System Reference Recordings

Aliu, CD recommendations are more problematical for me since I listen primarily to vinyl. Hopefully, others will contribute. Here are a few orchestral CDs that I've found well recorded and reproduced:

Opus 3, COPU 8502, Concertos For Double Bass and Orchestra, (same recording as the LP I recommended above)

Dorian, DOR-90156, Prokofiev: Scythian Suite

Mercury, CMER 432005, Kodaly: Dances of Galanta

Water Lily, CWATD 66, Nature's Realm/Sawallisch/PhilO

Hope some of these may be of interest to you.

Bach, Goldberg Variations, played by Glen Gould. I consider the piano the hardest instrument to record/reproduce in a "life like" manner. On a "good" system with better than "good" speakers, you can clearly hear not only beautiful piano, but also Glen Gould humming along with his remarkable playing. There are two recordings of this piece, the first being from the late 50's I think, and another, later. I prefer the first.

I happen to like Reference Recordings to test equipment. In particular the Dukas Sorcerer's Apprentence. Most systems can't clearly seperate the Contra Bassoon and Bass Drum when they double each other solo. But for Classical CD's But Not RR:

Bartok Concerto for Orchestra -Solti, Chicago, Decca
Mahler Symphony #1 Levi, Atlanta, Telarc
Rimsky Korsakoff Sheherazade Conlon, Atlanta, Telarc

These three CD's played on absolutely the best DAC's will give most systems some problems played at full volume. I measured the Chicago Symphony at about 100 db AVERAGE SPL in the loud section of the of a live performance of the last movement of the Bartok.