Classical R2die4 ?

Only "five" !^%(&%$#@
1. Beethoven: Symphonies 5 & 7, Carlos Kleiber, Vienna phil. Deutsche Grammophon #47400
2. Beethoven: Symphony #9, Szell/Cleveland, Sony Classical/National Public Radio Millennium
3. Holst, The Planets, Charles Dutoit / Montreal Symphony, London/Penguin Classic
4. Moussorgsky: Night on Bald Mountain; Pictures at an Exhibition, Maazel, Telarc
5. Mozart: Symp.40&41,Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Leonard Bernstein;Deutsche Grammophon 445 548-2
Happy Listening!
Don

1. Haydn String Quartet Opus 76: Quatuor Mosaiques - Astree
2. Beethoven's Symphony Cycle: Barenboim - Teldec
3. Bach Italian Concerto: Monica Hewitt - Hyperion
4. Rachmoninoff Symphonic Dances: MSO - Reference

If I had more time I would give you a short list of my very favorite 500 recordings. :)

Jonathan

I only listen for the performance, sorry.

Mozart Piano Concertos 20 & 27; Clifford Curzon with the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Benjamin Britten.

For the Holst, I would listen to John Elliot Gardiner / Philharmonia Orchestra.
(Sounds great too!)

Shostakovich 10th, Herbert Von Karajan / Berlin.

Dvorak Cello Concerto; Rostropovich/Von Karajan, Berlin
with Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations

.
Stravinsky, Rite of Spring; Ben Zander; Boston Philharmonic.
(Sounds great too!)

For chamber music, anything by the Beaux Arts Trio.

Beethoven Cello Sonatas, Rostropovich/Richter

Compete 5 piano concertos by Saint-Saens, Pascal Roge, Montreal/Charles Dutoit

Rachmaninov 2nd Piano Concerto, Ashkenazy piano; London Symphony/Previn.
1972 on London/Decca (careful; there are others).

Here are my five classical desert island choices:
1. Beethoven Symphony#6, Walter/Columbia Symphony
2. Schubert "Trout" Quintet, Curzon Piano, London/Decca
3. Rimsky Korsakov Scheherzade(sp?) Reiner/CSO RCA
4. Beethoven Piano Concerto #5 Leitner/Kempff/Berlin DGG
5. Mozart Clarinet Concerto Magg/LSO London/Decca

I resisted the temptation to name box sets as it's not really an apples to apples deal. Of course I'd rather have the complete Beethoven Symphony or Piano Concerto Cycle by my named artists. Anyway, as the others have said only five is difficult but all of these sound at least very good and the performances have withstood the test of time.