Recommended Classical Music Records

The tastes of classical music lovers can differ widely. A list of recommended records can still be useful: my tastes seems to be very consistent and, if you love some of my favorite recordings, you will probably like many of the others.

My favorite period goes from about 1600 to 1800; I strongly prefer the so-called historically informed performances (or HIP for short), at least for music composed before 1750.

For each record, I quote: medium, recording date, duration, label and catalog number.

Renaissance

I am starting to appreciate 16th century music, but it is not easy for me to find performances to my taste. A few recordings I would not like to be without are:

Josquin Desprez: Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae, etc. A Sei Voci; Maîtrise de Notre Dame; Les Saqueboutiers de Tolouse; Ensemble Labyrinthes; Bernard Fabre-Garrus, conductor. CD, 1996, 62', Astrée E 8601.

Claude Le Jeune: Meslanges, Chansons et faintasies. Ensemble Clément Janequin; Ensemble Éléments. CD, 1985, 55', Harmonia Mundi HMA 1901182.

Cristobal de Morales: Officium defunctorum; Missa pro defunctis. La Capella Reial de Catalunya; Hespèrion XX; Jordi Savall, conductor. CD, 1991, 72', Astrée E 8765.

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina: Missa sine nomine, etc. Coro della Radio Svizzera di Lugano; Theatrum Intrumentorum; Diego Fasolis, conductor. CD, 1994/1996, 62', Arts 47521-2.

Tomás Luis de Victoria: Cantica Beatae Virginis. La Capella Reial de Catalunya; Hespèrion XX; Jordi Savall, conductor; CD, 1992, 55', Astrée E 8767.

Claudio Monteverdi

There are few ensembles whose Monteverdi recordings I really like; basically, my suggestion is "Grab any recording by Concerto Italiano / Alessandrini, La Venexiana / Cavina, and Ensemble Elyma / Garrido." A few CDs you should not miss are:

Vespro della beata Vergine. Ensemble Elyma; Coro Antonio il Verso; Coro Madrigalia; Les Saqueboutiers de Tolouse; Gabriel Garrido, conductor. 2 CDs, 1999, 116', K617 100/2.

Quinto libro di madrigali. Concerto Italiano; Rinaldo Alessandrini, conductor. CD, 1995, 65', Opus 111 OPS 30-166.

"Madrigali guerrieri et amorosi", libro VIII, vol. I. Concerto Italiano; Rinaldo Alessandrini, conductor. CD, 1997, 75', Opus 111 OPS 30-187.

Early Baroque

A few recordings stand out in my appreciation:

Heinrich Schütz: Musikalische Exeqien SWV 279-281, etc. Ensemble Akademia; La Fenice; Françoise Lasserre, conductor. CD, 1998, 73', Pierre Verany PV799011.

Girolamo Frescobaldi: Partite e toccate. Pierre Hantaï, harpsichord. CD, 1996, 78', Astrée E 8585.

Alessandro Stradella: Christmas cantatas. Orchestra Barocca della Civica Scuola di Musica di Milano; Enrico Gatti, conductor. CD, 1997, 67', Arcana.

Giovanni Legrenzi: La Morte del Cor penitente, oratorio. Mario Cecchetti, tenor; Roberta Invernizzi, soprano; Elisabetta de Mircovich, soprano; Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca. CD, 1996, 67', Divox 79504.

Jean-Baptiste Lully: Te Deum; Miserere; Plaude lætare Gallia. Le Concert Spirituel; Hervé Niquet, conductor. CD, 1993, 58', Naxos 8.554397.

Arcangelo Corelli

There are many fine Corelli recordings, but only one is fully outstanding to my ears:

12 sonate da chiesa per due violini e basso continuo op. 3, etc. Ensemble Aurora; Enrico Gatti, leader. 2 CDs, 1996/1997, 134', Arcana A73-A74.

