Owen Hartnett
2003-08-13 03:42:41 UTC
I want to have a small classical collection of about 24 CDs chosen from
my wifes and my favorite composers below. These CDs were suggestions I
got from a local Montreal record salesman who seemed to know his stuff.
For numbers 2,5,6,8,9,11,13,14,17,19,24 .
I'm looking for the all time best versions of those pieces which also
There is no such thing. Like the One True Religion, there are severalmy wifes and my favorite composers below. These CDs were suggestions I
got from a local Montreal record salesman who seemed to know his stuff.
For numbers 2,5,6,8,9,11,13,14,17,19,24 .
I'm looking for the all time best versions of those pieces which also
of them. Don't be fooled by best sound quality, it's a red herring.
Go for the best performance. That's like buying a Beatles song by
Lawrence Welk because the sound is better. Go buy the Beatles instead.
Below, I'll recommend some Beatles (or performances that sound good,
rather than have great sound). And frankly, your ears aren't ready yet
to discern between good sound of the 90's and good sound of the 60's
and 70's.
The type of CD recordings that most
critics agree are the ultimate best.
Critics don't agree, throats are slashed, blood is spilled, hearts arecritics agree are the ultimate best.
broken.
For the other numbers, suggestions of other best or famous compositions
or ultimate versions. I know its a tall order but I'm new to classical
and i'm about to spend $1000 , so any help will be appreciated Thanks.
Chris.L
Also, all the latest allegedly "Best Sounding" CD's are full priceor ultimate versions. I know its a tall order but I'm new to classical
and i'm about to spend $1000 , so any help will be appreciated Thanks.
Chris.L
expensive. The best performances are usually much cheaper (some in the
discount racks) which means *you can buy more for the same money* and
you won't be able to tell the difference in sound.
1-Beethoven Favorite Piano Sonatas A.Brendel (DBL) Philips 1993 438
730-2
Ugh! The choice of favorite artists for Beethoven sonatas is very730-2
personal. Forget Brendel, instead try Glenn Gould. They're idiomatic,
but will be a much more interesting reading, at the very least, and
played by a pianist who could play them anyway he wanted.
2-Beethoven Symphony 1 a 9 Von Karajan Deutsche Grammophon 1961 429
036-2 5 CD
I thought it was done in 1963? Not a bad choice, it's kind of the one036-2 5 CD
everyone can point to as pretty good, but nobody says it's always #1.
Most people here will tell you the truth: there is no box set that can
possibly be the best for all 9 symphonies, and you're better off with
individual performances of each. Get Carlos Kleiber conducting the
Beethoven Symphony #5 and #7. Use google on this group to get other
suggestions (which isn't a bad idea for any of these).
3-Brahms Concerto pour Violon Perlman EMI 724356699229
Eh. Get Nathan Milstein. Perlman's OK, but Milstein is forever.4-Mozart Piano Concertos 20 / 21 Mitsuko Uchida Philips 1986
4163812
Get the multi-edition Casadesus/Szell on budget Sony disks. The other4163812
late Mozart concertos are as good or better than those.
5-Mozart La flûte Enchantée (ZauberFlote)(DBL) Gardiner Archiv 1996
449166-2
Get Beecham's instead.449166-2
6-Puccini Turandot Karajan (DBL) Deutsche Gr. 1987 289423855-2
7-Rameau Pièces de Clavecin en Concerts Pinnock Channel Classics
CCS19098
8-Tchaikovsky Le Lac des Cygnes (DBL) Ozawa Deutsche Gr. 1996
453055-2
9-Tchaikovsky Nut Cracker Dorati (DBL) Philips 1975 464
747 or 442562
10-Brahms Concertos pour Piano Nos 1 & 2 C.Arrau EMI 7243 5 75326 2 4
Only for Cto #1, and you would do just as good or better with7-Rameau Pièces de Clavecin en Concerts Pinnock Channel Classics
CCS19098
8-Tchaikovsky Le Lac des Cygnes (DBL) Ozawa Deutsche Gr. 1996
453055-2
9-Tchaikovsky Nut Cracker Dorati (DBL) Philips 1975 464
747 or 442562
10-Brahms Concertos pour Piano Nos 1 & 2 C.Arrau EMI 7243 5 75326 2 4
Fleisher/Szell. For a set, I'd prefer Gilels, for #2, I'd get
Serkin/Szell, Richter/Leinsdorf.
11-Bach Brandenburg Concerto 1-6 Harnoncourt(DBL) Teldec 4509 95980 -2
12-Bach Solo & Double Violin Concertos A.Manze Harmonia Mundi HMU 2
907155
13-Bach Mass in B Minor (DBL) Gardiner Archiv 1985 415 514-2
14-Bach Great Organ Works (DBL) (Toccata & Fugue) Helmut Walcha Deutsche
Gr. 453 064-2
15-Beethoven Famous Ouvertures Karajan (DBL) Deutsche Gr. (DBL) 474
275-2
16-Bach Bach Magnificat Gardiner Philips 2000 464672
17-Monteverdi , Claude Vespers of the Blessed Virgin (DBL) Garrido
K617 K617136
18-Mozart 5 Violin Concertos Perlman J.Levine (DBL) Deutsche Gr.
1994 445 535-2
19-Orff Carl Carmina Burana Ozawa Berlin Philharmon Philips 2000
464725
20-Vivaldi 7 Concerti Trev Pinnock Archiv 1995 2894458392
21-Vivaldi Late Vivaldi Concertos Chamichia Sony SK 89362
22-Vivaldi L'Estro Armonico Concertos (DBL) Hogwood Decca 1998
4580782
23-Vivaldi Prince of Poland A.Mauze Harm. Mundi 2907230
24-Vivaldi The 4 Seasons Trevor Pinnock Archiv (DBL) 400 045-2
As Eric Satie wrote: "Expand your mind." Throw in some Mahler and12-Bach Solo & Double Violin Concertos A.Manze Harmonia Mundi HMU 2
907155
13-Bach Mass in B Minor (DBL) Gardiner Archiv 1985 415 514-2
14-Bach Great Organ Works (DBL) (Toccata & Fugue) Helmut Walcha Deutsche
Gr. 453 064-2
15-Beethoven Famous Ouvertures Karajan (DBL) Deutsche Gr. (DBL) 474
275-2
16-Bach Bach Magnificat Gardiner Philips 2000 464672
17-Monteverdi , Claude Vespers of the Blessed Virgin (DBL) Garrido
K617 K617136
18-Mozart 5 Violin Concertos Perlman J.Levine (DBL) Deutsche Gr.
1994 445 535-2
19-Orff Carl Carmina Burana Ozawa Berlin Philharmon Philips 2000
464725
20-Vivaldi 7 Concerti Trev Pinnock Archiv 1995 2894458392
21-Vivaldi Late Vivaldi Concertos Chamichia Sony SK 89362
22-Vivaldi L'Estro Armonico Concertos (DBL) Hogwood Decca 1998
4580782
23-Vivaldi Prince of Poland A.Mauze Harm. Mundi 2907230
24-Vivaldi The 4 Seasons Trevor Pinnock Archiv (DBL) 400 045-2
Wagner. Get Otto Klemperor's Mahler Symphony #2. Get Van Cliburn
playing Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto #1 and the Rachmaninoff Concerto #2.
Get Horowitz playing the Beethoven Emperor Concerto #5. Go hunting
like a real collector and get Fritz Reiner playing Wagner's
Meistersinger overture - you won't regret buying that one. You may get
tired of those Vivaldi's pretty quickly, but the above you'll be
listening to for the rest of your life.
-Owen