# Essential cds



## Gazzington (Dec 12, 2016)

Hi. I'm not a complete novice to classical but am wondering what would be the essential box sets and cds that I should buy? Also could people state which composer.


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## TurnaboutVox (Sep 22, 2013)

Hello, Gazzington, and welcome to Talk Classical. Could you say a bit about what sort off music (era, genre etc.) most interests you? I think it may be easier for us to give you some recommendations if you do.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

I would suggest none for the time being. Explore different composers and genres on YouTube, see what you like. Then buy.


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## Gazzington (Dec 12, 2016)

I have really enjoyed some wagner, mozart and Beethoven. I also enjoyed some Mahler today


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## Boston Charlie (Dec 6, 2017)

The Sony box sets are modestly priced and feature great old classical musicians such as Leonard Bernstein, Eugene Ormandy, George Szell, Bruno Walter, Rudolf Serkin, Isaac Stern, Jascha Heifetz; all favorites of mine that I first encountered on the Columbia and RCA budget line reissues back in the 1980s when I first started with classical music.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Frankly, you can go broke purchasing music blind. But your interest to hear good music and your interest in being here at TalkClassical say you've already made a step in the right direction, because by reading through the posts on this website you'll gain a good feel for what others with more experience as classical music listeners are hearing and liking, and buying.

I myself have bought quite a few of the large box sets, too many actually, but all of them contain jems and virtually any one of them will provide a great starting place for sampling composers, performers, works, eras in music, etc. One can move on from there.

If you are willing to spend around a hundred bucks or so, you might look into getting one of the large box sets such as RCA's Living Stereo 60 CD Collection (RCA Red Seal ‎- 88697720602, Sony Music ‎- S70475C)









which will provide you with a collection of "classic" classics -- great works, great performances, great conductors, great musicians...

You'll see a track listing of the box set here: http://www.goodwinshighend.com/musi...60 CD Box Set/Living Stereo 60 CD Box Set.htm

There's also a Volume 2.

As well, Decca offers a couple of such box sets of 50 or so discs.









You'll find a track listing of the above box set here: http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=648280#details .

As well, there are sets from Mercury Living Presence and Philips, and ... just about every major label at this point. And relatively speaking, the prices are "cheap". So you get a good sampling of music for a low cost. And that gets your foot in the door.

I won't recommend a particular box (I do have all of those mentioned in this post, and quite a few others.) But I would suggest that you can't go wrong with the first RCA collection listed in this post. And I believe it is currently available for under a hundred buck (try Barnes and Noble).

Then, if you like a certain kind of music in that box, you can explore just that particular "block" with greater expansion. Way will lead to way. And soon you'll be one of the folks here offering advice for novices. Nothing bad about that.

All the best.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Boston Charlie said:


> The Sony box sets are modestly priced and feature great old classical musicians such as Leonard Bernstein, Eugene Ormandy, George Szell, Bruno Walter, Rudolf Serkin, Isaac Stern, Jascha Heifetz; all favorites of mine that I first encountered on the Columbia and RCA budget line reissues back in the 1980s when I first started with classical music.


I started with all those artists (among others) on budget LPs in the 1970s. Sticking with currently available Sony budget CD releases and doing something of a mix and match, I might suggest the following:

Szell conducting Beethoven Symphonies
https://smile.amazon.com/George-Con...9&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=szell+beethoven&psc=1

Serkin playing Mozart Piano Concertos
https://smile.amazon.com/Rudolf-Ser...8&qid=1515178051&sr=1-3&keywords=szell+mozart

Bernstein conducting Mahler
https://smile.amazon.com/Mahler-Com...d=1515178150&sr=1-1&keywords=bernstein+mahler

Walter conducting Mozart Symphonies
https://smile.amazon.com/Walter-Con...&qid=1515178099&sr=1-1&keywords=walter+mozart

Heifetz performing many of the great Violin Concertos
https://smile.amazon.com/Jascha-Hei...=1515178239&sr=1-1&keywords=heifetz+concertos

These are all no frills/budget boxes that are available now. They tend to go in and out of print. (I wish Leon Fleisher's set of the Beethoven Piano Concertos were in print. You can find used copies though.)

All of these works are orchestral standards with, in most cases, well over 100 recordings available, so there are very good alternative versions of all of them. And people on this forum will be offering their thoughts on many of them.

