Classical Companion

Britten: War Requiem
Decca 4757511 (two discs)
The composer’s 1963 Kingsway Hall recording, remastered and with studio outtakes.

Schubert: Symphony No 9
DG 477 9387 (mono; 44.1kHz/16-bit download)
Furtwängler’s 1952 studio recording with the Berlin Philharmonic; also on a Naxos CD.

Beethoven: The Piano Sonatas
DG 4479662 (eight discs; mono)
Wilhelm Kempff’s first complete cycle of the 32 Sonatas – preferred to the stereo remakes.

Ravel: Daphnis and Chloe – Suite No 2
Linn CKD610
Robin Ticciati and the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, coupled with Duparc.

Sibelius: Symphony No 5
DG 457 7482 (two discs)
Karajan’s best Sibelius recordings with the BPO came on the DG, rather than EMI, label.

Beethoven: The Symphonies
DG 479 3442 (six discs + Blu-ray audio)
The Karajan/BPO cycle from 1961-2 – much reissued and also on 180g vinyl [483 7875].

Elgar: Symphony No 1
Barbirolli Society SJB1017 (two discs)
Manchester Free Trade Hall recording made for Pye in Dec 1956 [see main text].

Walton: Symphony No 1
LSO Live LSO0681 (SACD)
In 2006 Sir Colin Davis and the LSO brought a special gravitas to this early work.