# Your favorite recordings of all time



## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

The other thread got me thinking about which recordings I would grab first in a fire, the proverbial desert island list. Not an easy choice out of thousands on my shelf, but this is what I came up with. It represents a mix between which works and performances I like best.

1. Bruckner, Symphony No. 8 - Wilhelm Furtwängler/Vienna PO (1944)

2. Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 - Wilhelm Furtwängler/Berlin PO (1942)

3. Brahms, Violin concerto - Bronislaw Huberman/Artur Rozinski/New York PO (1944)

4. Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 - Wilhelm Furtwängler/Berlin PO (5/25/47)

5. Brahms, Violin concerto - Herman Krebbers/Bernard Haitink/Concertgebouw Orch. (1973)

6. Brahms, Piano concertos Nos. 1 & 2 - Emil Gilels/Eugen Jochum/Berlin PO (1972)

7. Mahler, Symphony No. 9 - Sir John Barbirolli/RAI Torino SO (1960)

8. Bach, St Matthew Passion - Willem Mengelberg/Amsterdam Toonkunst Ch./Concertgebouw Orch. (1939)

9. Brahms, Symphony No. 3 - Claudio Abbado/Berlin PO (1989)

10. “The Columbia recordings” - Bronislaw Huberman (1929-35)

11. Beethoven, Complete piano sonatas - Artur Schnabel (1932-35)

12. Beethoven, Symphony No. 3 - Wilhelm Furtwängler/Berlin PO (12/8/52)

13. Brahms, Symphony No. 1 - Wilhelm Furtwängler/NDR SO (1951)

14. Puccini, Tosca - Maria Callas/Victor de Sabata/La Scala Orch. (1953)

15. Bach, Cello suites - Pablo Casals (1936-39) 

16. Chopin, Mazurkas/Nocturne, Op. 55/2 - Ignaz Friedman (1930/36)

17. Bruckner, Symphony No. 9 - Carlo Maria Giulini/Vienna PO (1988)

18. Brahms, Ein Deutsches Requiem - Herbert von Karajan/Vienna Singverein & PO (1983)

19. Brahms, Symphony No. 4 - Carlos Kleiber/Vienna PO (1981)

20. Mozart, Don Giovanni - Cesare Siepi/Wilhelm Furtwängler/Vienna PO (1953)

21. Opera arias - Enrico Caruso (1902-20)

22. Rachmaninoff, All night vigil (Vespers) - Vladislav Chernushenko/St. Petersburg Cappella (1991)

23. Wagner, Tristan und Isolde - Kirsten Flagstad/Wilhelm Furtwängler/Philharmonia (1952)

24. Brahms, Symphony No. 3 - Wilhelm Furtwängler/Berlin PO (1954)

25. Beethoven, Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6 - Wilhelm Furtwängler/Berlin PO (5/23/54) 

26. Beethoven, Coriolan overture - Wilhelm Furtwängler/Berlin PO (1943)

27. Bruckner, Symphony No. 7 - Wilhelm Furtwängler/Berlin PO (5/1/51)

28. Mahler, Symphony No. 5 - Sir John Barbirolli/New PO (1969)

29. Verdi, Requiem - Victor de Sabata/La Scala Ch. & Orch. (1954)

30. Monteverdi, Vespers of 1610 - John Eliot Gardiner/Monteverdi Ch./English Baroque Soloists (1989)

31. Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 6 - Wilhelm Furtwängler/Berlin PO (1951)

