Well Recorded Classical Symphonic Recordings

I listened to it twice, thanks for the recommendation.  I have tremendous respect for Barshai, both as a musician and for his courage in defying the Soviets.  I enjoy his Shostakovich transcriptions and his Shostakovich symphony cycle (also on Brilliant) from Cologne. 
  Once past the first movement I haven’t heard a version that I find truly satisfactory, be it Cooke, Wheeler, or now Barshai.  None of them sound Mahlerian to my ears.  My other comment on this particular recording is that Barshai just doesn’t seem to nail the big coda in I, which I think should just destroy one emotionally.  My favorite here is Abbado/Vienna.

@mahler123 

That's the one. Junge Deutsche Philharmonie. Brilliant 92205.

As luck would have it, I'm listening to it again right now.  The bass drum at the start of the Finale nearly had me jumping out of the chair.

The soundstage is w-i-d-e, perhaps wider than it is deep.  The dynamics are great.  The interpretation extraordinary.  And you get Barshai's own version of 10, which is reckoned by some to be the best.

Which orchestra?  I think there may be more than one Barshai 10 out there.

edit-actually Apple has the Brilliant release with what appears to be a German Youth Orchestra.  Qobuz doesn’t seem to have it

I finally got my hands on the 2xCD of Barshai's recording of Mahler 10 paired with Mahler 5 (Brilliant Classics).  10 is Barshai's own reconstruction.  All I can say is... wow!  This is that unicorn: wonderfully played and interpreted music in an equally wonderful recording.  Be prepared for the opening Adagio of 10.  It is truly emotionally draining.

Bruckner is one of my musical God...

I will listen to them  again thinking about your observation...

Interesting...

I was listening to the Bruckner Fifth and Sixth Symphonies on Pure Audio Blu Ray by Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin PO.  Regrettably the Blu Ray is nla but the diaphanous strings , beautiful winds and perfectly tuned brass is perfect.  There is plenty of hall resonance and one can easily tell that HvK is timing the pauses and entries to allow the echoes to fade and keep the texture clear 

I was listening to the Bruckner Fifth and Sixth Symphonies on Pure Audio Blu Ray by Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin PO.  Regrettably the Blu Ray is nla but the diaphanous strings , beautiful winds and perfectly tuned brass is perfect.  There is plenty of hall resonance and one can easily tell that HvK is timing the pauses and entries to allow the echoes to fade and keep the texture clear 

OP,

Yep that Telarc recording of Shostokovic's 5 & 9th is excellent. Great recording and performance. 

@celtic66 

I agree Challenge Classics always produces dynamic andvbeautiful recordings. 

I’ll blindly wade in with the sharks.  I’ve appreciation for classical with scant knowledge.  Working my way through Jan Willem de Vriend and the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven: Complete Symphonies on Challenge Classics.  SACD Hybrid and it has been amazing!

I can with authority speak to the quality of recordings.  Climatic!  Most dynamic classical recordings I possess.  My Turtle Recordings sampler has some examples of this conductor and orchestra so I followed through.  That is my paltry offering.  I step aside now nodding to the professionals.  Be kind.  Cheers

Some new ones (for me) that I have been very impressed with in terms of combination of good recording and performance both on Qobuz are:

Beethoven,  Blomstedt, Gewandhausorchester

Schubert, Jan Willem de Vriend, Residentie orkest of The Hague.

If I recall correctly, the Beethoven was recommended by some music critic I found online but I honestly can’t remember where I might have seen it.  

HINT....pick up a copy of Stereophiles latest "Records to Die For" and that list will contain information as to both quality of sound and performances for many classical artists and composers

@jomace mentioned Solti and The CSO.
@polkalover (really?) mentioned Ludwig van’s 9th. 
Beethoven’s 9th has always been a fave.  I have an old MoFi I was lucky enough to find right here on A-gon for $35 (after seeing it my local music shop for a cool hundred).  

It’s probably the best record I own.  Great sound.  Great performance.  It flat out rocks.  

Bernstein on Qobuz. A sound spectacular: Holst “The Planets” in 192 resolution. Heard things I never heard before!

