Alig,
From your post, it appears that you’re fairly new to classical music and are looking for the proverbial audiophile whoopee cushion. Am I in the right ball park??
The problem with making recommendations is I don’t have a clue what you will like or dislike. You may not at this point either. It also appears that you want to buy it now so you’ll have to rely on reissues, which at $30 a pop, are costly if you don’t like the music. The super disc lists are loaded with drek I can’t stand. There’s some good stuff but you have to pick and choose which leaves plenty of opportunity to waste a ton money.
I’m going to make a few recommendations, but first I want to make a couple of suggestions that will help you figure out what you like & don’t like at almost no cost to you. Sound good?
If you live in or near a metropolitan area or a smaller town with a university, they’ll have library’s with a nice large music catalogue for you to check out. All you need to do is get a library card - usually free - and then have at it. I’m in Cincinnati and our local library has their catalogue on line that I can browse anywhere and have things moved to the branch that’s most convenient to me for pick up. A great deal. Print Arthur’s list and search your library’s catalogue to find the pieces of music your interested in. You may not find the same performance, but any will do to see if you like the piece. If you like the music, then pursue the LP.
It won’t take you long to exhaust the super disc lists of the world. This is where my second recommendation comes in. There’s a book titled “Classical Music: The Third Ear: The Essential Listening Companion” edited by Alexander Morin. It’s about 20 bucks on Amazon new and I think it’s a great reference. It s a great read even for someone like me who’s been collecting classical for a long time.
Now to the recommendations. When I think of large scale classical music, I think of Bruckner, Mahler and Shostakovich. This is power music at it’s best. It doesn’t get any larger than Mahler’s 8th. Now to the recommendations.
For Bruckner, the best sounding disc is the Testament reissue of the 9th with Schuricht conducting the Vienna (EMI ASD 493). Great recording and great performance. The last time I saw the original EMI on a list it was $900 ,so the reissue is a great deal. Testament also reissued the Columbia EMI of Klemperer’s performance of the 4th (EMI SAX 2569). This was issued in the US on Angel S36245. Also worth seeking out and will be dirt cheap even in the early issue. I love the Karajan performances on DGG though their sound is not reference quality. Try the 8th - it’s a performance that will probably never be equaled. There’s a great DVD of this recorded in St Florian where Bruckner is buried. It’s also sublime.
I like Mahler’s 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th,6th and 9th. I have about a foot and half of Mahler on LP and there’s not a 3rd or 5th I can recommend. There’s a well recorded EMI Barbirolli of the 5th but it’s a dreadful performance - particularly the first movement. My favorites for those two are on CD. For the 2nd, the Solti on Decca Set 325-6 or the Mehta on Decca SXL 6744-5 are the best recorded but my favorite performance is the Bernstein on Columbia M2S 695. I think the Solti Decca has been reissued.
You have better choices for Mahler’s 4th. Klemperer’s Columbia EMI rendition has been reissued by Testament on SAX 2441. The Solti performance on Decca is also well recorded but I don’t know if it’s been reissued. There’s also a fine Reiner on RCA (LSC-2364) that’s been reissued by Classic I believe. Run from the Bernstein of the 4th.
For Mahler’s 6th and 9th, Barbirolli’s performance on Angel are well recorded and easy to like. Angel SB-3725 and SB-3652 respectively. The 9th is particularly well recorded. Unfortunately these haven’t been reissued to my knowledge so you’ll have to seek these out on the used market.
Classic reissued Shostakovich’s 1st with Martinon conducting on RCA (LSC-2322). Great everything on this one. Not as dark as his later music but very nice. Bernstein’s performance of Shosty’s 5th on Columbia MS 6115 has been reissued by someone here recently. I don’t recall by who though. Not a perfect recording but the performance is so good that I can easily look past the slightly hot strings so typical of Columbia. From what I’ve read, the reissue improves on the original. I’m listening to the original as I write this. I remember the first time a friend played this for me. He asked me to guess the label. I guessed Mercury as the recording is very upfront. Not bad company.
The Previn 8th has been on the TAS supper disc list for ever. Justly so. I don’t know if it’s been reissued but it’s not that hard to find the original EMI (ASD 2917).
Two last recommendations before I‘m off to bed. Neither of these have reference level sound but the performances and the music are at such a high level they earn their place among the greats. The first is Columbia MS 6713 that has Stern playing the Barber and Hindemith violin concertos with Bernstein conducting. The second is also a Columbia - MS 6043 - with Bernstein conducting and playing the piano in Shostakovich’s 2nd piano concerto. Ravel’s concerto in G is on the flip side. Try the slow movements of the Barber and Shostakovich for something truly atmospheric.
Enjoy,
Scott
