Essential Classical Music - The Consensus Reference Recordings
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- Опубликовано: 12 июл 2024
- In this edition of Essential Classical Music, I look at the consensus reference recordings of the basic repertoire, those that have most stood the test of time and are most commonly recommended by critics and enthusiasts alike.
I cover the following works:
Bach, Brandenburg Concertos/Orchestral Suites
Bach, Violin Concertos
Bach, Cello Suites
Bach, Violin Sonatas & Partitas
Bach, Organ works
Bach, Goldberg Variations
Bach, Well-tempered Clavier
Bach, Cantata No. 82 "Ich habe genug"
Bach, Mass in B minor
Bach, St Matthew Passion
Bartok, Concerto for Orchestra/Music for Strings
Bartok, String Quartets
Beethoven, Symphony No. 3 “Eroica”
Beethoven, Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7
Beethoven, Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral”
Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 "Choral"
Beethoven, Piano Concerto No. 4
Beethoven, Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor"
Beethoven, Violin Concerto
Beethoven, String Quartets
Beethoven, Piano Trio No. 7 "Archduke”
Beethoven, Violin Sonata No. 9 "Kreutzer"
Beethoven, Piano Sonatas
Beethoven, Missa Solemnis
Berlioz, Symphonie fantastique
Berlioz, Les nuits d'ete
Bizet, Carmen
Brahms, Symphony No. 1
Brahms, Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3
Brahms, Symphony No. 4
Brahms, Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Brahms, Violin Concerto
Brahms, Clarinet Quintet
Brahms, Piano Quintet
Brahms, Ein Deutsches Requiem
Bruch, Violin Concerto
Bruckner, Symphony No. 4
Bruckner, Symphony No. 7
Bruckner, Symphony No. 8
Bruckner, Symphony No. 9
Chopin, Ballades
Chopin, Etudes
Chopin, Nocturnes
Chopin, Preludes
Chopin, Waltzes
Copland, Appalachian Spring
Debussy, La Mer/Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
Debussy/Ravel, String Quartets
Debussy, Piano works
Dvorak, Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9
Dvorak, Cello Concerto
Dvorak, String Quartet No. 12 “American”
Elgar, Cello Concerto
Elgar, Enigma Variations
Faure, Requiem
Franck, Violin Sonata
Gershwin, Rhapsody in blue, An American in Paris
Grieg/Schumann, Piano Concertos
Handel, Water Music/Music for the Royal Fireworks
Handel, Messiah
Handel, Giulio Cesare
Haydn, Symphonies Nos. 93-104 "London"
aydn, String Quartets, Op. 76
Haydn, The Creation
Holst, The Planets
Josquin, Missa Pange Lingua
Liszt, Piano Concerto No. 1
Liszt, Piano Sonata
Mahler, Symphony No. 1
Mahler, Symphony No. 2
Mahler, Symphony No. 3
Mahler, Symphony No. 4
Mahler, Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6
Mahler, Symphony No. 9
Mahler, Das Lied von der Erde
Mendelssohn, Symphony No. 3, Midsummer Night’s
Mendelssohn, Symphony No. 4 “Italian”
Mendelssohn, Violin Concerto
Mendelssohn, Octet
Monteverdi, Vespers of 1610
Mozart, Symphonies Nos. 35-41
Mozart, Piano Concertos
Mozart, Clarinet Concerto/Clarinet Quintet
Mozart, Sinfonia Concertante
Mozart, String quintets
Mozart, Requiem
Mozart, Don Giovanni
Mozart, Le Nozze di Figaro
Mozart, Der Zauberflöte
Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition
Orff, Carmina Burana
Palestrina, Missa Papae Marcelli
Prokofiev, Symphony No. 5
Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No. 3
Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet
Puccini, La bohème
Puccini, Madama Butterfly
Puccini, Tosca
Puccini, Turandot
Rachmaninoff, Symphony No. 2
Rachmaninoff, Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3
Ravel, Piano Concerto
Ravel, Daphnis et Chloe
Ravel, Gaspard de la nuit
Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade
Rossini, Il barbiere di Siviglia
Saint-Saens, Symphony No. 3 "Organ"
Schubert, Symphony No. 8 “Unfinished”
Schubert, Symphony No. 9 “Great”
Schubert, “Trout” Quintet
Schubert, String Quintet
