"Best" will vary from one person to another. Is a scratchy old recording of a violin concerto played by Fritz Kreisler better than a state of the art SACD by Hilary Hahn? Opinions differ. You should buy a few recommended recordings, and keep track of how you feel about (1) The performers, particularly soloists and (2) the audio quality of the recording. Don't think that there is only one way to perform a particular piece. There is huge lattitude for interpretration, and you should learn your own tastes and follow that when you buy more recordings.
Looking for a guide to best classical recordings
I'm a rocker, or so I like to think. So as you might guess, my knowledge of classical music is minimal. I am aware, however, that just having a recording of a certain piece is not good enough; that there are often "definitive" recordings of various pieces. I'm interested in some sort of guide to the "best" recordings. I think I saw some sort of Penguin guide once upon a time. Any of you have recommendations on what specifically to look for?
Thanks in advance,
Nick
Thanks in advance,
Nick