The PT 50

NPR's Performance Today presents its list of fifty essential classical music CDs, selected by classical music critic Ted Libbey.

Titles link to Libbey's Performance Today features on each CD; links to CD purchase pages provide an opportunity to support NPR through our partnerships with The Public Radio Music Source and amazon.com.

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Adams: "The Chairman Dances"
CD cover of 'Adams:

San Francisco Symphony
Edo de Waart, conductor
Nonesuch 79144

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J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 1 - 6
CD cover of 'J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 1 - 6'

Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Harmonia Mundi HMX 2901634.35 (2-CD set)

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J.S. Bach: "Goldberg" Variations, BWV 988
CD cover of 'J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988'

Murray Perahia, piano
Sony Classical SK/SM 89243

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J.S. Bach: Mass in B minor, BWV 232
CD cover of 'J.S. Bach: Mass in B minor, BWV 232'

Collegium Vocale/La Chapelle Royale
Phillipe Herreweghe, conductor
Harmonia Mundi HMX 2908110.12

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Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra
CD cover of 'Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra'

Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Reiner, conductor
RCA Victor 61504

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Beethoven: The String Quartets
CD cover of 'Beethoven: The String Quartets'

Emerson String Quartet
Deutsche Grammophon 447 075-2

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Beethoven: Piano Sonatas
CD cover of 'Beethoven: Piano Sonatas'

Emile Gilels, piano
Deutsche Grammophon 419 162-2

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Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
CD cover for 'Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67' from the Vienna Philharmonic

Vienna Philharmonic, Carlos Kleiber, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 447 400-2

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Berlioz: Symphony Fantastique
CD cover of 'Bernstein: Berlioz: Symphony Fantastique'

Original Broadway Cast Recording
Sony/Columbia Broadway Masterworks SK 60724

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Bernstein: West Side Story
CD cover of 'Bernstein: West Side Story'

Original Broadway Cast Recording
Sony/Columbia Broadway Masterworks SK 60724

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Brahms: A German Requiem
CD cover of 'Brahms: A German Requiem'

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Philharmonia Chorus & Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, conductor
EMI Classics 7243 566903 2 5

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Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98
CD cover of 'Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98'

Vienna Philharmonic
Carlos Kleiber, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 457 706-2

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Brahms: Violin Concerto in D, Op. 77
CD cover of 'Brahms: Violin Concerto in D, Op. 77'

Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin
New York Philharmonic, Kurt Masur, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 457 075-2

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Chopin: Ballades and Scherzi
CD cover of 'Chopin: Ballades and Scherzi'

Arthur Rubinstein, piano
The Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 45
BMG/RCA Victor 63045-2

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Copland: Appalacian Spring
CD cover of 'Copland: Appalacian Spring'

San Francisco Symphony
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Copland the Populist -- RCA 09026-63511-2

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Debussy: La Mer
CD cover of 'Debussy: La Mer'

Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch, conductor
RCA Victor 61500

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Debussy: Piano Preludes, Books I & II
CD cover of 'Debussy: Piano Preludes, Books I & II'

Paul Jacobs, piano
Elektra/Asylum 79474

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Dowland: Complete Lute Works, Volume 3
CD cover of 'Dowland: Complete Lute Works, Volume 3'

Paul O'Dette, lute Harmonia Mundi 907162

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Dvorák: Cello Concerto in B minor Op. 104
CD cover of 'Dvorak: Cello Concerto in B minor Op. 104'

Mstislav Rostropovich, cello
Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 447 413-2

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Dvorák: Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95
CD cover of 'Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95'

London Symphony Orchestra, István Kertész, conductor
Penguin Classics 460604

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Elgar: Cello Concerto and Sea Pictures
CD cover of 'Elgar: Cello Concerto and Sea Pictures'

Jacqueline du Pré, cello; Janet Baker, mezzo-soprano
London Symphony Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli, conductor
EMI CDC 556219 2

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Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue
CD cover of 'Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue'

Leonard Bernstein, piano/conductor
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Sony Classical 42264

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Handel: Messiah
CD cover of 'Handel: Messiah'

English Baroque Soloists/Monteverdi Choir
Sir John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
Philips 434297 (2-CD set)

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Handel: Water Music Suites
CD cover of 'Handel: Water Music Suites'

English Baroque Soloists
Sir John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
UNI/Philips 464706

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Haydn: "London" Symphonies
CD cover of 'Haydn: 'London' Symphonies'

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam
Sir Colin Davis, conductor
UNI/Philips 464707