Schubert, String Quartet No. 14 "Death & the Maiden"
Schubert, Piano Sonata No. 21
Schubert, Winterreise
Schumann, Piano Quintet
Schumann, Kreisleriana
Schumann, Dichterliebe
Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5
Shostakovich, Symphony No. 10
Shostakovich, String Quartet No. 8
Sibelius, Symphony No. 2
Sibelius, Symphony No. 5
Sibelius, Symphony No. 7
Sibelius, Violin Concerto
Smetana, Má vlast
Strauss, Eine Alpensinfonie
Strauss, Also sprach Zarathustra
Strauss, Ein Heldenleben
Strauss, Til Eulenspiegel/Don Juan/Tod und Verklärung
Strauss, Four Last Songs
Strauss, Der Rosenkavalier
Strauss, Salome
Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring, Petrushka
Stravinsky, The Firebird
Tallis, Spem in alium
Tchaikovsky, Symphonies Nos. 4-6
Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto No. 1
Tchaikovsky, Violin Concerto
Tchaikovsky, 1812 Overture
Tchaikovsky, Ballet suites
Verdi, Requiem
Verdi, Aida
Verdi, Otello
Verdi, Rigoletto
Verdi, La Traviata
Vivaldi, The Four Seasons
Wagner, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Wagner, Parsifal
Wagner, Der Ring des Nibelungen
Wagner, Tristan und Isolde
0:00 Introduction
10:52 Bach
24:02 Beethoven
42:03 Brahms
52:07 Chopin
58:22 Dvorak
1:06:24 Handel
1:16:49 Mahler
1:26:58 Mozart
1:39:15 Puccini
1:50:03 Schubert
1:58:16 Schumann
2:05:24 Strauss
2:10:37 Stravinsky
2:16:57 Verdi
2:22:36 Wagner 
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Y'know...when it comes to Bach organ works, I think Biggs got a raw deal. I think the purists just "pooh-poohed" him in favor of European players like Walcha and Alain. But since I've gotten into used open reel tapes, and collected Biggs' Bach, I've come to learn he was an absolutely marvelous player and interpreter. Never overly emotive as Hurford or Curley could be, but always very accurate and musical. Biggs really knew what he was doing. I guess that's why Columbia label made him a recording star.
Great to see someone else giving a nod to Biggs, who I agree got a raw deal. I remember his radio shows when I was a kid in the 50's. Later I had several of his LP's. Great stuff, across a broad spectrum of organ music. There's a good bunch on RUclips for anyone who wants to check him out.
Recently a box of Biggs's "historic organs" was issued by Sony/BMG. It's well worth the money.
Biggs’s Bach recordings on the Flentrop organ at Harvard are great. His Gigue Fugue played on that instrument remains my favorite.
😎🎹
Be ready for the inevitable problem of folks understanding the difference between the criteria for a "reference" recording versus a "best" recording. (Some of us here also subscribe to another channel that is featuring reference recordings, which makes for an interesting comparison.)
A live with both would be very fun
Amazing video, thank you so much
Thank you for this anthology! I watched the entire video, although not at once.
In 1996 I compiled a discography for the Flemish public libraries (Flanders is the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium). The intention was to present a representative basic repertoire of classical music and to provide the musical works with a number of reference performances that were available on CD. For the latter I used a number of well-known music guides that also provide an overview of the classical repertoire and recommend a selection of reference recordings (Gramophone good CD Guide, Diapason dictionnaire des disques et des compacts, The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs and Cassettes). I then went looking for the recordings that were recommended by multiple sources at the same time. Music criticism is of course not an exact science, but it was striking that there was a fairly large critical consensus on many recordings. That way I could distill a kind of canon of top recordings. It will not surprise you that many of the CDs you showed appear in this canon.
