My favorite classical recordings


This is a new thread that I hope will have enough contributors.
Please indicate the classical performances and performers that are your favorites.
Hopefully others will contribute comments and add selections of their own.   
 

128x128rvpiano

Classical: Almost any version of Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and Bach’s harpsichord concertos.

Performer: Tangerine Dream. Favorite album-Force Majeure

Elgar Violin Concerto (Hilary Hahn)

Shostakovich - String Quartets  (Fitzwilliam Quartet)

Shostakovich - Symphony No. 5 (Mstislav Rostropovich, London Symphony)

Mahler - Symphony No. 5 (Bruno Walter)

Too many to list…

Been listening and collecting for decades, so this is an impossible task.  I just retired and having a lot of fun pullinhi lot of fun pulling CDs of the shelves that haven’t been played for years.

  I’ll suggest a current favorite: Aldo Ciccolini 5 disc set of Debussy Piano music

One thing that interests me is how my tastes have changed.  For example my first exposure to the Mozart Symphonies were the recordings of Klemperer and Walter.  Having revisited this recently, having primarily listed to HIPP versions for the last few decades, while I felt a nostalgic appreciation, I don’t think that I will return to these very often.

  Many violin concertos from the golden age of recording, such as Heifetz/Reiner collaborations, the soloist is miked so loud relative to the orchestra that it always disappoints when Igo to a concert and the balance is natural