classical newbie

Doesn't anyone listen to solo or chamber music?

String quartets: Guarneri, Budapest or Julliard quartets playing Beethoven, Bartok, Brahms, Ravel, Debussy, Mozart, Shostakovich, Borodin, Tchaikovsky--you almost can't go wrong with any of those combinations.

The Borodin recordings will be older and inferior overall to the other two groups.

Tostado,

You have thrown down the guantlet. Yes, there are those here who listen to chamber music. To your suggestions I would add the Britten, Mendelssohn, Haydn, and Dvorak quartets, the Beethoven piano trios, the Brahms sextets-- shall I go on? Not sure I would start a novice out on the Debussy, Bartok or Borodin quartets, although Bartok 1 and 2 might be suitable.

Some modern ensembles to be considered--- The Pacifica and Belcea quartets are my two favorites among those still active. The Floristan trio has recently broken up, but they have a strong catalogue of modern recordings. I like their Beethoven trios a lot.

Then, there is the world of solo piano-----

Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra performed the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Fritz Reiner.

String quartets/quintets on the Naxos label is an inexpensive way for a newbie to explore chamber music. High quality DDD Redbook.

Thanks to you all. I think I'm going to buy a 15 cd Colin Davis collection I just read about in sterophile. Also a 55 cd collection from Decca that was on Amazon. Then some from your suggestions, which i think will be a good start. Thanks again.