A friend of mine, Wouter Greuell, has compiled his own favourites list.
I selected discs that are special in both music and performance. So, you will, for instance, not find "Die Zauberflöte", since I have no clear preference which recording you should buy...
Should this list be too short for you, you may check Gramophone's recommendations.
| Composer | Title | Performer | Label | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
J.S. Bach | Cantatas
131 Aus der Tiefen 73 Herr, wie du willt 105 Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht | Barbara Schlick (soprano), Gérard Lesne (alto),
Howard Crook (tenor), Peter Kooy (bass)
Collegium Vocale Gent Philippe Herreweghe | Virgin
0-7777-59237-2-8 | ||
| Cantatas
21 Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis 42 Am Abend aber desselbigen Sabbats | Barbara Schlick (soprano), Gérard Lesne (alto),
Howard Crook (tenor), Peter Harvey, Peter Kooy (bass)
Collegium Vocale Gent Philippe Herreweghe | Harmonia Mundi
HMC 901328 | |||
| Cantatas
8 Liebster Gott, wenn werd ich sterben 125 Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin 138 Warum betrübst du dich, mein Herz | Deborah York (soprano), Ingeborg Danz (contralto),
Mark Padmore (tenor), Peter Kooy (bass)
Collegium Vocale Gent Philippe Herreweghe | Harmonia Mundi
HMC 901659 | |||
| Matthäuspassion BWV 244 | Anthony Rolfe Johnson (evang), Andreas Schmidt (Christ),
Barbara Bonney, Ann Monoyios (soprano),
Anne Sofie von Otter, Michael Chance (contralto),
Howard Crook (tenor), Olaf Bär (bar)
Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists John Eliot Gardiner | DG Archiv
427 648-2 | 3 CDs | ||
| Sonatas and Partitas BWV 1001-1006 | Sigiswald Kuijken (violin) | DHM
GD 77043 | 2 CDs
Mid price | ||
| Clavierbüchlein: Partitas BWV 825-831; Italienisches Konzert BWV 971 | Andreas Staier (harpsichord) | DHM
05472 77306-2 | 3 CDs | ||
| Violin and harpsichord sonatas BWV 1014-1019a | Monica Huggett (violin), Ton Koopman (harpsichord) | Philips
410 401-2 | 2 CDs
Deleted!!! | ||
W.A. Mozart | Idomeneo | Rolfe Johnson, von Otter, McNair, Martinpelto
Monteverdi Ch, Eng Baroque Sol John Eliot Gardiner | DG Archiv
431 674-2 | 3 CDs | |
| Sonatas for violin and fortepiano KV 296, 376-380 | Jaap Schröder (violin), Jos van Immerseel (fortepiano) | DHM | 2 separate CDs
Deleted!!! Bargain price | ||
| Sonatas for violin and fortepiano KV 454, 481, 625 | Jaap Schröder (violin), Lambert Orkis (fortepiano) | Virgin Veritas
VC 7 91131-2 | Deleted!!! | ||
| Divertimento KV 563 | Gidon Kremer (violin), Kim Kashkashian (viola), Yo-Yo Ma (cello) | Sony
MK 39561 | |||
| Piano Concertos | Malcolm Bilson (fortepiano)
Eng Baroque Sol John Eliot Gardiner | DG Archiv | Current favourites: nr 17 KV 453, nr 20 KV 466, nr 27 KV 595 | ||
| Symphony 25 in g KV 183 | Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra
Ton Koopman | Erato
2292-45431-2 | With Symphonies 29 and 33 | ||
L. van Beethoven | Piano Sonatas | Emil Gilels | DG
453 221-2 | 9 CDs
Bargain price Also separately at full price | |
| String Quartets | Quartetto Italiano | Philips | 11 CDs
Bargain price Also available as 3 mid price boxes | ||
| Symphony 5, Op 67; 7, Op 92 | Wiener Philharmoniker
Carlos Kleiber | DG The Originals
447 400-2 | Mid price | ||
Franz Schubert | Piano Sonatas D 958, 959, 960 | Andreas Staier | Teldec Das Alte Werk
0630-13143-2 | 2 CDs | |
| Fantasie D 940 | Murray Perahia, Radu Lupu | Sony
MK 39511 | With Mozart KV 448 | ||
| String Quintet D 956 | Alban Berg-Quartett, Heinrich Schiff | EMI
CDC 7 47018-2 | |||
Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn | Heine-Lieder from Schwanengesang (Schubert); Dichterliebe (Schumann) | Christoph Prégardien, Andreas Staier | DHM
05472 77319-2 | ||
F. Mendelssohn | String Quartets Op 13, 80 | Carmina Quartet | Denon | ||
Frédéric Chopin | 10 Mazurkas, Prélude Op 45, Ballade Op 23, Scherzo Op 31 | Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli | DG
413 449-2 | ||
