Favorite Classical CDs by 
NickVolos 
If you made it this far down, you just discovered my favorite chart of all - a list of my favorite classical CDs. Most of these CDs are collections of multiple of the composer's works - in some cases spanning the whole lifetime of the composer - rather than individual works. The chart is sorted based on my favorite collection of a composer's work and not based on the performer(s) and/or conductor that interprets it. All selections are rated 100 as all represent the absolutely top most quality that music has to offer. Reverse this chart from 100 to 1 and the music in it remains beautifully perfect.
- Chart updated: 02/09/2015 13:15
- (Created: 11/07/2013 04:43).
- Chart size: 27 albums.
Member feedback is NOT allowed on this chart.
View the complete list of 56,000 charts on BestEverAlbums.com from The Charts page.
This chart is currently filtered to only show albums from the 1980s. (Remove this filter)
2. (=)
Buy album 
- #Sponsored
The idea of a "perfect recording" is, of course, chimerical. But Trevor Pinnock's "Brandenburg Concertos" and "Orchestral Suites" come pretty close to the mark. There are two factors which put this 3-CD set in the category "very special": One is the sheer musicianship of the young English Concert team. Every soloist seems to want to outdo the others in technical skill, tonal clarity and emotional verve. Listen to Pinnock himself on the harpsichord in the Brandenburg Concert No. 5; listen to Lisa Beznosiuk accompanying him on the traverse flute; listen to Simon Standage, Philip Pickett and Rachel Beckett in Concert No. 4 ... and so the list goes on. This is an unending sequence of instrumental delights, and only someone who dislikes Baroque period instruments on principle will fail to experience heights of enjoyment of this exquisite sound. Which brings me to the second factor: Seldom have I heard such a brilliant recording! Deutsche Grammophon is generally known for superior sound, but this 1982 piece of digital engineering (Brandenburg Concertos) surpasses anything I have ever heard even from this label: Purity, clarity, spaciousness and presence are uniquely combined to provide a listening experience which could hardly be topped. The Orchestral Suite sound (analogue recording from 1979/1980) is only slightly less brilliant and also deserves great praise. I have listened to a number of rival recordings, but nothing captivates me quite like the the English Concert discs. The only slight question mark could perhaps be put behind the Sixth Brandenburg Concerto, which in its Adagio slow movement seems to lack a little fire. Generally, Pinnock has chosen tempi that are moderate, and although musicologists and interpreters since this recording (Goebel; Rampe) have argued cogently for faster rhythms, their efforts sound decidedly contrived in comparison with Pinnock's easy, flowing version which caresses the ear without betraying any of Bach's depth or humour...(Leslie Richford, Amazon Customer Review)
[First added to this chart: 11/07/2013]
0
Buy album
- #Sponsored
The Handel organ concertos Op 4, HWV 289–294, refer to the six organ concertos for chamber organ and orchestra composed by George Frideric Handel in London between 1735 and 1736 and published in 1738 by the printing company of John Walsh. Written as interludes in performances of oratorios in Covent Garden, they were the first works of their kind for this combination of instruments and served as a model for later composers.
The Handel organ concertos Op 7, HWV 306–311, refer to the six organ concertos for organ and orchestra composed by George Frideric Handel in London between 1740 and 1751, published posthumously in 1761 by the printing company of John Walsh. They were written for performance during Handel's oratorios, contain almost entirely original material, including some of his most popular and inspired movements.
"A fine and delicate touch, a volant finger, and a ready delivery of passages the most difficult, are the praise of inferior artists: they were not noticed in Handel, whose excellencies were of a far superior kind; and his amazing command of the instrument, the fullness of his harmony, the grandeur and dignity of his style, the copiousness of his imagination, and the fertility of his invention were qualities that absorbed every inferior attainment. When he gave a concerto, his method in general was to introduce it with a voluntary movement on the diapasons, which stole on the ear in a slow and solemn progression; the harmony close wrought, and as full as could possibly be expressed; the passages concatenated with stupendous art, the whole at the same time being perfectly intelligible, and carrying the appearance of great simplicity. This kind of prelude was succeeded by the concerto itself, which he executed with a degree of spirit and firmness that no one ever pretended to equal." (Sir John Hawkins, General History of the Science and Practice of Music. 1776) (wikipedia) [First added to this chart: 11/08/2013]
The Handel organ concertos Op 7, HWV 306–311, refer to the six organ concertos for organ and orchestra composed by George Frideric Handel in London between 1740 and 1751, published posthumously in 1761 by the printing company of John Walsh. They were written for performance during Handel's oratorios, contain almost entirely original material, including some of his most popular and inspired movements.