32. Rachmaninoff, Piano concertos Nos. 2 & 3 - Byron Janis/Antal Dorati/Minneapolis PO/London PO (1960/61)

33. Beethoven, Late string quartets - Busch Quartet (1932-37)

34. Schubert, Piano sonata No. 21 - Artur Schnabel (1937) 

35. Dvorak, Symphony No. 8 - John Barbirolli/Hallé Orch. (1956)

36. Mahler, Symphony No. 4 - Jascha Horenstein/London SO (1970)

37. Gershwin, Rhapsody in Blue/An American in Paris - Leonard Pennario/Felix Slatkin/Hollywood Bowl SO (1959)

38. Brahms, Symphony No. 2 - Wilhelm Furtwängler/Vienna PO (1945)

39. Beethoven, Symphony No. 3 - Otto Klemperer/Philharmonia Orch. (1959)

40. Rachmaninoff, Piano concerto No. 3 - Vladimir Horowitz/John Barbirolli/New York PO (1941)

41. Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade - Kirill Kondrashin/Concertgebouw Orch. (1979)

42. R. Strauss, Tod und Verklärung - Herbert von Karajan/Berlin PO (1974)

43. Beethoven, Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8 - Wilhelm Furtwängler/Berlin PO (1953)

44. Bruckner, Symphony No. 5 - Bernard Haitink/Bavarian RSO (2010)

45. Mozart, Symphony No. 40 - Otto Klemperer/Philharmonia Orch. (1956)

46. Wagner, Der Ring des Nibelungen - Kirsten Flagstad/Wilhelm Furtwängler/La Scala Orch. (1950)

47. Mozart, Requiem - Sir Neville Marriner/Academy & Ch. of St Martin in the Fields (1991)

48. Vivaldi, The Four seasons - Felix Ayo/I Musici (1959)

49. Opera arias - Tita Ruffo (1907-29)

50. Beethoven, Violin concerto - Fritz Kreisler/Leo Blech/Berlin St. Opera Orch. (1926)

51. Tchaikovsky, Violin concerto - Bronislaw Huberman/William Steinberg (1929)

52. Mahler, Symphony No. 7 - Otto Klemperer/New PO (1969)

53. Stravinsky, Le Sacre du printemps - Pierre Monteux/Boston SO (1951)

54. Beethoven, Kreutzer sonata - Bronislaw Huberman/Ignaz Friedman (1930)

55. Bach, Brandenburg concertos/Orchestral suites - Busch Chamber Players (1935/36)

56. Brahms, Symphony No. 4/Mozart, Symphony No. 40 - Wilhelm Furtwängler/Berlin PO (1949)

57. Opera arias - Claudia Muzio (1934-35)

58. Beethoven, Symphony No. 3 - Wilhelm Furtwängler/Vienna PO (1944)

59. R. Strauss, Metamorphosen - Otto Klemperer/Philharmonia Orch. (1961)

60. Bruckner, Symphony No. 8 - Gunter Wand/Berlin PO (2001)

61. Mendelssohn, Elijah - Harold Williams/Sir Malcolm Sargent/Huddersfield Ch. Society/Liverpool PO (1947)

62. Mahler, Das Lied von der Erde - Kathleen Ferrier/Julius Patzak/Bruno Walter/Vienna PO (1952 live)

63. Bach, Goldberg variations - Glenn Gould (1981)

64. Wagner, Der Ring des Nibelungen - Hans Knappertsbusch/Bayreuth Festspiele Orch. (1957)

65. Tchaikovsky, Piano concerto No. 1 - Vladimir Horowitz/Arturo Toscanini/NBC SO (1943)

66. Debussy/Ravel, String quartets - Melos Quartet (1979)

67. Mahler, Symphony No. 6 - Sir John Barbirolli/New PO (1967)

68. Brahms, Solo piano works - Radu Lupu (1976)

69. Mozart, Symphony No. 38 - Peter Maag/London SO (1959)

70. Rachmaninoff, Symphony No. 2 - Gennadi Rozhdestvensky/London SO (1988)

71. Dvorak, Symphony No. 9 - Vaclav Talich/Czech PO (1954)

72. Bach, Complete organ works - Helmut Walcha (1959-71)

73. R. Strauss, Eine Alpensinfonie - Rudolf Kempe/Staatskapelle Dresden (1972/73)

74. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5 - Leopold Stokowski/Philadelphia Orch. (1939)

75. Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet - Lorin Maazel/Cleveland Orch. (1973)

76. Schumann, Symphony No. 4 - Wilhelm Furtwängler/Berlin PO (1953)

77. Mozart, Die Zauberflöte - Sir Thomas Beecham/Berlin PO (1938)

78. Bruckner, Symphony No. 4 - Karl Böhm/Vienna PO (1973)

79. R. Strauss, Also sprach Zarathustra - Herbert von Karajan/Berlin PO (1974)

80. Bach, Cantata No. 82 “Ich habe genug” - Hans Hotter/Anthony Bernard/Philharmonia Orch. (1950)

81. Sibelius, Violin concerto - Jascha Heifetz/Leopold Stokowski/Philadelphia Orch. (1934)

82. Schubert, Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9 - Wilhelm Furtwängler/Berlin PO (1953)

83. Shostakovich, String quartets - Taneyev Quartet (1979)

84. Liszt, Piano sonata - Simon Barere (1947)

85. Stravinsky, Petrushka/The Firebird suite - Leopold Stokowski/Philadelphia Orch. (1935/37)

86. Prokofiev, Alexander Nevsky - Thomas Schippers/Westminster Ch./New York PO (1961)

87. Mahler, Symphony No. 9 - Herbert von Karajan/Berlin PO (1982)

88. Tchaikovsky, 1812 Overture - Antal Dorati/Minneapolis SO (1958)

89. Mahler, Symphony No. 8 - Jascha Horenstein/London SO (1959)

90. Bach, Mass in B minor - Otto Klemperer/BBC Chorus/New Philharmonia Orch. (1967)

91. Mozart, Symphony No. 39 - Karl Böhm/Berlin PO (1966) 

92. Beethoven, Late piano sonatas - Solomon (1951-56)

93. Debussy, La Mer/Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, Ravel, Bolero/Daphnis et Chloe, Suite No. 2 - Herbert von Karajan/Berlin PO (1964/66)

94. Schumann, Dichterliebe - Fritz Wunderlich/Hubert Giesen (1965)

95. Haydn, Complete piano trios - Beaux Arts Trio (1971-78)

96. Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 - Leonard Bernstein/Bavarian RSO (1976)

97. Mahler, Symphony No. 1 - Bruno Walter/NBC SO (1939)

98. Mozart, Piano concertos Nos. 20 & 27 - Clifford Curzon/Benjamin Britten/English CO (1970)

99. Bach, St Matthew Passion - Eugen Jochum/Netherlands Radio Ch./Concertgebouw Orch. (1965)

100. Grieg, Peer gynt suites - Herbert von Karajan/Berlin PO (1984)

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## Bruckner Anton (Mar 10, 2016)

When I reply to this thread, I end up building a CD library on the desert island. So I decide to limit the list to 10 recordings (considering works, performance, sound):
1. Bach SMP Karl Richter Archiv 1958 
2. Bach goldberg variations Perahia Sony
3. Beethoven late piano sonatas Kovacevich Philips
4. Beethoven late string quartets Italiano Philips
5. Mozart piano quartets Beaux Arts Trio Philips
6. Mozart string quintets Grumiaux Philips
7. Brahms 4 symphonies Karajan BPO 1980s DG
8. Brahms piano concertos Gilels Jochum DG
9. Schubert string quintet Melos Rostropovich DG
10. Bruckner symphony 9 Giulini DG 1988


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

1. Reiner/CSO: Pines of Rome, Pictures at an Exhibition, Scheherazade
2. Lopez-Cobos/Cinncinatti Sym Orch: Church Windows
3. Ormandy/Philly: Tchaikovsky 4 and Swan Lake Suite
4. Ansermet/OSR: Danse Macabre
5. Giulini/Philharmonia: Verdi. Requiem
6. HvK/Berlin: Beethoven 5 (60s)
7. Mitropoulos/NYPO: Shostakovich 5
8. Solti/VPO: Wagner Ring
9. Bernstein/NYPO: Stravinsky - Rite of Spring
10. Szell/Cleveland: Dvorak 8


