Audiophile Classical cds?

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.

HEh.. If you want to experiment and set your system through a test.. Check out Karlheinz Stockhausen's OKTOPHONIE. It is originally meant for 8 channel performence (meaning true 3d - actually 4d- sound). It is the most amazing 20th century electronic piece I have heard. I believe it is the instrumental version to the second act of one of his operas from the series called LICHT, one for each day of the week. It sounds like it may be some sort of fight scene between Satan and gabriel. Anyways, since hearing this, "classical" music doesnot interest me so much anymore. However, it is a fairly envolved listen, being 8 channels (mixed to stereo) of fantastic sounding drones, tape manipulations and electronic sounds, so it isnot everyones cup of tea. Plus it is fairly hard to get. I found it in Amoeba Hollywood, so if you are in a major city, you can find it, otherwise order it from Stockhausen himself. Just google Stockhausen. AND I guareenty you will NOT be able to download it. Period.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started. You seriously cannot go wrong with most of these. They're mostly from the top of my head and from what I have lying around me as I type. They consist mainly of chamber and solo instrumental works, with a few symphonic performances that stand out. I consider all of the following to be must own CDs either on the basis of performance alone (with sound not too bad) or on the basis of both performance and audiophile appeal. They were also chosen for their musical accessibility to those without many years of active listening experience. Some great works which every classical music lover must also get at least one good recording are: Mozart's Requiem (remember the particular's of the one I own); Mozart Symphies 39&41; Mozart String Quartets, including the "Dissonant Quartet" (there's a great one on Deutsche Grammaphon); Schoenberg's Verklaerte Nacht&String Trio on Deutsche Grammaphon

SACD: (just got my SACD player, so I can't recommend many yet)
Stravinksy: Rite of Spring, Jaervo Paavi conducts, on Telarc
(also check out the CD recording of Benjamin Zander conducting Boston Philharmonic. That recording also has the piano role transcription of the Rite (supervised by Stravinsky himself), performed on a Pianola - a thrilling experience!
Complete Orchestral Suites - Boston Baroque conducted by Martin Pearlman on Telarc
Brahms Violin Sonatas 1-3, performed by Csaba and Heisser, Praga Digitals
(2004)
Yo-Yo Ma Solo, works of Tcherepnin, Kodaly, Wilde, and others, on Sony
(also on CD).
Beethoven's Ninth, Karajan, (1976 performance is considered the best)
(complete symphonies also on CD)

CD:
Debussy: Images and Preludes performed by Thibaudet (London Label)
Bach:
Complete Lute Suites - John Williams, classical guitar (best performance)
Complete Cello Suites performed by Janos Starker - Mercury Living
Presence (also avail. on SACD)
Toccata BWV 911;Partita 826;English Suite No.2 BWV 807, performed by
Martha Argerich, Deutsche Grammaphon
Complete Partitas, Preludes, and Fugues, Glenn Gould, piano - Sony
Goldberg Variations, ditto
Early Music, Kronos Quartet
Brandenburg Conceros 1-3, and 4-6 (2 disks), Martin Pearlman conducts
The Boston Baroque
Complete Works for Solo Violin, Nathan Milstein, Deutsche Grammaphon
Mozart:
Sonatas, performed by Mitsuko Uchida on Phillips CD (soon to be SACD!!!!)
multiple CDs
Clarinet Quintet;Kegelstadt Trio, Charles Neidich w/ L'Archibudelli Sony Vivarte
Concertos 1-5, Isaac Stern& Pinchas Zuckerman (? Label) 3 CDs
Mahler, Das Lied von der Erdel Eije Oue conducts Minnesota Orchestra,
Reference Recordings HDCD
Complete Symphonies, Leonard Bernstein
Beethoven:
Octet, Sextet, Mozzafiato,(wind music) Charles Neidich&others on Sony Vivarte
Complete String Quartets, Vegh Quartet (performance)
(6 CDs)
The Legendary Pablo Casals, Cello Sonatas of Bach, Beethoven, and
Brahms, EMI Classics
Beethoven-Lizt Piano transcriptions of Beethoven's Symphony No. 6,
performed by Glenn Gould, Sony Classical
Schubert Lieder, Elly Ameling, Soprano (also on SACD) - amazing technique+ sweet voice
For Two to Play, Harpsichord Music for Four Hands, performed by Moroney and Baumont, on Virgin Classics label
Brahms, String Quartets Op.51 &OP.67 and Clarinet Quintet Op 115,
Charles Neidich, clarinet;Julliard String Quartet, on Sony Classical (2 disk)
Boccherini, Cello Sonatas; Fugues for 2 Cellos, performed by Anner Bylsma and others, Sony Classical
Chopin: can't go wrong with Rubinstein or Ashkenazy
Bartok Complete String Quartets, performed by Emerson Quartet, DG
Shostakovich: String Quartets Nos. 3, 7, 8 - performed by Borodin Quartet
on Virgin Classics.

LP:
Beethoven:
Ninth Symphony, conducted by Isserstedt, Marilyn Horne
Soprano, London Decca Records (very special performance)
Violin Concert; Nathan Milstein, violin
(I forget the orchestra and label). One of my favorite performances ever!
Symphony No. 3 "Eroica", Ansermet conducts L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, London ffrr
(easy to find and cheap)
Stravinsky
Symphony in C; Symphony in Three Movements, same conductor/orchestra as above, London Records (C S6190)
Get this one: (performance and AUDIOPHILIA)
L'Histoire Du Soldat (The Soldier's Tale - Suite); also has Rimsky Korsakov's Capriccio Espangol. Chicago Pro Musica, REFERENCE RECORDINGS
(also on HDCD)