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The PT 50
PT presents its list of 50 essential classical music CDs, selected by Ted Libbey, our NPR Basic Record Library curator. Below is the most recently aired entry; further down is the entire list.
 View a printer-friendly PT 50 page
The PT 50
(in order of airdate)
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1 |
Beethoven | Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
Vienna Philharmonic
Carlos Kleiber, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 447 400-2
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(with Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92)
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2 |
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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(with Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18; Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Reiner, conductor)
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3 |
Dvorák | Cello Concerto in B minor Op. 104
Mstislav Rostropovich, cello
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 447 413-2
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(with Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme Op. 33)
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4 |
Handel | Water Music Suites
English Baroque Soloists
Sir John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
UNI/Philips 464706
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(with Handel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks")
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5 |
Chopin | Ballades and Scherzi
Arthur Rubinstein, piano
The Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 45
BMG/RCA Victor 63045-2
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(with the Tarantelle, Op. 43)
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6 |
Bernstein | West Side Story
Original Broadway Cast Recording
Sony SK 60724 (Columbia Broadway Masterworks)
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7 |
Haydn | "London" Symphonies
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam
Sir Colin Davis, conductor
UNI/Philips 464707
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(The 6 "Name" Symphonies from the "London" Symphonies (2 CDs))
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8 |
Debussy | Piano Preludes, Books I & II
Paul Jacobs, piano
Elektra/Asylum 79474
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9 |
Wagner | Overtures and Preludes
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Daniel Barenboim, conductor
Teldec 4509 99595 2
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10 |
Beethoven | Piano Sonatas
Nos. 21 "Waldstein", 23 "Appassionata" & 26 "Les Adieux"
Emil Gilels, piano
Deutsche Grammophon 419 162-2
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11 |
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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12 |
Handel | Messiah
English Baroque Soloists/Monteverdi Choir
Marshall/Robbin/Brett/Rolfe-Johnson etc.
Sir John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
Philips 434297 (2-CD set)
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13 |
Sibelius | Symphonies 5 & 7
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis, conductor
Philips 289 464 740-2
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14 |
Holst | The Planets, Op. 32
Philharmonia Orchestra / The Monteverdi Choir
John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 445 860-2
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(with Grainger's "The Warriors")
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15 |
Schubert | String Quintet in C, D. 956
Emerson String Quartet
Mstislav Rostropovich, cello
Deutsche Grammophon 431 792-2
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16 |
Vivaldi | The Four Seasons
Giuliano Carmignola, baroque violin
Venice Baroque Orchestra, Andrea Marcon, Music Director
Sony Classical SK 51352
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17 |
Copland | Appalachian Spring (complete ballet)
San Francisco Symphony
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Copland the Populist -- RCA 09026-63511-2
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(with Rodeo and Billy the Kid)
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18 |
Vladimir Horowitz: The Historic Return
Carnegie Hall 1965
Sony Classical 53461
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(with Horowitz's 1966 Concerts)
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19 |
Shostakovich | Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47
New York Philharmonic
Leonard Bernstein, conductor
Sony Classical 61841
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(with Symphony No. 9 in E-flat Major, Op. 70)
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20 |
Mozart | The Magic Flute
Berlin Philharmonic, RIAS Chamber Chorus
Lear/Peters/Otto/Wunderlich Fischer-Dieskau/Crass/Hotter
Karl Böhm, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 449 749-2 (2-CD set)
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21 |
Brahms | Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98
Vienna Philharmonic
Carlos Kleiber, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 457 706-2
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22 |
Josquin | Missa Pange Lingua
The Tallis Scholars
Peter Phillips, director
Gimell CDGIM009
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23 |
Stravinsky | The Rite of Spring
Kirov Orchestra
Valery Gergiev, conductor
Philips 289 468 035-2PH
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24 |
Beethoven | The String Quartets
Emerson String Quartet
