The Greatest Recordings EVER: An Introduction

Get ready--after much thought and a lot of requests, we're going to make the series consisting of the Greatest Recordings Ever. Period. No questions asked. And I promise you, it will be the list to end all lists.

[@maxscholl7021]

Watching this in the hospital after an invasive, painful surgery immediately lifted my spirits. Thank you! Looking forward to the series

[@bbailey7818]

Get well soon! 👋🌻

[@maxscholl7021]

@@bbailey7818 Thank you so much! Already feeling better

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

A quick and full recovery! Take care.

[@PhilKelley]

This is what I like about you, Dave. You give clear definitions of what you are doing and why it is important. I also appreciate that you remind us along the way of these goals and of how a specific video is going to fulfill them.

[@kellyrichardson3665]

We're THANKFUL for your nearly 4,000 videos -- Thank you, Mr. Hurwitz!

[@francoisjoubert6867]

This is going to be fun. And EXPENSIVE! Looking forward to what I will learn from this.

[@eddihaskell]

I'm going to play "Money" frrom Cabaret in celebration of this new Hurtwitz KZbin video column right now.

[@martinbrisebois1831]

Don't underestimate the discoveries so many people are doing listening to your channel. From my own experience, I learned about Michael Gilien, a conductor with whom I have a very strong affinity. I learned about the Delius boxset. He's not even listed in my dictionary of classical music composers I have at home, would you believe that! I've worked so often with his music in the background. A music you forget about and then stop to listen... it's always sheer beauty. It's almost magical. I've bought the Chandos boxset, filled with so many discoveries. You gave me the courage to buy the Ravel boxset, my entry point to classical music so long ago and the Debussy one too. Please, accept my deepest thanks.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Your very welcome and I'm very touched!

[@tatoarg9508]

Not only I appreciate the quality of the videos you make. But also really respect how thoughtful you always are about the approach.

[@Delius1958]

🤗 What a great idea!! I only hope that I already own a lot of these recordings - otherwise it‘s going to be expensive! - Before I found your channel I had lost a bit of excitement for my music library. But since three years now it´s been there again - and how! Not a day without a symphony! Thank you, Dave! - Greetings from Berlin, Harry

[@stevemcclue5759]

Looking forward to this, Dave. For me - and I don't know if this qualifies - the recording of the 3 act Lulu by Alban Berg (Boulez, Stratas, DGG) is one of the GREs. Blew me away when I first heard it. Amazing.

[@ericleiter6179]

This already IS something special compared to all the other classical music KZbin channels...can't wait!!!

[@sleepjar7013]

The Greatest Recordings EVAH!

[@fabiopaolobarbieri2286]

There would have to be a bit of Toscaniini. I just listened again to his 1950 Sorcerer's Apprentice, and I cannot believe there can be as good a version anywhere else.

[@jgesselberty]

Eagerly looking forward to your selections. I love your approach of the subject and know it will not be another list of "war horses" or "bleeiding chunks" of music.

[@paul.351]

A fantastic idea. Couldn't be more excited!

[@st.lukechamberorchestra5074]

I hope you include Sveshnikov’s recording of Rachmaninov’s “Vespers - All-Night Vigil” not only for the performance itself but also for the history of its creation during the Soviet era. Thank you Dave!

[@KingstonCzajkowski]

I vote for this one too! A great work and a great recording.

[@ShawnEvans-w8z]

I will keep on listening. Waiting for that video ☺️

[@bigg2988]

If this list becomes the one to end all lists - I hope it will be a very long and exhaustive one! Let's go!

[@healthrisingMECFS-FM-longCOVID]

Great idea to focus on less well known repertoire at times - very helpful! . (Once again I request an update on the greatest (available) CD box sets 😊)

[@grantparsons6205]

I cannot wait for this! I'll be really interested to see how many of your picks were the brain child of the great producers who dominated the industry from the 40s onwards...& will this lead to a series on these flawed titans?

[@robertjewell9727]

Really looking forward to where this list goes. 👍

[@annaspielman9250]

Thank you ! Such a great idea!❤

[@elendil504]

This is going to be expensive...

[@steveschwartz8944]

😂😂

[@jimmybyun]

Cool. Looking forward to expanding my repertoire.

[@Top_Lad]

Looking forward to it David!

[@martinhaub6828]

The problem is going to be actually getting these recordings if you don't already have them. So many CDs are now out-of-print and not likely to return to the catalog. Many of boxed sets are long gone and likely never to come back. Maybe "The Greatest Recordings EVER That You Can Get on Spotify".

[@SO-ym3zs]

I was looking for some Naxos CD's recently, and most of them were either OOP or selling for nearly $20, which is outrageous. (I remember the good old days of $5 Naxos discs, though that was admittedly decades ago.) Are they having some kind of financial trouble or something?

[@peacearchwa5103]

@@SO-ym3zs Naxos now is the largest classical-music record company in the world: larger than Universal, Sony or Warner. They acquired dozens of once-independent CM record labels like Capriccio, Delos, Vox et al. They aren't specifically a sub-bargain product line.

[@peacearchwa5103]

Increasingly, many highly-regarded but not "best selling" recordings will not be currently in-print. They are likely to be offered on Spotify (and other streaming services), sometimes on download places like Presto Music, and on the used CD or NOS CD grey market.

[@geniusrepairman1]

The Presto streaming service is fantastic. Most classical stuff is on there, and if it's not then it's doubtful to be anywhere else anyway. You can search for the actual cds and it's incredibly user friendly. Most of the great recordings will be in there

[@geertdecoster5301]

Good journey with it, Dave!