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

No particular order:

Bach - WTC (Tureck - DG)
Mozart - Requiem (Bohn - DG)
Mozart - Great Mass in C minor (Leppard - EMI)
Beethoven - Cello Sonatas op. 5 (Coin/Cohen - Harmonia Mundi)
Bach - Goldberg Variations (Tureck - DG)
Bach - French Suites (Curtis - Apex)
Weber - Grand Duo Concertant for Clarinet and Piano (Hilton - Chandos)

There's more but I'm tired of typing.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Brahmsianhorn said:


> The other thread got me thinking about *which recordings I would grab first in a fire,* the proverbial desert island list. Not an easy choice out of thousands on my shelf, but this is what I came up with. It represents a mix between which works and performances I like best....
> 
> .


Jeez, BHS, by the time you grabbed that lot, in your list, you'd have burned to a crisp :devil::lol::angel:


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Merl said:


> Jeez, BHS, by the time you grabbed that lot, in your list, you'd have burned to a crisp :devil::lol::angel:


That's probably why we now have Spotify/Amazon Music/Quoboz. Or in my case, I'd grab my external hard drive. In case of a fire, it's not an expense; it's an investment in personal safety. :tiphat:


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

Merl said:


> Jeez, BHS, by the time you grabbed that lot, in your list, you'd have burned to a crisp :devil::lol::angel:


Okay, how about a torrential hurricane, I live on the shore, and I have one night to gather my belongings?

These 100 recordings, my lucky first place medal from 5th grade, and the golf ball I used to hit a hole in one.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Brahmsianhorn said:


> Okay, how about a torrential hurricane, I live on the shore, and I have one night to gather my belongings?
> 
> These 100 recordings, my lucky first place medal from 5th grade, and the golf ball I used to hit a hole in one.


Now you've given yourself a whole night before a disaster you should be able to save ALL your CDs BHS.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

I like the *Krystian Zimerman* recording of the *Liszt* _Sonata in B Minor_.

The *Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge* under *David Marlow*, featuring *Clare Wilkinson* recording of the *Duruflé* _Requiem_.

I love the *Bernstein* recording of his _Mass_.

*Reinbert de Leeuw* with the *Netherlands Chamber Choir* excellent recording of *Liszt*'s _Via Crucis_ and his recording of *Satie*'s _Gnossiennes_ and _Gymnopedies_.

The *Pacifica*'s *Carter* _String Quartet_ set, and the *Quatuor Danel*'s *Shostakovich* cycle.

These come to mind immediately.

And these as well -

*Claudio Abbado*'s recording of *Debussy*'s _Pelléas et Mélisande_ and the *Eroica Quartet*'s recording of the *Debussy* and *Ravel *_String Quartets_.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

I'd just slip my iPod in my pocket and be out the door.


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

MarkW said:


> I'd just slip my iPod in my pocket and be out the door.


Yep, my whole library is on my WM1A Walkman in CD quality or better.

If I had to save only one physical album it would be my Karajan/BPO 1977 Beethoven cycle on Blu-Ray Audio.

But I would much rather save my Walkman and headphones. They're WAAAAAAAY more expensive.


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

I cannot fit my whole collection onto my iPhone, but I do have all 100 of the recordings I listed digitally saved.

Of course the point of the thread is which recordings you hold most dear, not about literally the physical discs being that important.


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## Axter (Jan 15, 2020)

Beethoven Symphs 1-9, CSO, Solti, 70ies cycle, Decca
Mahler Symph 5, CSO, Solti, 1970, Decca
Beethoven, Violin Concerto, Mutter, BPO, Karajan, 1979, Deutsche Grammophon
Schumann, Grieg, Piano Concert, Zimerman, BPO, Karajan, 1982, Deutsche Grammophon


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

All entries are from my lp collection, which I listen to almost exclusively). Exceptions are the Grieg/Jarvi* and Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto* recordings from cd.

