Buying Western Classical Music

QUAD S-2 Bookshelf Speaker
amitnoida

I hope you enjoy the music that you have bought for many years to come.

For the first few months, when I started listening to western classical music, I used to switch back to rock after playing one album. My mind and ears were still addicted to the instruments, simple tunes, fast tempos and the vocals of rock music. Guitars, drums, bass guitar, lead guitar voice sounded 'familiar'. A piano, violin, cello or clarinet sounded 'exotic' and 'foreign'. My staple music, Bob Dylan and Neil Young was all about words and voice. It took a while before I got used to listening to purely instrumental music.

Over the years several friends and cousins borrowed or bought the classical music which I had suggested to them. I noticed that none of them persisted with it. In a few months, possibly days, the urge to listen to classical music had waned, and the 'quick fix' of pop music had made a comeback.A little patience and perseverence are essential when one is moving from one form of music to another.

I keep contemplating and unfortunately postponing, a bigger shift into Hindustani Classical music. When I listen to Ali Akbar Khan, Bismillah Khan, Bhimsen Joshi, Ravi Shankar, Allah Rakha, Amjad Ali Khan, Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Pandit Jasraj or the Dagar Brothers, I feel a sense of peace. Their music is simple, complex, eternal and infinitely beautiful. It seems to evoke and bring alive, entire centuries of human thought, emotions, aspirations, desires, joy and sorrows. It is a mystery how people can ignore this music and remain fixated with the banal and borrowed sounds of 'filmy' music.
 
Ajay, you are right. Any shift in genre of music can not be abrupt. The favourite albums of Pop will come back often. But recently, I find the Pop titles, which I used to like a lot is no more liked to that extent.
The repeat hearing value for pop music is getting reduced of late.

I prefer Rabindrasangeet more than Pop. Indian classical of good recording is any day better than Pop. The good sufi songs are better than Pop. They have soul and root.

My venture to Western classical is an attemp to find some new horizon beyond the Pop-Rock. The first title of Haydn I listened yesterday is promising. Let me explore more. Thanks for suggesting the startar titles.
 
Hi Amit
Good that you got into Western Classical. I also have a nagging feeling that after filmy, pop, rock, jazz and indian classical - western classical may be the last frontier.
All the best ,enjoy
Cheers
Himadri
 
Great Maestros of the 20th century

Otto Klemperer was born in Poland in 1885 and died in Zurich in 1973. He was barely 20 years old when he met and impressed the great conductor and composer Gustav Mahler. With Mahler's recommendation he was able to get regular work in and around Germany, and in a few years he became one of the most successful conductors of his generation.

In 1933 he moved to America and became the conductor of the LA Philharmonic. He also conducted the New York and Philadelphia ochestra. In the 1950's he became the principal conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra of London.

Klemperer's recordings were powerful, intense, heroic and grand. Perfectly suited for Beethoven, Bruckner and Mahler. Perhaps less so for Mozart or Haydn. His early 60's recordings with the Philharmonia Orchestra are
memorable.

Mahler: Symphony No 2, 'Resurrection': Gustav Mahler, Otto Klemperer, Hilde Rssl-Majdan, Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mahler: Das Lied Von Der Erde - Ludwig, Wunderlich, Klemperer: Christa Ludwig, Fritz Wunderlich, Otto Klremperer, Philharmonia Orchestra: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Beethoven - Symphonies. Piano Concertos: Philharmonia Orchestra, Hans Hotter, Ludwig van Beethoven, Otto Klemperer, Christa Ludwig, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Philharmonia Chorus, Daniel Barenboim, Aase Nordmo Lvberg, Waldemar Kmentt, Alldis Choir
 
I have been resisting opening my Amazon wishlist for several weeks as I have already splurged too much on cds in the last few months. I thought I would merely look at my wishlist of cds to be bought in the future. But the 'look' lead to temptation, and I yeilded and bought a whole bunch of cds. 27 to be precise :)
Amazon.com: 5 Operas: Rimsky, Korsakov, Valery Gergiev: Music
Ligeti - The Ligeti Project: Max Bonnay, Omar Ebrahim, Gyorgy Ligeti, Reinbert de Leeuw, Jonathan Nott, Asko/Schnberg Ensemble, Katalin Krolyi, Margriet Van Reisen, Linda Hirst, Schnberg Ensemble, Asko Ensemble, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Pierre-
Webern & Varese: Pierre Boulez Edition: Pierre Boulez: Amazon.co.uk: Music
Borodin: String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2: A. Borodin: Amazon.co.uk: Music
String Quartets (Borodin Quartet): Debussy, Ravel: Amazon.co.uk: Music
The Rimski Korsakov box set was 35 Dollars on the US site and 48 pounds on the UK site. I obviously bought from the US site :)
 
