50 Greatest Classical Recordings

Classical music made a list of the 50 greatest recordings of all time. It’s great to have all these excellent albums in a list and even better to have them available with a single click.

RankAlbumArtist(s)
1Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen (orchestral excerpts)Richard Wagner Wiener Philharmoniker Sir Georg Solti
2Beethoven: Symphonies Nos.5 & 7Ludwig van Beethoven Wiener Philharmoniker Carlos Kleiber
3Britten: War RequiemBenjamin Britten Galina Vishnevskaya Sir Peter Pears Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau London Symphony Chorus The Bach Choir Melos Ensemble London Symphony Orchestra
4Bach: Goldberg Variations (Deluxe Edt. Studio + Live)Johann Sebastian Bach Lang Lang
5Puccini: ToscaGiacomo Puccini Mirella Freni Luciano Pavarotti Sherrill Milnes National Philharmonic Orchestra Nicola Rescigno
6Elgar: Cello Concerto, Op. 85 – Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme Op. 33Jean-Guihen Queyras BBC Symphony Orchestra Jiří Bělohlávek
7Wagner : Tristan und IsoldeRichard Wagner Siegfried Jerusalem Daniel Barenboim Berliner Philharmoniker
8Berlioz: Les Nuits d’été / Ravel: Shéhérazade, &c.Régine Crespin John Wustman L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande Ernest Ansermet
9Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 4-6Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Evgeny Mravinsky Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra
10Gershwin: Porgy and Bess (Live)George Gershwin William Warfield Leontyne Price Cab Calloway RIAS-Unterhaltungsorchester Alexander Smallens
11Bach – Cello SuitesJohann Sebastian Bach Ralph Kirshbaum
12Beethoven: Late String QuartetsLudwig van Beethoven Brodsky Quartet
13Janácek: Kát’a KabanováLeoš Janáček Elisabeth Söderström Naděžda Kniplová Peter Dvorsky Wiener Philharmoniker Sir Charles Mackerras
14The Art Of The Prima DonnaDame Joan Sutherland
15Beethoven: Complete Piano SonatasLudwig van Beethoven Louis Lortie
16The Origin of Fire – Music and Visions of Hildegard von BingenAnonymous 4
17Monteverdi: Vespers of 1610Claudio Monteverdi The Sixteen Harry Christophers
18Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major, S. 124 – Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 43 – Ravel: Piano Concerto in G Major, M. 83Sergei Rachmaninoff Leonard Bernstein New York Philharmonic Columbia Symphony Orchestra
19Chopin: Sonata No. 3 and Works by LisztEmanuel Ax
20Mozart: The Complete Piano ConcertosWolfgang Amadeus Mozart Murray Perahia
21Britten: Peter GrimesBenjamin Britten Sir Peter Pears Claire Watson Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
22Reich: Music for 18 MusiciansSteve Reich Various Artists
23Mozart: Horn Concertos/ Quintet, K. 452Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Philharmonia Orchestra/Herbert von Karajan/Dennis Brain Herbert von Karajan Philharmonia Orchestra
24Strauss: Der RosenkavalierElisabeth Schwarzkopf Otto Edelmann Christa Ludwig
25Handel: MessiahGeorge Frideric Handel Judith Nelson Emma Kirkby Carolyn Watkinson Paul Elliott David Thomas Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford Academy of Ancient Music Christopher Hogwood
26Allegri MiserereTenebrae
27Mozart: The Magic Flute (Highlights) – Queen of the Night AriasWolfgang Amadeus Mozart Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz Herbert Lippert Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra Michael Halasz
28Chopin: Études, Opp. 10 & 25Frédéric Chopin Sebastian Di Bin
29Elgar: Violin Concerto, op.61 / Vaughan Williams: The Lark AscendingHilary Hahn London Symphony Orchestra Sir Colin Davis
30Debussy: Pelléas et MélisandeClaude Debussy Roger Desormière/Choeurs Yvonne Gouverné/Orchestre Symphonique de Paris/Dame Maggie Teyte/Alfred Cortot/Mary Garden/Claude Debussy Roger Desormiere Orchestre Symphonique De Paris
31Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde; 3 Rückert LiederGustav Mahler Kathleen Ferrier Julius Patzak Wiener Philharmoniker Bruno Walter
32Bach, Mendelssohn & Shostakovich: Preludes & FuguesMarcel Worms
33Bellini: NormaVincenzo Bellini Maria Callas Franco Corelli Christa Ludwig Nicola Zaccaria Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, Milano Tullio Serafin Orchestra Del Teatro Alla Scala, Milano
34Brahms: Symphony No.4Johannes Brahms Wiener Philharmoniker Carlos Kleiber
35Ravel: Daphnis et ChloeMaurice Ravel Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden London Symphony Orchestra Pierre Monteux
36Verdi: RequiemElisabeth Schwarzkopf
37Chopin: The NocturnesFrédéric Chopin Claudio Arrau
38Mozart – The Marriage of Figaro – HighlightsWolfgang Amadeus Mozart Riccardo Muti
39Beethoven: FidelioLudwig van Beethoven Otto Klemperer
40Janácek: JenufaLeoš Janáček Elisabeth Söderström Peter Dvorsky Eva Randová Wiesław Ochman Vienna State Opera Orchestra Wiener Philharmoniker Sir Charles Mackerras
41Gesang der JünlingeKarlheinz Stockhausen
42Strauss, R.: Tod und Verklärung; Metamorphosen; Four Last SongsRichard Strauss Gundula Janowitz Berliner Philharmoniker Herbert von Karajan
43Berg: LuluAlban Berg Teresa Stratas Orchestre de l’Opéra de Paris Pierre Boulez
44Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Books 1 & 2Johann Sebastian Bach Edwin Fischer
45Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra, Sz. 116Béla Bartók Fritz Reiner
46Britten: Billy BuddBenjamin Britten Daniel Harding London Symphony Orchestra
47Mozart: Sonata for 2 Pianos in D Major, K. 448 – Schubert: Fantasie in F Minor, Op. 103, D. 940Murray Perahia
48Smetana: Má VlastBedřich Smetana Boston Symphony Orchestra Rafael Kubelik
49Mahler: Symphony No. 9 (Remastered)Gustav Mahler Bruno Walter Columbia Symphony Orchestra
50Bach: Mass in B Minor, BWV 232 (Live)Johann Sebastian Bach Münchener Bach-Orchester Karl Richter Münchener Bach-Chor