For Wagner you may want to look elsewhere - or even meander over to the DVD/Blu-Ray counter. If you stay with CDs, you really need a version with a libretto - unlikely with budget sets. Or you can find a libretto on line. I'm only a moderate fan of his, a heresy to many here. 

And check out Schubert. Start with the 8th and 9th Symphonies and the Trout Quintet.

Not sure where you're from, but although I live in NYC, I always check the prices at MDT.co.uk and PrestoClassical.co.uk.


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## Robert Gamble (Dec 18, 2016)

I'm guessing you're big on Symphonies. 

What's an "essential recording" to one person is another's "disappointing recording".

That said, here are some suggestions for my essentials:

Beethoven's 5th and 6th... I know Carlos Kleiber's 5th and 7th are often remarked on as a truly classic CD. I like this elder Kleiber's CD more
https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Symphonies-Kleiber-Concertgebouw-Orchestra/dp/B00000E3AJ

Beethoven's 9th:
Something off the beaten track. I assume you'll be able to find a good 9th (if you haven't already). This is an essential supplement.. Liszt's piano transcription of the symphony. It's amazing how it will improve your understanding of the actual symphony while being incredibly enjoyable in its own right (and I say that as someone who normally doesn't like solo piano music except in small doses).
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018WD4ZH0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mozart's late symphonies...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000001GQB/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A couple of Mozart's concertos of the non-piano variety:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001TSWJ6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Everyone needs some Sibelius and this is a spectacularly priced for the quality box set
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0091JQH2Q/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You didn't mention Tchaikovsky. You'll thank me (maybe - who knows):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E0W24S/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You also didn't mention Dvorak. What melodies he (and Tchaikovsky) create:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000001GQ7/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have a lot of Mahler. This CD is essential because it also introduces you to a very unjustly relatively unknown composer, Schmidt:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000422P/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Pretty much the opposite end of the symphony spectrum... but essential in my eyes are the Bach Cello Suites:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000001GRZ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is a CD I wouldn't want to be without:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001TSWLO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I know it's not a CD, but Haydn's String Quartets are among the most necessary items in a classical music collection, and this is one of the best renditions. Pretty sure it's meant to be $9.99 per CD... but their mistake is our treasure:
https://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=9400582&style=music


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Gazzington said:


> Hi. I'm not a complete novice to classical but am wondering what would be the essential box sets and cds that I should buy? Also could people state which composer.


Nothing is "essential". 

But if you're looking for bang for your buck, the Sony Masters series generally features excellent performances, reasonably well recorded. You won't go far wrong with those. Bernstein's Beethoven, Szell's Beethoven, Bruno Walter's Mozart, Mahler, and Beethoven, Janowski's Wagner RING, Wand's Bruckner, Levine's Mahler, Ormandy's Sibelius and Tchaikovsky, and Rudolf Serkin's Beethoven are all available on that label, and all worth hearing.

And while I will endorse the prior selection of Bernstein's Mahler, you might consider this one instead:


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

Art Rock said:


> I would suggest none for the time being. Explore different composers and genres on YouTube, see what you like. Then buy.


While this is the correct advice, I want to point out that the person giving it admitted on another thread to having over 12,000 cds.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

The classic Wagner Ring cycle on Decca is a great box. And Lohengrin is a beautiful opera. I like the 1962 live recording by Sawallisch. But don't worry about essential recordings. Just keep listening.


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## Templeton (Dec 20, 2014)

Lots of great box sets but this one is sensational and the bargain of the century:

















This is another of my favourites:

















And finally, the conductors' conductor:









If you are ever stranded on a desert island, these will keep you sane and very happy.


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## Gazzington (Dec 12, 2016)

Wow, thanks loads of advice. I'll start listening to stuff you've all suggested on spotify


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## spectral (Dec 19, 2017)

Gazzington said:


> Hi. I'm not a complete novice to classical but am wondering what would be the essential box sets and cds that I should buy? Also could people state which composer.


