The Starker Suites on Mercury Living Presence is the gold standard. It has stood as such for 50 years. It is still available on CD, mp3 download, HD download, and LP, the aforementioned 3-LP set by Speakers Corner. It was also on SACD until it went out of print a few years ago.
Of the others mentioned (and not mentioned) here, only the Starker, Fournier, and Casals were recorded in analog.
The Speakers Corner Starker is stunning, and puts the man and his cello right in your room. Easily worth the $100. The analog aspect gives full due to the cello itself, and its liquid, singing delivery. Dynamics on the LPs are as good as it gets.
I have an original mid-'60s mono of the Starker suites, a current Speakers Corner LP reissue, the 2-CD Mercury set, plus the Suites on CD by Lynn Harrell and Rostropovich. I also heard the earlier of Yo Yo Ma's two renditions of the suites on CD.
Growing up I also heard the Casals LPs.
I liken Starker's suites to Artur Rubinstein's piano style--virtuoistic, dynamic, disciplined tempi, lots of music, little to no schmaltz. Of latter day artists I've heard, Harrell comes closest and Rostropovich's is probably the most personally emotional and therefore idiosyncratic.
If you search for the cello suites on LP, you can start with Starker or somewhere else, but sooner or later you'll probably end up with Starker. The Speakers Corner set checks all the right boxes--recording quality, mastering, pressing, dynamics, and the disciplined performance of an absolute master at the peak of his power.
I don't think it's ever been offered on LP, but I like Harrell's Suites as well. They're pretty disciplined, but Harrell reminds you that these suites were originally a dance form and he injects some welcome liveliness into the appropriate movements. Plus Harrell always pulled the most magnificent tone out of his Montagnana and Strad cellos.
