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Your Desert Island Discs

482K views 275 replies 147 participants last post by  Neo Romanza 
#1 · (Edited)
When you saw the title of this thread, the first thing you probably thought was... are you serious? What are you smoking?

Well, nothing really. The superlatives have been worn out: the best, definitive, beautiful, legendary and most of all... the term 'desert island'.

What I have in mind is something a little different. This is not a subjective, "my desert island discs are better than yours" kind of thread. This is merely the thread to share some of your favorite recordings in order to help others expand their collections. They could be rare, they could be cheap, they could be out of print. They could even be Kleiber's Beethoven 5th. It could be anything, as you feel that it is worthy of sharing. If you feel that it is not, then please refrain. If you are just making a list of well-reputed recordings that really mean nothing to you personally, please refrain as well.

So... there's the common argument that we should never take other people's opinions seriously. Really? One of the main reasons I visit music forums is to help guide what I collect. More than half of the CDs I buy are forum-inspired and the majority of the rest is forum-confirmed. The bottom line is, you don't have to take any other opinions besides your own with more than a grain of salt, but you can, and this thread at least makes this resource available to you.

One person may like something that someone else may despise. We've covered this many times. And as far as this thread is concerned, criticizing the tastes of others is not appreciated. However, feel free to commend others for their choices.

A couple guidelines:

1) Don't think of it as a 'Top 10 of all time' thing.
2) Any recording, CD, box set, DVD, SACD, LP, etc. will work.
3) Try to limit your number of choices per post. It is hard to take someone's list seriously if they put down every mildly good recording they've ever heard.

It's your opinion, so enlighten us with your choices!
 
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#122 ·
1st time poster here:

Compilations to start:

Dorati: Rite of Spring is right in your face, either you like the Mercury sound or you don't...
Ormandy: Great variety, Philadelphia Orchestra c.1960
Kovacevich: Especially the late Beethoven piano sonatos, a real revelation here
Mozart: Deutsche Grammaphone compilation I took a chance on in a record store, first classical CD I ever bought so thanks for getting me started DG!

Green Natural environment Mammal Organism Font
Hairstyle Smile Publication Font Collar
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#125 ·
I like the thinking behind this thread.:) My offering is a Sibelius compilation I picked up in Manchester while staying with my brother for a few days. He had just introduced me to Andante Festivo, and I was desperate to find a recording before returning to Edinburgh. What I found was "The Essential Sibelius", a 2-CD set from, believe it or not , Finlandia Records. Apart from containing Andante Festivo, the set comprised:- Finlandia, Symphony No 1, Tapiola, Valse Triste, Romance (Op 42), Violin Concerto, Scene with Cranes, Impromptu and Karelia Suite, played by a variety of orchestras and soloists under different conductors.

Granted, the various recordings were, although perfectly acceptable, not the finest, but as a budget priced introduction to the variety of Sibelius' music I doubt whether this could be beaten. (Finlandia 0630-13034-2.)

I have no idea if it is still available (I found it over 12 years ago) but can heartily recommend it:tiphat:
 
#127 ·
complete Haydn symphonies, Dorati, Decca
complete Haydn String Quartets, Aeolian Quartet, Decca
complete Haydn Piano Trios, Beaux Arts Trio, Philips
 
#128 ·
Ok firstly lets get one thing straight ok, I'm not here to make friends ok I'm here to seriously talk some music.

It would be What be:

Wham greatest hits
Whitney houston greatest hits
Mozart greatest hits
&
Castaway soundtrack

It's not for everyone but I'd also like to add that I'd bring along a whistle, If you can play a whistle you would have a way of replicating songs and keeping them alive. Just a thought, maybe you should take that into consideration.