Beethoven: Symphony 9 (Reiner/Chicago Symphony); Triple Concerto (Anda, Schneiderhan, Fournier, Fricsay/BRSO)
Borodin: String Quartet 2 (Borodin String Quartet)
Brahms: Symphony 2 (Monteux/London Symphony); Symphony 3 (Kempe/Berlin Philharmonic); Violin Concerto (Szeryng, Monteux/London Symphony); Double Concerto (Heifetz, Piatigorsky, Wallenstein/RCA Symphony); Piano Concerto 1 (Curzon, Szell/London Symphony); Piano Trio 1 (Katchen, Starker, Suk); Piano Quartet 2 (Festival Quartet); String Quintets 1 and 2 (Budapest String Quartet, Trampler); Clarinet Quintet (Leipzig String Quartet, Leister)
George Butterworth: The Banks of Green Willow (Boult/London Philharmonic)
Debussy: String Quartet (Quartetto Italiano); Orchestral Works (Haitink/Amsterdam (Royal) Concertgebouw)
Dvorak: Symphony 7 (Szell/Cleveland Orchestra); Symphony 8 (Kertesz/London Symphony); Cello Concerto (Fournier, Szell/Berlin Philharmonic)
Elgar: Cockaigne Overture (Barbirolli/Philharmonia Orchestra)
Franck: Symphony in D minor (Monteux/Chicago Symphony)
Grieg: Elegiac Melody no. 2, "The Last Spring", (Jarvi/Gothenburg Symphony)*
Mahler: Symphony 4 (Kletzki/Philharmonia Orchestra)
Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream-complete- (Haitink/Amsterdam (Royal) Concertgebouw.
Mozart: Clarinet Quintet (Pay, Marriner/Academy of St. Martin in the Fields); Sinfonia Concertante K 364 (Szell/Cleveland Orchestra); String Quartet 20 ("Hoffmeister") Quartetto Italiano.
Ravel: String Quartet (Quartetto Italiano); Orchestral Music (Martinon/Orchestre de Paris)
Schubert: Octet (Berlin Philharmonic Octet-1965 performance on DG); Symphony 9 "Great C major (Szell/Cleveland Orchestra-1959 performance); Piano Sonata 13 (Ashkenazy)
Sibelius: Symphony 6 (Sanderling/Berlin Symphony Orchestra)-not the Berlin Philharmonic
Tchaikovsky: Serenade For Strings (Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra)
Vaughan Williams: Oboe Concerto (Canter, Judd/London Symphony)*; Symphony 3 "Pastoral" (Haitink/London Philharmonic)
Wagner: Tannhauser Overture (Klemperer/Philharmonia Orchestra


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

Here are my baker's dozen faves in label name order:

*Argo 444 519-2* symphonies 6, 7 & 9 by Roger Sessions performed by American Composers Orchestra under D.R. Davies.
*Claves Records CD 50-2817* Basque National Orchestra performs _Danzas Secretas_ by Luis de Pablo directed by A. Tamayo.
*Conifer Classics 74321-15005-2* symphonies 7 & 8 by Malcolm Arnold via Vernon Handley with RPO.
*Cybelia CY 829* centre national de musique de chambre d'Aquitaine renders 2 quintettes by Charles Koechlin.
*Delos DE 1017* an ideal demo disc with which one can introduce the music of Villa-Lobos; contains _Uirapuru_, _Chôros No.8_ + more.
*Ebs Records ebs 6070* cellist Julius Berger is the raptorous cantor in Ernest Bloch's _Schelomo_ & _Voice in the Wilderness_, conducted with Wit (Antoni Wit, that is). 
*Finlandia Records FACD 376* Einar Englund's _Concerto for 12 Cellos_ is a must-hear opus, in my opinion.
*Harmonia Mundi HMU 907096* L.A. Philharmonic, D.A. Miller + 2 pianists issue forth _Duplicates_, Mel Powell's Pulitzer Prize-winning composition.
*Koch Schwann 3-6491-2* superlative recordings & performances of Henri Dutilleux masterpieces _Timbes, Espace, Mouvement_ + _L'Arbre des Songes_.
*Kontrapunkt 32140* Aarhus Sinfonietta plays a winning hand with _King, Queen & Ace_ plus other chamber delights by Per Nørgård.
*Largo 5134* _Concert for 8_ joins palms with Roberto Gerhard's other zodiac chamber works _Gemini_, _Leo_ & _Libra_ in stellar readings.
*Ondine ODE 790-2* Finland's early modernist Väinö Raitio is bestowed a satisfying album program courtesy Jukka-Pekka Saraste & the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.
*Valois V 4687* a Florent Schmitt _Reves_ disc thanks to David Robinson with the Monte-Carlo, with _Symphonie Concertante_ as highlight.