César Franck, Claude Debussy | Violin Sonatas | Kyung Wha Chung (violin), Radu Lupu (piano) | Decca Chamber Music
421 154-2 | Mid price
With Introduction et Allegro (Ravel); Sonata flute, viola, harp (Debussy) by Melos Ens | |
Alexandr Borodin | String Quartets | Borodin Quartet | EMI
CDC 7 47795-2 | ||
Johannes Brahms | Quintets, Sextets | Carl Leister, clarinet; Daniel Barenboim, piano Amadeus Quartett etc. | DG Chamber Music
419 875-2 | 3 CDs
Mid price All-time Clarinet Quintet | |
| Rhapsodien Op 79, Intermezzi Op 117, Klavierstücke Op 118, 119 | Radu Lupu | Decca
417 599-2 | |||
Antonin Dvorak | Cello Concerto | Mstislav Rostropovich
Berliner Philharmoniker Herbert von Karajaon | DG The Originals
447 413-2 | With Tchaikovky Rococo Variations
Mid price | |
Carl Nielsen | Symphony 4 "The Inextinguishable" | Berliner Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajaon | DG Masters
445 518-2 | With Sibelius' Tapiola
Mid price | |
Hugo Wolf | Lieder | Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Daniel Barenboim | DG
447 515-2 | 6 CDs
Bargain price | |
Gustav Mahler | Das Lied von der Erde | Christa Ludwig (contralto), René Kollo (tenor)
Berliner Philharmoniker Herbert von Karajan | DG Galleria
419 058-2 | Mid price | |
| Symphony 9; Kindertotenlieder; Rückert-Lieder | Christa Ludwig (contralto)
Berliner Philharmoniker Herbert von Karajan | DG Double
439 678-2 | 2 CDs
Mid price | ||
Richard Strauss | Vier letzte Lieder | Gundula Janowitz
Berliner Philharmoniker Herbert von Karajan | DG Originals
447 422-2 | With Tod und Verklärung and Metamorphosen
Mid price | |
Alban Berg | Wozzeck | Franz Grundheber, Hildegard Behrens etc
Wiener Philharmoniker Claudio Abbado | DG
423 857-2 | 2 CDs | |
Bela Bartok | Bluebeard's Castle | Christa Ludwig, Walter Berry
London Symphony Orchestra Istvan Kertesz | Decca
443 571-2 | Bargain price | |
| String Quartets | Takács Quartet | Decca
455 297-2 | 2 CDs | ||
| Piano Concerto 3 | Deszö Ranki
Hungarian State Orchestra Janos Ferencsik | Hungaroton
HCD 31036 | With Allegro Barbaro etc.
Mid price | ||
| Concerto for Orchestra; Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta | Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Fritz Reiner | RCA Living Stereo
09026 62504-2 | Mid price | ||
Arthur Honegger | Symphony 2 | Berliner Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan | DG The Originals
447 435-2 | Mid price
With Symphony 3 "Liturgique"; Basler Konzert (Stravinsky) | |
Dmitri Shostakovich | Violin Concertos | David Oistrakh
Leningrad PhO, Mravinsky Moskow PhO, Kondrashin | RCA | Mid price |
| Composer | Title | Performer | Label | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
J.S. Bach | Cantatas
82 Ich habe genug 49 Ich geh' und suche mit Verlangen 58 Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid | Nancy Argenta (soprano), Klaus Mertens (bass)
La Petite Bande Sigiswald Kuijken | Accent
ACC 9395 D | |
| Cantatas under Herreweghe. All are safe to buy.
The list (see also above):
11, 43, 44 29, 119, 120 35, 53, 170 39, 93, 107 56, 82, 158 57, 110, 122 66 + Osteroratorium BWV 249 78, 198 80 + Magnificat BWV 243 Motets BWV 225-230 Missae BWV 234, 235 + Sanctus BWV 238 Missae BWV 233, 236 | Many soloists, always involving Peter Kooy (bass)
Collegium Vocale Gent Philippe Herreweghe | HMC (Virgin for 39, 93, 107 and the Missae)
separate disks | ||
| Cantatas
54 Widerstehe doch der Sünde 169 Gott soll allein mein Herze haben 170 Vergnügte Ruh', beliebte Seelenlust | James Bowman (alto)
The King's Consort Robert King | Hyperion
CDA66326 | ||
| Cantatas
180 Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele 49 Ich geh' und suche mit Verlangen 115 Mache dich, mein Geist, bereit 85 Ich bin ein guter Hirt 183 Sie werden euch in den Bann tun 199 Mein Herze schwimmt in Blut 175 Er rufet seinen Schafen mit Namen 41 Jesu, nun sei gepreiset 6 Bleib bei uns 68 Also Gott die Welt geliebt | Barbara Schlick (soprano), Andreas Scholl (altus),
Christoph Prégardien (tenor), Gotthold Schwarz (bass)