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Holst: The Planets, Op. 32
CD cover of 'Holst: The Planets, Op. 32'

Philharmonia Orchestra/The Monteverdi Choir
John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 445 860-2

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Vladimir Horowitz: The Historic Return
CD cover of 'Vladimir Horowitz: The Historic Return'

Carengie Hall 1965
Sony Classical 53461

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Josquin de Prés: Missa Pange Lingua
CD cover of 'Josquin: Missa Pange Lingua'

The Tallis Scholars
Peter Phillips, director
Gimell CDGIM009

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Liszt: Sonata, Ballades and Polonaises
CD cover of 'Liszt: Sonata, Ballades and Polonaises'

Stephen Hough, piano
Hyperion 67085

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Mahler: Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection"
CD cover of 'Mahler: Symphony No. 2 'Resurrection'

The New York Philharmonic
Leonard Bernstein, conductor
Polygram 423395

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Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture Op.21
CD cover of 'Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream'

London Symphony Orchestra, Peter Maag, conductor
Jenifer Vyvyan, soprano and Marion Lowe, soprano
Decca Legends 466 990

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Monteverdi: Vespro della Beata Vergine
CD cover of 'Monteverdi: <i>Vespro della Beata Vergine'

Monteverdi Choir/London Oratory Junior Choir
His Majesties Sagbutts & Cornetts/English Baroque Soloists
John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
Archiv 429 565

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Mozart: The Magic Flute
CD cover of 'Mozart: The Magic Flute'

Berlin Philharmonic, RIAS Chamber Chorus
Karl Böhm, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 449 749-2 (2-CD set)

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Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 6, 17 & 21
CD cover of 'Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 6, 17 & 21'

Géza Anda, piano/conductor
Camerata Academica of Salzburg
Deutsche Grammophon 447 436-2

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Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 35-41
CD cover of 'Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 35-41'

Berlin Philharmonic
Karl Böhm, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 447 416-2

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Orff: Carmina Burana
CD cover of 'Orff: Carmina Burana'

Chor und Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin
Eugen Jochum, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 447 437-2

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Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet
CD cover of 'Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet'

The Cleveland Orchestra
Lorin Maazel, conductor
Decca 452970

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Puccini: La Bohème
CD cover of 'Puccini: La Boheme'

The Columbus Boychoir
RCA Victor Chorus & Orchestra, Sir Thomas Beecham, conductor
EMI Classics 7243 567750 2 (2CD)

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Ravel: Daphnis and Chloe Suite No. 2
CD cover of 'Ravel: Daphnis and Chloe'

Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Jean Martinon, conductor
RCA 63683

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Schubert: String Quintet in C, D. 956
CD cover of 'Schubert: String Quintet in C, D. 956'

Emerson String Quartet
Mstislav Rostropovich, cello
Deutsche Grammophon 431 792-2

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Schubert: Winterreise
CD cover of 'Schubert: <i>Winterreise'

Thomas Quasthoff, bass-baritone
Charles Spencer, piano
RCA 09026 63147 2

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Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47
CD cover of 'Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47'

New York Philharmonic
Leonard Bernstein, conductor
Sony Classical 61841

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Sibelius: Symphonies 5 & 7
CD cover of 'Sibelius: Symphonies 5 & 7'

Boston Symphony Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis, conductor
Philips 289 464 740-2

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Strauss: Four Last Songs
CD cover of 'Strauss: Four Last Songs'

Jessye Norman, soprano
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Kurt Masur, conductor
Philips 464742

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Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
CD cover of 'Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring'

Kirov Orchestra
Valery Gergiev, conductor
Philips 289 468 035-2PH

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Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23
CD cover of 'Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23'

Van Cliburn, piano
RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra, Kiril Kondrashin, conductor
RCA Victor 078635055912

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Tchaikovsky: Symphonies 4, 5 & 6
CD cover of 'Tchaikovsky: Symphonies 4, 5 & 6'

Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra
Evgeny Mravinsky, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 419 745-2

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Verdi: Messa da Requiem
CD cover of 'Verdi: Messa da Requiem'

Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus
Carlo Maria Giulini, conductor
EMI CMS 5 67560 2

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Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
CD cover of 'Vivaldi: The Four Seasons'

Giuliano Carmignola, baroque violin
Venice Baroque Orchestra, Andrea Marcon, Music Director
Sony Classical SK 51352

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Wagner: Overtures and Preludes
CD cover of 'Wagner: Overtures and Preludes'

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Daniel Barenboim, conductor
Teldec 4509 99595 2

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