Classical Best Versions
What Is The Very Best Version?
In a catalogue that lists over 200 recordings of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons", and even 60 versions of Orff's "Carmina Burana", which is the very best?
With the help of Gramophone, Penguin Stereo Guide, BBC Music, and our own ears, we have put together the definitive guide to the popular classics.
Here are a selection of recommended recordings that should find a place in everyone's collection.
Displaying items 81 to 100 of 224
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Shostakovich: String Quartets No. 1, 4, 6, 8, 9 & 11 Jerusalem Quartet [ Harmonia Mundi Gold / 2 CD - released 1/Feb/2013 ] BBC AWARD WINNER 2008 - Best Chamber recording - 'This is challenging, unpredictable Shostakovich which always convinces even when the approach is new. The Jerusalem Quartet's tonal range is daunting too.' (BBC) |
GUSTAV MAHLER
Mahler: Symphony No. 8 in E flat major 'Symphony of the Thousand' (recorded live in 1991) Júlia Várady, Jane Eaglen, Trudeliese Schmidt, Jadwiga Rappé, Kenneth Riegel, Hans Sotin / London Philharmonic Orchestra, Klaus Tennstedt [ LPO Live / 2 CD - released 22/Jun/2011 ] "...Tennstedt is overwhelming. Try topping the orchestral peroration, offstage trumpets stretching the "Veni, Creator Spiritus" motif from the interval of a fifth beyond the octave to a heaven-storming ninth." Gramophone Top Ten Mahler Symphonies |
J. S. BACH
Bach: Cantatas Vol 1: BWV7, 30, 167; BWV20, 39, 75 Joanne Lunn, Gillian Keith, Wilke te Brummelstroete, Paul Agnew. Monteverdi Choir. English Baroque Soloists. John Eliot Gardiner [ Soli Deo Gloria / 2 CD - released 10/Feb/2005 ] Cantatas For the Feast of St John the Baptist and the First Sunday after Trinity. "The first steps on this Bach pilgrimage lift the heart for the journey to come." Recording of the Month Gramophone Magazine (March 2005) WINNER BEST BAROQUE VOCAL... |
J. S. BACH
Bach: Cantatas Vol 10: BWV48, BWV5, BWV90 & BWV56; BWV79, BWV192 & BWV80 Joanne Lunn / William Towers / James Gilchrist / Peter Harvey / Monteverdi Choir / English Baroque Soloists / John Eliot Gardiner [ Soli Deo Gloria / 2 CD - released 20/Sep/2005 ] "This is the winner by any count." Recording of the Month Gramophone Magazine (Jan 2006) |
BERLIOZ / BOITO / VERDI
Requiem / Prologue to Mefistofele / Te Deum John Aler, tenor, Robert Shaw Chorale. Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Robert Shaw [ Telarc Classics / 2 CD - released 7/Mar/2004 ] "The performance on this recording is about as satisfying as one can imagine, and the recording itself is simply breathtaking." —Stereophile |
HEINRICH IGNAZ FRANZ von BIBER
Biber: The Mystery Sonatas John Holloway / Davitt Moroney / Tragicomedia [ Virgin Veritas / 2 CD - released 2/Sep/2002 ] "Holloway's performance stands well against the competition and not least for the imaginative support he gets from his colourful continuo group." (Penguin Guide Rosette Recording) |
RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS / HERBERT HOWELLS / FREDERICK DELIUS / SIR EDWARD ELGAR
Music for Strings John Wilson, Sinfonia Of London [ Chandos SACD / Hybrid SACD - released 3/Feb/2023 ] "I expect it has been said before, but the Sinfonia of London belongs in the Formula 1 class of orchestras, and in this repertoire sits in pole position." Gramophone Award Finalist 2023 - Orchestral |
FRANZ LISZT
Liszt: Piano Works (nine CD set) Jorge Bolet (piano) [ Decca Budget Boxes / 9 CD Box Set - released 26/May/2001 ] All Bolet's solo Liszt recordings in one box at a special price |
GEORG FRIDERIC HANDEL
Handel: Agrippina (complete opera) Joyce DiDonato, Elsa Benoit, Biagio Pizzuti, Franco Fagioli, Andrea Mastroni, Jakub Józef Orliński / l Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev [ Erato Classics / 3 CD - released 31/Jan/2020 ] "With DiDonato nonpareil in the title-role and a uniformly strong cast, this now becomes a first choice for Handel's Venetian masterpiece." Gramophone Awards 2020 WINNER - Opera |
