Disclosure: This is a compilation of the NPR Performance Today list of 50 essential classical music CDs selected by Ted Libbey.
I created this page because the original NPR link ( http://www.npr.org/programs/pt/features/pt50.html ) was down most of the time.
Contact me if you have any feedback or questions.
- Adams: "The Chairman Dances"
- San Francisco Symphony
- Edo de Waart, conductor
- Nonesuch 79144
- Buy from Amazon.com
- J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 1 - 6
- Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
- Harmonia Mundi HMX 2901634.35 (2-CD set)
- Buy from Amazon.com
- J.S. Bach: "Goldberg" Variations, BWV 988
- Murray Perahia, piano
- Sony Classical SK/SM 89243
- Buy from Amazon.com
- J.S. Bach: Mass in B minor, BWV 232
- Collegium Vocale/La Chapelle Royale
- Phillipe Herreweghe, conductor
- Harmonia Mundi HMX 2908110.12
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra
- Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Reiner, conductor
- RCA Victor 61504
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Beethoven: The String Quartets
- Emerson String Quartet
- Deutsche Grammophon 447 075-2
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
- Vienna Philharmonic, Carlos Kleiber, conductor
- Deutsche Grammophon 447 400-2
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Berlioz:Symphony Fantastique
- London Symphony Orchestra, led by Sir Colin Davis
- Sony/Columbia Broadway Masterworks SK 60724
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Bernstein:West Side Story
- Original Broadway Cast Recording
- Sony/Columbia Broadway Masterworks SK 60724
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Brahms:A German Requiem
- Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
- Philharmonia Chorus & Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, conductor
- EMI Classics 7243 566903 2 5
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98
- Vienna Philharmonic
- Carlos Kleiber, conductor
- Deutsche Grammophon 457 706-2
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Brahms: Violin Concerto in D, Op. 77
- Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin
- New York Philharmonic, Kurt Masur, conductor
- Deutsche Grammophon 457 075-2
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Chopin: Ballades and Scherzi
- Arthur Rubinstein, piano
- The Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 45
- BMG/RCA Victor 63045-2
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Copland:Appalacian Spring
- San Francisco Symphony
- Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Debussy:La Mer
- Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch, conductor
- RCA Victor 61500
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Dowland: Complete Lute Works, Volume 3
- Paul O'Dette, lute
Harmonia Mundi 907162
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Dvorák: Cello Concerto in B minor Op. 104
- Mstislav Rostropovich, cello
- Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, conductor
- Deutsche Grammophon 447 413-2
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Dvorák: Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95
- London Symphony Orchestra, István Kertész, conductor
- Penguin Classics 460604
- Buy from Amazon.com
- 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
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Gershwin:Rhapsody in Blue
- Leonard Bernstein, piano/conductor
- Columbia Symphony Orchestra
- Sony Classical 42264
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Handel:Messiah
- English Baroque Soloists/Monteverdi Choir
- Sir John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
- Philips 434297 (2-CD set)
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Handel: Water Music Suites
- English Baroque Soloists
- Sir John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
- UNI/Philips 464706
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Haydn: "London" Symphonies
- Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam
- Sir Colin Davis, conductor
- UNI/Philips 464707
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Holst: The Planets, Op. 32
- Philharmonia Orchestra/The Monteverdi Choir
- John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
- Deutsche Grammophon 445 860-2
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Vladimir Horowitz: The Historic Return
- Carengie Hall 1965
- Sony Classical 53461
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Josquin de Prés: Missa Pange Lingua
- The Tallis Scholars
- Peter Phillips, director
- Gimell CDGIM009
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Mahler: Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection"
- The New York Philharmonic
- Leonard Bernstein, conductor
- Polygram 423395
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Mendelssohn:A Midsummer Night's Dream
- London Symphony Orchestra, Peter Maag, conductor
- Jenifer Vyvyan, soprano and Marion Lowe, soprano
- Decca Legends 466 990
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Monteverdi:Vespro della Beata Vergine
- Monteverdi Choir/London Oratory Junior Choir
- His Majesties Sagbutts & Cornetts/English Baroque Soloists
- John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Mozart:The Magic Flute
- Berlin Philharmonic, RIAS Chamber Chorus
- Karl Böhm, conductor
- Deutsche Grammophon 449 749-2 (2-CD set)
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 6, 17 & 21
- Géza Anda, piano/conductor
- Camerata Academica of Salzburg
- Deutsche Grammophon 447 436-2
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 35-41
- Berlin Philharmonic
- Karl Böhm, conductor
- Deutsche Grammophon 447 416-2
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Orff:Carmina Burana
- Chor und Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin
- Eugen Jochum, conductor
- Deutsche Grammophon 447 437-2
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Prokofiev:Romeo & Juliet
- The Cleveland Orchestra
- Lorin Maazel, conductor
- Decca 452970
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Puccini:La Bohème
- The Columbus Boychoir
- RCA Victor Chorus & Orchestra, Sir Thomas Beecham, conductor
- EMI Classics 7243 567750 2 (2CD)
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Ravel:Daphnis and Chloe
- Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Jean Martinon, conductor
- RCA 63683
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Schubert: String Quintet in C, D. 956
- Emerson String Quartet
- Mstislav Rostropovich, cello
- Deutsche Grammophon 431 792-2
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Schubert:Winterreise
- Thomas Quasthoff, bass-baritone
- Charles Spencer, piano
- RCA 09026 63147 2
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47
- New York Philharmonic
- Leonard Bernstein, conductor
- Sony Classical 61841
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Sibelius: Symphonies 5 & 7
- Boston Symphony Orchestra
- Sir Colin Davis, conductor
- Philips 289 464 740-2
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Strauss:Four Last Songs
- Jessye Norman, soprano
- Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Kurt Masur, conductor
- Philips 464742
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Stravinsky:The Rite of Spring
- Kirov Orchestra
- Valery Gergiev, conductor
- Philips 289 468 035-2PH
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23
- Van Cliburn, piano
- RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra, Kiril Kondrashin, conductor
- RCA Victor 078635055912
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Tchaikovsky: Symphonies 4, 5 & 6
- Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra
- Evgeny Mravinsky, conductor
- Deutsche Grammophon 419 745-2
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Verdi: Messa da Requiem
- Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus
- Carlo Maria Giulini, conductor
- EMI CMS 5 67560 2
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Vivaldi:The Four Seasons
- Giuliano Carmignola, baroque violin
- Venice Baroque Orchestra, Andrea Marcon, Music Director
- Sony Classical SK 51352
- Buy from Amazon.com
- Wagner: Overtures and Preludes
- Chicago Symphony Orchestra
- Daniel Barenboim, conductor
- Teldec 4509 99595 2
- Buy from Amazon.com
