First Symphonies

Following on from Fredrik's example, let's have some suggestions for what I, at least, consider the cornerstone of classical music: the symphony.

An excellent place to start is Beethoven. These days there are an awful lot of good, and fairly cheap sets of Beethoven symphonies. Fortunately the best is probably also the cheapest. Sir Charles Mackerras and the RLPO deliver stunning accounts, full of excitement and tension (I can listen to the set time and again and still the interpretations surprise me and show me new things), and it's on emi's classics for pleasure label so it just costs £15 for the 5 disc set. I've got eleven complete sets, and so far Sir Charles has beaten all comers comfortably. Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra also offer a good set (they were a stunning combination) and the set is out at reasonable price (probably around £30 if you shop around) on sony's lavishly packaged 'original jacket' label. Jochum's budget cycle is also pretty good as is Furtwangler's (though the sound quality on numbers 2 and 8 is awful, and the Furtwangler approach isn't for everyone).

Schubert. 5, 8 and 9 are my favourites and I have two good double cd sets containing these. Solti and the VPO are very fine as is Charles Mackerras with the OAE (I think the first recording of the 9th on period instruments). Sir Charles's version is of a finished version of the unfinished 8th.

Haydn. Broadly speaking, the best symphonies are the later ones (from the mid 80s onwards). Personally, I really love Bernstein's Haydn, I think he makes the music sound particularly joyful (especially on his Vienna Philharmonic recordings on DG). That said, I'd like complete sets of the London and Paris symphonies, so if anyone has good recommendations, I'm all ears.

Mozart. Broadly speaking, again, the later symphonies are the best, especially 40 and 41 (and here the Bernstein/VPO recording is especially fine). All Sir Charles Mackerras's recordings with the Prague Chamber Orchestra are also excellent (in particular how good a result he gets with the very early symphonies, which can be a little repetitive if done badly).

Brahms. Perhaps not ideal for starting out, but some great symphonic writing. Sir Charles Mackerras (again, sorry, but he's really good!) has an outstanding set with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (interesting because he uses a smaller orchestra than normal, although like the one Brahms himself used). I'm still looking for a good set with a big orchestra, Haitink's recent LSO live cycle, while cheap, is disappointing (though the second is excellent) as is Bernstein with the VPO (except for number 4) so I'd appreciate recommendations. I'm told the Abbado cycle is good, but it isn't cheap.

Mahler. Not necessarily for everyone, and perhaps not a good place for starting off. However, I think the 4th symphony is very accessible and the classic Szell/Cleveland recording is one nobody should be without. Symphony 1 is also fairly 'easy'. Good recordings include Bernstein with the Concertgebouw and Sir Charles Mackerras with the RLPO.


so, recommendations....


regards,

Tam