# Database of recordings



## JNTB (Feb 4, 2012)

I have not been able to find a database of all classical recordings. I can only find currently published recordings. Does a complete database exist?


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

*Discogs* at least lists a surprising number of rare recordings, but I´m not sure about the validity of their search function.

http://www.discogs.com/search?q=edward+elgar&btn=&type=all (Elgar)
http://www.discogs.com/search?q=scherchen&btn=&type=all (Scherchen the conductor)

It is not likely that there´s a place listing everything yet, though - say obscure East-European labels etc. Individual composer or perfomer discographies mainly exist as regards the big names on the web (Sviatoslav Richter, for instance), but the repertoire is growing.

The Gramophone archive and musicweb international are also vaulable for their review surveys. For instance, musicweb has a complete discography of every Russian and Soviet-period symphony recorded, which is a_ very _comprehensive list.

A very rough, undocumented guess would be that perhaps 500.000 classical recordings have been released + re-issues of them, so it is quite a task. But it might be carried out within a couple of decades; however it´s not a business with a lot of profit in it, I guess ...


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Did a little extra research. It turns out the *discogs.com *has its weak points. For instance the conductor Robert Denzler isn´t there is spite of him having recorded for Decca.

But as regards opera recordings, this database seems good, listing for instance 5 opera issues by the Czech, funny-name conductor Chalabala, and 11 existing recordings of Smetana´s "The Bartered Bride", probably complete lists: *operaclass.com*

http://www.operaclass.com/catalogo/director.asp?idioma=en&idDirector=3998&idCat=oc


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

Thank you joen. Even with their flaws they should be a valuable resource.


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