A Recommended Discography of Classical Masterpieces

(except for opera)

by piero scaruffi


Detailed list of classics | The essentials for beginners | Back to the Music page | E-mail
Conductors and Orchestras | The Greatest Pianists | The Greatest Violin Players | Flutists, Cellists, etc | The Greatest Sopranos
Listen to these recordings on Spotify (thank you Luke!)

Hildegard Von Bingen: O Jerusalem
Recommended recording: Sequentia Ensemble (1995)

Machaut: Messe de Notre Dame
Recommended recording: Peres & Ensemble Organum

Des Prez: Mass "Malheur Me Bat"
Recommended recording: Tallis Scholars (2009)

Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli
Recommended recording: Peter Phillips & Tallis Scholars (2015)

Corelli: Concerti Grossi op. 6
Recommended recording: Pieter-Jan Belder & Musica Amphion (2005)

Gesualdo: Tenebrae
Recommended recording: Hilliard Ensemble (1991)

Monteverdi: Vespro Della Beata Vergine
Recommended recording: Gardiner & English Baroque Soloists (1989)

Purcell: Odes for St. Cecilia's Day
Recommended recording: Parrott & Taverner Consort (1985 & 1988)

Bach: Brandenburg Concertos
Recommended recording: Il Giardino Armonico (1997) (also Trevor Pinnock and European Brandenburg Ensemble)

Bach: Mass in b Minor BWV232
Recommended recording: Gardiner & English Baroque Soloists (1985)

Bach: St Matthew Passion
Recommended recording: Nikolaus Harnoncourt & Concentus Musikus Wien (Warner) (also Karl Richter 1958)

Bach: Christmas Oratorio
Recommended recording: Nikolaus Harnoncourt & Concentus Musikus Wien (DHM)

Bach: Goldberg Variations
Recommended recording: Glenn Gould (1955) (also Andras Schiff on ECM, Murray Perahia on Sony)

Bach: Organ Works
Recommended recording: Masaaki Suzuki (BIS)

Bach: Partitas
Recommended recording: Igor Levit (Sony Classical)

Bach: Toccatas
Recommended recording: Angela Hewitt (Hyperion)

Bach: Cello Suites:
Recommended recording: Pierre Fournier (DG) (also Steven Isserlis on Hyperion)

Bach: The Well-tempered Clavier
Recommended recording: Edwin Fischer (Naxos) or Sviatoslav Richter (1992)

Bach: The Art of Fugue
Recommended recording: Pierre-Laurent Aimard (DG)

Bach: Partita No 2 in D Minor BWV 1004
Recommended recording: Arthur Grumiaux (1961)

Handel: Water Music Suites
Recommended recording: Gardiner & English Baroque Soloists (1991) (also Trevor Pinnock and the English Concert)

Handel: Messiah
Recommended recording: Solti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1985)

Domenico Scarlatti: Sonatas
Recommended recording: Pierre Hantai (1993-2006)

Vivaldi: Cimento dell'Armonia e dell'Inventione
Recommended recording: Fabio Biondi & Europa Galante (2000)

Mozart: Piano Concertos no.21, 20, 25, 27
Recommended recording: Friedrich Gulda & Claudio Abbado & Wiener Philharmoniker (1975)

Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 35, 36, 38- 41
Recommended recording: Bohm & Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (1959-66)

Mozart: Requiem, K.626
Recommended recording: Gardiner & Monteverdi Choir & English Baroque Soloists (1986)

Mozart: String Quartets #20-23
Recommended recording: Juilliard String Quartet (1974)

Mozart: Piano Sonata No 11
Recommended recording: Mitsuko Uchida (1989)

Haydn: String Quartets opp. 76; 77; 103
Recommended recording: Amadeus String Quartet (1963-73)

Haydn: London Symphonies
Recommended recording: Bernstein & New York Philharmonic (1958-75) (Frans Bruggen and the Orchestra of the 18th Century)

Haydn: Die Schopfun (The Creation)
Recommended recording: Levine & Berliner Philharmoniker (1987)

Beethoven: The Nine Symphonies
Recommended recording: Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker (1975-77)

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas "Moonlight", "Pathetique"
Recommended recording: Barenboim

