Best Classical Music Recordings

[Vaderbait1 1]

This topic has been brought up before, but it's worth bringing up again, and maybe this time it can be a bit more comprehensive. It may be a bit of a daunting task, but there are so many uninteresting classical recordings of great music that it would be helpful for all of us to know of the greatest recordings of famous composers.

I'll pose the first question. I love Tchaikovsky's music, but there are some terrible versions of his music out there. Can anyone recommend CDs that are the definitive recordings, or perhaps a conductor or orchestra that performs exceptionally well at Tchaikovsky's pieces?

[MrScratch 294]

Georg Solit and the Chicago Symphony's Mahler and Bruckner complete symphony sets. Wow. Each 8th symphony is a wonder to behold.

[Marian Schedenig 8,200]

For Bruckner, a good mix between Celibidache (4 & 7), Wand (4 & 8) and Karajan (4, 5, 6) does it, with Tintner's 3rd and perhaps Sinopoli's 5th and Harnoncourt's 9th. Not so clear yet about the others.

[Williamsfan301 11]

Also, Barenboim's recordings of Bruckner are considered definitive.

I always loved Levine's recording of Dvorak 9th with the Chicago Symphony as well. I personally consider it to be a very good interpretation of it. Montreal Symphony's recording of "The Planets." Very brassy and powerful.

[Marian Schedenig 8,200]

Also, Barenboim's recordings of Bruckner are considered definitive.

Definitive I haven't heard about them so far. But they seem to be very good (I still have to get the box). Barenboim gets extra points for recording the rare Helgoland.

I always loved Levine's recording of Dvorak 9th with the Chicago Symphony as well. I personally consider it to be a very good interpretation of it.

With Dvorak (and Smetana) my first pick is always Kubelik.

Montreal Symphony's recording of "The Planets." Very brassy and powerful.

Dutoit, yes, also my pick. Although I was pleasantly surprised by the Karajan recording. His version sounds more like Star Wars than any other I've heard.

Also, for Strauss, it's a cross between Karajan (most stuff) and Kempe for the best Alpensinfonie and a brilliant Ariadne with Janowitz in the title role plus lots of stuff Karajan never recorded to begin with. Janowitz has another great Ariadne on DVD conducted by Böhm (the same staging that's still active at the Vienna State Opera - with Gruberova as Zerbinetta, a role she just brilliantly reprised a few months ago). And Carlos Kleiber has a brilliant Rosenkavalier on DVD (two, supposedly, but the one I know is the version with Fassbaender as Ocvtavian).

Wagner: Karajan's Ring is, in my opinion, superior to the overrated Solti because he doesn't go for brief effects but rather a consistent (and therefore ultimately more exciting) flow. His Meistersinger are excellent as well. Kempe has a brilliant has a brilliant Lohengrin. Any recommendations on a entirely convincing Holländer? Sawallisch's Silja is incredible as Senta, whereas Barenboim with Struckmann, Holl and Seiffert is overall excellent - aside from Eaglen singing a Senta I can barely stand to listen to.

I forgot Böhm's Ring, which is very engaging and a good (and cheap) alternative for Karajan in many cases. And if they record the current Welser-Möst conducted new production at the Vienna State Opera, it's very much on a similar level.

[Romão 2,274]

I know you're not quite sold with Solti as a Wagner conductor, Marian, but I'm quite satisfied with his Hollander. Janis Martin is only reasonable as Senta, but the playing but the orchestra and the sound quality are absolutely top notch.

[Williamsfan301 11]

I'm partial to Solti, but he's kind of our hometown hero here. No one has seemed to be able to fill his shoe with the Chicago Symphony yet..

[Marian Schedenig 8,200]

I know you're not quite sold with Solti as a Wagner conductor, Marian, but I'm quite satisfied with his Hollander. Janis Martin is only reasonable as Senta, but the playing but the orchestra and the sound quality are absolutely top notch.

I like his Elektra and I imagine the Holländer could well benefit from his excitement more than I think the Ring does. Only problem is, I'm very happy with the Barenboim except for the Senta, so what I need is a top recording with a top Senta.

[Romão 2,274]

If that's the case, I wouldn't particularly recommend you the Solti version. Do you like Klemperer's version? I've heard Anja Silja is quite stunning as Senta in this one...

[Marian Schedenig 8,200]

True, I've been thinking about checking out the Klemperer. I should do that.

[Beowulf 4]

For anything from the Russian repertoire , I prefer Gergiev to be at the helm (preferrably with a Russian Orchestra). This is especially true of pieces from Prokofiev, Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky.

[Marian Schedenig 8,200]

With Shostakovich, I'm happy with the Barshai box of the complete symphonies. They might not be the ultimate definitive recordings, but (in most cases) not knowing alternatives, they still seem very fine. And the whole box was just €20.

[MSM 126]

Tschaikovksy: Swan Lake by Seiji Osawa and Boston Symphony Orchestra

Beethoven: Bernard Haitink and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Prokofiev: Valery Gergiev, different orchestras. The Deutsche grammophon box with all the symphonies by the Berliner Philharmoniker is also great.

