Recommended classical CDs -- intro

jump to...
The list of recommended recordings
Explanation of the tables
bottom of page

The pages which follow list some recommended recordings of various classical works according to a few guides (listed below). I originally did this for my own personal use, but then figured that other people may be interested in the information. So here it is on my homepage. Go figure.

The list of recommended recordings

jump to top or bottom of page

Before looking at the pages that use tables you might want to check the table below to see if your browser will accurately display the information.

Explanation of the tables

What the columns mean
MM CH AMG NPR Composer Work Rec Label/No. [discs] Artists Comments Composed
recommended works and/or recordings according to sources below composer name name of (primary) work(s) year(s) recorded label and catalog number, number of CDs in brackets soloists & instrumentalists (if any), conductor/orchestra additional works on the CD, other info year work(s) composed

Sources

return to top of page

MM
From Metal to Mozart, Craig Heller (Chronicle Books)
Lists recommended works, not recordings.
CH
``200 Classical Cornerstones'', Columbia House Classical Club
Lists recommended works, not recordings.
Note: You can go to Columbia House Online. It's not the classical club.
AMG
All-Music Guide, Michael Erlewine & Scott Bultman, eds. (Miller Freeman)
Lists recommended recordings and marks certain works as ``essential''
Note: You can go to the on-line version of the All-Music Guide, but it doesn't cover classical. (!)
NPR
NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection, Ted Libbey (Workman)
Lists recommended recordings of ``essential'' works.
Note: You can go to NPR Online or Ted Libbey's Top 10 List.

Symbols and abbreviations

in the first 4 columns...
+
recommended work
>
recommended recording of a work
in the ``Work'' column...
A
A major
a
A minor
(#)
opus (or BWV, K, etc.) no.
in the ``Label/No.'' column...
DGG
Deutsche Grammophon
in the ``Artists'' column...
SO
Symphony Orchestra
PO
Philharmonic Orchestra
RSO
Radio Symphony Orchestra
in the ``Comments'' column...
(#)
rank in AMG (among recordings of same work)
(see also symbols in Work column)
in the ``Composed'' column...
d
date of work unknown, but composer died in this year
semicolon separates years of works in Work & Comments

Example table entries with comments

MM CH AMG NPR Composer Work Rec Label/No. [discs] Artists Comments Composed
  + +>   Albinoni Adagio for Organ & Strings in g (arr. Remo Giazotto)   Koch-Schwann Werther/I Fiamminghi w Vivaldi: ? 1750d/arr: 1940s;1741d
essential work according to CH and AMG; recording is recommended by AMG; work not listed in MM or NPR composer: Albioni g = G minor, arr = arranged by recording date unknown label: Koch-Schwann, catalog number unknown performed by I Fiamminghi, conducted by Werther with unknown work(s) by Vivaldi year of Albioni work unknown (he died in 1750); arranged in the 1940s; year of Vivaldi work unknown
+ + + +> Bach Brandenburg Concertos (1046-51) 67 Archiv 427 143-2 [2] Richter/Munich Bach Orch w Oboe Conc (1055) & Conc Viol, Oboe & Str (1060) 1721;?
    1046-51 = BWV nos. recorded in 1967 catalog number: 427 143-2, 2 discs     Brandenburg Concertos composed in 1721; date for additional concertos unknown
  + >   Beethoven Overtures (complete)   DGG Karajan/Berlin PO (1) 1827d
in AMG, recording is recommended, but work is not ``essential''       DGG = Deutsche Grammophon PO = Philharmonic Orchestra most highly recommended recording of this work in AMG composed at various times throughout his life
  + >   Beethoven Overtures (various)   CBS Davis/Bavarian RSO (2) 1827d
    only selected overtures     RSO = Radio Symphony Orchestra second most highly recommended recording of this work in AMG  
    + +> Beethoven String Quartet no. 7 in F (59:Razumovsky, no. 1) 85 DGG 427 305-2 Melos Quart w String Quartet no. 10 in E-flat (74:Harp) 1807;1809
    F = F major, this Quartet is no. 1 of opus 59, the ``Razumovsky Quartets''       E-flat = E-flat major; opus 74, the ``Harp Quartet''  
+ + +> +> Beethoven Violin Concerto in D (61) 53 EMI CDH 69799 Menuhin/Furtwängler/Philharmonia Orch (3) mono; w Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in e 1806;1844
    opus 61     violin soloist = Menuhin third most highly recommended recording of this work in AMG; recorded in mono  
  + + +> Chopin Mazurkas [51] for Piano 60s RCA RCD 5614-2 [2] Rubenstein   1849d
    51 = number of Mazurkas recorded in the 1960s 2 discs      

jump to...
top of page
The list of recommended recordings
Explanation of the tables

Section: Donald Lancon, Jr. / Music, TV & movies / Recommended classical CDs

Next: Part 1 -- Albioni to Brahms
Or: All recommendations on one page, no tables
Skip to: Siskel & Ebert reviews
Previous: Favorite songs

Donald Lancon, Jr. [e-mail me]
Last modified: Fri, 05 Sep 2003