Beethoven: Sonatas in general (eg Hammerklavier)
Recommended recording: Sviatoslav Richter

Beethoven: Complete
Recommended recording: Pollini (8 CD box-set)

Beethoven: The Late Piano Sonatas no.28, 29, 30, 31 & 32
Recommended recording: Brendel (1971-75)

Beethoven: Piano Concertos 3, 4, 5
Recommended recording: Ashkenazy & Solti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Beethoven: Missa Solemnis
Recommended recording: Levine & Wiener Philharmoniker (1991)

Beethoven: Late Quartets
Recommended recording: Alban Berg Quartet

Schubert: Quartets 13,14,15
Recommended recording: Artemis Quartet (2010) (also Emerson String Quartet)

Schubert: Piano Sonata D959/D960
Recommended recording: Pollini or Krystian Zimerman

Schubert: Symphony 5
Recommended recording: Bohm & Wiener Philharmoniker (1954)

Schubert: Symphony 8
Recommended recording: Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker (1964)

Schubert: Symphony 9
Recommended recording: Solti & Wiener Philharmoniker (1981)

Schubert: Winterreise
Recommended recording: Fischer-Dieskau & Brendel (1979)

Schubert: String Quintet in C Major, D956
Recommended recording: Schiff & Alban Berg Quartett (1983)

Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique
Recommended recording: Inbal & Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester Frankfurt (1987) (also Colin Davis and the Concertgebouw Orchestra)

Mendelssohn: Symphony no.4 "Italian"
Recommended recording: Klemperer & Philharmonia Orchestra (1960) (also Abbado and the London Symphony Orchestra; Christoph von Dohnanyi and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra)

Mendelssohn: Octet Op. 20
Recommended recording: Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (1978)

Chopin: Complete Piano Pieces
Recommended recording: Arrau

Chopin: Complete
Recommended recording: Pollini (9 CD box-set)

Chopin: Piano Sonata 2
Recommended recording: Murray Perahia

Schumann: Symphony #3 and 4
Recommended recording: Bernstein & New York Philharmonic (1960)

Schumann: Piano Quintet
Recommended recording: Sviatoslav Richter & Borodin Quartet (1985)

Schumann: Concerto in A minor, Op. 54
Recommended recording: Kempff & Krips & London Symphony Orchestra (1953) (also Leif Ove Andsnes with Mariss Jansons and the Berlin Philharmonic)

Liszt: Faust Symphony
Recommended recording: Bernstein & New York Philharmonic

Liszt: Sonata in b minor
Recommended recording: Arrau (1970) or Martha Argerich

Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem
Recommended recording: Klemperer & Schwarzkopf & Fischer-Dieskau & Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus (1961)

Brahms: Symphonies #1-4
Recommended recording: Karajan & Berlin Philharmonic or Solti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra (also Chailly and the Leipzig Gewandhaus; Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic)
Recommended recording: Furtwangler & Berlin Philarmonic (last five minutes)

Brahms: Piano Quintet, op.34
Recommended recording: Pollini & Quartetto Italiano

Brahms: Piano Concerto 2
Recommended recording: Richter & Leinsdorf & Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition
Recommended recording: Maazel & Cleveland Orchestra (Dorati and the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra)

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies no.4, 5, 6 "Pathetique"
Recommended recording: Bernstein & New York Philharmonic Orchestra (also Yevgenyi Mravinsky and the Leningrad Philharmonic; Valery Gergiev and the Vienna Philharmonic; Yuri Temirkanov and the St Petersburg Philharmonic for RCA)

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto 1
Recommended recording: Gavrilov & Ashkenazy & Berliner Philharmoniker

Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D major
Recommended recording: Perlman & Ormandy & Philadelphia Orchestra

Tchaikovsky: The Swan Lake
Recommended recording: Fedotov & Mariinsky Theater Symphony Orchestra (also Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra)

Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker
Recommended recording: Gergiev & Kirov Orchestra

Dvorak: Symphony no.9 "From the New World"
Recommended recording: Bernstein & New York Philharmonic (also Kubelik and the Berlin Philharmonic; Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic; Mackerras and the Prague Symphony Orchestra)

Saint-Saens: Symphony no.3 "Organ"
Recommended recording: Lefebvre & Ozawa & Orchestre National de France