There are so many, but here are a few:

Scriabin concerto, Ugorski pianist
Pogorelich playing Scriabin's 2nd sonata
Horowitz Plays Mozart - (Mozart sonatas)
Scriabin - sonatas 3, 4, 5, 10 played by Robert Taub
any CD that has the concerto four 4 harpischords by Bach on it played by Jaccottet et al.
Roslavets played by Hamelin
Roslavets played by Emeliantseva
Scriabin Naxos disc 1, Bernd Glemser pianist
Great Pianists - Sofronitsky (for some of the Scriabin, not the sub-par Chopin)
Pictures at an Exhibition, Richter piano (live in Sophia)
Ashkenazy playing unrevised version of Rachmaninov 2nd sonata
Biret playing Scriabin sonatas, including unrevised 2nd (Naxos label)
Tcherepnin 5th piano concerto (BIS label)
Tcherepnin 3rd symphony (BIS)
Stravinsky conducting the Rite of Spring
Rachmaninov Symphony No. 1, conducted by Slatkin
Dvorak symphonies 4 and 8 (Excelsior label)
Great Pianists (Richter), the set with the Prokofiev sonatas
Horowitz playing Liszt sonata in B minor
Horowitz playing Prokofiev 7th sonata
Naxos discs of the three Rautavaara piano concertos
Lvov playing Miaskovsky's 2nd sonata
Richter playing Miaskovsky's 3rd sonata (horrible sound, be warned)
de Leeuw's early Satie (for the Ogive 1)
Prokofiev 2nd and 5th symphonies, Kuchar conducting
Rachmaninov 4th concerto (revised), Anievas piano
Rachmaninov concertos, Rachmaninov piano (for the 2nd and 3rd mainly, definitely not the lousy 4th)
Fiorentino playing Scriabin
Horowitz playing some version of his revision to the revised 2nd Rachmaninov sonata.
Beethoven 5th concerto played by Toperczer
Ashkenazy Scriabin sonatas set (merely for the 8th sonata)
Prokofiev 6th symphony, Slatkin conducting (only for the utterly brilliant adagio)
Shostakovich 15th symphony, Slovák conducting (again, for the adagio movement)
Ustvolskaya symphonies set. She was unhappy with the complete set, apparently, but oh well.
1917 version of Rachmaninov 4th concerto, Icelandic symphony, Black piano
Ashkenazy/Ghindin, unrevised 1st and 4th Rachmaninov concertos

I can also generally recommend Rubinstein if you like Chopin and Brahms. He also does a good job with the Saint-Saëns 2nd concerto.

By contrast, here are a few of the worst discs I've had the displeasure of listening to:

_AVOID_

Tippett. I don't know the piece or the disc but it was the worst totally blind purchase I ever made. Banality to the extreme.

Taub playing Milton Babbitt. Hilarious that he went from making one of the least enjoyable classical CDs ever to making one that made my essentials list. It's not completely his fault. Only a computer could play this stuff cleanly enough.

Amy Beach concerto, Naxos. Banal drivel.

Some "Romantic Piano Concerto" discs that feature obscure (for good reason) composers. Bilge water compositions. Anything played by Michael Ponti, especially.

Clara Schumann. Even worse than her husband's music (which is occasionally interesting).

A disc featuring early compositions by Mendelssohn.

Biret playing Miaskovsky's 2nd sonata. Compared with Lvov's performance it's simply too sloppy, like improvisational sight reading by a highly-talented but musically questionable student.

The incredibly overrated set of Scriabin sonatas by Lettberg.

John Ogdon's Scriabin sonatas.

Anything played by Alfred Brendel.

Symphony in F# by Korngold. Banal composition.

Scherbakov playing Scriabin concerto. Not a nightmare but just so subpar when compared with performances like Ugorski and Ashkenazy.

Tchaikovsky set from Koch. Blech, except for the 3rd concerto's first movement which is okay.

Melvyn Tan playing Mozart concertos.

Anything written by Bartok, especially his bloody awful piano concertos.

Weissenberg playing 1st Rachmaninov sonata.

Paley playing Scriabin's etudes.

Thalberg.

Cziffra's playing.

E. Power Biggs' Bach.

Shostakovich's crappy piano concertos and sonatas.

Various other banal discs I can't recall.


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## JAS (Mar 6, 2013)

Blancrocher said:


> While this is the correct advice, I want to point out that the person giving it admitted on another thread to having over 12,000 cds.


12,000 _Classical_ CDs?


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

Really, the only sensible advice is use youtube to explore before buying. Explore, listen, explore, find out what you like. Then buy what you like.


