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Recommendations for a few high SQ classical CDs

I have a modest collection of classical music CDs, most of it symphonic works, maybe 20-30 CDs at most. Most of my musical interest is with rock, roots rock and blues but I do enjoy classical music but have limited knowledge and experience.

I am also a new audiophile with my first hifi system for about a month now.

I would like some specific recommendations on just a few symphonies (for now). What I am looking for at this point is good CD recordings rather than the nature of the performance/conductor/orchestra. In other words, I'm looking for SQ first and performance quality second. I know that might sound backwards but I don't have enough knowledge to have a major preference between performances but I can hear SQ. Certainly a great recording of a great performance is ideal.

To keep things limited I am specifically interested in these works:

Beethoven's 9th
Mahler's 4th
Dvorak's 4th
Brahm's 4th

Certainly open to other symphonies by these composers. I have the works listed above and other symphonies by them as well.

Thanks for any recommendations,

George


n80
akg_ca's avatar
akg_ca
2,395 posts
 
Google the XRCD’s available on eBay for the best recordings

i would go to different sites (US, UK, Germany) because the offerings are different 
jim204
881 posts
 
I have been listening to a superb Mahler 4th lately and it is a superb recording and a great interpretation. It is Adam Fischer conducting The Dusseldorf Symphony and I have been listening to it quite a lot of late. It is super clean and has a huge dynamic range. Now I have been listening to it via Quobuz as a 24/96 stream but I am sure if you can source a CD from it then I'm sure it will be most enjoyable. While we are on about Mahler I'm quite sure you would enjoy his First Symphony also as those two are his most accessible
able works
n80 OP
2,133 posts
 
Thanks guys. I will look for the Mahler CD. I also have Mahler's 5th and I like it but not as much as 4. I'll look for a good recording of his 1st also.
skoczylas's avatar
skoczylas
241 posts
 
Nice to have a post on music.

For classical I would stay away from fancy formats and stick with great performances that are well recorded.

For the 9th I really like Solti conducting the Chicago symphony. I grew up thinking Berlin and Bernstein were the best. Now I’m very partial to Chicago. Lots of energy and the brass section is outstanding. 

Another tip I can give is to consider anything on the Naxos label. Great music great performances and very good sound quality overall. Can’t go wrong. 

Happy listening. 

lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,418 posts
 
I would label Mahler's 1st as an introduction to Mahler, or "Mahler 101." It's a very good composition, but doesn't show the genius of his later works. A very good quality 1st is Riccardo Muti with the Philadelphia Orchestra on EMI.

I like symphonies that were recorded on analogue tape, then mastered for CD. I can highly recommend James Levine's Maher #4 and the rest of his series with the Chicago and Philadelphia Orch. from the late 70s on RCA Red Seal.

You'll find that the best quality classical recordings to be found are produced by a handful of record labels who specialized in this area. They employed top engineers and used recording techniques specific to this genre.


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