Thank you
Ryan O'brian OBE
 
#129 ·
Sorry if this is a bit excessive but I was listing my favourite works and recordings the other day so hear are my favourite recordings of my favourite works

1. R. A. Schumann – piano concerto in A minor, op. 54 – S. Richter / L. v. Matacic
2. A. Dvorak – piano concerto in G minor op. 33 – S. Richter / C. Kleiber
3. E. Grieg – piano concerto in A minor, op. 16 – S. Richter / L. v. Matacic
4. R. A. Schumann – fantaisie in C major, op. 17 – S. Richter
5. R. A. Schumann – introduction and allegro appassionato for piano and orchestra in G major, op. 92 – S. Richter / S. Wislocki
6. J. Brahms – piano concerto no. 2, in B-flat major, op. 83 – S. Richter / L. Maazel
7. R. A. Schumann – piano sonata no. 2, in G minor, op. 22 – S. Richter
8. W. A. Mozart – piano concerto no. 20, in D minor, K. 466 – Richter / S. Wislocki
9. R. A. Schumann – symphony no. 3 “The Rhine”, in E-flat major, op. 97 – P. Lilye
10. N. Rimsky-Korsakov – piano concerto in C-sharp minor, op. 30 – S. Richter / K. Kondrashin
11. P. I. Tchaikovsky – piano concerto no. 1, in B-flat minor, op. 23 – S. Richter / H. v. Karajan
12. R. A. Schumann – papillons op. 2 – S. Richter
13. R. A. Schumann – symphony no. 4, in D minor, op. 120 – B. Guller
14. L. v. Beethoven – piano concerto no. 3, in C minor, op. 37 – S. Richter / R. Muti
15. J. Brahms – piano concerto no. 1, in D minor, op. 15 – C. Arrau / C. M. Giulini
16. C. Saint-Saens – piano concerto no. 5, “Egyptian”, in F major, op. 103 – S. Richter / K. Kondrashin
17. F. F. Chopin – piano concerto no. 1, in E minor, op. 11 – K. Zimerman
18. F. P. Schubert – fantaisie “Wanderer”, in C major, D. 760 – S. Richter
19. R. A. Schumann – grand sonata no. 3, in F minor, op. 14 – E. Picht-Axenfeld
20. F. Liszt – piano concerto no. 1, in E-flat major, S. 124 – S. Richter / K. Kondrashin
21. F. F. Chopin – fantaisie in F minor, op. 49 – C. Arrau
22. R. A. Schumann - faschingsschwank aus wien, Op. 26 – S. Richter
23. W. A. Mozart – piano concerto no. 22, in E-flat major, K. 482 – S. Richter / R. Muti
24. A. Scriabin – piano concerto in F-sharp minor, op. 20 – S. Cutner / A. Boult
25. L. v. Beethoven – piano concerto no. 1, in C major, op. 15 – S. Richter / B. Bakala
26. R. A. Schumann – humoreske in B-flat major, op. 20 – S. Richter
27. A. Glazunov – piano concerto no. 1, in F minor, op. 92 – S. Richter / K. Kondrashin
28. F. B. Mendelssohn – piano concerto no. 2, in D minor, op. 40 – D. Han / S. Gunzenhauser
29. R. A. Schumann – Manfred overture op. 115 – A. Nanut
30. F. B. Mendelssohn – symphony no. 3, “Scottish”, in A minor, op. 56 – J. Lubbock
31. F. F. Chopin – piano concerto no. 2, in F minor, op. 21 – K. Zimerman
32. S. Prokofiev – piano concerto no. 5, in G major, op. 55 – S. Richter / L. Maazel
33. S. Rachmaninoff – piano concerto no. 2, in C minor, op. 18 – S. Richter / S. Wislocki
34. R. A. Schumann – waldszenen op. 82 – S. Richter
35. J. Brahms – violin concerto in D major, op. 77 – N. Milstein / A. Fistoulari
36. B. Bartok – piano concerto no. 2, in G major, sz. 95 – S. Richter / L. Maazel
37. L. v. Beethoven – piano concerto no. 4, in G major, op. 58 – C. Arrau / A. Galliera
38. F. B. Mendelssohn – piano concerto no. 1, in G minor, op. 25 – D. Han / S. Gunzenhauser
39. J. S. Bach – piano concerto no. 1, in D minor, BWV. 1052 – S. Richter / V. Talich
40. L. v. Beethoven – piano concerto no. 5, “Emperor”, in E-flat major, op. 73 – C. Arrau / A. Galliera
41. S. Prokofiev – piano concerto no. 1, in D-flat major, op. 10 – S. Richter / K. Kondrashin
42. J. S. Bach – fantaisie & fugue in A minor, BWV. 944 – S. Richter
43. M. Mussorgsky – pictures at an exhibition – S. Richter
44. R. A. Schumann – kreislariana op. 16 – R. Lupu
45. W. A. Mozart – piano concerto no. 24, in C minor, K. 491 – S. Cutner / H. Menges
46. J. S. Bach – Italian concerto in F major, BWV. 971 – S. Richter
47. F.F Chopin – ballade no. 3, in A-flat major, op. 47 – S. Richter
48. R. A. Schumann – carnaval op. 9 – C. Arrau
49. F. B. Mendelssohn – symphony no. 4, “Italian”, in A major, op. 90 – H. Swarowsky
50. F. F. Chopin – polonaise-fantaisie in A-flat major, op. 61 – M. Pollini
51. L. v. Beethoven – rondo in B-flat major, WoO. 6 – S. Richter / K. Sanderling
52. R. A. Schumann – toccata in C major, op. 7 – S. Richter
53. L. v. Beethoven – piano sonata no. 32, in C minor, op. 111 – C. Arrau
54. F. F. Chopin – etudes op. 10 – C. Arrau
55. F. P. Schubert – piano sonata no. 13, in A major, D. 664 – S. Richter
56. L. v. Beethoven – piano concerto no. 2, in B-flat major, op. 19 – C. Arrau / A. Galliera
57. R. A. Schumann – three romances op. 28 – W. Klien
58. F. F. Chopin – 24 preludes op. 28 – R. Blechacz
59. R. A. Schumann – kinderszenen op. 15 – R. Lupu
60. L. v. Beethoven – piano sonata no. 23, “Appassionato”, in F minor, op. 57 – C. Arrau
 