The Concerti grossi op. 6 cannot be missing from any collection. While I have yet to hear a great performance, here is a good one:
12 concerti grossi op. 6. Modo Antiquo; Federico Maria Sardelli, conductor. 2 CDs, 1997, 128' Tactus 650307.

Antonio Vivaldi

Do you need to be Italian to play the best Vivaldi? It certainly seems to help... Here are two top ensembles:

Le quattro stagioni, etc. Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca; Giuliano Carmignola, violino. CD, 1992, 53', Divox CDX 79404

L'estro armonico, 12 concerti op. 3. Europa Galante; Fabio Biondi, leader. 2 CDs, 1997/1998, 100', Virgin 7243 5 45315 2 1.

After a long search, I've found a Vivaldi opera recording to my liking:
Orlando furioso, opera. Ann Desler, Orlando; Nicki Kennedy, Angelica; Marina De Liso, Alcina; Modo Antiquo; Federico Maria Sardelli, conductor. 2 CDs, 2002, 147', Amadeus AMS 078-79.

Italian High Baroque

This incredibly rich field is only partly explored.

Domenico Zipoli, compositeur des Indiens. Coro de Niños Cantores de Córdoba; Affetti Musicali de Buenos Aires; Ensemble Elyma; Gabriel Garrido, conductor. CD, 59', K617 036.

Tomaso Albinoni: Concerti a conque op. 9 n. 1-6. Concerto Armonico; Peter Süts, leader and violin; Alfredo Bernardini, Paolo Grazzi, oboe. CD, 1992, 57', Arts 47132.

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Alessandro Scarlatti: Stabat Mater. Gemma Bertagnolli, soprano; Sara Mingardo, alto; Concerto Italiano; Rinaldo Alessandrini, conductor; CD, 1998, 80', Opus 111 OPS 30-160.

Pier Domenico Paradies: 12 sonate di gravicembalo 1754. Enrico Baiano, harpsichord. CD, 1995, 78', Symphonia SY 95140.

Domenico Scarlatti: 22 sonatas. Pierre Hantaï, harpsichord. CD, 1992, 69', Astrée AS 128502.

Francesco Maria Veracini: 4 sonate per violino e basso continuo. Enrico Gatti, violin; Guido Morini, harpsichord; Alain Gervreau, cello. CD, 1995, 60', Arcana A27.

Johann Sebastian Bach

Here is my favorite composer. Fortunately, we are blessed with many good and excellent J. S. Bach recordings, so here it's a matter of personal choice, even more then for other baroque composers. My preference goes often to the more imaginative and "uninhibited" performances, at least for instrumental music.

Mass in B minor BWV 232. Coro della Radio Svizzera di Lugano; Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca; Diego Fasolis, conductor. 2 CDs, 1997, 104', Arts 47525-2.

Matthäus-Passion BWV 244. Bach Collegium Japan; Gerd Türk, evangelist; Masaaki Suzuki, conductor. 3 CDs, 1999, 164', BIS-CD-1000/1002.

6 Brandenburg concerti BWV 1046-1051; 4 suites for orchestra BWV 1066-1069. Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin. 4 CDs, 1995/1997, 191', Harmonia Mundi HMX 2908074.77.

6 suites for solo cello BWV 1007-1012. Pieter Wispelwey, cello. 2 CDs, 1998, 140', Channel CCS 12298.

6 partitas BVW 825-830. Christophe Rousset, harpsichord. 2 CDs, 1992, 154', L'Oiseau-Lyre 440 217-2.

Georg Friedrich Händel

Another well-represented composer: we have plenty of recordings to choose from.

Ariodante, opera. Anne Sofie von Otter, Ariodante; Lynne Dawson, Ginevra; Les Musiciens Du Louvre; Marc Minkowski, conductor. 3 CDs, 1997, 178', Archiv 457 271-2.

12 concerti grossi op. 6. Handel & Haydn Society; Christopher Hogwood, conductor. 2 CDs, 1991/1992, 157', Decca 458 817-2.