Verdi: Requiem
Recommended recording: Giulini & Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra

Faure: Requiem
Recommended recording: Equilbey & Accentus Chamber Choir & French National Orchestra

Bruckner: Symphonies 7-9
Recommended recording: Karajan & Berlin Philharmonic or Solti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Bruckner: Symphony no.5
Recommended recording: Jochum & Bavarian Radio Orchestra

Bruckner: Symphony no.8
Recommended recording: Karajan & Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Bruckner: Symphony no.9
Recommended recording: Giulini & Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Mahler: Symphony no.5
Recommended recording: Bernstein & Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra or Barbirolli & New Philharmonia Orchestra

Mahler: Symphony no.7
Recommended recording: Kirill Petrenko & Bavarian State Orchestra

Mahler: Symphony no.8
Recommended recording: Solti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Mahler: Symphony no.9
Recommended recording: Karajan & Berlin Philharmonic or Bernstein & New York Philharmonic

Sibelius: Symphony no.2
Recommended recording: Barbirolli & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Janacek: String Quartet no.1 & 2
Recommended recording: Juilliard String Quartet

Janacek: Glagolitic Mass
Recommended recording: Mackerras & Danish National Radio Choir & Orchestra

Debussy: La Mer/ Jeux/ Images/ Nocturnes/ Printemps
Recommended recording: Dutoit & Montreal Symphony Orchestra

Debussy: Jeux
Recommended recording: Pierre Boulez & the Cleveland Orchestra (Deutsche Grammophon)

Debussy: Le Martyre de Saint-Sebastien
Recommended recording: Ansermet & Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra & Cologne Radio Choir

Ravel: Quartet
Recommended recording: Quartetto Italiano

Ravel: Piano Concerto in G
Recommended recording: Francois & Cluytens & Paris Conservatory Concert Society Orchestra

Satie: Musique d'Ameublement
Recommended recording: Ensemble Ars Nova

Satie: Piano Music
Recommended recording: Queffelec (2006)

Falla: Concerto for Harpsichord, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Violin and Cello
Recommended recording: Knoblochova & Macourek

Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra
Recommended recording: Bohm & Berliner Philharmoniker

Richard Strauss: Tod und Verklaerung
Recommended recording: Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker

Schoenberg: Verklarte Nacht, op.4
Recommended recording: Boulez & Ensemble Intercontemporain

Schoenberg: Pierrot Lunaire
Recommended recording: Sinopoli & Staatskapelle Dresden

Schoenberg: Piano Concerto
Recommended recording: Boulez & Cleveland Orchestra

Holst: The Planets
Recommended recording: Previn & London Symphony Orchestra (also Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra; Levine and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra)

Orff: Carmina Burana
Recommended recording: Thielemann & Berlin State Opera Orchestra (also Jochum and the Deutsche Oper Berlin; Levine and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra)

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 3 for soprano or tenor & orchestra "Pastoral"
Recommended recording: Norrington & London Philharmonic Orchestra

Scriabin: Symphony #3 "Divine Poem"
Recommended recording: Pletnev & Russian National Orchestra

Scriabin: Poem of Ecstasy
Recommended recording: Abbado & Boston Symphony Orchestra

Scriabin: Prometheus
Recommended recording: Gergiev & Kirov Orchestra

Scriabin: Piano Sonata No 2
Recommended recording: Yuja Wang

Ives: Symphony #4
Recommended recording: Tilson Thomas & Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto #2 and #3
Recommended recording: Gavrilov & Muti & Philadelphia Orchestra

Varese: Ionization, Ameriques, Density 21.5, Offrandes, Arcana,Octandre, Integrales
Recommended recording: Boulez & New York Philharmonic & Ensemble Intercontemporain

Bloch: Schelomo
Recommended recording: Rostropovich & Bernstein & Orchestre National de France

Bartok: String Quartets no.1-6
Recommended recording: Emerson String Quartet

Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra
Recommended recording: Reiner & Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Bartok: Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta
Recommended recording: Ozawa & Berlin Philharmonic

Bartok: Piano concertos 1-3
Recommended recording: Schiff & Fischer & Budapest Festival Orchestra

Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps
Recommended recording: Gergiev & Kirov Orchestra