And what a performance!!

These are are vinyl recommendations- 

Bernstein- playing Beethoven 9 - live at the Berlin Wall - ode to freedom on deutsche gramophone.  Also ravel bolero on telarc and lastly Tchaikovsky 1812 played by the Cleveland symphony orchestra - they fire real cannons at the end and I have to lower volume so as to not blow out my speakers.  Don’t know the label but the cover has a mounted Russian soldier on the cover ! Fantastic fidelity recordings

Produced by Enoch Light

Wagner Preludes and Overtures, William Steinberg, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Command Classics, Stereo 35MM on Vinyl 1961 Gold Label Original Pressing

Pretty much anything engineered by the late great Michael Bishop. Here's a sample:

Vaughan Williams: Dona nobis pacem; Symphony No. 4; The Lark Ascending

Reference Recordings. Symphony Fantastique Utah Symphony 

Reference recording Dallas Wind Symphony Trittico

Living Stereo Leopold Stokowski Philadelphia Orchestra "Rhapsodies

Werner Klemperor Berlin Philharmonic Beetoven ?

Fritz Reiner Chicago Orchestra Rachmaninoff and others

@rvpiano

I love the Schumann Symphonies and like Brahms have always been searching for recordings that can represent his orchestrations clearly. So far the best are: Schenwandt and the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic on Challenge Classics and Zinman with the Baltimore Symphony on Telatc. 

FWIW, to deal with the orchestration 'issues' in Brahms symphonies one might try Berglund's and Mackerras' (on Telarc) versions. I've really enjoyed both, not necessarily at the exclusion of others but as an alternative. I like Berglund's Sibelius as well. Whether or not they qualify as recordings prized by the OP I don't know but they are OK on my system. :-) 

RV, I haven't found a reduced orchestration version of Schumann that I liked at all, but performance wise, surprisingly perhaps, I have really enjoyed Bernsteins. 

@jfrmusic

Thanks for your recommendations. The Reiner “Concerto for Orchestra” seems better defined than any incarnation of it that I’ve heard.

Brahms and Schumann get a bad rap for their orchestrations. Personally, I feel their orchestral writing suits their styles very well. Not as colorful as some composers, but with a good recording very effective.

@littleman

Thanks I will check out your suggestions 

As for Brahms I too have struggled to find a really good recording of his Symphonies and other large works until recently. Try the Live Boston Symphony recordings with Nelsons on DG. Beautiful recording. For Brahms Piano Concertos try Schiff with Age of Enlightenment Orchestra on ECM. For the Seranades for Orchestra try Marin and the Gavle Symphoniorkester on Ondine. 
 

These are all beautiful recordings

Brahms dense orchestration is a challenge to record. 

I agree with your assessment of Pletnev, and second most anything Vanska has done with BIS, and the Haitink / Shostakovich cycle.

In the same vain on CD/SACD, I have at the top of my listening list...

Shostakovich cycle  w/ Kitajenko / Gurzenich Koln in sacd...raw and clear eyed.

Beethoven cycle - Gardiner - Orch-Revolutionairre et ....different but for me enjoyable alternative

Debussy - Deneve-Royal Scottish...

I need help with Brahms...any suggestions?

@rvpiano

Yes those Barbiroli recordings have been excellently up sampled  especially the 5th and 9th. That 9th was my favorite in my Analog days. 
As good as those are if I’m focusing on recording quality I have to go with the Boulez cycle on DG or any of the Telarc recordings but Barbiroli recorded excellent performances. 

If you like great classic analog performance HiRes recordings I can strongly recommend two Reiner/Chicago Symphony Living Stereo recordings. 
 

Bartok Concerto for Orchestra 

Rimsky-Kosakov Sheheradade

These are the best of that series so far that have been released in HiRes. They equal modern day Digital recordings. 

I’m sorry I forgot to mention:

Barbirolli

Excellent performances in remarkable sound,  

Mahler’s First and Ninth are also there

@rvpiano

Which recordings are you referring to?

Speaking of Mahler, Qobuz’s 192 mastering of the Fifth and Sixth symphonies is remarkable.