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## spectral (Dec 19, 2017)

1) There are plenty of essential performances that aren't on Youtube.

Sometimes the performances are so bad that you'd think the piece isn't any good, when compared to a better one.

2) The sound quality of Youtube is terrible. Even at 720p the quality is only like 156K AAC or something.

3) Many Youtube videos don't tell you who the performer is.

However, Youtube can be very helpful to help people avoid buying too blindly.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

You could try subscribing to a streaming service, this will give you access to a huge catalogue. Then you can preview recommendations and try new works. In fact you never need to buy at all


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## Rach Man (Aug 2, 2016)

Templeton said:


> Lots of great box sets but this one is sensational and the bargain of the century:


I have to agree with Templeton on this one: Gunter Wand - The Great Recordings. This is an amazing box set.

I bought this by suggestions on talkclassical.

Many times you buy a box set and there may be half the material that you aren't thrilled with, or is not music that you really like. This box set is loaded with just about all stellar works.

It has:

1. All nine Beethoven symphonies

2. All four Brahms symphonies

3. The last three Mozart symphonies

4. Mussorgsky's _Pictures at an Exhibition_

5. Schumann's 3rd and 4th symphonies

6. Tchaikovsky's 5th and 6th symphonies

7. All nine Bruckner symphonies

8. All eight Schubert symphonies

Plus several other orchestral pieces.

And all of these are played by a wonderful orchestra, conducted by the renowned Gunter Wand.

This is truly a spectacular box set to start with, especially if your main interest (like mine) is symphonies.


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## WVdave (Jun 18, 2017)

Great post. 

This potentially could spark another thread -- the essential CD's to avoid!


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

spectral said:


> There are so many, but here are a few:
> 
> Scriabin concerto, Ugorski pianist
> Pogorelich playing Scriabin's 2nd sonata
> ...


As recommendations to a quasi-newbie, that's pretty much the weirdest list I've ever seen.  (plus, Tippett wrote at least a half dozen works that should be known.)


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

Here is a basic starter’s collection:

Beethoven, Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7 - Carlos Kleiber

Mozart, Requiem - Sir Neville Marriner (Philips)

Bach, Goldberg Variations - Glenn Gould (1981)

Brahms, Violin Concerto - Itzhak Perlman/Carlo Maria Giulini 

Rachmaninoff, Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3 - Byron Janis/Antal Dorati

Debussy/Ravel, String Quartets - Melos Quartet

Vivaldi, Four Seasons - Neville Marriner (Decca)

Puccini, Tosca - Maria Callas/Victor de Sabata

Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring/Petrushka - Igor Stravinsky 

Monteverdi, Vespers of 1610 - John Eliot Gardiner (DG Arkiv)


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Gazzington said:


> Wow, thanks loads of advice. I'll start listening to stuff you've all suggested on spotify


And will keep you're buzzy for the next two years.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

The DG 111 box sets on Spotify are pretty much all great listening.


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## Gazzington (Dec 12, 2016)

I just found the gunter wand box for £50 so I have decided to start with that


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## Templeton (Dec 20, 2014)

Gazzington said:


> I just found the gunter wand box for £50 so I have decided to start with that


It's a fantastic choice but you may be able to get it cheaper than that if you can be patient. There's one listed on Ebay currently, with five days left, so possibly worth bidding on that:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gunter-Wand-The-Great-Recordings-2013-28CD-Box-Set-DVD/173069222770?hash=item284bbac372:g:AvEAAOSwry1aSqLY

It has often, in the past, been listed new on Amazon UK for around £20, which is what I paid for it. It is still a bargain at £55, however and I have not come across anybody previously who was disappointed by it.


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

My advice is that there's no such thing as an essential recording.

For a novice, the most important thing is to just hear the music, and for all the major works there are many recordings that are at least "good". So have a look at the various lists here on TalkClassical to find out what the "essential works" are, and don't worry about whether you've got the mythical "best" performances.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Welcome.
One way to expose yourself to lots of different Composers is to find a good radio station that seems to play music that you enjoy, and then take note of the pieces that click for you. With Internet Radio there Stations from all over the world. My wife and I listen to Radio Venice, but there Swiis Radio, MDR Germany, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Chicago’s own WFMT, and Radio Catalunya have also been really good sources. The BBC Radio 3 has great programs about Music and recordings


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