6 organ concerti op. 4; 6 organ concerti op. 7. The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra; Ton Koopman, organ and leader. 2 CDs, 1984, 151', Erato 0630-17871-2.

German High Baroque

Another rich field only partly explored.

Heinrich Ignaz von Biber: Missa Salisburgensis, etc. Musica Antiqua Köln; Gabrieli Consort & Players; Paul McCreesh, conductor. CD, 1997, 72', Archiv 457 611-2.

Dietrich Buxtehude: Membra Jesu nostri Bux WV75. Coro della Radio Svizzera di Lugano; Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca; Diego Fasolis, conductor. CD, 1994, 65', Naxos 8.553787.

Kuhnau, Zelenka, J. S. Bach: Magnificat. Bach Collegium Japan; Masaaki Suzuki, conductor; CD, 1998, 72', BIS-CD-1011.

Johann David Heinichen: Dresden concerti. Musica Antiqua Köln; Reinhard Goebel, conductor. 2 CDs, 1992, 137', Archiv 437 549-2.

Georg Philipp Telemann: Musique de Table, partagée en Trois Productions. Musica Antiqua Köln; Reinhard Goebel, conductor. 4 CDs, 1988, 253', Archiv 427 619-2.

French High Baroque

Thanks to the efforts of several fine French ensembles, this repertoire is now better known.

Marc-Antoine Charpentier: Te Deum H 146; Missa "Assumpta est Maria" H 11; Litanies H 83. Les Arts Florissants; William Christie, conductor; CD, 1988, 75', Harmonia Mundi HMX 290850.

Joseph Bodin de Boismortier: Don Quichotte chez la Duchesse, ballet. Le Concert Spirituel; Hervé Niquet, conductor. CD, 1996, 61', Naxos 8.553647.

Jean-Philippe Rameau: Complete harpsichord music. Gilbert Rowland, harpsichord. 2 CDs, 1994, 148', Naxos 8.553047/8.

Jean-Philippe Rameau: Anacréon; Le Berger fidèle. Les Musiciens Du Louvre; Marc Minkowski, conductor. CD, 1995, 57', Archiv 449 211-2.

Franz Joseph Haydn

Starting from the classical age, the performance practice is well-established and we have a great choice of recordings.

Die Jahreszeiten, oratorio. The Monteverdi Choir; The English Baroque Soloists; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor. 2 CDs, 1990, 137', Archiv 431 818-2.

Symphonies n. 93, n. 94 "Mit dem Paukenschlag", n. 95. La Petite Bande; Sigiswald Kuijken, conductor. CD, 1992, 66', DHM.

String Quartet op. 51 "Die sieben letzen Worte unseres Erlösers am Kreutze". Festetics Quartet. CD, 1991, 70', Harmonia Mundi HMA 1903043.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Requiem K 626 (edited by C. R. F. Maunder). Academy of Ancient Music; Christopher Hogwood, conductor; CD, 1983, 44', L'Oiseau-Lyre 411 712-2.

Symphonies n. 40, n. 41 "Jupiter". Concertgebouw Orchestra; Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor; CD, 1982, 74', Teldec 9031-75861-2.

Piano concertos n. 20, n. 24 etc. Alfred Brendel, piano; The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields; Neville Marriner, conductor; CD, 1973, 70', Philips 420906-2.

Romantic

Johannes Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem op. 45. Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor; Wiener Philharmoniker; Carlo Maria Giulini, conductor; CD, 1987, 73', DGG 423 574-2.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom op. 41; 9 liturgical hymns (selection). Svetoslav Obretenov Choir; Georgi Robev, conductor; 2 CDs, 1977, 105', EMI 7243 5 68661 2 6.

Leos Janacek: Glagolitic mass. Prague Philharmonic Chorus; Czech Philharmonic Orchestra; Charles Mackerras, conductor; CD, 1984, 105', Supraphon 33C37-7448.

Massimo Campostrini, Massimo.Campostrini@df.unipi.it