[CanadianMaestro]

  I wish Carlos Kleiber had recorded Beethoven's 9th symphony. 

Abbado/Berlin at Salzburg Festival is pretty good, as is Karajan 1977 cycle.
The Fricsay is decent but the SQ is not optimal.
 
Abbado:
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=47622

 

[Fugue]

Extraordinary playing--very well recorded.
 

 

[Fugue]

Wonderfully played and recorded.
 

 

[gerelmx1986]

Trevor Pinnock, The english concert

 

[Fugue]

 

[Head1]

 

[Fugue]

 

[Fugue]

 

[Mr Rick]

Rhetorical Question: How could I have gone 60 years, listening to classical music, without having been exposed to Bela Bartok??
 
Currently listening to Solti - Bartok on Spotify.
 
I feel a binge buying attack of Bartok CDs coming on.

 

[Fugue]

 

[Computerpro3]

I have gotten a ton of great music from this thread - thanks to all for posting.  In return, here is some music from one of my best friends.  She is a world class pianist (a professor of piano at a well known school) and I find all of these recordings superlative.  I asked and got her permission to post....hope you enjoy.
 
Liszt Sonata in B Minor

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/18682/lilp/08%20Sonata%20in%20B%20Minor.m4a
 

Franz Liszt Etude d-execution transcendente, no. 2 
 
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/18682/lilp/01%20Etude%20d-execution%20transcendente%2C%20No.%202.m4a
 
Ravel's Ondine

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/18682/lilp/02%20Ondine.mp3


Bach/Busoni Chaconne in D Minor

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/18682/lilp/Bach%20Busoni%20Chaconne%20in%20D%20Minor.m4a
 
Liszt Totentanz

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/18682/lilp/Liszt%20-%20Totentanz.m4a
 
Bach/Liszt Pralidium and fugue a-moll, BWV 543
 
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/18682/lilp/01%20Praludium%20and%20fugue%20a-moll%2C%20BWM%20543.m4a

Tchiakovsky/Pletnev Andante Maestoso from the Nutcracker Suite
 
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/18682/lilp/02%20Andante%20Maestoso%20from%20_Nutcracker.m4a

 

[uchihaitachi]

Really like her Ravel and Debussy.
She has got two fascinating recording of the ravel concerto in g performed in totally contrasting styles but as effectively - worth checking out

 

[jegnyc]

 

My copy of the Takacs set arrived yesterday.  Although not SACD, it does include a 24/48 Blu-Ray with the entire cycle.  

 

[jegnyc]

  Rhetorical Question: How could I have gone 60 years, listening to classical music, without having been exposed to Bela Bartok??
 
Currently listening to Solti - Bartok on Spotify.
 
I feel a binge buying attack of Bartok CDs coming on.

Make sure to check out the string quartets.  Some of them are not so easy, but they are all worth it.  And Geza Anda doing the three piano concertos.  And Reiner's recordings.  And (speaking as an amateur clarinet player) "Contrasts," commissioned by Benny Goodman.  There's a recording of it by Goodman, Bartok (on piano) and Joseph Szigeti.

 

[uchihaitachi]

  Make sure to check out the string quartets.  Some of them are not so easy, but they are all worth it.  And Geza Anda doing the three piano concertos.  And Reiner's recordings.  And (speaking as an amateur clarinet player) "Contrasts," commissioned by Benny Goodman.  There's a recording of it by Goodman, Bartok (on piano) and Joseph Szigeti.

Add Bavouzet to that list. It's ridiculously difficult repertoire