But... we are so many years further now. It is remarkable that there are no recent recordings in your consensus overview. Almost all recordings are at least 30 years old.
I think a lot of it has to do with a lack of solid contemporary information sources. The best-known reference works are now outdated and new printed editions are no longer published. The internet is teeming with CD recommendations and lists, but I do not immediately see a comparable systematic, comprehensive project with the same ambition and quality as the printed reference works of the time. In my opinion, this creates a static and ‘frozen’ image of that recording canon. It is as if the current generation of musicians is not capable of creating new, surpassing reference performances. And that doesn't seem likely to me.
In any case, good luck with your video channel!
Thanks you for your comments! A lot has changed in the past few decades, and it is not just with classical music. I think music recording was at its zenith in the second half of the 20th century, and there is a struggle now to maintain the vitality of the industry.. it is similar to the issue of new compositions competing with the past. Incidentally, my mother’s family is Flemish. She is from Lille.
I know a dozen interpretations of ’Four last songs - Vier letzte Lieder’. I am a native speaker of the german language.
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf’s interpretation is done with deep understanding of the meaning and weight of every word she sings. - Und she does sing with the most beautiful and touching sadness, tenderness, delivering so much comfort and warmth, that it would be my choice of music for listening to while dying.
Und I agree!
Thanks a lot Gil for this very complete and instructive video. On Chopin and in particular the Nocturnes I would have included the great Claudio Arrau (also for the Beethoven piano sonatas) and Ivan Moravec. Fully agree with Lipatti for the Waltzes! Best wishes, Ignacio
I'm glad you mention some American books at the beginning. The long British hegemony over English-language classical music discourse has been problematic at best, ridiculous at worst, and is its own topic worth discussing at length.
Hoo boy...going down a rabbit hole with this one. LOL
On the one hand, I use a lot of suggestions and reviews to discover new recordings. On the other hand, I would never let any critic tell me how centuries-old music has to be played today in order to be considered a reference recording, and with which instruments. I find some pompous dogmatists of the so-called historically informed style particularly silly. There are wonderful recordings in different styles and from different periods.
This is the Ring Cycle of classical music RUclips (long, not overrated)
Isn't it great we have fantastic streaming services like Idagio who offer a huge number of recordings of the same work by many different artists and ensembles? Just take your time to listen to as many of your favourite works as you like and form your own opinion. Of course this refers to your "favourite works" only as that grants you sufficient time to compare.
I found 90 recordings of Beethoven's 9th symphony. Containing versions of one conductor with different orchestras and/or date of recording as well as some remastered versions of one work. In the case of the 9th more than fifty different recordings.
Before Carlos Kleiber's stereo recording of the Beethoven #5 was named the reference, father Erich's with the Concertgebow was almost indisputably the monophonic reference. I've oftened wondered if that factored into acclaim for son's recording.
the Penguin Classical Music guide was useful when i started collecting classical music in the 90s if taken with a pinch of salt - though i found a lot of so called reference recordings boring and a lot of budget obscure orchestras and artists surprisingly very good! my advice is to have a lot of fun listening to everything you can. One good tip if you like Tchaikovsky check out the Russian orchestras first, Sibelius the Finnish orchestras and conductors and so on..
Decca released a newly remastered version of Klemperers Mahler 2 ’Resurrection’ a short while ago 🥰
Gil....what an interesting video and as is apparent from some of the comments, one that poses different opinions.
I look at music like all art forms as a personal matter and like you make clear, we are all individuals with our own opinions.
For me there are no reference recordings, only those that I prefer over others. As you say, you do not need a degree to understand what your ears hear!
Everyone but everyone cites Kleibers Beethoven 5 as the pinnacle....is it...really? Not for me.
