Audiophile Classical cds?

Sugarbrie is right Zander has done some masterful stuff. I met him a couple of years ago in Boston. Terrific person as well as a legendary conductor.

Zander produced a CD of Mahler's 3rd with the Boston Philharmonic which includes a bonus CD with Zander's detailed verbal explanations highlighting all the complexity and detail of this work.

Others;
Telarc's recording of Rachmaninov's 2nd and 3rd (Guitierrez) is also awesome. (basically any Telarc recording is of very high standard)
Lorin Mazel and Cleveland Orchestras 5th by Shostakovich
Christopher Hogwood/Academy of Ancient Music did some brilliant stuff in the past. (Mozart Mass in C Minor K427, Requiem K626, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik K525, Mozart Symphonies 40 and 41, Exultate Jubilate with Emma Kirby, Bach Double Concertos, for example)

If you don't have already, you should have Mussorgsky Pictures of an exhibition, Grieg Peer Gynt, Borodin Polovstian dances, Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade, and, of course, the usual well known fare of Chopin, Beethoven, Strauss, Kachaturian, Handel, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev...just to name a few. I can't recommend a particular recording for these....but once again Telarc is a safe bet....my experience with Reference Recordings is limited to jazz fare and it was NOT good at all....so I don't recommend those.

Another thing to try is film soundtracks from composers like Zimmer, Williams, Elfman, Howard Shore... these are recorded with BIGGER budgets than many classical fare and for Cinema quality theatre systems....i.e. big dynamic range, good low frequencies and good overall quality. Sound may be a little over powering at times, however, movies not being known for delicacy...

Here is a link about Telarc...

http://www.zioshow.com/view.php?id=1159&area=1

Nikturner920,

The Kempe R. Strauss recordings on Brilliant are wonderful conductions. Recording quality is good for the time. The Jochum Bruckner and the Barshai Shostakovich, both also on Brilliant, are also really great. All three of these sets are among my favorites. As a bonus, the Barshai Shostokovich recording quality is quite good. Generally, I'd take the Archiv 10's for sound quality with a grain of salt. The reviewers may not have the golder ears typical of this group.

Several have recommended Zander. I concur! Don't overlook his latest, Mahler 1 which also includes 'Songs of a Wayfarer'. This is an outstanding recording, performance, and program.

Other 'audiophile' greats would include Barber/Menotti Violin Concertos on Reference Recordings.

Beethoven Sym #5 () by Carlos Kleiber on DG. What this lacks in absolute audiophile terms it more than makes up in performance. It is outstanding!

Copland 3rd Sym and Applachian Spring on Reference Recording.

Debussy's orchestral music on two disc's by Pierre Boulez. On DG. Outstanding performances and recordings. Not for folks looking for a romantic/warm/mushy Debussy.

Liszt's Dante Symphony and Tasso on Telarc. The Symphony is good, the Tasso is outstanding, and the recording is excellent.

Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition on Reference Recording.

Respighi's Pines and Fountains of Rome by Reiner on RCA Living Stereo. A classic recommendation.

Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade on Reference Recordings. Best sound - If you want the 'best' performance in very good sound, get Beecham's - its a lot cheaper too.

Stravinsky's Firebird and the Rite of Spring. Reference Recording.

FWIW, most all of the Reference Recording's catalog are easy picks if audiophile quality is your first priority. When you find some works that really turn you on come on back and I'm sure you'll have no problem getting folks to give you some suggestions on the more outstanding performances of your favorites.

If you like Mahler, don't miss the recent Mahler Ninth by Chailly and the Concertgebouw on Decca. It's not only a magnificent performance, but far and away the best-sounding Mahler Ninth ever recorded (and I speak as a Mahler nut who has many Ninths). Sound and performance are breathtaking.

Thanks, lots to try now.