Deutsche Grammophon 447 075-2
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25 |
Mahler | Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection"
The New York Philharmonic
Leonard Bernstein, conductor
Polygram 423395
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26 |
Adams | "The Chairman Dances"
San Francisco Symphony
Edo de Waart, conductor
Nonesuch 79144
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27 |
J.S. Bach | "Goldberg" Variations, BWV 988
Murray Perahia, piano
Sony Classical SK/SM 89243
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28 |
Elgar | Cello Concerto and Sea Pictures
Jacqueline du Pré, cello; Dame Janet Baker, mezzo-soprano
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir John Barbirolli, conductor
EMI CDC 556219 2
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29 |
Orff | Carmina Burana
Janowitz/Stolze/Fischer-Dieskau
Schöneberger Sängerknaben
Chor und Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin
Eugen Jochum, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 447 437-2
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30 |
Tchaikovsky | Symphonies 4, 5 & 6
Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra
Evgeny Mravinsky, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 419 745-2
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31 |
Prokofiev | Romeo & Juliet
The Cleveland Orchestra
Lorin Maazel, conductor
Decca 452970
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32 |
R. Strauss | Four Last Songs for voice & orchestra, AV 150
Jessye Norman, soprano
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra
Kurt Masur, conductor
Philips 464742
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(with Wagner's Wesendonk Lieder)
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33 |
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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(with R. Schumann's Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra in C major op. 131)
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34 |
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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(with Bach's Magnifcat)
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35 |
Debussy | La Mer
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Charles Munch, conductor
RCA Victor 61500
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(with Saint-Saëns' Symphony No. 3 "Organ" and Ibert's Escales)
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36 |
Bartók | Concerto for Orchestra
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Fritz Reiner, conductor
RCA Victor 61504
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37 |
Puccini | La Bohème
de los Angeles/Björling/Corena/Merrill/Tozzi
The Columbus Boychoir
RCA Victor Chorus & Orchestra
Sir Thomas Beecham
EMI Classics 7243 567750 2 (2CD)
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38 |
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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39 |
Ravel | Daphnis and Chloe Suite No. 2
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Jean Martinon, conductor
RCA 63683
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(with Ravel's Rhapsodie espagnole, Miroirs, at al.)
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40 |
Dvorák | Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 "From the New World"
London Symphony Orchestra
István Kertész, conductor
Penguin Classics 460604
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41 |
Verdi | Messa da Requiem
Schwarzkopf/Ludwig/Gedda/Ghiaurov
Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus
Carlo Maria Giulini, conductor
EMI CMS 5 67560 2
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(with Quattro pezzi sacri)
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42 |
Gershwin | Rhapsody in Blue
Leonard Bernstein, piano/conductor
Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Sony Classical 42264
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(with Gershwin's An American in Paris and Grofe's Grand Canyon Suite)
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43 |
Monteverdi | Vespro della Beata Vergine
Monoyios/Pennicchi/Chance/Tucker/Robson/Naglia/Terfel/Miles
Monteverdi Choir/London Oratory Junior Choir/
His Majesties Sagbutts & Cornetts/English Baroque Soloists
John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
Archiv 429 565
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44 |
Mozart | Piano Concertos Nos. 6, 17 & 21
Géza Anda, piano/conductor
Camerata Academica of Salzburg
Deutsche Grammophon 447 436-2
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45 |
Dowland | Complete Lute Works, Volume 3
Paul O'Dette, lute
Harmonia Mundi 907162
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46 |
Schubert | Winterreise
Thomas Quasthoff, bass-baritone
Charles Spencer, piano
RCA 09026 63147 2
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47 |
Berlioz | Symphonie Fantastique
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis, conductor
LSO LIVE #7
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48 |
Mendelssohn | A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture Op.21 & Incidental Music Op.61 / Symphony No. 3 "Scottish"
London Symphony Orchestra
Jenifer Vyvyan, soprano
Marion Lowe, soprano
Peter Maag, conductor
Decca Legends 466 990
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49 |
Liszt | Sonata, Ballades and Polonaises
Stephen Hough, piano
Hyperion 67085
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50 |
Mozart | Symphonies Nos. 35-41
Berlin Philharmonic
Karl Böhm, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 447 416-2
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