Most Important Recordings in Classical Music

[Bogey]

Just wanted your opinion on what you think are the four or five most "important" recordings in classical music. Not necessarily your favorites, but ones you consider landmark recordings that everyone, new or old to this genre should know about.  Thanks!

[Brian]

Hmm, important historically speaking? "Important" in the sense that the recordings are, say, great or profound or the best interpretation ever made of something - or "important" in the sense that they were landmarks historically, that they ushered in a new era or a new style or changed everybody's perception of a piece?

Sorry to nitpick on your question   

For the "historically important" definition, my second one, I think Karajan's '62-3 Beethoven cycle, Schnabel's Beethoven and Louis Kaufman's Four Seasons are contenders. All have been (arguably!) bettered, but they remain milestones in recording history and are still among the "references" for each piece.

EDIT: I think "most important recent recordings" could be an interesting question too. Vanska's Beethoven; things by Yevgeny Sudbin, Charles Mackerras, Rene Jacobs and Kemal Gekic, the Trio Campanella's Albeniz disc...

[some guy]

Four or five?

Why only four or five? (Is this another April Fool's post? )

[Bogey]

Hmm, important historically speaking? "Important" in the sense that the recordings are, say, great or profound or the best interpretation ever made of something - or "important" in the sense that they were landmarks historically, that they ushered in a new era or a new style or changed everybody's perception of a piece?

Sorry to nitpick on your question   

For the "historically important" definition, my second one, I think Karajan's '62-3 Beethoven cycle, Schnabel's Beethoven and Louis Kaufman's Four Seasons are contenders. All have been (arguably!) bettered, but they remain milestones in recording history and are still among the "references" for each piece.

Left "important" up to the reader Brian.  Your definitions are fine and you can answer both ways. 

Four or five?

Why only four or five? (Is this another April Fool's post? )

Just wanted to prevent the 1-100 type list and boil down to extremely key recordings some guy, therefore leaving room for  the poster to justify their picks at some level.  I truly do not know what I would list, so that is why I asked the question. 

[Bogey]

For example, you may say, historically speaking ______________ has to be in the conversation because_____________.

or

_____________ is a very important recording in the canon of classical recordings because ______________.

[BorisG]

Just wanted your opinion on what you think are the four or five most "important" recordings in classical music. Not necessarily your favorites, but ones you consider landmark recordings that everyone, new or old to this genre should know about.  Thanks!

Casals Bach Cello Suites
Gould Bach Goldberg Variations (1955)
Schnabel Beethoven Piano Sonatas
Karajan Beethoven Symphonies (1962)
Beethoven Qt. Shostakovich String Quartets

[MN Dave]

Schnabel Beethoven
Casals Bach
Gould Goldberg
Karajan Beethoven
Kleiber Beethoven

[marvinbrown]

Just wanted your opinion on what you think are the four or five most "important" recordings in classical music. Not necessarily your favorites, but ones you consider landmark recordings that everyone, new or old to this genre should know about.  Thanks!

  This:

 
 

  According to Penguin Guide to CDs the above recording is "One of the great achievements of the gramophone".  According to marvinbrown  it is THE greatest achievement of the gramophone!

  EDIT: Sorry but I should have elaborated a bit more on why this recording is important.  This is one of the very first studio recordings of the COMPLETE Ring Cycle.  Solti was lucky, damn lucky, you can call it fate- kismet! He had the perfect cast, the perfect orchestra, everything came together so well that this recording has become the benchmark against which every other Ring Cycle has been measured.  It has achieved the status of "UNSURPASSED" and in many ways it is "UNSURPASSED"!!
 

  marvin
 

[The new erato]

Gould Goldberg was my immediate reaction - for rejuvenating the Bach keyboard tradition (though I am well aware of Fischer, Landowska etc).

Harnoncourt/Leonhardt Bach cantata cycle is my other "nomination" - the first to do it complete (again I am aware of Richter, Werner and others substantial contributions): and for being a landmark in early HIP practice.

[Anne]

Tristan und Isolde qualifies.  Also Pelleas et Melisande

[marvinbrown]

Tristan und Isolde qualifies.  Also Pelleas et Melisande

  Anne which CD recording of Tristan und Isolde do you consider "most important"- Bohm, Furtwangler or other?

  marvin

[Haffner]

  This:

 
 

  According to Penguin Guide to CDs the above recording is "One of the great achievements of the gramophone".  According to marvinbrown  it is THE greatest achievement of the gramophone!

 

  marvin
 

Agreed. Also:

Beethoven 9 Symphonien (Herbert Von Karajan 1962)
Joseph Haydn op. 20 (Quatuor Mosaiques)
Mozart Don Giovanni (1953 Furtwangler)
Verdi La Traviata (Solti,Gheorghiu)

[FideLeo]

One of the Personally very important - saved me from giving up on sung Wagner altogether -- historically also very important - reminder that Wagner singing can be beautiful. 

[Haffner]

One of the Personally very important - saved me from giving up on sung Wagner altogether -- historically also very important - reminder that Wagner singing can be beautiful. 

HEYYYY. I want!

[greg]

music of the gods!  0:)

[Haffner]

music of the gods!  0:)

JAH-min'!

[Bogey]

If any of you have not and have the time, I would like to know what makes some of your pick important.  If they are histoically important, why?  Was it the first complete cycle?  Was it the first stereo recording? etc.

[greg]

If any of you have not and have the time, I would like to know what makes some of your pick important.  If they are histoically important, why?  Was it the first complete cycle?  Was it the first stereo recording? etc.

I think mine is important because it's Karajan doing something more "modern", instead of the classicists and Romantics. Instead of letting a bunch of unknown conductors  (besides Boulez) performing unpopular music, get someone who's ultra popular to perform this good stuff!

[Bogey]

I think mine is important because it's Karajan doing something more "modern", instead of the classicists and Romantics. Instead of letting a bunch of unknown conductors  (besides Boulez) performing unpopular music, get someone who's ultra popular to perform this good stuff!

Thank you Greg.  This makes me want to hear it.

[greg]

Thank you Greg.  This makes me want to hear it.

It's time to get your Goth on, Bogey. 








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