Great Maestros of the 20th century

Bruno Walter was born in Germany in 1876. Along with Wilhelm Furtwangler, Arturo Toscanini, Otto Klemperer, Leopold Stowkowski, John Barbirolli and Thomas Beecham, he was one of the best known maestros of the first half of the 20th century. In 1901 he was invited by Gustav Mahler to become his assistant as a conductor. Over the next ten years he gained a special insight into the work of Mahler as a conductor and as a composer.

Bruno Walter held prominent positions and made great recordings in Munich, Berlin, Amsterdam, Vienna, Leipzig, Paris, London and New York. He is said to have been very gentle and soft spoken. Quite unlike the reputation of many conductors of being 'tyrants' and 'dictators'. The gentleness is reflected in the lyrical and melodious sound that his recordings are imbued with.

Although Walter made hundreds of recordings, his most acclaimed recordings are of the works of Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Schubert, Brahms and Mahler.

Mahler - Symphonies Nos 1 & 2: Gustav Mahler, Bruno Walter, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic: Amazon.co.uk: Music
Brahms : Symphonies n 1 4: Bruno Walter: Amazon.co.uk: Music
Symphonies 2 & 3: Brahms^Walter^Columbia Symphony: Amazon.co.uk: Music
Symphonies 4 & 6: Beethoven^Walter^Columbia Symphony: Amazon.co.uk: Music
Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde, Ruckert Lieder: Kathleen Ferrier, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Gustav Mahler, Bruno Walter, Julius Patzak: Amazon.co.uk: Music
 
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YOUTUBE SYMPHONY
The most watched live concert on the internet.

The YouTube Symphony Orchestra was launched in 2009 as a joint initiative by YouTube and the London Symphony Orchestra. 101 musicians were chosen from 30 countries to form the first collaborative symphony orchestra for the internet.

The first concert held at The Carnegie Hall in New York received over 15 million hits. The second concert held at The Opera House in Sydney got 33 million hits in the first week!

Michael Tilson Thomas, the principal conductor of The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, has conducted both the live concerts.

YouTube Symphony attracts 33 million views worldwide - Classical Music - Limelight Magazine
 
Great Maestros of the 20th century

Karl Bohm was an Austrian conductor who had a long career from the 1920's until his death in 1981. He was widely admired for performances of the works of Richard Strauss, Beethoven, Wagner and Alban Berg. But perhaps posterity will remember him as one of the finest interpreters of his fellow countryman, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Performing the music of Mozart is a crowded field. Most conductors and orchestras do it sooner or later. In his brief life, Mozart created over 700 works! But he is said to have poured his greatest love and attention into his operas. Among which the most popular are Don Giovanni, The Marriage Of Figaro, Cossi Fan Tuti, The Magic Flute, Idomeno and The Abduction From The Seraglio.

Karl Bohm's recordings of these operas with The Vienna Philharmonic, The Salzburg Festival, Dresden Staatskapelle etc. are rated among the best ever recorded. He was also asked by DG to record the entire cycle of Mozart's 46 symphonies with The Berlin Philharmonic in the 1960's. But only a 'completist' who wants a copy of every Mozart work would perhaps require a set of all the Mozart symphonies. Most fans are happy with only the later symphonies of Mozart, beginning from Symphony No. 25.