Stravinsky: Petrushka
Recommended recording: Chailly & Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Webern: Complete
Recommended recording: Boulez & Berliner Philharmoniker & Emerson String Quartet & Ensemble InterContemporain

Berg: Violin Concerto
Recommended recording: Perlman & Ozawa & Boston Symphony Orchestra

Martinu: Symphony #6
Recommended recording: Jarvi & Bamberg Symphony Orchestra

Martinu: Double Concerto
Recommended recording: Mackerras & Orchestra Sinfonica Radio Praga

Prokofev: Piano Concerto 3
Recommended recording: Argerich & Abbado & Berliner Philharmoniker

Prokofev: Piano Concerto 5
Recommended recording: Ashkenazy & Previn & London Symphony Orchestra

Prokofev: Aleksandr Nevsky
Recommended recording: Schippers & New York Philharmonic

Prokofev: Piano Sonata 7
Recommended recording: Sviatoslav Richter or Martha Argerich

Prokofev: Simphony 5
Recommended recording: Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker

Prokofev: Symphony 6
Recommended recording: Rozhdestvensky & Soviet State Symphony Orchestra; or Zdenek Kosler & Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

Hindemith: Violin Concerto
Recommended recording: Oistrakh & Horenstein & London Symphony Orchestra

Hindemith: Noblissima Visione
Recommended recording: Abbado & Berliner Philharmoniker

Gerhard: The Plague
Recommended recording: Dorati & National Symphony Orchestra

Cowell: Symphony 11
Recommended recording: Louisville Symphony Orchestra

Cowell: Quartets
Recommended recording: Colorado Quartet

Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue
Recommended recording: Bernstein & Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Poulenc: Concert Champetre (1928)
Recommended recording: Roge & Dutoit & Orchestre National de France

Shostakovich: Symphony no.5
Recommended recording: Bernstein & New York Philharmonic

Shostakovich: Piano Quintet op.57
Recommended recording: Sviatoslav Richter & Borodin Quartet

Shostakovich: Symphony 1
Recommended recording: Bernstein & Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Shostakovich: Symphony 7
Recommended recording: Bernstein & Chicago Symphony Orchestra (also Yuri Temirkanov & St Petersburg Philharmonic on Signum; or Paavo Jarvi & Russian National Orchestra on Pentatone; Valery Gergiev & Mariinsky Orchestra)

Shostakovich: Symphony 8
Recommended recording: Mravinsky & Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra

Shostakovich: Symphony 10
Recommended recording: Mravinsky & Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra (also Yuri Temirkanov and the Verbier Festival Orchestra)

Shostakovich: Symphony 12
Recommended recording: Kondrashin & Moscow Philharmonic

Shostakovich: Symphony no.13
Recommended recording: Temirkanov & St Petersburg Philharmonic

Shostakovich: Symphony 14
Recommended recording: Kondrashin & Moscow Philharmonic

Shostakovich: Symphony 15
Recommended recording: Haitink & London Symphony Orchestra

Shostakovich: Quartets 8-15
Recommended recording: Emerson Quartet

Shostakovich: Cello Concerto 1
Recommended recording: Ma & Ormandy & Philadelphia Orchestra

Shostakovich: Cello Concerto 2
Recommended recording: Rostropovich & Oistrakh & Moscow State Philharmonic Orchestra

Shostakovich: Violin Concerto 1
Recommended recording: Oistrakh & Mravinsky & Leningrad Philharmonic

Shostakovich: Violin Concerto 2
Recommended recording: Oistrakh & Rozhdestvensky & Moscow Philharmonic

Shostakovich: Piano Concerto 1
Recommended recording: Previn & Bernstein & New York Philharmonic

Shostakovich: Piano Concerto 2
Recommended recording: Bernstein & Bernstein & New York Philharmonic

Messiaen: Quatuor Pour la fin du Temps
Recommended recording: Barenboim, Yordanoff, Tetard, Desurmont

Messiaen: Turangalila Symphonie
Recommended recording: Wit & Polish Radio Orchestra & Chorus Katowice

Messiaen: La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jesus-Christ
Recommended recording: Chung & Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra

Messiaen: Catalogue d'Oiseaux
Recommended recording: Ugorski

Britten: War Requiem
Recommended recording: Fischer-Dieskau & Pears & Vishnevskaya & Preston & Britten

Britten: Cello Symphony
Recommended recording: Rostropovich & New Philharmonia Orchestra

Petrassi: Coro di Morti
Recommended recording: Botstein & American Symphony Orchestra
From this point on, the issue is not so much to find great works but to find great performances of such works. So some modern masterpieces are not listed here because there is no great recording to recommend. There are, however, great live performances around the world. Only a tiny minority gets recorded by the music labels because the market for modern music is obviously not as big as the market for famous symphonies.
See this page, this page and this page for a list of compositions.

