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Outstanding Recordings That Everyone Should Have

April 9, 2007 at 2:45 PM

This blog is dedicated to several recordings that have inspired, challenged, and moved me, and may include genres other than classical :)

Anne-Sophie Mutter; Kurt Masur; New York Philharmonic
Brahms Violin Concerto

By far my most listened-to recording since 1997, Frau Mutter gets it exactly right in her sense of timing, drama, projection, and emotional involvement.

Julia Fischer
J.S. Bach "Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Solo"

My good friend Julia recorded these monumental works at 21, and in a world of imitative, unresearched performances, this confidently recorded CD remains faithful to Bach's manuscript while taking the listener on a cohesive journey through Bach's solo works.

David Oistrakh; Lev Oborin
Beethoven Sonatas for Piano and Violin

Oistrakh recorded these works without pretense or ego, and the simplicity combined with impassioned musicianship warrant many listening sessions.

Linda Eder
"Broadway: My Way"

The extraordinary Broadway powerhouse Linda Eder delivers a CD of ballads, and her balls-to-the-wall projection is astonishing. Such vocal command in this genre I've never heard.

Jacqueline DuPre; Daniel Barenboim; Philadelphia Orchestra
Elgar Cello Concerto

This recording, made after DuPre had been diagnosed with MS, is a testament to her immortality as a cellist. Made live in Philadelphia with her husband, this was one of her rare concerts after learning of the disease, and fully encapsules the size and scope of the Elgar cello concerto to a tee. Warning: a potentially tear-jerking performance.

Anne-Sophie Mutter; Herbert von Karajan; Berlin Philharmonic
Beethoven Violin Concerto

This recording, made when Mutter was 17, is simply a marvel. She fully appears to understand Beethoven's writing, the violin's accompanying arpeggiations under the orchestra, and though the tempi are on the slow side, the work takes on a certain majesty and reverence that most recordings miss.

Martha Argerich
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 in d minor

With her technical prowess, stunning musicianship, and fully committed playing...enough said!

Christoph von Dohnanyi; Cleveland Orchestra
Beethoven Symphonies No. 5 and 7

The Cleveland Orchestra under Maestro Dohnanyi was quite simply the cleanest orchestra on the planet. Lines emerge with a lucidity and directness that I have never heard since. Immaculate strings, memorable winds, and outstanding chemistry characterize this recording.

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