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Beethoven: Early Cantatas Judith Howarth, Janice Watson (soprano), Jean Rigby (mezzo soprano), John Mark Ainsley (tenor), Jose Van Dam (bass) / Corydon Singers & Orchestra [ Hyperion Helios / CD - released 28/Aug/1997 ] 'Arguably Beethoven's first major masterpiece … superb performance, at once fresh and incisive and deeply moving' - PENGUIN GUIDE ROSETTE |
SAMUEL BARBER
Barber: Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Op 24 / Toccata Festiva, Op 24 Karina Gauvin (soprano) Thomas Trotter (organ) / Royal Scottish National Orchestra / Marin Alsop [ Naxos American Classics / CD - released 20/May/2004 ] "A Knoxville performance to treasure as this essential Barber series reaches a new high point" Gramophone Magazine Recording of the Month (June 2004) |
BEETHOVEN
Piano Trios Op.1 No.3 & B flat major 'Archduke' Kempf Trio [ BIS / SACD - released 1/Jul/2004 ] "...make room for pianist Freddy Kempf and his cohorts, whose individual and collective agility dazzles the ear and serves the composer well...Certainly this release bodes well for a complete Beethoven cycle from the Kempf trio, and represents its... |
PURCELL
Dido and Aeneas / Indian Queen (complete operas) Catherine Bott, Emma Kirkby, John Mark Ainsley, David Thomas / Chorus and Orchestra of The Academy of Ancient Music / Christopher Hogwood [ Decca Operas / 2 CD - released 22/Apr/2012 ] 1001 Classical recordings you must hear before you die (pre 1700) - "Key to the whole opera is the casting of Dido herself - and no singer surpasses Catherine Bott's poignant acceptance of death in the famous 'Lament'" (GP 1001 Classical recordings) |
NIKOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade (with Borodin - In the Steppes of Central Asia & Balakirev - Islamey) Kirov Orchestra, Valery Gergiev [ Decca Records / CD - released 25/Oct/2002 ] Critic's Choice - Gramophone Magazine 2002 |
PYOTR Il'yich TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Complete ballet on one CD) The Kirov Orchestra, Valery Gergiev [ Philips / CD - released 15/Apr/2003 ] 1001 Classical recordings you must hear before you die (1851-1900) - "Philips has somehow crammed more than 81 minutes of superb sound onto this disc, making it a remarkable bargain. Very highly recommended!" |
J.S. BACH
Cantatas Nos BWV179, BWV199 & BWV113 Kozena, Towers, Padmore, Loges / English Baroque Soloists / John Eliot Gardiner [ DG Archiv / CD - released 21/Oct/2000 ] A live performance of Bach's Cantatas for the 11th Sunday after Trinity. Features Magdalena Kozena's stunning performance of BWV199 "Mein Herze schwimmt in Blut" |
JOHANNES BRAHMS
Brahms: 3 Violin Sonatas Krysia Osostowicz (violin) Susan Tomes (piano) [ Hyperion / CD - released 26/May/2008 ] 'Subtle enough to suggest that for both artists these performances were a revelatory voyage of discovery' (Gramophone) |
FRANZ LISZT
Liszt: Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 2 / Totentanz Krystian Zimerman (piano) / Boston Symphony Orchestra / Seiji Ozawa [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 2/Jan/2002 ] Rosette (Highest Rating) Penguin Stereo Guide |
MAURICE RAVEL
Ravel: The Piano Concertos / Valses nobles et sentimentales (orchestral version) Krystian Zimerman (piano) Cleveland Orchestra / London Symphony / Pierre Boulez [ Deutsche Grammophon / CD - released 20/Jul/2001 ] 1999 Gramophone Award Winner: Concerto - A Penguin Stereo Guide Rosette recording |
SIBELIUS
Rondo of the Waves: The Oceanides, Op.73 / Coronation March / Porilaisten marssi / etc Lahti Symphony Orchestra conducted by Osmo Vanska [ BIS / CD - released 1/Mar/2003 ] GRAMOPHONE AWARD WINNER 2003 - Orchestral |