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#134 ·




Tomorrow it quite likely would be a whole different group of 5.
 
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#135 · (Edited)
Six purchases to build a solid Sviatoslav Richter collection

Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier (RCA)
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2; Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 23 (RCA)
Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 21 (Praga)
Schumann: Papillons; Carnival in Vienna; Fantasie in C (EMI)
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2; Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto (DG)
Prokofiev: Piano Sonatas Nos. 6-8* (Great Pianists, Vol. 82)

*Or Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 5; Piano Sonata No. 8 (DG)
 
#140 · (Edited)
This will probably change tomorrow but here's my desert island Mahler Cycle:

Symphony No. 1: Kubelik/Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (Live 1979, Audite)
Symphony No. 2: Klemperer/Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (Live 1965, EMI)
Symphony No. 3: Bernstein/New York Symphony Orchestra
Symphony No. 4: Kletzki/Philharmonia Orchestra
Symphony No. 5: Barshai/German Youth Philharmonic
Symphony No. 6: Sanderling/Saint Petersburg Philharmonic
Symphony No. 7: Bernstein/New York Symphony Orchestra
Symphony No. 8: Gielen/Museumorchester Frankfurt (Live 1981, Sony)
Symphony No. 9: Walter/Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Symphony No. 10: Rattle/Berlin Philharmonic
 
#141 ·
Just a few:

Mozart - Magic Flute/Klemperer/EMI
Bach - WTC/Tureck/DG
Bach - Goldberg Variations/Tureck/DG
Mozart - Great Mass in C minor/Leppard/EMI
Beethoven - Late Piano Sonatas/Pollini/DG
Dvorak - String Quartets/Prague/DG
Bach - Art of Fugue/Gilbert/Archiv
Haydn - Piano Sonatas/Brendel/Philips
 
#143 · (Edited)
This is just a test...

This is a test of The Emergency Broadcast System. This is just a test. (Never uploaded an album photo here before. Trying for the first time. If this works this is one of the albums I will certainly be bringing to my deserted island!)

Publication Font Book Material property Book cover


Do they have a way to run power to my stereo system there? Just curious.

Sweet!! It worked. :)
Stay tuned. More to follow...
 
#145 ·
Handel's Messiah, Dublin Version, Dunedin Consort

Beethoven:

Fidelio Bernstein
Ninth Ferenc Fricsay
Christ on the Mount of Olives Rilling
Missa Solemnis Ormandy
Choral Fantasy

Johnny Winter, Progressive Blues Experiment and Second Winter

Neil Young: Sleeps With Angels, Decade

Bob Dylan: John Wesley Hardin, Self Portrait, and New Morning

Tom Feldmann: Lone Wolf Blues

There are more but no time to list them all.
 
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