[@barrygray8903]

A very interesting and novel idea that should prove helpful to newbies and old codgers such as myself. I agree that some of the greatest recording are of works outside the acknowledged "mainstream" repertoire; think of Britten's complete "The Prince and the Pagodas" (Knussen), Rzewski's "The People United Will Never Be Defeated (Oppens), or the original edition of Bruckner's third symphony (Tintner). Looking forward to this.

[@IP-zv1ih]

Another vote for The Prince of the Pagodas with Knussen, one of innumerable award-winning recordings made by Virgin Classics in its v brief existence at the start of the 90s.

[@KingstonCzajkowski]

The Oppens recordings of the Rzewski are arguably not the greatest recordings of it. Rzewski's and Hamelin's are both pretty incredible. I wonder what Dave'll say.

[@antalsporck]

Same here, looking forward to the series! Also looking forward to finding exceptional recordings of uncommon repertoire. But at the same time I hope Dave will not exclude standard repertoire from this series for educational reasons (as I had the feeling was the case with Dave’s faves). And I hope to find some M-A Hamelin in here 😊

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Yes to both,

[@LyleFrancisDelp]

Hoo boy! You're going down a rabbit hole with this one. LOL. (By the way, very much looking forward to this series.)

[@stevep7582]

Really looking forward to this journey, Dave. I was so happy when you stated it wasn’t going to be another “100 Greatest blah, blah, blah” list. Like we need another one of those. I’m looking forward to seeing what more overlooked recordings come up in this series.

[@Bachback]

Greatest recordings of less well known repertoire. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@michaelhartman8724]

Hear hear! I can't wait.

[@rudyfan1926]

grabbing popcorn for this series

[@saraband2004]

I would like to suggest a new series: Works That Dave Collects Every Recording Of. It should be very interesing. For me there are quite a few works that I collect every recording of: Schoenberg Variation Op 31 and Moses and Aron, Goldberg Variation on Harpischord, Verdi Requiem, Chopin Etudes op10 &25, Liszt Piano Sonata in b minor, Rachmaninov 24 Preludes and etudes tableaux.

[@Fafner888]

I think your best content was the older videos where you go through a pile of cd's for major repertoire pieces. I really miss these videos.

[@bbailey7818]

And the HOWEVER choice.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I just did a new one (Schubert Winterreise) but there are already nearly 500 of those, and it was time to move on to new projects and come back to those occasionally.

[@neiltheblaze]

I'm greatly looking forward to this new series. It sounds like a big project!

[@stepheng9607]

Very interesting and looking forward to the new series. One question that would be good to hear your advice is about collecting opera recordings not in the original language but made in your own language. Thanks

[@bbailey7818]

Chandos has been doing a lot of Opera in English sets, if that's the language you have in mind.

[@JK-rt2jj]

Bring ‘em on Dave!

[@SO-ym3zs]

I like your approach to this: we don't need yet another discussion or recommendation of warhorse recordings of warhorse repertoire. But there's vast amounts of interesting, entertaining stuff off the beaten path that deserves praise and discussion.

[@madadam12]

First, Dave’s Faves, now Hurwitz Rosettes! (Witzettes?)

[@Italonino]

According to your format, I hope some of Symanowski is on the list.

[@robertdandre94101]

suggestion.....busoni piano concerto with john ogdon on emi ( warner) or magnard symphonies no 3 with ansermet.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

There are better versions of both.

[@Unitedsates]

What about a series on recordings you've changed your mind about the most over the years?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I've talked about that, but I don't think it's a series.

[@user-oc2fw1rd6j]

I can't wait for it! Thank You in advance!

[@steveschwartz8944]

Sounds exciting. I have a suggestion for yet another category: Best Recordings of the Year? Or are there simply too many worthies in one year?

[@620Ramsey]

Pretty sure he does those already if you search the archive. And worst! Are you familiar with his scarf ranking system? Or, like me, are you perhaps donning a technicolor scarf of internet amnesia? They’re quite fun vids so I hope you find ‘em x thanks Dave

[@steveschwartz8944]

@620Ramsey But the scarves are the Worst of the Year.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

KOLA Awards--best of the year. Every December.

[@steveschwartz8944]

@@DavesClassicalGuide Damn! I'll look them up.

[@HYP3RK1NECT]

Esto será interesante.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Esperadamente.

[@furdiebant]

Looking forward to it!

[@stuartraybould2574]

Why do I get the feeling this is going to cost me a lot of money, lol.

[@goonbelly5841]

Are these going to mainly reflect your own critical opinion or will they be based on a consensus of multiple critical opinions?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

They are going to reflect cosmic truth. Always and absolutely.

[@user-et8mh2ki1c]

Actually, I don't think you'd be allowed to do the 100 best recordings ever made -- don't you have to have a posh British accent for that? At least, that's how I remember the TV commercials when I was growing up. Wesley

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Yes, but I can sing...

[@user-et8mh2ki1c]

@@DavesClassicalGuide Phew, I was afraid after I posted that comment that it might sound snarky or high-minded. It was all in fun, as you recognized. Thanks always for your insights, your humor, and your understanding. Wesley

[@LuoTheMusicologist]

hurrah! away with the 'reference recordings' which .. even had clear criteria, which they do not ... are not such anymore anyway. and introduce the really best ones which do not rely on specific times and circumstances to have their status.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

There will be more Reference Recordings coming. Hurrah!

[@LuoTheMusicologist]

@@DavesClassicalGuide hahaha, you do you dave, never change