Reviews of Definitive Classical CD Recordings

This section is where we file the reviews of only the truly exceptional and definitive recordings that we consider to be the highest in artistic quality, musical value or technical achievement.

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
Leipzig Chorales
BWV 651-668
Toccata, Adagio & Fugue
Lorenzo Ghielmi (Organ)
Passacaille 954

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
Concertos Italiens
Alexandre Tharaud joue Bach
Alexandre Tharaud (piano)
Harmonia Mundi 901871

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
Missae Breves BWV 234 & 235
Ensemble Pygmalion
Raphael Pichon (conductor)
Alpha 130

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JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
Trio Sonatas BWV 525-530
(Sonates à 2 Claviers & Pédalier)
Benjamin Alard (Organ)
Alpha 152

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
Concertos for Solo Harpsichord
Elizabeth Farr (Harpsichord)
Naxos 2 - Disc Set
8.572006/07

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
Motets
Masaaki Suzuki (Conductor)
Bach Collegium Japan
Hybrid SACD
BIS SACD1841

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GRANVILLE BANTOCK
Omar Khayyam
Vernon Handley (conductor)
BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Symphony Chorus
Super Audio Hybrid CD
Chandos CHSA5051

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Piano Trio in C minor
Piano Trio in D major (Ghost)
Andreas Staier (pianoforte)
Daniel Sepec (violin)
Jean-Guihen Queyras (cello)
Harmonia Mundi 901955

FREDERIC CHOPIN
24 Preludes Op.28
Alexandre Tharaud (piano)
Harmonia Mundi 901982

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FREDERIC CHOPIN
Nocturnes
Scherzos
Sonata in B flat minor
Louis Lortie (Piano)
Chandos 10588
095115158821

LEOPOLD GODOWSKY
The Complete Studies
on Chopin's Etudes
Marc-Andre Hamelin
Hyperion CDA67411/2

GUSTAV MAHLER
Symphony No. 9
Herbert Von Karajan
Berlin Philharmonic
Deutsche Grammophon
4390242

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GUSTAV MAHLER
Symphony No. 4
Ivan Fischer (Conductor)
Miah Persson (Soprano)
Budapest Festival Orchestra
Channel Classics SACD
CCSSA26109

CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI
Vespro della Beata Vergine
Sigiswald Kuijken (Conductor)
La Petite Bande
Challenge Classics
SACD 72311

SERGEI PROKOFIEV
The 7 Symphonies
Dimitri Kitayenko (conductor)
Cologne Gürzenich Orchestra
Phoenix Edition 5CD Set 135

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EINOJUHANI RAUTAVAARA
Cantus Arcticus
Piano Concerto No. 1
Symphony No. 3
Hannu Lintu (Conductor)
Laura Mikkola (Piano)
Royal Scottish Ntl Orchestra
Naxos 8.554147

WILLIAM RUSSO
3 Pieces for Blues Band &
Orchestra, Op. 50
Street Music Op. 65
Corky Siegel (blues harmonica)
The Siegel-Schwall Band
Seiji Ozawa (conductor)
San Francisco Symphony
Orchestra
Deutsche Grammophon 463665

POUL SCHIERBECK
Symphony No. 1
Ilya Stupel
Artur Rubinstein Philharmonic
Orchestra
Danacord DACOCD417

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DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Symphony No. 7
Leonard Bernstein
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Deutsche Grammophon 4276322

DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Symphony No. 8
Evgeni Mravinsky (conductor)
Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra
Regis RRC1220

IGOR STRAVINSKY
The Rite of Spring
IHOR SHAMO
Hutsulian Watercolours
Serhiy Salov (Piano)
Analekta AN29932
774204993221

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PETERIS VASKS
String Quartet No. 4
Kronos Quartet
Nonesuch 79695

MIECZYSLAW WEINBERG
Concertos
Claes Gunnarsson (cello)
Anders Jonhäll (flute)
Urban Claesson (clarinet)
Thord Svedlund (conductor)
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Chandos SACD CHSA5064

MIECZYSLAW WEINBERG
Piano Quintet Op. 18
Clarinet Sonata Op. 28
Jewish Songs Op. 17
ARC Ensemble
Richard Margison (tenor)
RCA 87769

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