recommended redbook classics

I started a lengthy response of my favorite performances ala Gregm - but I find I have a really hard time remembering the quality of the sonics which I infer from your post is extremely important to you. I have boiled down my recommendations to those recordings which I really enjoy and have outstanding sonics, even though these selections might not be my 1st choice for the performance alone.

On Reference Recordings: Arnold Overtures,Barber & Menotti VC's, Brucknen Sym 9, Copland Applachian Spriing & 3rd Sym, Chadwick Tam O'Santer etc, Janacek Sinfonietta etc, Nojima plays Liszt, Mussorgsky Pictures, Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances, Nojima plays Ravel, Respighi Pines of Rome, Rimski-Korsakov Scheherazade, Stravinski Firebird and Rite of Spring, Strauss ein heldenleben.

Now if you want outstanding performances which I always prefer over any sonic issues I would be happy to share. There are just too too many for a generic response. But, for example, Beethoven Sym #5 - Carlos Kleiber on DG is intensely exciting - it just doesn't get any better than this! I also enjoy all of the Symphonies by Harnoncourt and Bernstein.
Chopin - Etudes - Askenazy on London, Lortie on Chandos, and Wild on Chesky all turn in excellent performances.
Greig - Stephen Kovacevich (Bishop)& Davis. This disc also has an outstanding Schumann PC as well. For me this is a benchmark performance, although some of the newer ones may fit your taste better. FOR SOMETHING OUTSTANDING, which should be heard, if you like Greig and/or solo piano is Gilels doing the Lyric Pieces on DG. Just incredible IMHO!

Gammejo, before making any more recommendtations, a rhetorical question. As opposed to spending more money buying a better(?) recorded performance of the stuff with which you are familiar, why not explore other music by your already favorite composers (not to mention the great number of composers you have yet to be exposed)? Just something to think about.

Mozart 40th - Bruno Walter (How about his PC's?)
Chopin - Krakowiak (with both piano PC's etc) Arrau for a leisurely approach on Phillips or Ohlsson on Arabesque for a more masculine approach (I also like Ohlsson's complete traversal of Chopin's music for solo piano.)

Lizst Transcendental Etudes - Bolet (on these or any other Lizst works). How about Lizst's Annees de Perlerinage? (Bolet or Lazar Berman)or the Sonata in B?

Schubert Sym #5 and #8 In the romantic tradition - Wand. For something more authentic and crip, less "over orchestrated" I love Mackerras witrh the OAE on Virgin. (What about Schuberts music for solo piano, i.e. Wanderer Fantasy, Impromptus, and Sonata in B-flat D960?)

Tchaikovsky PC Argerich - there is a DG recording which also includes and excellent Prokovief PC#3 as well. This gal get a lot of drama into these works. As to the Symphony #5, I don't go there often enuf to have a favorite, other than I do enjoy Jansson's manner and the quality of the recordings put out by Chandos. My favorite Sym is #1, subtitled Winter Dreams, by Litton on Virgin.

Composers/music you might like to get to know - Schumann's solo piano works are just exquisite, R strauss' tone poems, Dvorak Symphonies 5 thru 9 and his tone poems as well, Smetana's Ma Vlast, Sibelius's symphonies and incidental music, MAHLER (start with Sym#1 and move along slowly thru all 9 in order). And just a whole lot more, but thats good for a start.