Are there any orchestral works for which, to you the devoted listener, there is only one recording worth your time?
For me, I find this is most often true when I come to a piece for the first time. I will latch on to the recording that causes me to fall in love with a piece, and for a period my love of the piece will be associated almost exclusively with that recording. This was especially true in my early years of listening to Bruckner. Later on, I'll branch out.
There are still a couple of works, though, for which one recording surpasses all others by a long shot in my mind. Beethoven 9 - Karajan's 1963 BPO recording; Mahler 6 - Bernstein with VPO.
For me, I find this is most often true when I come to a piece for the first time. I will latch on to the recording that causes me to fall in love with a piece, and for a period my love of the piece will be associated almost exclusively with that recording. This was especially true in my early years of listening to Bruckner. Later on, I'll branch out.
There are still a couple of works, though, for which one recording surpasses all others by a long shot in my mind. Beethoven 9 - Karajan's 1963 BPO recording; Mahler 6 - Bernstein with VPO.