Tippett: A Child Of Our Time
Recommended recording: Thomas, Fujimura, Davislim, Rose & Davis & London Symphony Orchestra (2008)

Scelsi: String Quartets
Recommended recording: Arditti String Quartet (1990)

Tubin: Symphony 8
Recommended recording: Jarvi & Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra (1986)

Carter: Concerto for Orchestra
Recommended recording: Knussen & London Sinfonietta (1991)

Carter: Double Concerto
Recommended recording: Jacobs & Kalish & Contemporary Chamber Ensemble (1975)

Carter: Symphony for Three Orchestras
Recommended recording: Boulez & New York Philharmonic (1977)

Cage: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
Recommended recording: Tudor & Metzmacher & Ensemble Modern

Lutoslawski: Symphony 3
Recommended recording: Barenboim & Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1992)

Lutoslawski: Symphony 4
Recommended recording: Bakowski & Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (1994)

Lutoslawski: Concerto for Orchestra
Recommended recording: Barenboim & Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1992)

Lutoslawski: Cello Concerto
Recommended recording: Rostropovich & Orchestre de Paris (1974)

Babbitt: Philomel
Recommended recording: Beardslee

Harrison: Concerto in Slendro
Recommended recording: Sacher & Schlagzeugensemble

Harrison: La Koro-sutro
Recommended recording: Bergamo & American Gamelan & UC Berkeley Chorus

Bernstein: Symphony 2 "The Age of Anxiety"
Recommended recording: Lipkin & Bernstein & New York Philharmonic (1959)

Rochberg: Contra Mortem Et Tempus
Recommended recording: Aeolian Quartet of Sarah Lawrence College

Xenakis: Kraanerg
Recommended recording: Bornstein & ST-X Ensemble (1996)

Ligeti: Quartets
Recommended recording: Arditti String Quartet (1994)

Ligeti: Requiem
Recommended recording: Nott & Berliner Philharmoniker (2002)

Ligeti: Double Concerto
Recommended recording: Holliger & Zoon & Nott & Berliner Philharmoniker & London Voices (2002)

Nono: Canto Sospeso
Recommended recording: Abbado & Berliner Philharmoniker (1992)

Nono: Intolleranza
Recommended recording: Kontarsky & Staatsoper Stuttgart (1993)

Boulez: Le Marteau Sans Maitre
Recommended recording: Boulez & Ensemble Musique Vivante (1972)

Boulez: Pli Selon Pli
Recommended recording: Boulez & BBC Symphony Orchestra (1981)

Boulez: Repons
Recommended recording: Boulez & Ensemble InterContemporain (1996)

Rautavaara: Symphony no.7 "Angel of Light"
Recommended recording: Segerstam & Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra (1995)

Berio: Coro
Recommended recording: Cologne Radio Chorus and Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra (1979)

Berio: Sinfonia
Recommended recording: Boulez & Orchestre National De France (1984)

Feldman: Rothko Chapel
Recommended recording: UC Berkeley Chamber Chorus (1990)

Feldman: Crippled Symmetry
Recommended recording: California EAR Unit (1999)

Barraque: Piano Sonata
Recommended recording: Litwin (1997)

Barraque: Concerto for clarinet, vibraphone and six instrumental trios
Recommended recording: Cambreling & Klangforum Wien (1995)

Stockhausen: Gesang der Junglinge
Recommended recording: Stockhausen (1956)

Stockhausen: Gruppen
Recommended recording: Eotvos & WDR Sinfonieorchester Koln (1997)

Stockhausen: Momente
Recommended recording: Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra (1965)

Stockhausen: Hymnen
Recommended recording: Stockhausen (1969)

