A Basic Classical Library
For the Hi-Fi Record Collector
REGISTRAR
WHEN asked to select a basic collection of classical records for the readers of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE, I declined to be a judge between the merits of the various recordings, partly because of a distaste for the dangers of partisanship between brands and artists, partly because I simply was not able to make all the comparisons necessary to the formation of defensible judgments. However, I did agree to put myself in the position of starting all over again with my present amateur listening experience, and then to select a collection of compositions which should do reasonable justice to the various periods and composers, choosing for each composer enough music to represent my own opinion of his musical strong points. In other words, if I were to start from scratch today to assemble a collection from which to draw in providing for a group of friends a balanced musical diet, recordings of these works would seem to me to constitute a good working library.
However, no enthusiastic collector can really be expected to educate himself cold-bloodedly along a prescribed path, without deviation to follow his own fancies and new enthusiasms, and if he should do so he would be losing most of the fun. So let's just say that this list contains the "staples" for a balanced diet, and then each of us can develop his own recipes as he progresses. Incidentally, you have no idea how much longer this list was before I started pruning it drastically, but I don't think I have done any real disservice in the process—I've left you an unlimited field for your own explorations.
But I should like to avoid the complaint that my list of "staples" leaves the more experienced listener with no challenge he has not already met, so I have added a second and shorter list, in which I have suggested some avenues for exploration that he might be less likely to follow on his own, and which in my opinion leads to musical enjoyment of a particularly satisfying nature. I venture to suggest that few listeners will fail to find something new and delightful among these works. As a contrast to "staples" I have dubbed them my "confections."
I hope no one will be discouraged by the length of either list. Each contains at least one item which is not yet included in my own record collection; but I have hopes, for I still have a birthday every year, and then there's always Christmas! May i wish you "Good listening!'
Staples
BACH Brandenburg Concerti Nos. 2, 4, 5 Concerto for Two Violins and Strings Mass in B Minor Suite No. 2 for Flute and Strings Toccata and Fugue in D Minor for Organ BARTOK Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta BEETHOVEN Concerti Nos. 4 and 5 (Emperor) for Piano and Orchestra Concerto in D Major for Violin and Orchestra Leonore Overture No. 3 Quartets Nos. 7, 9, 14, 15 Sonatas Nos. 21 (Waldstein), 23 (Appassionato), 32 for Piano Symphonies Nos. 1 to 9, inclusive Trio No. 7 in B Flat Major (Archduke)BERLIOZ Symphony No. 1 (Symphonie Fantastique)The Damnation of FaustBIZETCarmenBLOCHSchelomo for 'Cello and Orchestra BRAHMS Alto Rhapsody Concerto No. 1 in D Minor for Piano and Orchestra Concerto in D Major for Violin and Orchestra Hungarian Dances for Piano Symphonies Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive Variations on a Theme by Haydn CHOPIN 24 Etudes COPLANDAppalachian SpringDEBUSSY Nocturnes for Orchestra Preludes for Piano DE FALLAEl Amor BrujoDONIZETTILucia di LammermoorDVORAK Symphony No. 5 (New World)ELGAR Enigma Variations FRANCK Symphony in D Minor GLUCKOrpheus and EurydiceGOUNODFaust.GRIEG Incidental Music to Peer GyntHANDEL Concerto Grosso, Opus 6, No. 12 Messiah Water Music ' HARRIS