The top 5 that I could listen to for ETERNITY... Hmmmm..
Ok, without trying to evenly distribute to the differing styles, based purely on ecstatic listening pleasure:
1. Bach St. Matthew Passion, Concertgebouw Orch conducted by Willem Mengelberg "live" Palm sunday recording. He was not only one of the genius conductors of the century, but the best choirmaster I have ever heard. Listen to the violin and flute solos also. To die for. Absolute transcendental Bach and REAL.
2. Brahms Horn Trio, Joseph Szigeti violin, Horszowski pno, John Barrows horn. They take this way beyond the stratospheres. In my opinion, this kills the famous Busch, Serkin, Brain recording. Good luck finding a copy of this though. The Brahms Piano Trio in C Major with Szigeti, Hess and Casals comes close to this.
3. Mozart Divertimento in E-flat for vln, vla, and cello. Live performance from Prades festival. performed by Joseph Fuchs, Lillian Fuchs, Paul Tortelier. This will not only want to make you die, but also jump off a tall building with a running start. One of the most startling, inspired, live chamber music performances I have ever heard. And such fine playing by all. On Koch International, along with the finest Mozart symphonia concertante on record, which happens to be live by Joe and Lillian Fuchs.
4. Late Beethoven Sonatas, EMI, Artur Schnabel. Schnabel's late beethoven, completely lucid interpretations. Great sound too.
5. the Cavatina from Beethoven's Opus 131, Berlin Phil, conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler. They actually play it better than any string quartet recording I know of. This performance is a piece of heaven.
As I am a performing musician, I listen to alot of recordings which have some surface noise. I would never trade a mediocre perfectly recorded performance for a noisy artistic one. So be aware of that when you listen to these recordings.
Ok, without trying to evenly distribute to the differing styles, based purely on ecstatic listening pleasure:
1. Bach St. Matthew Passion, Concertgebouw Orch conducted by Willem Mengelberg "live" Palm sunday recording. He was not only one of the genius conductors of the century, but the best choirmaster I have ever heard. Listen to the violin and flute solos also. To die for. Absolute transcendental Bach and REAL.
2. Brahms Horn Trio, Joseph Szigeti violin, Horszowski pno, John Barrows horn. They take this way beyond the stratospheres. In my opinion, this kills the famous Busch, Serkin, Brain recording. Good luck finding a copy of this though. The Brahms Piano Trio in C Major with Szigeti, Hess and Casals comes close to this.
3. Mozart Divertimento in E-flat for vln, vla, and cello. Live performance from Prades festival. performed by Joseph Fuchs, Lillian Fuchs, Paul Tortelier. This will not only want to make you die, but also jump off a tall building with a running start. One of the most startling, inspired, live chamber music performances I have ever heard. And such fine playing by all. On Koch International, along with the finest Mozart symphonia concertante on record, which happens to be live by Joe and Lillian Fuchs.
4. Late Beethoven Sonatas, EMI, Artur Schnabel. Schnabel's late beethoven, completely lucid interpretations. Great sound too.
5. the Cavatina from Beethoven's Opus 131, Berlin Phil, conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler. They actually play it better than any string quartet recording I know of. This performance is a piece of heaven.
As I am a performing musician, I listen to alot of recordings which have some surface noise. I would never trade a mediocre perfectly recorded performance for a noisy artistic one. So be aware of that when you listen to these recordings.