https://www.claves.ch/products/l-de-pablo-danzas-secretas-frondoso-misterio


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Its not easy to narrow things down, but without taking too much effort, this would be a good enough selection:

1. Beethoven Triple, Brahms Double (Karajan/Szell) EMI
2. Piazzolla Songs & Tangos (Versus Ens.) Naxos
3. Saint-Saens Cello Concertos, etc. (Kliegel) Naxos
4. Mozart Salzburg Symphonies & Divertimento K. 205 (Edlinger) Naxos
5. Best of Ravel (Mehta/Monteux) Eloquence
6. Rachmaninov Youth Sym., Sym. 3, PC 4 (Ashkenazy/Kletzki/Previn) Eloquence
7. Bach Violin Concertos (Nishizaki) Naxos
8. Franck, Debussy Violin Sonatas, Ravel Introduction and Allegro, etc. (Chung/Lupu/Melos Ens.) Decca
9. English Music for Strings - Britten, Holst, Delius, Vaughan Williams, Warlock (Studt) Naxos
10. Haydn & Vivaldi Cello Concertos (Harrell) EMI
11. Bernstein Chichester Psalms, On The Waterfront, On The Town (Alsop) Naxos
12. Shostakovich Cello Concertos (Kliegel) Naxos


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

I can never decide over lists such as this. 
However, I know the first CD I would grab would be Andre Watts playing Rachmaninoff's Corelli Variations. 
As for the second one, get back to me in a week's time!


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## 59540 (May 16, 2021)

Dinu Lipatti's final recital.


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## skim1124 (Mar 6, 2019)

@Brahmsianhorn: One thing I appreciate about your list is that there doesn't seem to be recency bias; I think the most recent recording on your list is from 2010. I'm not saying that new recordings/performances can't be or aren't generally better than those from decades ago, but as someone who doesn't know a lot about the previous generations of conductors and musicians, I appreciate and can learn from your list.


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## Holden4th (Jul 14, 2017)

I'll limit myself to about 10 - 12 recordings. The ones I listen to most would be what I'd take. In no particular order

1. Verdi Requiem - HvK, Ghiaurov, Pavarotti, Cossotto, Price and La Scala Milan. Yes it's a DVD but I've got an audio extract
2. Beethoven Pastoral Symphony - Walter Columbia SO
3. Beethoven Eroica - Bernstein NYPO
4. Beethoven Piano Sonatas 8, 14 and 23 - Gilels from Moscow 1960
5. Beethoven Piano Sonatas Op 109 and 110 - Hess
6. Chopin Nocturnes - Moravec
7. Schubert D960 - Richter
8. Schumann - Fantasy Op 17, etc - Fiorentino
9. Beethoven SQs (Razumovsky's) Vegh Quartet
10. Grieg Lyric Pieces - Gilels
11. Bach WTC - Richter (RCA)
12. Hummel Piano Trios - Beaux Arts Trio

I've deliberately chosen single CDs (WTC excepted). There are plenty more that I can add but that will do for the moment.

Now if I went for box sets that list might change.


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