Breathtaking SACD of popular classical music

Try the Presto music site in the U.K.  They ship around the world and frequently offer significant discounts.  You can search by format, such as SACD.  Berkshire Record Outlet is another site that sells excess inventory from around the world.

If you use Amazon, it helps to know exactly what you are looking for, and they don’t always clearly identify everything as SACD.

  “Popular Classical Music “ is a bit oxymoronic of a term, but let me recommend Beethoven’s Nine Symphonies on the Alia Vox label with Jordi Savall conducting. Savall also made a great recording of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos.  There was a pretty good Planets on the Naxos label a few years back. The labels BIS and Pentatone have large catalogs with lots of Classical Standards included 

"Just listening to a spectacular CD from Analogue Productions of Rachmaninoff “Symphonic Dances” with the Dallas Symphony.  Good as, if not better, than any SACD."

OK.  It was greatly feted in its time but I've always found it coarse and brash, both in sound and performance.  Previn (EMI stereo), Oue (Reference stereo) and Jansons (RCO mch) are superior in every way.  IMO, of course. 😎

Just listening to a spectacular CD from Analogue Productions of Rachmaninoff “Symphonic Dances” with the Dallas Symphony.  Good as, if not better, than any SACD.

@kr4 Wow, I appreciate the details in your response. I need to start somewhere (with my first classical SACD). So if you have to pick (with emphasis on recording qualityh and use of SACD technicology), which would you order? 

I have no idea.  It would depend on my mood.  That's why I keep a large collection.

HRAAudio.net has reviews of many SACDs and other hi-res formats. A lot of classical reviews.

This website may help:

HRAudio.net - High Resolution Audio

Beware of great technical recordings with weird performances.

exhibit  #1

Beethoven 9, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Manfred Honeck, SACD Reference Recordings.  Great sound, but I am not sure they were playing Beethoven's 9th.

Cheers

@kr4 Wow, I appreciate the details in your response. I need to start somewhere (with my first classical SACD). So if you have to pick (with emphasis on recording qualityh and use of SACD technicology), which would you order? 

I took a shot at it emphasizing recording/sound quality. For the smaller works and some others, there are too many options and I would not recommend buying a whole disc for one small work.

Beethoven – Symphony No.5 in C minor Honeck/Pittsburgh (Reference Recordings FR-718SACD)

Mozart Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major (Eine kleine Nachtmusik)

J.S. Bach – Toccata and Fugue in D minor (on great organ) Biggs (Sony Classical SS 87983)

Vivaldi – The Four Seasons Podger (Channel Classics CCS SA 40318)

Georges Bizet - Carmen

Johann Strauss II - An der schönen, blauen Donau

J. Strauss I: Radetzky-Marsch, Op. 228

Maurice Ravel - Bolero Jarvi.Cincinnati (Telarc SACD-60601)

Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suites Aadland/Cologne (Audite 92.651)

Mozart – Overture from The Marriage of Figaro

Rossini – Overture from ‘William Tell’

Beethoven Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125

"Ave Maria" by Charles Gounod

"Messiah" by George Frideric Handel Davis/Toronto (Chandos CHSA 5176)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Serenade No. 13 in G Major, K 525, "Eine kleine Nachtmusik" (Too many)

Richard Strauss Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 Steinberg/Boston (Deutsche Grammophon 47986690)

Wagner Die Walküre, WWV 86B (Ring der Nibelungen) Haenchen/Nederlans PO (Etcetera KTC 5501)

Pachelbel Canon in D Major

Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite Too many

You want Masterpieces in Miniature by the SFS

Additions to my list:

Beethoven Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125

"Ave Maria" by Charles Gounod

"Messiah" by George Frideric Handel

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Serenade No. 13 in G Major, K 525, "Eine kleine Nachtmusik"

Richard Strauss Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30

Wagner Die Walküre, WWV 86B (Ring der Nibelungen)

Pachelbel Canon in D Major

Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite

Some ideas (only if available in truly great SACD mix):

Beethoven – Symphony No.5 in C minor

Mozart Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major (Eine kleine Nachtmusik)

J.S. Bach – Toccata and Fugue in D minor (on great organ)

Vivaldi – The Four Seasons

Georges Bizet - Carmen

Johann Strauss II - An der schönen, blauen Donau

J. Strauss I: Radetzky-Marsch, Op. 228

Maurice Ravel - Bolero

Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite 

Mozart – Overture from The Marriage of Figaro

Rossini – Overture from ‘William Tell’

Look into the SACD titles of Classical music offered by Analogue Productions.

Such as?  Name the piece you want and we can respond.