No doubt in 1974 it was groundbreaking...but much water has passed under many bridges since. Certainly the period performance movement effectively changed the perception of how music of a certain era is performed. Personal choice dictates whether you like or dislike the interpretation.
I will be honest and say, I prefer it but thats not to say I disregard all else.
There are literally hundreds if not thousands of recordings of the fifth and for me, my preferred choices do not include Kleiber!
Additionally, for me, I prefer my Bruckner, Gunter Wand style.
My Dvorak ninth is a little known recording. The LPO with Zdenek Macal...
I could go on but I am sure you understand my view.
Enjoy your listening everyone...whatever your choice may be!
My preference is for the original 60s vinyl stereo pressings generally, you cant beat them for bass weight, soundstage and clarity, if you can ignore the odd crackle they beat cd's out of the park in most cases, even the budget reissues.
AH WELL...........................Its had to be that we would have to agree to disagree LOL...............However I found it interesting to hear the views of another music lover .........................I think we could expend many an enjoyable afternoon playing and debating our extensive record libraries.................On Mahler you must listen to Gielen & Bertini..........And I must be one of the few { maybe I am Alone } that didn't think much of Callas voice ........I see you have a nice grand piano...............I have a 1909 Rudy Ibach one of six made for Richard Wagner............Its was just such a beautiful machine I had to possess it LOL ! !
As usual - your recommendations are appreciated - but why a 2 hour session race through ?
I’m only discussing what the critical consensus is in this video, so I didn’t want it to be too long. I go more in depth in my “best of” videos for the individual works. I have gotten through most of the orchestral repertoire, and chamber and vocal works will be coming soon.
Dear Gil
Would have loved to hear your choices on the 5 cello and Piano sonatas of Beethoven
Thanks
Hopefully very soon I’ll have a new video covering the major chamber works
@@GilZilkha you’re the best much appreciated Been comparing what I have in LP ( and CD), I am mostly a vinyl guy because I vintage (old) and 60-70 % of your recommended version I seem
To have picked up along these years
Who’d win a Classical Reference Recording Jewish fist fight: Butterbean Hurwitz or Motor City Madman Zilkha!?
Since you mentioned him let's say whatever one thinks of him he is very funny.
@@rainerm.8168Why, thank you!
What about "The Record Guide" (NY, 1940), by David Hall? It's a classic, but seems to have fallen into oblivion.
I fully agree about the putrid elitism of certain self-proclaimed "qualified" music critics. Could we possibly be talking about Dave Hurwitz here?
I think he's overly fond of his own voice, with his thirty videos a day, and, like most music critics across all genres, tends to eschew the particular to focus on fuzzy, nebulous criteria and pronouncements, but he strikes me rather as a populist--insofar as that's even possible in the niche of classical music--calling BS and happily knocking people, recordings, and trends off their pedestals.
@@SO-ym3zs I've followed Hurwitz since his early days in print media. He has a broad knowledge of classical music and recordings, which makes him a very useful resource. His books on composers also are well written and informative. As a critic, his opinions are like anyone else's. One either agrees or doesn't.
Morini/Rodzinski Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, as far as conductors go on this concerto Rodzinski is the MAN!
I wonder if Rodzinski carried a gun during the recording. It would certainly explain the alert performance.
There are lots of pieces you missed, like Mozart and Haydn piano sonatas, Prokofiev piano concerto 2, Tchaikovsky piano trio, Dukas' sorcerer's apprentice, Brahms horn trio, Dvorak piano quintet no. 2, and Schumann's symphonies. I think I know the reference recording for the Schuman Symphonies, it's Sawallisch/Staatskapelle Dresden.
They weren’t missed, they just didn’t make the cut for this video. But I love them all, and they’ll be covered in my “best of” videos if they haven’t been already. (agreed on the Schumann)
Hi just a small niggle…you were showing Klemperer’s 2nd while recommending his st Brahms symphony…I would say the 2nd is a great compliment to the Walter 2nd and would say the same for the Klemperer 3rd
Yes, I noticed that on playback. I grabbed the wrong one. It happens. Ironically in my “best recordings” series, I mention Klemperer as my top choice for the 2nd as opposed to the 1st.
