Basic Repertoire or flogging a dead horse

the new zinman/baltimore symphony on the argo label is first rate for barber's "adagio for strings".it was also given *** stars by the penquin guide. give it a shot.

pbb, in my experience posting my opinion of the best of anything when no one has inquired regarding a specific recording is a waste of time and bandwidth. when some one wants a specific piece they can post and i'll bet they get a good response. for example, on your bartok, concerto for orchestra, i would recommend fischer and the budapest festival orchestra on phillips or reiner and the cso on rca. if all you want is the best recordings just buy whatever you want in the basic repertoire from reference recordings, dorian, delos, chandos, bis, hyperion, telarc etc. i think you will find that most people who are seriously interested in music are interested in the quality of the performance not the quality of the recording (which if good is a plus). this is probably why you get such a limited response (IMHO).

Newbee, I still think that my idea of a basic repertoire gathered from suggestions emanating from "audiophiles" is more topical and less of a waste of time and bandwidth than, let's say, "What is the best beer". I believed that providing a list of works would be sufficient to prompt people to respond. I believed that a semi-comprehensive approach was a good thing. I was under the impression that sorrowful performances would be weeded out, and that among the contenders left a winner, recording quality-wise, could be found. It seems that no matter how many equipment reviews one can find in printed media or elsewhere, participants in 'Agon find other participant's views on equipment to be worthwhile. Wish it was the same for the music. Maybe I could start a thread on what is the best champagne to accompany one's music listening... How do a subscribe to Fanfare?

Good day.

Pbb, per harp we are music lovers and not performance reviewer? Some of us mostly me, lacks music education to be able to criticize/judge a performance. Secondly, when We/I go to the record store, we just pick the record, which is carry by the store (limited) at that particular time, and not necessary pick a same record with different label the next time. Fanfare is sometime a luxury, or troublesome, you know? Which is why I post, what I posted, last time. Good day. :-)

Pbb: in my case, the tough part is yr request for "quality recording":) I usually go for the performance & hope for the sonic quality... which is rarely there, to be honest!

Coming to yr pieces.
The Antiqua Koln Orch. recording for Bach's Brandenburg & others (Archiv/DG -- CD).

Don't remember which Bartok is sonically pleasing-- will get back to you on that. (Don't know about Barber, sorry).

I could add to suggestions above:
Orff/Carmina Burana - Jochum -- DG (LP)
Mahler 2nd - Klemperer+Philarmonia (EMI, LP & cd)
Mahler 5th - Barbirolli (EMI "great recordings" or is it BBC classics? CD)
Scheherazade / Telarc (not a top-notch performance but powerful dynamics)
Berlioz /Symphonie Fantastique/ Munch (CD, japanese edition of Mercury, I think. I also have a CBS LP of this -- so, I may be quoting the wrong label s/where: cbs is Sony nowadays)

Cheers