Criteria: Greatest Classical Recordings are ranked for their innovation and influence, as well as their aesthetic importance, historical significance and lasting popularity.
Greatest classical recordings are listed as; work, composer, recording year, ensemble, performers, and conductors. This list is in alphabetical order by composer.
Edited By: Guy
Last Updated: 2004-12-19
Mass in B minor - Bach (1985)
English Baroque Soloists, conducted by John Eliot Gardiner Concerto for Orchestra - Bartok (1950)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Fritz Reiner Piano Concertos Nos. 4 and 5 - Beethoven (1961)
Berlin Philharmonic with Wilhelm Kempff, conducted by Ferdinand Leitner Violin Concerto - Beethoven (1980)
Philharmonia Orchestra with Itzhak Perelman, conducted by Carlo Maria Giulani Symphony No. 5 - Beethoven (1975)
Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Carlos Kleiber Symphony No. 6 - Beethoven (1972)
Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Karl Bohm Symphony No. 9 "Choral" - Beethoven (1951)
Bayreuth Orchestra, conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler Symphony No. 9 "Choral" - Beethoven (1977)
Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Herbert Von Karajan Missa Solemnis - Beethoven (1966)
New Philharmonia Chorus & Orchestra, conducted by Otto Klemperer Symphonie Fantastique - Berlioz (1998)
San Francisco Symphony, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 - Brahms (1972)
Berlin Philharmonic with Emil Gilels, conducted by Eugen Jochum Symphony No. 2 - Brahms (1979)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by George Solti A German Requiem - Brahms (1962)
Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus, conducted by Otto Klemperer Symphony No. 8 - Bruckner (1988)
Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Herbert Von Karajan 24 Preludes - Chopin (1975)
Maurizo Pollini 19 Nocturnes - Chopin (1967)
Artur Rubinstein Appalachian Spring - Copland (1961)
New York Philharmonic, conducted by Leonard Bernstein Prelude A L'apres Midi D'un Faune - Debussy (1968)
Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Pierre Boulez Cello Concerto - Dvořák (1969)
Berlin Philharmonic with Mstislav Rostropovich, conducted by Herbert Von Karajan Symphony No. 9 "From The New World" - Dvořák (1973)
Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Rafael Kubelik Engima Variations - Elgar (1971)
London Philharmonic, conducted by Adrian Boult The Planets - Holst (1987)
Montreal Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Charles Dutoit Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 - Liszt (1961)
London Symphony Orchestra with Sviatoslav Richter, conducted by Kiril Kondrashin Symphony No. 1 "Titan" - Mahler (1986)
Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, conducted by Leonard Bernstein Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection" - Mahler (1975)
Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Zubin Mehta Symphony No. 5 - Mahler (1989)
Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Christoph Von Dohnanyi Symphony No. 8 "Symphony of a Thousand" - Mahler (1971)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by George Solti Symphony No. 9 - Mahler (1999)
Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Benjamin Zander Symphony No. 10 - Mahler (1980)
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Simon Rattle Symphony No. 4 "Italian" - Mendelssohn (1973)
Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Herbert Von Karajan Quartet For The End Of Time - Messiaen (1975)
Tashi, with Ida Kavafian, Peter Serkin, Fred Sherry, Richard Stoltzman Symphonies Nos. 40 and 41 - Mozart (1962)
Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Karl Bohm Requiem - Mozart (1971)
Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Karl Bohm Pictures at an Exhibition - Mussorgsky/Ravel (1978)
Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Lorin Maazel Piano Concerto No. 2 - Rachmaninoff (1929)
The Philadelphia Orchestra with Sergei Rachmaninoff, conducted by Eugene Ormandy Piano Concerto No. 3 - Rachmaninoff (1963)
London Symphony Orchestra with Vladimir Ashkenazy, conducted by Anatole Fistoulari Piano Concerto No. 3 - Rachmaninoff (1951)
RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra with Vladimir Horowitz, conducted by Fritz Reiner Scherherazade - Rimsky Korsakov (1990)
London Symphony Orchestra with Kees Hulsmann, conducted by Charles Mackerras Complete Solo Piano - Satie (2002)
Jean Yves Thibaudet Symphony No. 8 "Unfinished" - Schubert (1966)
New York Philharmonic, conducted by Leonard Bernstein Carnaval - Schumann (1966)
Claudio Arrau Piano Concerto - Schumann (1959)
Warsaw National Orchestra with Sviatoslav Richter, conducted by Witold Rowicki Symphony No. 5 - Shostakovich (1981)
Concertgebouw Orchestra, conducted by Bernard Haitink Also Sprach Zarathustra - Strauss (1974)
Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Herbert Von Karajan 1812 Overture - Tchaikovsky (1958)
Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Antal Dorati Piano Concerto No. 1 - Tchaikovsky (1958)
RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra with Van Cliburn, conducted by Kiril Kondrashin Symphony No. 4 - Tchaikovsky (1962)
London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by George Szell Symphony No. 6 "Pathetique" - Tchaikovsky (1982)
Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Evgeny Mravinsky Messa da Requiem - Verdi (2001)
Berlin philharmonic, conducted by Claudio Abbado The Four Seasons - Vivaldi (1982)
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra with Isaac Stern, Pinchas Zuckerman,
Shlomo Mintz, Itzhak Perelman, conducted by Zubin Mehta