Concerto Vocale Leipzig, Choeur de Chambre Accentus, Ens Bar Limoges Christophe Coin | Astrée
E 8530 E 8544 E 8555 | 3 CDs
Mid price Also available as three separate discs (180 + 49 + 115; 85 + 183 + 199 + 175; 41 + 6 + 68) at full price | |
| Johannespassion BWV 245 | Christoph Prégardien (evang),
Harry van der Kamp (Christ), Barbara Schlick (soprano),
René Jacobs (altus), Nico van der Meel (tenor),
Max van Egmond (bass)
La Petite Bande Sigiswald Kuijken | DHM | 2 CDs
Mid price | |
| Violin and harpsichord sonatas BWV 1014-1019a, 1021, 1023, 1024, Toccata & Fuga BWV 565 | Andrew Manze (violin), Richard Eggarr (harpsichord), Jaap ter Linden (vc) | HMU
907250.51 | 2 CDs | |
W.F. Bach | 6 Duets Falck 54-59 | Barthold Kuijken, Marc Hantaï (traverso) | Accent
ACC 9057 D | |
Ch.W. von Gluck | Orfeo ed Euridice | Sylvia McNair,
Derek Lee Ragin,
Cynthia Sieden
Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists John Eliot Gardiner | Philips
434 093-2 | |
W.A. Mozart | Symphony 40 in g KV 550 | Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra
Ton Koopman | Erato
0630-12724-2 | With Symphony 39 |
L. van Beethoven | Piano Sonatas 26 Op 81a "Les Adieux", 29 Op 106 "Hammerklavier" | Alfred Brendel | Philips
446 093-2 | |
Franz Schubert | String Quartet D 810 "Tod und das Mädchen" | Vermeer Quartet | Teldec Digital Experience
9031-74782-3 | With Trout Quintet (Haydn-Trio)
Bargain price |
| String Quartet 15 D 887 | Tokyo Quartet | RCA Victor
RD 60199 | ||
A. Dvorak, F. Mendelssohn | String Quartets Op. 96, B. 179 "American" (Dvorak); Op. 12 (Mendelssohn) | Orlando Quartet | Philips
420 396-2 | Deleted!!! |
| Piano Trio 1 Op. 8 (Brahms); 1 Op 49 (Mendelssohn) | Chung Trio | Decca
421 425-2 | ||
Robert Schumann | Lieder | Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Christoph Eschenbach | DG
| 6 CDs
Bargain price |
| Symphonies 1-4, Manfred Overture | Cleveland Orchestra
George Szell | Sony Masterworks Heritage
MH2K 62349 | 2 CDs, mid price | |
Richard Wagner | Ring des Nibelungen | Berliner Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan | DG The Originals
439 678-2 | 15 CDs
Bargain price |
P.I. Tchaikovsky | String Quartet 3 Op 30 | Carmina-Quartett | Tudor
770 | |
A. Dvorak | Piano Quintet Op 81, B. 155; String Quartet Op 96, B. 179 "American" | Hiroko Nakamura (piano), Tokyo String Quartet | Sony
MK 44920 | |
| Piano Trio 1, 3 | Chung Trio | Decca
421 118-2 | ||
Anton Bruckner | Symphony 8 | Wiener Philharmoniker
Carlo Maria Giulini | DG Masters
445 529-2 | 2 CDs
Mid price |
| Symphony 9 | Wiener Philharmoniker
Carlo Maria Giulini | DG
427 345-2 | ||
Hugo Wolf | Lieder, a.o. Kennst du das Land, Gesang Weylas | Anne Sofie von Otter, Ralf Gothoni | DG
432 666-2 | With Mahler Lieder |
Leos Janacek | Kata Kabanova | Elisabeth Söderström, Pter Dvorsky, Nadezda Kniplova
Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker Sir Charles Mackerras | Decca
421 852-2 | 2 CDs |
| Mladi | Basel Sextett | Denon | Deleted!
With Schönberg, Bach | |
Gustav Mahler | Symphony 5 | Wiener Philharmoniker
Leonard Bernstein | DG
423 608-2 | |
| Symphony 6 | Wiener Philharmoniker
Leonard Bernstein | DG
427 697-2 | With Kindertotenlieder (Hampson)
2 CDs | |
Alban Berg | Lulu Suite; 3 Orchesterstücke Op 6; Altenberglieder Op 4 | Margaret Price (soprano)
London Symphony Orchestra Claudio Abbado | DG Originals | Mid price |
| Kammerkonzert (Berg) | Thomas Zehermair (violin), Oleg Maisenberg (piano)
Chamber Orch Europe Heinz Holliger | Teldec
2292-460129-2 | With Kammersymphonie 1 (Arnold Schönberg) | |
Maurice Ravel | Orchestral Works | Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal
Charles Dutoit | Decca Ovation
421 458-2 | 4 CDs
Mid price |
Dmitri Shostakovich | String Quartets; Piano Quintet | Borodin Quartet
Sviatoslav Richter | Melodiya
74321 40711-2 | 6 CDs
Super-bargain price |
| Symphony nr 13 "Babi Yar" | Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra
Choirs Russian Rep. Arthur Eisen (bass) Kirill Kondrashin | Melodiya
74321 19842-2 | Super-bargain price |