Mozart: Symphonies Nos.35 "Haffner", 36 "Linzer", 38 "Prager", 39, 40, 41 "Jupiter": Berliner Philharmoniker, Karl Bhm: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: Die Zauberflte: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Karl Bhm, Berlin Radio Chamber Choir, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Evelyn Lear, Roberta Peters, Lisa Otto, Fritz Wunderlich: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Wagner: Tristan und Isolde: Richard Wagner, Karl Bhm, Bayreuth Festival Chorus, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Wolfgang Windgassen, Birgit Nilsson, Christa Ludwig, Martti Talvela: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: Wind Concertos: Alfred Prinz, Werner Tripp, Dietmar Zeman, Wiener Philharmoniker, Karl Bhm: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: Sinfonie concertanti: Berliner Philharmoniker, Karl Bhm: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart, W.A.: Don Giovanni: Sherrill Milnes, Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Peter Schreier, Edith Mathis, Wiener Philharmoniker, Karl Bhm: Amazon.co.uk: Music
 
Great maestros of the 20th/21st century

Valery Gergiev is perhaps the busiest and most sought after conductor in the world today. He was born in Moscow in 1953, and made his debut with The Kirov Opera in 1978, conducting Sergei Prokofiev's mammoth opera War And Peace.

In recent years he has jetsetted around the world, conducting performances at The London Symphony Orchestra, The Royal Concertgebouw, The Berlin Philharmonik, The New York Philharmonic and The Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

In 1988 he became Director of The Marrinsky Theatre and The Kirov Opera. In the past two decades the name of Gergiev and Mariinsky has won world wide acclaim with exciting recordings of Russian composers like Prokofiev, Mussorgsky,
Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky and Shostakovich. The fact that these recordings have been made using cutting edge 21st century digital technology, and are available at affordable prices in the Hybrid SACD format, makes them a CD musicophiles ( Me for one! ) dream! Valery Gergiev is one of my favorite conductors along with Pierre Boulez, Bernard Haitink and Claudio Abbado.

For exciting, exotic, swirling and BIG orchestral music check out Valery Gergiev and The Mariinsky orchestra. It's a heady and addictive exercise, to enter the world of Russian classical music, with a BIG amp and BIG floorstanders. Big countries tend to make big sounding music, and for Mussorgsky, Rimski Korsakov, Borodin, Prokofiev, Stravinsky, Shostakovich you need a BIG listening room! The Gergiev recording of Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition and Night At Bald Mountain is a good entry ticket.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shostakovic...=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1307933510&sr=1-1

Shostakovich: Symphony Nos. 2 & 11 (Mariinsky Orchestra & Chorus / Valery Gergiev): Mariinsky Orchestra & Chorus, Shostakovich, Valery Gergiev: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Rimsky-Korsakov: Sheherazade: St Petersburg Kirov Orchestra, Valery Gergiev: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition: Wiener Philharmoniker^Valery Gergiev: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Prokofiev: The Symphonies 1-7 Complete: Valery Gergiev, London Symphony Orchestra: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet (LSO / Gergiev): London Symphony Orchestra, Sergei Prokofiev, Valery Gergiev: Amazon.co.uk: Music
 
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Great maestros of the 20th century

Simon Rattle was born in Liverpool in 1955. In 1980 he became the principal conductor of the City of Birmingham State Orchestra. Under his stewardship the orchestra moved form 'minor' league to becoming a prominent British orchestra.

At the turn of the millenium he moved to Germany, succeeding Claudio Abbado as the principal conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker. He is still at the helm in Berlin although his stay there has had it's share of triumphs and criticisms.

Simon Rattle has made some memorable recordings of Mahler's symphonies. He has recorded many other composers like Stravinsky,Debussy, Brahms and Beethoven, but Mahler clearly holds a special place in his heart and mind.

Simon Rattle on Gustav Mahler Gustav Mahler 2010 2011

Mahler: Complete Symphonies 1-10 & Songs (Rattle) [14cd]: Gustav Mahler: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Simon Rattle Edition - British Music: Simon Rattle: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Simon Rattle Edition: Beethoven: Sir Simon Rattle, Ludwig Van Beethoven: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Brahms: The Symphonies: Johannes Brahms, Simon Rattle, Berliner Philharmoniker: Amazon.co.uk: Music
 
Great Maestros of the 20th century

Georg Solti was born in Hungary in 1911. Early in his career he worked under Bruno Walter and Artur Toscanini. In the mid 40's he became the Director of the Bavarian State Opera. In the early 60's he moved to The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. But his longest stint was with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from '69-'91.

Georg Solti is famous for his recordings of the giant orchestral works of Richard Wagner. In the 60's he made an acclaimed recording of Wagner's entire Ring cycle. These recordings made by Decca on stereophonic LP'S are supposed to be full of fireworks and spectacular sound. He is also known as a good interpreter of the operas of Giuseppe Verdi.

