# Which recordings??



## CRIMSONDRAGON

Hi guys, I have just joined this marvellous site and was hoping that the many experts on here could possibly help in pointing out a few solid recommendations of possible 'definitive' works of the following that i am interested in!.
I have a love of classical music but have only recently started to seriously collect cd's and would love to put together a great library over time.
I would like to start by buying some Chopin works but would like to know what would the best recordings be to get?.. 3 artists come to mind, Pollini, Howrowitz and Krystian Zimerman, can someone please let me know there thoughts on what artist recording to get??.. i would like to get all of Chopin's works with the best recording of each if possible!.
Some have suggested that the young Pollini and young Zimmermans cd's are excellent compared to later versions, any comments??

My other composers of interest are:

SHOSTAKOVICH - Symphony no.5
LIZST - All works
BRUCKNER - Symphony No. 4 
ELAGAR - Enigma Variations
MAHLER - All Symphonies
BEETHOVEN - All Symphonies
HOLST - Planet Suite.

If someone can please advise on the best recording to get for my composers of interest list it would be very much appreciated.
Many say that the Berlin Phil under Sir Simon Rattle are playing fantastically and their Bruckner 4 and planets suite recordings are excellent!..would they be better than Karl Bohms Bruckner 4 or Dutoit's Planets with the Montreal Symphony?.
All help would be very much appreciated as i would love to build a great classical library to listen to on a daily basis.
many thanks
CD


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## Meaghan

Bernstein recorded two full Mahler cycles, one with the NY Philharmonic (released by Sony Classical) and one with various European orchestras (released by Deutsche Grammophon) and both are excellent. Though for Mahler 1, I would recommend Bernstein's Concertgebouworkest Amsterdam recording over his NY Phil one. The most common criticisms of Bernstein's conducting, particularly dealing with emotion, are largely the same as the critiques leveled against Mahler's conducting in his own day, which makes Bernstein seem to me like a conductor after Mahler's own heart. The only Mahler symphony for which I do _not_ prefer Bernstein is the 7th. For that one, I'd go for Tilson Thomas, either the London Symphony Orchestra or the San Francisco Symphony--greater clarity in the final movement.


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## Ralfy

I make selections by looking at '90s editions of the _Penguin Guide_ and books like Ted Libbey's. I also found some online sites, such as the Naxos catalog (which contains ratings and awards for various works). I also recall DG and even RCA putting online recommended recordings from their catalogs.


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## scytheavatar

CHOPIN - http://www.amazon.com/Chopin-Comple...CHBA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294381396&sr=8-1

This is a good starting place, not perfect but near perfect. The Rubinstein set is even cheaper but I am not a big fan of Rubinstein and I can't recommend it.

SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony no.5 - http://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich-...=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1294381798&sr=1-4

You can also get Haitink's complete Symphony set, great value for money.

LIZST - http://www.amazon.com/Liszt-Piano-W...=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1294382006&sr=1-2

BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4 - http://www.amazon.com/Bruckner-Symp...=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1294382044&sr=1-1

MAHLER - http://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Sympho...=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1294382092&sr=1-1

BEETHOVEN - http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Sym...=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1294382119&sr=1-2

HOLST Planet Suite - http://www.amazon.com/Gustav-Holst-...=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1294382191&sr=1-2

I am yet to hear a Planet Suite that I didn't like. I narrowly prefer Previn as my favourite but there are lots of good Planet Suites, from Dutoit, Mehta, Levine, Karajan etc.


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## S.K.

I would also put my vote on Bohm's Bruckner


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## Guest

CRIMSONDRAGON said:


> I would like to start by buying some Chopin works but would like to know what would the best recordings be to get?.. 3 artists come to mind, Pollini, Howrowitz and Krystian Zimerman, can someone please let me know there thoughts on what artist recording to get??.. i would like to get all of Chopin's works with the best recording of each if possible!.
> Some have suggested that the young Pollini and young Zimmermans cd's are excellent compared to later versions, any comments??


Get Pollini or Rubinstein. I personally love Pollini's recordings of Chopin's Etudes and Polonaises on DG.

BRUCKNER - Symphony No. 4 - Gunther Wand with the Berlin Philharmonic, or Celibidache on EMI 
ELAGAR - Enigma Variations - I don't know if it is the best, but I really like the Sinopoli recording of these, and I have a recording paired with the Cello Concerto with Mischa Maisky
MAHLER - All Symphonies - Too many different ones to list, but for a single conductor, just for simplicity, I would go with either Bernstein (DG or Sony, many prefer Sony) or Kubelik (the Audite recordings). For individual symphonies, though, I have other favorites.
BEETHOVEN - All Symphonies - Osmo Vanska with the Minnesota Symphony on BIS.
HOLST - Planet Suite. - I have a good recording with Paavo Jarvi and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra


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## Llyranor

For Elgar, you could get Barbirolli's set (Orchestral Works). I quite like that Enigma's, and it also comes with the lovely cello concerto with Du Pre. Also has the 2 symphonies, and a few other orchestral works. You can probably find the 5-CD set for a decently cheap price.

Though, actually, I think there's a CD where Elgar himself is conducting the Enigma. Might be worth a look.

I just got the Rubinstein set for Chopin. Only started listening to a few of the Nocturnes so far, but I've been enjoying it. Guess that doesn't help much.


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## Vaneyes

CRIMSONDRAGON said:


> I would like to start by buying some Chopin works but would like to know what would the best recordings be to get?


Re some of the best solo piano, all Demidenko on Helios, Mazurkas, etc. w. Michelangeli (DG), Preludes w. Argerich (DG), Etudes w. Gavrilov (EMI). Various w. Ts'ong and Pogorelich.:tiphat:


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