Classical composers, symphonies

It sounds like you’re looking for composers from the Romantic period. Mendelssohnn, Rimsky-Korsakov, Richard Strauss, and definitely Schubert’s symphony #s 8 and 9,

I recommend you go back in time to Mozart’s late symphonies specifically #s 39, 40, 41. Also try Haydn’s later works (he wrote 104 symphonies).

You mentioned that your not a fan of piano concerti. But I recommend you sample the Beethoven concertos, they are unlike any other. They are written in sonata form like symphonies and the orchestra plays a greater role, they are not simply accompanying the soloist.

Thu, cool website but I’d like to know your recommendations of best quality Bruckner, Mahler and other large orchestral recordings. I have my own, and it’s unfortunate that the industry moved so heavily into multi-miking and close mic techniques.

As you stated, the recording should present an accurate reproduction of the soundstage. Only a few labels and their engineers know how to do it.

tute, never heard of Exton. I just sampled some tracks and they sound great thru my computer. It seems like they have more albums available for download than for CD.

For mass produced classical I like Telarc, Teldec, Decca, Chesky (not so mass produced), harmonia mundi, cpo, BIS, Nimbus, Chandos, Newton Classics, EMI, Philips. I like the remastered Mercury Living Presence and RCA Red Label.
The early stereo engineers from labels such as Decca and Philips really knew how to record an orchestra.