In his long reign at The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, he tackled many major composers like Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Brahms, Mahler, Bruckner, Shostakovich, Stravinsky and Schoenberg. I am not a Grammy watcher, but it is worth mentioning that Georg Solti received 31 Grammy's, the most by any conductor. 24 of these were with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. It is possible that major American orchestras have a better chance of winning Grammy's, than their peers from the other side of the Atlantic :).

In recent times I have bought less recordings of my earlier favorites like the Berlin and Vienna Philharmoniker, and more by the 'Big Five' American orchestra's: New York, Chicago, Boston, Cleveland and Philadelphia. But there is nothing to beat the glorious sound and acoustics of The Royal Concertgebouw, Amsterdam.

I have only recently started listening to operas and ballet music. Mostly by Russian composers like Prokofiev, Mussorgsky, Borodin, Rimski Korsakov, Tchaikovsky. And the glorious Mozart operas. Richard Wagner is perhaps the only major composer that I rarely listen to. I find his music too long drawn out, dramatic and full of sound and fury. A bit like my aversion to heavy metal music. But listening to the Solti/Decca recordings of Wagner's Ring Cycle on a good vinyl system would truly be an experience. :)

Mahler: Complete Symphonies Nos 1-9 / SOLTI /DECCA/10 CD BOX SET: Gustav Mahler, SOLTI: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Beethoven: The Symphonies: Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Bartok: The Orchestral Masterpieces: Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nrnberg: Ben Heppner, Karita Mattila, Chicago Symphony Chorus, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Wagner: Lohengrin: Plcido Domingo, Jessye Norman, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Wagner: Tannhuser: Helga Dernesch, Ren Kollo, Georg Solti, Wiener Philharmoniker: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Wagner: Parsifal: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Ren Kollo, Gottlob Frick, Hans Hotter, Christa Ludwig, Zoltan Kelemen, Wiener Sngerknaben, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti: Amazon.co.uk: Music
 
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Classical Vinyl | Classical Vinyl Records | Classical Vinyl Albums | SoundStage Direct

Finally found a good collection of classical music on vinyl. Some of these recordings are absolute treasures :)

Brahms - Hungarian Dances by Johannes Brahms
Borodin - Symphonies 2 & 3 (London) by London Symphony Orchestra
Dvorak - Symphony 5 - New World by Istvan Kertesz with Vienna Philharmonic
Handel - Water Music - Fireworks Music by Georg Szell with the London Symphony Orchestra
Copland - Appalachian Spring / Billy The Kid by Antal Dorati with the London Symphony Orchestra
Knappertsbusch Conducts Wagner by Hans Knappertsbusch
Mahler - Symphony #1 by Gustav Mahler
Mahler - Symphony #2 by Gustav Mahler
Mozart - Eine Klein by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart - Piano Concerto 20 & 21 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart - Sinfonia Concertante by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart - Symphony 40 & 41 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition by Byron Janis
 
stevieboy said:
I've never really understood what role the conductor plays in conducting an orchestra.
Click to expand...
20090401150442_conductr.jpg

Just a little bit of humor. Hope no one minds. :)
 
Great Maestros of the 20th century
Seiji Ozawa was born in Japan in 1935. In the early 60's he moved to the west and studied and worked under Charles Munch, Herbert Von Karajan and Leonard Bernstein. By all accounts, he was a brilliant conductor from an early age, and he won many prestigious competitions. During the mid 60's he became director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and in the early 70's of the San Francisco Orchestra.His longest and best known association is with The Boston Symphony Orchestra, where he remained the Director from 1973-2002. In 2002 he became Director of the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra, one of the oldest and best known orchestra's of the world.

YouTube - ‪Young Seiji Ozawa‬‏

Seiji Ozawa's most famous recording would be the mid 60's performance of Olivier Messiaen's incredible TURANGALILA symphony with The Tornto Symphony orchestra. Available on vinyl at Amazon.
Amazon.com: Messiaen: Turangalila Symphony & Takemitsu: November Steps with Seiji Ozawa (LP Record LSC-7051): Olivier Messiaen, Toru Takemitsu, Seiji Ozawa, Toronto Symphony: Music
Amazon.com: Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake / The Nutcracker / The Sleeping Beauty (Complete Recordings) - Boston Symphony Orchestra / Seiji Ozawa / Russian National Orchestra / Mikhail Pletnev: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Seiji Ozawa, Mikhail Pletnev, Boston S
Amazon.com: Seiji Ozawa Anniversary: Kathleen Battle, Kiri Te Kanawa, Marilyn Horne, Seiji Ozawa, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Saito Kinen Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Reiner
Amazon.com: Orff:Carmina Burana: Orff, Seiji Ozawa: Music
 
Great maestro's of the 20th century

Zubin Mehta was born in Mumbai in 1936. He studied at St. Mary's school and St.Xavier's college in Mumbai. His father was a violinist and founder of The Bombay Symphony Orchestra.

