When fresh ears are lured to classical music, they generally arrive wary and conservative. Discrimination comes over time–you listen, consult, digest, grow–but first the music must touch you.
Rather than plucking treasure randomly from the 500-year spectrum of musical periods and people–a nasty exercise, I found, in loyalty and ruthlessness–it may be more helpful to suggest music that is fundamental to any collection.
Something happens in each of these performances, I believe. May they help plant the seeds:
1. Bach: The Wedding Cantata and 2d and 5th Brandenburg Concertos. Kathleen Battle, James Levine/Ravinia Festival Soloists. RCA ARL-1-2788. Rarely has Bach been played with such spirit and joy.
2. Bach: The Four Orchestral Suites. Trevor Pinnock/The English Concert. 2DG ARC-2723072. Freshness and zest; immediately likable renderings.
3. Bach: Partitas and Inventions. Glenn Gould, piano. 3-CBS D3s754.
4. Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Unaccompanied. Nathan Milstein 3-DG 2709047.
5. Bach: The Goldberg Variations. Glenn Gould. New version–CBS IM37779. The more you listen the more you hear.
6. Bach: Mass in B Minor. Marshall, Baker, Tear, Ramey; Neville Marriner/ Chorus and Orchestra of the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Philips 6769002. Stylish, glorious.
7. Beethoven: Symphonies (Complete). Herbert von Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic (the 1977 cycle). Collections often start with a complete set of the nine symphonies. Karajan`s, of varying prices, have stood up remarkably well, as has the budget issue by Bruno Walter/Columbia Symphony on Odyssey.
8. Beethoven: Symphony No. 5. Carlos Kleiber/Vienna Philharmonic. DG 2530516. One of the `70s most spectacular records; despotic, breathtaking.
9. Beethoven: Violin Concerto. Jascha Heifetz, Charles Munch/Boston Symphony. RCA LSC-1992. Heifetz is in a class by himself. Budget: Definitely Yehudi Menuhin, Wilhelm Furtwaengler/Philharmonia on Seraphim.
10. Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4. Leon Fleisher, George Szell/
Cleveland Orchestra. CBS Great Performances 37762). A benchmark.
11. Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5. Emil Gilels, George Szell/Cleveland Orchestra. Angel S-36031. The teaming of titans.
12. Brahms: Symphonies (Complete). Herbert Von Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic. 1978 cycle. 4-DG 2711022.
13. Brahms: Violin Concerto. Jascha Heifetz, Fritz Reiner/Chicago Symphony. RCA ARP1-4445.
14. Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1. Emil Gilels, Eugen Jochum/Berlin Philharmonic. DG 2530258. Budget: Gary Graffman, Munch/BSO on Victrola.
15. Brahms: Piano Music (Complete). Walter Klien, pianist. 6 Vox SVBX 5430-1. Grace, power, conviction.
16. Brahms: Piano Trios (Complete). Isaac Stern, Leonard Rose, Eugene Istomin. 2-CBS M2s-760. Barnstorming with the world champ trio of their day.
17. Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41. Bruno Walter/Columbia Symphony. 3 CBS D3s-691. Loving performances led by one of the century`s most beloved conductors.
18. Mozart: Quintet in A Major for Clarinet and Strings (and Kegelstatt Trio). Gervase DePeyer/Melos Ensemble. Ang S-36241. The quintet is Mozart`s most popular chamber work.
19. Mozart: The Flute Concertos. James Galway; Rudolf Baumgartner/Lucerne Festival Strings. RCA ARL1-2159.
20. Mozart: The Horn Concertos. Dennis Brain; Herbert von Karajan/
Philharmonia. Angel 35092. The classic version. Next choice (and a modern recording): Barry Tuckwell: Neville Marriner/Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (Angel S-35840).
21. Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 19 and 20. Rudolf Serkin, George Szell/
Cleveland Orchestra. CBS Great Performances MY- 37236. Sine qua non.
22. Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 22 (and Concert Rondo K. 382). Vladimir Ashkenazy, pianist and conductor/Philharmonia. London CS-7211.
23. Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos. 1-4. Arthur Grumiaux, Colin Davis/
London Symphony. Philips 7505003.
24. Mozart: Serenade No. 11 (and Grieg Lyric Pieces). The Chicago Symphony Winds. Sheffield Lab 22. A direct-to-disc venture that took big chances and reaps huge rewards; a fabulous record.
25. Mozart: ”Don Giovanni.” Schwarzkopf, Sutherland, Wachter, Taddei;
Carlo Maria Giulini/Philharmonia. 3 Angel S-3605. Excerpts: Angel S-35642. Stellar cast in what many believe to be the most perfect of operas.