Dvorak: 9th symphony: Kirill Kondrashin and Wiener Philharmoniker.

Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra: Zubin Mehta and Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra

Wagner: Walkuren Ritt: Klaus Tennstedt and Berliner Philharmoniker.

There's so much music. What composers and pieces are you looking for?

[nightscape94 965]

This may seem like a bias, but I'm partial to many of the Philadelphia Orchestra recordings. They started a new contract with Ondine after a long silence in the recording world. They have two recent Tchaikovsky recordings. The sound quality is magnificant and they are SACD hybrids, so they can play on regular CD plays, but are also set up for SACD players. Awesome!

The Philadelphia Orchestra/Christoph Eschenbach - Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5/The Seasons ("January"-"June")

The Philadelphia Orchestra/Christoph Eschenbach - Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4/The Seasons ("July"-"December")

The Philadelphia Orchestra/Christoph Eschenbach - Bartók "Concerto for Orchestra"/Martinu "Memorial to Lidice"/Klein "Partita for Strings"

The Philadelphia Orchestra/Christoph Eschenbach - Mahler "Symphony No. 6 in A minor"

You can check out more recording info here: http://www.thephiladelphiaorchestra.com/

Tim

[Hitch 57]

I'm partial to Solti, but he's kind of our hometown hero here. No one has seemed to be able to fill his shoe with the Chicago Symphony yet..

Didn't Barenboim do an ample job when in tenure there? How is Haitink doing at the moment? You going to that Lincoln Bicentennial Tribute with the CSO and James Earl Jones in February?

[Romão 2,274]

All Jarvi's recordings of Prokofiev with Chandos are quite stunning. And they have made the only recording thus far of the stunning October Cantata.

[Hitch 57]

I prefer the Prokofiev symphonies under Valery Gergiev, the Bruckner symphonies under Daniel Barenboim, the Mozart symphonies under Sir Neville Marriner, the Schubert symphonies under Frans Bruggen, the Beethoven symphonies under Sir John Gardiner, the Mahler symphonies under Sir Georg Solti, the Brahms symphonies under Bernard Haitink and the Sibelius symphonies under Sir Simon Rattle.

[Marian Schedenig 8,200]

Regarding Mozart, of the (rather plenty) Requiem recordings I've heard, Gardiner's is by far the best.

I'd like to hear Rattle's Sibelius symphonies, but so far I've been too happy with the excellent Berglund set to invest in them. I also have the much-praised Ashkenazy set, but it's always left me quite cold. What about the best Finlandia?

Or how about RVW? The Tallis Fantasia in particular? Davis' seems to be one of the best - another one of those cheap, but excellent complete symphony box deals.

[Beowulf 4]

Or how about RVW? The Tallis Fantasia in particular? Davis' seems to be one of the best - another one of those cheap, but excellent complete symphony box deals.

I've got the Adrian Boult box collection of symphonies and other symphonic works. It's fairly comprehensive and serves the purpose of having the music, but I'm interested in investing in a more crisp and clear collection (performance and recording-wise). RVW is definitely an underrated composer IMO, especially his symphonies.

[Hitch 57]

Regarding Mozart, of the (rather plenty) Requiem recordings I've heard, Gardiner's is by far the best.

I prefer Philippe Herreweghe's myself for vocals and the best sound (by Harmonia Mundi) but you can't beat Michel Corboz's with the Gulbenkian Orchestra and Chorus on Erato. Have you heard the Requiem, Version for String Quartet [Hybrid SACD] performed by the Kuijken String Quartet? It's worth a listen but the purists might find it a bit hard to swallow. I enjoyed it.

What about the best Finlandia?

I enjoy Sakari Oramo's version but I love Sir Colin Davis' one best.

Or how about RVW? The Tallis Fantasia in particular? Davis' seems to be one of the best - another one of those cheap, but excellent complete symphony box deals.

The Andrew Davis editions are best so far on Teldec.

[Romão 2,274]

I'm quite fond of The Tallis Fantasia conducted by Barbirolli

[Hlao-roo 389]

Any recommendations for Alberto Ginastera's piano works?

[Bespin 8,483]

I love Tchaikovsky's music, but there are some terrible versions of his music out there. Can anyone recommend CDs that are the definitive recordings, or perhaps a conductor or orchestra that performs exceptionally well at Tchaikovsky's pieces?

Finding great Tchaikovsky interpretations may not be as easy at it seems and it's a composer that I still continue to discover.

But here's some "starter" CDs that I have in my collection and that I enjoy very much:

- The Symphonies (Olso PO, Jansons)

- Tchaikovsky/Miaskovsky: Violin Concertos (Repin, Kirov O, Gergiev)

- Tchaikovsky/Rachmaninov: Piano Trios (Lang, Repin, Maisky)

- Ballet Suites (BPO, Rostropovich)

- The Nutcracker (Kirov O and Ch., Gergiev)

- Tchaikovsky/Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos (Cliburn, Kondrashin/Reiner)