At an early age he moved to Vienna to study at the Vienna Academy of Music and Performing Arts. His teacher there was the legendary Hans Swarowsky, and his fellow students included Claudio Abbado, Daniel Barenboim, Mariss Jansons, Guiseppe Sinopoli. All of them would go on to become some of the best known conductors of the second half of the 20th century. After graduating from the academy, Zubin gave his first performance in Vienna. In 1961, he became the first Indian to conduct a major orchestra in the United Kingdoms.

In 1961 he became the Director of The Montreal Symphony Orchestra and remained in charge till 1967. In 1962 he also became the Director of The LA Philharmonic and remained in that position until 1978.

During the late 60's he left the Montreal SO and became director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1978 he succeeded Pierre Boulez, and became the director of The New York Philharmonic Orchestra. In recent years Zubin has been the director of The Bavarian State Opera.

Some well known recordings:

Symphony No.2: G. Mahler: Amazon.co.uk: Music
Mozart: Sinfonia concertante K.364; Concertone K.190: Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta: Amazon.co.uk: Music
The 3 Tenors - In Concert 1994: Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Zubin Mehta: Amazon.co.uk: Music
YouTube - ‪Prelude to Khovanshchina (Zubin Mehta)‬‏
 
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ajay124 said:
Sure Amit. Beginning from the beginning. Bach, Handel, Vivaldi from the Baroque period. Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven ,Schubert from the classical period. Chopin, Mendelssohn, Brahms ,Schumann from the Romantic period. Tchaikovsky from the Romantic/Nationalist period.

Posting Amazon UK links to some truly great recordings.

Brandenburg Concertos, Violin Concertos (Bath Festival Orchestra, Menuhin): Johann Sebastian Bach: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Vivaldi - The Four Seasons Anniversary Edition (CD & DVD): Nigel Kennedy, English Chamber Orchestra: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Handel: Messiah: Trevor Pinnock: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Haydn: London Symphonies, Vol.1: Joseph Haydn: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Haydn: London Symphonies, Vol.2: Joseph Haydn: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 20 & 21/25 & 27: Friedrich Gulda, Wiener Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: Symphonies Nos.35 "Haffner", 36 "Linzer", 38 "Prager", 39, 40, 41 "Jupiter": Berliner Philharmoniker, Karl Bhm: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Karl Bhm, Wiener Philharmoniker, Berliner Philharmoniker: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Beethoven: Favourite Piano Sonatas (8, 14, 15, 17, 21, 23 & 26): Vladimir Ashkenazy: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Beethoven: The 9 Symphonies: Herbert von Karajan: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Schubert: Trout Quintet/String Quartet No.14 - "Death and the Maiden": Franz Schubert, Amadeus Quartet, Norbert Brainin, Peter Schidlof, Martin Lovett, Siegmund Nissel, Emil Gilels: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Murray Perahia plays Chopin Piano Concertos No.s 1 & 2 etc.: Various: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mendelssohn / Brahms: Violin Concertos: Anne-Sophie Mutter, Berliner Philharmoniker: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Schumann: The Complete Piano Trios/Piano Quartet/Piano Quintet: Beaux Arts Trio: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Tchaikovsky: The Collectors Edition: Mstislav Rostropovich, London Philharmonic Orchestra: Amazon.co.uk: Music

To begin with, you could acquire 1,2,4,6,8,9 from the list :)
Click to expand...

Reviewing the list I had posted earlier, I feel it could be one way to begin a collection. There is so much great music available on sites like Amazon and Presto Classical, that a list of 20 or 200 works would merely be a drop in the ocean. The music listed was primarily from the baroque, classical and early romantic period.

