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Buidling a Classical Library - MUST HAVES!

I started a r2d4 thread last week and am so impressed with the depth of music knowledge on this site that I'm going to start this one too. My knowledge of great classical recordings is so limited it's embarrassing to call myself a music lover. I've tried following some of the reviews in Stereophile, TAS and Golden Ear, but they all seam to have some agenda other than great sound, great performance and great material in mind. The fact that my system can resolve the subsonic activity of an earthquake during the highschool bands performance of Nutcracker or what ever Stereophile is about does nothing to help me find great music. My request, if you choose to accept it, is to identify the must have recordings to build library from scratch. PLEASE CONSIDER SONIC QUALITY, PERFORMANCE AND MATERIAL EQUALLY. As a lover of music I believe all three should be superior. Also, in the spirit of my last post, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM CRITICIZING OTHERS SELECTIONS. IF YOU WANT TO ARGUE A SELECTION START A THREAD, LEAVE THIS ONE FOR KNOWLEDGE FOR THOSE OF US WHO NEED IT. THANK-YOU. Finally, please list a maximum top ten and even if your favorites already appear, list them anyway. This will help me figure out the first ones to buy. Vinyl and/or digital are acceptable as long as the material is still avalible.
128x128jadem6
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
Correction: The Shostakovich #5 is live in Japan, Bernstein conducting, but the Yo Yo Ma playing the Cello concerto is with Ormandy / Philadelphia. Some do not care for live recordings, but it is for some "the real thing".
photon46
1,081 posts
 
Some longtime favorites that span almost four centuries: Allegri's Misieri (w/Palestrina & Mundy) Tallis Scholars on Gimmel 339. Transcendently beautiful music and singing. J.S. Bach's Mass in B minor, J.E.Gardiner, Archiv 415 514-2. A great sounding version of an essential cornerstone of Western music J.S Bach's Well Tempered Clavier, Book I, Andras Schiff, London 414388-2. A nicely balanced (not too Apollonian, not too Romantic) version of this fabulous music. I never get tired of this. Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, Mariss Janson/London Phil., London 293514. Great sound, great music, lively and engaging performance. Stravinsky's Divertimento, Suites 1 &2, Octet. Riccardo Chailly. London 417114-2. Lesser known but absolutely beautiful music by Stravinsky. I don't know why this stuff isn't more popular. Warm and very fine sound. Delius' Florida Suite. Vernon Handley. Chandos 8413. A winner on all counts. Schoenberg's Pelleas & Melisande. Daniel Barenboim. CBS 38557. This exquisite piece bridges Wagnerian musical language and the new idioms that followed. Not atonal or abrasive at all. All of these are sure to please (on all three of the counts you listed) and were purchased on the basis of reviews that impressed me. Hope you find something that gives you pleasure from this list. Will.
doug28450
199 posts
 
I should probably start a new thread with this one, but it is asking you to expand on provious posts and add a comment to future posts. Do you find yourself collecting a wide variety of composers and pieces or do you find that there a few composers and or pieces that you find yourself buying every possible recording. Example: Do you have every recording of "Pictures at an Exhibition" you can find and when a new comes out you immediately buy it or do you have one "Pictures at an Exhibition" as well as one of many, many others.
jadem6's avatar
jadem6 OP
1,074 posts
 
Good question Doug, I think that stays well within my intent, thank-you
doug28450
199 posts
 
I have a widely varied collection, but I also have several pieces that I believe are essential enough to have several different performances. Pictures at an Exhibition, Fanfare for the Common Man, The 1812 Overture, The Firebird, Rhapsody in Blue, Pines/Fountains of Rome and and Symphonie Fantastique are some that I have obtained several performances of. Otherwise, my collection consists of most of most composers.
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