David, are you going up to the first 100 suggested recordings? I like this idea, as you said, it is a list that could never be duplicated anywhere else, and is based on all our own individual picks!
It seemed worth a try, Ray. So far I'm surprised by a few of the picks members deem essential for newbies, but that's partly the point of such a list, right? And I had thought more members might wish to participate, but perhaps I misjudged the number posting regularly these days. Guess I should have made it another "Mahler v. Bruckner: Deathmatch!" poll if I really wanted more to join in.

So perhaps we should follow Sarah's lead and each nominate a second choice to see where that takes us...? So far we have (alphabetized):
1. Bach: Cello Suites - Pierre Fournier/DG

2. Bach Solo Violin Sonatas and Partitas -- Enescu
3. Bach - Goldberg Variations - Hantai/Mirare.
4. Beethoven Symphonies 5 and 7--Carlos Kleiber/Vienna Philharmonic
5. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 5 (Kempff, van Kempen)
6. Bloch: Evocations, James Sedares, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Koch
7. Brahms Symphony No. 4 - Reiner/Royal Philharmonic
8. Chopin - Études (Pollini, Deutsche Grammophon)
9. Durufle & Faure Requiems- Cleobury/ECO & Choir of KCC/Barley/Bar/Murray
10. Ligeti - Etudes, bks. 1-3 -- Aimard
11. Mahler,
Das Lied von der Erde -- Ludwig/Wunderlich/Klemperer/Philharmonia
12. Martin: Der Cornet. Die Weise von Liebe und Tod des Cornets. Lipovsek/ORFSO/Zagrosek Orfeo
13. Mozart, Late Symphonies, Harnoncourt, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
14. Ravel - Piano Trio - Rouvier/Kantorow/Muller (Erato)
15. Schubert - String Quintet in C major (Emerson SQ or Melos Qt w/Rostropovich)
16. Schubert - Sonata in G, D. 894 - Sviatoslav Richter
17. Shostakovich SQ 8, by either the Borodins or Emersons
18. Stravinsky The Rite of Spring -- Bernstein NYPO ('58)
19. Tallis - Spem In Alium / Salve Intemerata (Oxford Camerata - Jeremy Summerly / Naxos)
20. Verdi Requiem. Toscanini, NBC 1951.
plus Lethe's second pick: Wagner - Tristan und Isolde (Bohm 1966/DG)
for my second pick:
Sibelius, Symphony #5 + Violin Concerto, Haendel/Berglund/Bournemouth