System Reference Recordings

Looked into both threads, I haven't seen much classical music. Some systems perform well until you start playing a symphony - gets congested. Could you guys add some good orchestra recordings in your recommendation? e.g., you can hear second violin third chair made a mistake? :) By the way, I don't like reference recordings. They are 'clean', but seems like something was missing from their recordings. I don't know if anybody else has the same feeling.

Here are some orchestral recordings on LP that will let you hear how well a system is performing. I've tried to keep mostly to some reissues that should still be available through the usual mail order sources (marked with *).

Stravinsky, Firebird, Dorati/LSO, Mercury SR90226 (Classic Records reissue)

Stravinsky, Le Sacre du Printemps, Solti/CSO, Decca SXL 6691 (Mine is the original and I haven't heard the recent reissued by Speakers Corner, but given their track record it should be good)*

Larsson, Concertino for Double Bass & Str Orch, Wedin/OskarshamnEns, Fredin -db, Opus 3 8502

Chabrier, Espana, Argenta/LSO, Decca SXL 2020 (Speakers Corner reissue)*

Kodaly, Galanta Dances, Kertesz/LSO, Decca SXL 6136 (Speakers Corner reissue)*

Varese, Ionisation, Mehta/LAPO and LA Percussion Ensemble, Decca SXL 6550 (Speakers Corner reissue)*

Ravel, Works for Orchestra, Skrowaczewski/MinnO, Analogue Productions APC 007 (Vanguard recording)*

Bartok, Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste, Decca 6111 (Speakers Corner reissue)*

Thank you for your recommendation, Rushton. My system does not play LPs. Do you have any recommendation on CDs?

Aliu, CD recommendations are more problematical for me since I listen primarily to vinyl. Hopefully, others will contribute. Here are a few orchestral CDs that I've found well recorded and reproduced:

Opus 3, COPU 8502, Concertos For Double Bass and Orchestra, (same recording as the LP I recommended above)

Dorian, DOR-90156, Prokofiev: Scythian Suite

Mercury, CMER 432005, Kodaly: Dances of Galanta

Water Lily, CWATD 66, Nature's Realm/Sawallisch/PhilO

Hope some of these may be of interest to you.

Bach, Goldberg Variations, played by Glen Gould. I consider the piano the hardest instrument to record/reproduce in a "life like" manner. On a "good" system with better than "good" speakers, you can clearly hear not only beautiful piano, but also Glen Gould humming along with his remarkable playing. There are two recordings of this piece, the first being from the late 50's I think, and another, later. I prefer the first.