Stockhausen: Stimmung
Recommended recording: Rose & Singcircle (1983)

Stockhausen: Mantra
Recommended recording: Pestova & Meyer & Panis (2009)

Takemitsu: Guitar concerto "To The Edge Of Dream"
Recommended recording: Williams & Salonen & London Sinfonietta (1989)

Takemitsu: November Steps for biwa, shakuhachi and orchestra
Recommended recording: Ozawa & Toronto Symphony Orchestra (1969)

Kagel: Match
Recommended recording: Palm, Storck, Caskel

Kagel: Exotica
Recommended recording: Caskel, Portal, Palm, Ross, Globokar, Bruck (1971)

Bussotti: Rara Requiem
Recommended recording: Taverna & Saar Radio Symphony Orchestra & Saarbrucken Conservatory Chorus (1971)

Gubaidulina: Offertorium
Recommended recording: Kremer & Dutoit & Boston Symphony Orchestra (1988)

Gubaidulina: Canticle for the Sun
Recommended recording: Reuss & Prometheus Ensemble (2004)

Gubaidulina: Seven Last Words
Recommended recording: Mynbaev & Collegium Musicum Chamber Orchestra (1991)

Gubaidulina: St John's Passion
Recommended recording: Gergiev & St Petersburg Maryinsky Theatre (2001)

Norgard: Symphony 3
Recommended recording: Segerstam & Danish National Radio Choir (1996)

Penderecki: Polish Requiem
Recommended recording: Wit & Warsaw National Philharmonic Choir & Orchestra (2003)

Penderecki: Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima
Recommended recording: Wit & Polish National Radio Symphony (1998)

Penderecki: Symphony #7
Recommended recording: Wit & Warsaw National Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra (2003)

Gorecki: Concerto for Harpsichord
Recommended recording: Chojnacka & Stenz & London Sinfonietta (1994)

Gorecki: Symphony no.3 "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs"
Recommended recording: Dawn Upshaw & Zinman & London Sinfonietta (1991)

Schnittke: Symphony #8
Recommended recording: Rozhdestvensky & Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra (1994)

Schnittke: Piano Quintet
Recommended recording: Molinari Quartet & Bouvrette (2013)

Schnittke: Cello Concerto #1
Recommended recording: Ivashkin & Polyansky & Russian State Symphony Orchestra

Schnittke: Viola Concerto
Recommended recording: Bashmet & Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Schnittke: Violin Sonata #2 "Quasi una Sonata" (1968)
Recommended recording: Kremer & Gavrilov

Birtwistle: Tragoedia
Recommended recording: Boulez & Ensemble InterContemporain

Birtwistle: Triumph of Time
Recommended recording: Boulez & BBC Symphony Orchestra

Maxwell Davies: Eight Songs For A Mad King
Recommended recording: Davies & Fires of London

Maxwell Davies: Naxos Quartets
Recommended recording: Maggini Quartet

Part: Te Deum
Recommended recording: Karljuste & Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

Part: Symphony No. 3 (1971)
Recommended recording: Jarvi & Bamberg Symphony Orchestra

Part: Tabula Rasa
Recommended recording: Schnittke & Sondeckis & Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra

Reich: Drumming
Recommended recording: Reich & Musicians

Reich: Music for 18 Musicians
Recommended recording: Steve Reich Ensemble (ECM)

Reich: Double Sextet
Recommended recording: Eighth Blackbird)

DelTredici: Final Alice
Recommended recording: Hendricks & Solti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Glass: Music In Twelve Parts
Recommended recording: Riesman & Philip Glass Ensemble

Balakauskas: Ostrobothnian Symphony
Recommended recording: Kangas & Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra

Coates: Symphony No. 14
Recommended recording: Poppen & Munich Chamber Orchestra

Harbison: Concerto for Oboe, Clarinet and Strings
Recommended recording: Yoo & Pearson & Sternberg & Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra

Harbison: Symphony 3
Recommended recording: Levine & Munich Philharmonic Orchestra

Corigliano: Symphony 1
Recommended recording: Barenboim & Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Wuorinen: Time's Encomium
Recommended recording: Wuorinen

Wuorinen: Symphony of Percussions
Recommended recording: Wuorinen & New Jersey Percussion Ensemble