You skipped over my two favorite Bruckner symphonies. 5 & 6.
Reference recording for 6 is probably Klemperer, but I much prefer Horst Stein and Jochum/Dresden.
Reference recording for 5 is probably still Der Klemps, but my preference is still Jochum/Dresden.
Actually I’d probably say Jochum for the 5th, his RCO at the Ottobeuren Abbey
@@GilZilkha I agree, that is a great one, as is his Bavarian DGG, but I just have to hear that bass trombone in the opening, and that Dresden guy blows the walls down. Then when you get to the sublime apotheosis in the finale, it's as if the heavens open up.
@@LyleFrancisDelp For my aging ears, any of Jochum's 5ths are hard to beat.
@@leestamm3187 Very true.
Dave Hurwitz establishes differences between Reference Recordings and the Best Recording.
Between his *opinion* on the best recordings vs what the rest of the world sees as the best recordings. Btw, I don’t always agree with the consensus either, as I made clear. See my own “best recordings” to hear my views.
Wow. That is long, particularly with no reference points to find things. Have to say I don't know how you couldn't mention Munch and La Mer (The Sea). Love Haitink on many things but I'll take Munch over either that you listed. I ran out of gas before I was able to find some things I'm interested in.
Thanks for the feedback. Composer reference points added.
The Leonhardt Brandenburgs, issued on LP with a facsimile score, were just about as good as the Pinnock, but issued a few years earlier. However, they were not issued on a major label, as was Pinnock. So, yes.....for period instrument Brandenburgs, Pinnock IS the reference.
For modern instrument Brandenburgs, I would say that I Musici would be the reference, even though I rather prefer the rough and ready Ristenpart recording, once available here on Nonesuch LPs.
Sorry, but Philips absolutely was a major record label back in the day.
@@classicallpvault8251 The Leonhardt Brandenburg set was issued on ABC/Seon, not Philips
@@LyleFrancisDelp Not exactly, it was a collaborative release and issued under the same catalog number, 6775 025, by both Seon and Philips. The recording was supervised by Dieter Thomsen, the recording engineer at Seon, while the release was manufactured and distributed by Philips' subsidiary Phonodisc B.V.
Several other recordings were done in the same way, all using Philips catalog numbers, before Seon instead partnered with RCA from 1980 onwards.
Which, by the way, also released this recording in 1980 on its Red Seal imprint for the German market.
@@classicallpvault8251 I've never seen this on the Philips label. Recorded by Seon and distributed by Philips subsidiary. I don't think that's the same as being issued on Philips.
This recording is now available on Sony, as they bought RCA/BMG or whatever it ended up being called.
@@LyleFrancisDelp Then look it up on Discogs. It was a Philips release and has a Philips catalog number. The version you're familiar with was licenced to ABC Classics and the reason you never saw the Philips release is because it wasn't distributed in the US. I'd have posted the link to the release myself but RUclips autodeletes most comments with external links in it.
Oh? No reference recording for the Franck Symphony?
That was literally the last work out of the final list. Went with just the Violin Sonata for Franck. But we all know that reference recording, don't we?
@@GilZilkha of course Monteux /CSO. I genuinely appreciate the effort to popularize classical music. I suggest supplementing old recordings with recent, better-sounding, and often equally good ones. Best!
I'm only through Beethoven...but disappointed you didn't include Bartok Bluebeards Castle and Berthoven Fidelio...both repertory works...
I limited it to 150 works or sets of works total, and neither made the cut. They are not what I consider to be starter kit operas (and I have sung Fidelio on stage). But they will definitely be in my “best opera recordings” video.
@@GilZilkha OK...That makes sense!
General consensus of old farts? 🤭