"A fine and delicate touch, a volant finger, and a ready delivery of passages the most difficult, are the praise of inferior artists: they were not noticed in Handel, whose excellencies were of a far superior kind; and his amazing command of the instrument, the fullness of his harmony, the grandeur and dignity of his style, the copiousness of his imagination, and the fertility of his invention were qualities that absorbed every inferior attainment. When he gave a concerto, his method in general was to introduce it with a voluntary movement on the diapasons, which stole on the ear in a slow and solemn progression; the harmony close wrought, and as full as could possibly be expressed; the passages concatenated with stupendous art, the whole at the same time being perfectly intelligible, and carrying the appearance of great simplicity. This kind of prelude was succeeded by the concerto itself, which he executed with a degree of spirit and firmness that no one ever pretended to equal." (Sir John Hawkins, General History of the Science and Practice of Music. 1776) (wikipedia) [First added to this chart: 11/08/2013]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2
Rank in 1984:
Rank in 1980s:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
Most musicologists consider Paganini to be the greatest violinist the world has ever known. He essentially created techniques for his instrument that were unheard of before him, and to this day, his compositions define the technical limitations of the violin. In essence, he was the first virtuoso of any instrument. He made Liszt want to make the piano sound like his violin and made others so jealous of his abilities that they said he was possesed. Paganini is a paragon of the 19th century Romantic virtuoso. Unfortunately, his violin concertos have not received the same attention as his brilliant technical gifts and his famous cappricios. What one finds on these 3 cd's is perhaps some of the most wonderful, and dramatically challenging pieces ever written for the violin. In fact, Schubert admired Paganini's compositional abilities so much that he once said that Paganini's compositions made the violin sing like an angel. These cd's show that Paganini was more than just a technical wizard. He created beautiful violin concertos that stand up musically on their own. The pure joy and brilliance of these pieces will astonish you. Salvatore Accardo's playing is flawless and simply mind boggling! I have found myself enjoying and playing these 6 concerti far more often than violin concerti by Beethoven, Mozart, etc., etc. It was only until the 1970's when any of Paganini's 6 violin concerti were recorded on a major label! Paganini is slowy gaining more popularity and is destined to get the respect he deserves in musical history as a first rate composer thanks to releases like this one. Now, when will the concert halls of Europe and America wake up and start performing Paganini's music? I predict that once you here these recordings, you will realize that it is just a matter of time. After all, this music once completely dazzled and entranced audiances all across Europe and made Paganini famous and much respeted.-----NO CLASSICAL LIBRARY SHOULD BE WITHOUT THIS RECORDING. (A Customer, Amazon Customer Review)
[First added to this chart: 12/27/2013]
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank in 1986:
None
Rank in 1980s:
None
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 3. Page 1 of 1
Don't agree with this chart? Create your own from the My Charts page!
Favorite Classical CDs composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 1 | 4% | |
| 1960s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1970s | 3 | 11% | |
| 1980s | 3 | 11% | |
| 1990s | 8 | 30% | |
| 2000s | 12 | 44% | |
| 2010s | 0 | 0% | |
| 2020s | 0 | 0% |
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
9 | 33% | |
| |
3 | 11% | |
 |
3 | 11% | |
 |
2 | 7% | |
 |
2 | 7% | |
 |
2 | 7% | |
 |
1 | 4% | |
| Show all | |||
Favorite Classical CDs chart changes
| New entries |
|---|
 Debussy: L'Oeuvre Pour Pianoby Aldo Ciccolini |
Favorite Classical CDs similarity to your chart(s)
Not a member? Registering is quick, easy and FREE!
Why register?
Join a passionate community of over 50,000 music fans.- Create & share your own charts.
- Have your say in the overall rankings.
- Post comments in the forums and vote on polls.
- Comment on or rate any album, artist, track or chart.
- Discover new music & improve your music collection.
- Customise the overall chart using a variety of different filters & metrics.
- Create a wishlist of albums.
- Help maintain the BEA database.
- Earn member points and gain access to increasing levels of functionality!
- ... And lots more!
Register now - it only takes a moment!
Other custom charts by NickVolos
If you enjoy our site, please consider supporting us by sparing a few seconds to disable your ad blocker.
A lot of hard work happens in the background to keep BEA running, and it's especially difficult to do this when we can't pay our hosting fees :(
We work very hard to ensure our site is as fast (and FREE!) as possible, and we respect your privacy.
A lot of hard work happens in the background to keep BEA running, and it's especially difficult to do this when we can't pay our hosting fees :(
We work very hard to ensure our site is as fast (and FREE!) as possible, and we respect your privacy.
| Email Address | |
|---|---|
| Forgotten passwords and other site notifications are sent to the email address saved on your profile. If you've changed your email address recently, please remember to update it on your profile page. (If you can't remember your password, and your email address is out of date, please contact us for assistance getting back into your account). |