Zwilich: Symphony 2
Recommended recording: Louisville Orchestra, Lawrence Leighton Smith,

Zwilich: Triple Concerto for Piano, Violin and Cello
Recommended recording: Stern & Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio & Florida State University Orchestra

Andriessen: De Tijd
Recommended recording: Leeuw & Schoenberg Ensemble & Percussion Group The Hague & Netherlands Chamber Choir

Andriessen: De Materie
Recommended recording: Leeuw & Asko Ensemble & Schoenberg Ensemble & Netherlands Chamber Choir

Andriessen: Symfonie voor Losse Snaren
Recommended recording: Spanjaard & Caecilia Consort

Harvey: Bhakti
Recommended recording: Vaillancourt & Nouvel Ensemble Moderne

Harvey: Speakings For Large Orchestra And Electronics (2008)
Recommended recording: Volkov & BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Harvey: Bird Concerto with Pianosong (2003)
Recommended recording: Nagano & Atherton & London Sinfonietta

Nemescu: Septuor for 4 o'clock AM & Quintabeit for 5 o'clock AM
Recommended recording: Archaeus Ensemble

Radulescu: Piano Concerto "The Quest"
Recommended recording: Stumer & Zagrosek & Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra

Maslanka: Symphony 4
Recommended recording: Steele & Illinois State University Wind Symphony

Maslanka: Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble
Recommended recording: Steele & Illinois State University Wind Symphony

Ivan Tcherepnin: Double Concerto for Violin and Cello
Recommended recording: Chang & Rudin & Alexeyev & Musica Viva Orchestra

Tavener: The Protecting Veil
Recommended recording: Rozhdestvensky & London Symphony Orchestra

Tavener: Akathist Of Thanksgiving
Recommended recording: Neary & BBC Symphony Orchestra & Westminster Abbey Choir

Nyman: Water Dances
Recommended recording: Michael Nyman Band

Nyman: Double Concerto
Recommended recording: Webber & Harle & Philharmonia Orchestra

Rutter: Requiem
Recommended recording: Cambridge Singers & City Of London Sinfonia

Grisey: Derives pour deux groupes d'orchestre
Recommended recording: Mercier & Orchestre National De France

Murail: Gondwana
Recommended recording: Prin & Orchestre National de France

Satoh: Stabat Mater
Recommended recording: Thorngren & Pro Arte Chorale

Ruders: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 2
Recommended recording: Hirsch & Schonwandt & Collegium Musicum

Aho: Symphony 7
Recommended recording: Pommer & Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra

Aho: Symphony No. 11 For Six Percussionists And Orchestra
Recommended recording: Vanska & Kroumata Percussion Ensemble & Lahti Symphony Orchestra

Chambers: Symphony Of The Universe
Recommended recording: New York Timpani Choir & Walter Thompson Big Band

Chambers: Mass for Mass Trombones
Recommended recording: Gilbert & Trombone Ensemble

Lam: Like Water
Recommended recording: Abel-Steinberg-Winant Trio

Gordon: Weather
Recommended recording: Ziporyn & Ensemble Resonanz

Golijov: Oceana
Recommended recording: Atlanta Symphony Chorus

Golijov: Ayre
Recommended recording: Upshaw & Andalucian Dogs

Torke: Color Music
Recommended recording: Zinman & Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

Torke: Music on the Floor
Recommended recording: Zagrosek & London Sinfonietta

Ades: Asyla
Recommended recording: Rattle & City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Ades: Concentric Paths violin concerto
Recommended recording: Ades & Marwood & Chamber Orchestra of Europe

Bates: Digital Loom
Recommended recording: Bates & Antares


Detailed list of classics | The essentials for beginners | Conductors and Orchestras | Back to the Music page | E-mail
The Essential Sonatas
The Essential Symphonies and other Orchestral Works
The Essential Piano Concertos
The Greatest Pianists
The Essential Concertos (except piano)
The Greatest Violin Players
The Essential Trios, Quartets, Quintets, Sextets
The Greatest Flutists, Cellists, etc
Music for Chamber Ensemble
The Essential Operas
The Essential Ballets
The Best of Early Electronic Music
The Greatest Vocal Music
Best of Jazz Music
Best of Rock Music
For those who were familiar with the old version, you can still find it here.