Symphony No. 3 HAYDNThe Creation Quartets, Opus 76, Nos. 2 (Quinten), 3 (Emperor), 5 (Largo) Symphonies Nos. 88, 94 (Surprise), 101 (Clock), 102 LISZT Hungarian Rhapsodies for Piano Les PreludesMAHLER Symphony No. 4 MENDELSSOHN Concerto in E Minor for Violin and Orches- tra Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night'sDream Octet in E Flat Major for Strings Symphonies Nos. 3 (Scotch), 4 (Italian)MOUSSORGSKYBoris Godunov Pictures at an Exhibition, for Piano MOZART Concerto in A Major for Clarinet and Orchestra Concerti Nos. 20, 23, 24 for Piano and Orchestra Don GiovanniThe Magic Flute The Marriage of Figaro Mass in C Minor Motet: Exsullate Jubilate Quartets Nos. 15, 19 Quintet for Clarinet and Strings Quintets for Strings in C Major (K.515) and G Minor (K..516) Serenade in G Major (Eine Kleine Nachtmusik) Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola, and Orchestra Symphonies Nos. 39, 40, 41 (Jupiter)OFFENBACH (arr. Rosenthal)Gaite ParisienneP ALESTRIN AMissa Papae MarcelliPROKOFIEV Concerto No. 1 in D Major for Violin and Orchestra Symphony No. 1 in D Major (Classical)PUCCINILa BohemePURCELLDido and AeneasRACHMANINOFF Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini for Piano and Orchestra RAMEAUPieces de Clavecin RAVEL Daphnis and Chloe RESPIGHI The Pines of Rome RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Scheherazade SCHUBERT Octet in F Major Quartets Nos. 14 (Death and the Maiden) and 15 Quintet in C Major for Strings Incidental Music to RosamundeDie Schdne Miillerin Songs (any collection) Symphonies Nos. 7 (C Major) and 8 (Un-finished) . SCHUMANN Carnaval, for Piano Concerto in A Minor for Piano and Orchestra Dichterliebe Quintet in E Flat Major for Piano and Strings SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 5 SIBELIUS Symphonies Nos. 2 and 7 T apiola STRAUSS, JOHANN Die Fledermaus Waltzes (any collection) STRAUSS, RICHARD Don QuixoteDer Rosenkavalier STRAVINSKY Le Sacre du Printemps TCHAIKOVSKY Concerto No. i in B Flat Minor for Piano and Orchestra Nutcracker Suite Swan Lake Symphonies Nos. 4, 5, and 6 (Pathetique) VERDI La Traviata VIVALDI Concerto Grosso in D Minor, Opus 3, No. 11, for Strings WAGNERDie MeistersingerDie Walkilre
Confections
BACH Christmas Oratorio Sonata No. 1 in G Minor for Solo Violin BEETHOVENAh! Perfido Serenade, Opus 25, for Flute, Violin, and Viola Sonata No. 18 (Opus 31, No. 3) for Piano 33 Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli BERLIOZThe Childhood of ChristBRAHMS Concerto in A Minor for Violin, Cello, and Orchestra Liebeslieder Waltzes Quintet in B Minor for Clarinet and Strings Sextet No. 2 in G Major for Strings Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, for Piano BRITTENSaint NicholasFRANCK Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano HANDELAcis and Galatea Ode for St. Cecilia's Day HAVDN Mass in D Minor (Lord Nelson) Symphony No. 95 in C Minor MAHLERDas Lied von der ErdeMONTEVERDIThe Coronation of PoppeaMOZART Concerti Nos. 9 and 22 for Piano and Or- chestra Divertimento in E Flat Major for String Trio Litaniae de venerabili altaris Sacramento (K. 243) Serenade No. 12 in C Minor for Wind Instruments OFFENBACHLa Belle HelenePAGANINI Concerto No. 1 in D Major for Violin and Orchestra PARKERHora NovissimaPUCCINITurandotPURCELLCome Ye Sons of ArtRAVELGaspard de la Nuit, for Piano SCARLATTI, DOMENICO Sonata in E Major (Longo 23) for Piano SCHUBERT Mass in A Flat Major Sonata in B Flat Major, for Piano SHAPERO Symphony for Classical Orchestra SIBELIUS Symphony No. 3 SMETANAThe Bartered BrideSTRAUSS, RICHARDAriadne auf NaxosSTRAVINSKY Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra VERDIFalstaffWALTON Concerto for Viola and Orchestra WOLF Goethe Songs