@mspot

The Haitink cycle is an excellent recording. It’s especially spacious which is unusual for Decca. Very nice wide soundstage and depth. Good instrument separation. The only criticism I’d give is the Woodwind section especially flutes is sometimes too prominent. Minor issue. However I still place the Nelson Boston Cycle on DG over this one for recording quality. The Boston sound while not quite as spacious is more refined, warmer in the midrange and has a much deeper impactful low end. Just more to my preference. But I could live with either. 

Shostakovich Symphony No. 1, Bernard Haitink, London Philharmonic Orchestra

On Qobuz, it is on a set of the complete Shostakovich symphonies.
https://open.qobuz.com/album/0002894757413

@audphile1

Yes I was focusing on the recorded sound. Rostropovich performances are always excellent. 

It is definitely not the absolute best quality. But…I still like Rostropovich’s recording purely from performance standpoint. 

I’ll check out your recommendations. Thanks!

@audphile1

Familiar with Tutti. Have most of the Telarcs. 
 

The Shostakovich is a decent Live recording but like most live recordings lacks air, soundstage depth and scale. Try the Levi / Atlanta on Telarc for an expansive large scale experience and also Nelson’s live recordings with the Boston Symphony. Either offer a much more exciting audio experience. 

jfrmusic 

check out Shostakovich’s 5th 

also a good sampler recording available on Qobuz

@newbee

I’m a big Copland fan and have the Telarc Kunzel recording of those works. It’s excellent. 

Another one for your list to check out. Aaron Copland's Billy the Kid/Rodeo by Leonard Slatkin and the St Louis SO. Early 80's EMI digital but IMHO it does not suffer much by the new medium. If you haven't heard this it's big joyful/exciting  American music and this, IMHO, is also an outstanding performance. These are the complete versions of the original ballets.

@newbee

The Copland 3rd on Reference has been one of my references for years. Also try Robert Farnon’s works on Reference especially this Rhapsody for Violin   
 

I agree the Zimerman Ravel is a slightly better recording than Wangs but she is spectacular. 
 

And you can’t go wrong with any Telarc Mahler recording. 
 

Will listen to the Dvorak VC you mentioned. 

@jonace

Sorry didn’t know that. I was a big fan of Decca in Analog. Not so much in Digital. I’ll check out the Jurowski. 

Both the Solti Mahler 2 & 3 with the Chicago are digital. For me, the best second for sound by Vladimir Jurowski and the London Phil. It is a live recording.

@jomacr

Forgot about Mahler  While Solti was the best of the Analog era I just prefer any Telarc or Boulez on DG for recording quality especially dynamics and string refinement  

@jomace

The Maazel Shostakovich 5 is a dynamic recording but suffers from early digital (1980) problems. Sharp highs. Try the Levi Atlanta Symphony 1990 on Telarc for a more refined recording with improved soundstage depth. But right now the best Shostakovich Symphony recordings are Nelson’s on DG with the Boston Symphony. They are live recordings and I usually don’t like live recordings but Boston has a great venue and it’s recorded at a nice perspective. 
 

The Rite of Spring Maazel is probably the best available. I agree with you on that one. It bests the other two Telarc version also. 
 

The Boulez Bartok is a very dynamic recording that is a little on the hot side. Had to turn down my volume about 2 db. But it is an excellent recording. However Botstein on Telarc and the London Philharmonic receive a much more refined weighty recording. 
 

As for Pirates of the Caribbean Film scores are always well recorded and this one certainly is. 
 

@kmcong

I agree the Dudamel Dvorak 7/8/9 are the best sounding recordings of those works.

 Just beating out Belohlavek on Decca which is also very good and covers all of Dvorak’s works. 
 

Thank you. I plan to explore all recommendations 

FWIW when I just want to pig out on acoustics I put on Copland's Symphony #3 on Reference Recording's CD by Oue and the Minnesota Orchestra, and the performance is quite good too. You mentioned Yuja Wang - you might like her recording of Ravel's PC's. They lack some of the 'clarity' of the Zimmerman/Boulez recording but I find them very attractive nonetheless. I can also recommend Zander's recordings on Telarc of Mahler's 1st (which includes some excellent leider) and 6th (my favorite Mahler symphony). Another very special recording, for me at least, is Dvorak's VC by Suwanai/Fischer/Budapest on Phillips. 

