in particular, or would any of us do?

If Miles had said he'd spend that hour strangling a white *classical music fan* the post would be on topic.

-John Thomas

Strictly on topic - Miles once said that most classical musicians can't improvise their way out of a plastic bag - any comments?

ACT

Yes. While apparently it has no 'scientific' connection to how a classical musician plays the written notes, there is a strong chance that I will like more the interpretations of a classical musician able to improvise at an at least average level, even if (s)he is doing that only at home.

Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Nyiregyhazi, Friedman, Hofmann, Edwin Fischer and others, all had reputations as improvisers. Saying about a performance that 'sounds LIKE a terrific improvisation' is one of the greatest compliments in my book.

regards,

Also Bruckner, Korngold, Messiaen, Franck (and the French organ school generally), Friedrich Gulda, and Frederick Rzewski