recommended redbook classics

Vivaldi: go for the Musici version on Philips. There are also many others to experiment with.

I started a lengthy response of my favorite performances ala Gregm - but I find I have a really hard time remembering the quality of the sonics which I infer from your post is extremely important to you. I have boiled down my recommendations to those recordings which I really enjoy and have outstanding sonics, even though these selections might not be my 1st choice for the performance alone.

On Reference Recordings: Arnold Overtures,Barber & Menotti VC's, Brucknen Sym 9, Copland Applachian Spriing & 3rd Sym, Chadwick Tam O'Santer etc, Janacek Sinfonietta etc, Nojima plays Liszt, Mussorgsky Pictures, Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances, Nojima plays Ravel, Respighi Pines of Rome, Rimski-Korsakov Scheherazade, Stravinski Firebird and Rite of Spring, Strauss ein heldenleben.

Now if you want outstanding performances which I always prefer over any sonic issues I would be happy to share. There are just too too many for a generic response. But, for example, Beethoven Sym #5 - Carlos Kleiber on DG is intensely exciting - it just doesn't get any better than this! I also enjoy all of the Symphonies by Harnoncourt and Bernstein.
Chopin - Etudes - Askenazy on London, Lortie on Chandos, and Wild on Chesky all turn in excellent performances.
Greig - Stephen Kovacevich (Bishop)& Davis. This disc also has an outstanding Schumann PC as well. For me this is a benchmark performance, although some of the newer ones may fit your taste better. FOR SOMETHING OUTSTANDING, which should be heard, if you like Greig and/or solo piano is Gilels doing the Lyric Pieces on DG. Just incredible IMHO!

Three that come to mind spontaneously are the Haydn cello concertos by Truls Mork/Iona Brown, on Virgin ; the Bach sonatas & partitas for solo violin played by James Ehnes, on Analekta, and Handel arias sung by Karina Gauvin with Tafelmusik, also on Analekta. Great performances, beautifully recorded. Oh, and IMHO the best Brandenburgs are conducted by Benjamin Britten.

But then, you may be more interested in Romantics than in Baroque. I like Backhouse playing the Beethoven piano concertos (Decca), Louis Lortie playing Liszt and Ravel (Chandos) and Anton Kuerti playing piano sonatas by both Haydn and Beethoven (Analekta again). Andras Schiff on Decca is my favourite for Schubert piano sonatas.

Thanks for the chance to remember these great discs I already have. Thanks to everyone who posts for new ones to try.

You each are so wonderful to take the time to do this. I am glad that you are enjoying the thread. There are already many great suggestions. I do love Baroque as well as Classical and Romantic - Mozart 40th anyone? Pacabel Cannon, Albinoni Adagio, Rodrigo Fantasia Para Un Gentlehome, Chopin Rondo for Piano Op14 Krakowiak, Liszt Transcendental Etudes, Schuberts Unfinished and 5th Symphonies, Tchaikovsky's Piano Conc #1 and Symphony #5?

After starting this thread last night, while listening to a Schubert Symphony, I was filled with appreciation for all the instrument makers, all the lessons and years of work for the musicians, the composers and teachers, and all the technical people involved in just the act of my appreciating Schubert in my living room. Most work for love and could earn more in another field. Many could not afford the equipment with which we enjoy thier life's work. We indeed have a rich musical heritage to chose from and join a magical family of devoted people when we spin our discs and are transported.