I have to add: for sonics alone Mahler 2 and 3 with Solti and the Chicago. Their brass is astonishing, but don’t look for deeper meanings. On Telarc, get Maazel’s Shostakovich 5 coupled with Stravinsky’s "Rite Of Spring." It is a powerhouse. You mentioned Boulez. He has Bartok’s "Four Orchestral Pieces," the closest Bela ever came to writing a symphony. It’s constantly in my CD player. Finally, remember that many movie scores can qualify for your requirements. If you really want to shiver your neighbor’s timbers, get the soundtrack of Pirates of the Caribbean Dean Man’s Chest." It is the second in the film series. Track 12, a bonus, will blow off the roof. Hans Zimmer, the composer is a genius, overlooked because he works in the movies.

Dvorak Symphonies 7-9, L.A. Philharmonic conducted by Gustavo Dudamel.  Recorded by DG, but only available as download or streaming,  no CD for some reason.  Great sq and balance,  and imo the best interpretation I've yet heard.  

Thanks for the recommendations. I will check them all out. 

Buy Norman Lebrecht's book: "Why Mahler? How One Man and Ten Symphonies Changed Our World" He discusses multiple interpretations of each symphony. If you like the Telarc sound, see Zander's Mahler 5 with the Philharmonia Orchestra. Abbado's second recording of the Mahler 6th with the Berlin is one of my favorites. Don't overlook Tennstedt, one of the greatest of all Mahler conductors "the instinct conductor" Lebrecht calls him. I have both complete Bernstein sets, and sound be damned, nobody does the ghostly Mahler Seventh like he does. Buy the book, though, it is unputable downable.

The emphasis in the OP seems to be recording quality primarily so I will limit my recommendations to that.

Beethoven Cycle-the Herrewighe SACD cycle is the most natural sounding digital Beethoven that I know of.  A great sounding cycle from Heyday of Analog (HOA) would be Ormandy/Philly, particularly in Japanese reissue.

  Prokofiev- Andrew Litton/Bergen PO SACD

 Rachmaninov-ditto for above.

Mahler-I actually think the Bernstein first cycle has pretty decent sonics.  Chailly/Concertgebouw and also the Concertgebouw cycle featuring multiple conductors 

  Sibelius-not a complete cycle but the Karajan Blu Ray Audio are outstanding.  I also like Ormandy HOA and Blomstedt/SFSO.

  Shostakovich-Kitaenko/Colgne Gurzenich, originally SACD now High Resolution download 

again, these recommendations are based on sonics only

@newbee

Actually the COE doesn't affect my preference.Unlike you I actually prefer larger Orchestras and prefer her recording of the 2nd Chopin over the 1st. I guess I like the larger soundscape that a full orchestra brings to the recording. Also unless the performance is really weird I'm not to sensitive to that. I need a clear and spacious recording that is well balanced or it's difficult for me to enjoy it.

As for just Piano recordings I really enjoy YuJa Wang's recordings on DG. Her most recent recording "The Vienna Recital" is one of the most beautifully recorded solo Classical Piano recordings I've ever heard. What a balanced, warm, and life like recording!

Yes I was referring to that disc. A brain fart perhaps, that is why I deleted that post.

But the reality is that I love Zimmerman! Solo and with orchestra. In addition to his Chopin and Ravel you can add Liszt’s PCs with Ozawa. Not shabby stuff.

FWIW, while audio aspects of recordings are important to me I really tilt a lot more to the performances.

Re Pires, are you referring to her performance with the COE?  If so, how much of the COE’s presence affects your opinion do you think. I have a strong affection for romantic orchestra music adapted to smaller forces such as those used by Harnoncourt in Beethoven, and Mackerras in Schubert’s 8th and 9th (which I rarely listened to in older recording). I love the clarity it brings.