I love outstanding recordings


and I assume there will be plenty of wise chosen music around during the holiday season.Well, I love to cook and plan my dinners with friends and a we start often with a glass of wine and some less dry music.

Here is my first pick for Christmas eve
Modest Mussorgsky (Orch. Maurice Ravel)
"Pictures At An Exhibition"
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fritz ReinerVinyl, recorded in 1957RCA Living Stereo LSC 2201 (Classic Records re-issue)
Love it since Emerson L&P times ...
Wonder what opens your heart and ears?

To all:

With journalist Julian Assange and other messengers imprisoned, it becomes harder to celebrate.

Anyway: Happy holidays, wishes and strength for peace on earth

puu
puu
And your hero Julian is just another Russian who would have burned all the pictures.... but yes, The Great Gates of Kiev is fantastic, let’s hope they hold against the invader...
@tomic601 The lack of understanding geography is not surprising since we have a leader who's knowledge shines in that category.  -"The simple person will always accept the simple lie as truth, but will not believe the complicated truth."   Quote by Hartmut Bachmann

Some of my favorite music are terrible recordings. I appreciate a great recording but not as much as great music and musicianship. It is nice when they all converge. Richard and Linda Thompson's Shoot Out the Lights is a good example. Howlin Wolf's Rocking Chair is an example of poorly recorded great music as is the first Moby Grape album. 805 is the greatest love song of all time IMHO. 
@mijostin I relate to that, wished so many of my non LIVING STEREO albums to be remastered.