Posting links to more music from some the major composers of the romantic, nationalist and modern period. I am not including music from the great Russian composers of the 19th and 20th century (my favorites at the moment). Will keep that for a follow up list. Kept budget, recording quality, running time, quality of musicians in mind while making these selections. Left out the more complex works. For Mahler's symphonies there are several choices , but the EMI 150th anniversary box set is a good way to begin.

Schubert: Symphonies 5, 6, 8 & 9; Rosamunde Overture: Franz Schubert: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Schubert: Complete Impromptus: Franz Schubert, Alfred Brendel: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Rubinstein plays Chopin - Sony Classical Masters: Arthur Rubinstein, Frdric Chopin: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Schumann: Symphonies Nos. 1-4: Robert Schumann, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Staatskapelle Dresden: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Schumann: Davidsbundlertnze / Fantasie: Mitsuko Uchida: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Brahms: The Symphonies & Concertos: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Claudio Arrau, Henryk Szeryng, Jnos Starker, Brahms, Bernard Haitink: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Liszt: Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 2: Franz Liszt: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Johann Strauss: Best of Waltzes and Polkas: Wiener Philharmoniker: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Richard Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra: Berliner Philharmoniker: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Rossini: Complete Overtures: The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Neville Marriner: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Bizet: Orchestral Works: Michel Plasson: Amazon.co.uk: Music

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mendelssohn...=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1309914658&sr=1-2

Wagner: Orchestral Music: Richard Wagner, Otto Klemperer, Philharmonia Orchestra: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 4-7: Jean Sibelius, Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Grieg: Peer Gynt; Sigurd Jorsalfar: Gteborgs Symfoniker, Neeme Jrvi: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Dvorak: Symphonies Nos.5, 7, 8 & 9: London Symphony Orchestra, Istvn Kertsz, Istvn Kertsz: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Bruckner: Symphonies Nos. 1-9 - Sony Classical Masters: Gnter Wand, Anton Bruckner: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Gustav Mahler: Complete Works [150th Anniversary]: Gustav Mahler: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Debussy: Orchestral Music - Images/La Mer/3 Nocturnes etc.: Claude Debussy, Bernard Haitink, Eduard van Beinum, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Ravel-Complete Orchestral Works: London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, Claudio Abbado: Amazon.co.uk: Music
 
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A comprehensive survey of Gustav Mahler's symphonies by Tony Duggan
The Mahler Symphonies: A synoptic survey by Tony Duggan

Mahler box sets available on Amazon.

Mahler: The People's Edition: Various Artists: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Gustav Mahler: Complete Works [150th Anniversary]: Gustav Mahler: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mahler: Complete Edition: Various Artists: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mahler: Complete Symphonies: Gustav Mahler, Rafael Kubelk, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Chorus, Edith Mathis, Norma Procter, Marjorie Thomas, Elsie Morison: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mahler: The Symphonies: Leonard Bernstein, Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Wiener Philharmoniker: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mahler: Complete Symphonies 1-10 & Songs (Rattle) [14cd]: Gustav Mahler: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Complete Symphonies: G. Mahler: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Mahler: Symphonies 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10: James Levine: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Complete Symphonies (Bertini) [11 CD]: Gustav Mahler: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Which one to buy? Difficult choice. I feel the EMI set is great value for money.If the idea is to sample various conductors in one box, then the EMI anniversary set, the DG Mahler Editions or DG People's Edition are good options. Buying individual cds of the 10 symphonies would work out more expensive and should be done in the second round. Mahler is addictive. One version of each symphony is not enough!

If somebody wants to listen to one conductor's interpretation of all the symphonies, then the Raphael Kubelik, Leonard Bernstein, Klaus Tennstedt and Simon Rattle sets are all very good.

Michael Tilson Thomas, one of the most popular conductor's currently, has recently recorded the entire cycle. His recordings are available on hybrid sacd, but they are all priced between 15-20 pounds per sacd!.

Amazon.com: michael tilson mahler symphonies

Personally I like Pierre Boulez. He is my favorite conductor for the entire century. I must be having 40-50 cds of recordings made by him. I love the one's I've heard and I hoard the rest for the future!

Amazon.co.uk: boulez mahler: Music

Valery Geriev has joined the Mahler Express and recorded most of the symphonies with London Symphony Orchestra.

Amazon.co.uk: gergiev mahler: Music
 
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