Here are my own wishes to Pentatone's REMASTERED CLASSICS series. Let's hope that they will release these outstanding recordings on multi-channel SACD.
1) GUSTAV MAHLER: Symphony No. 9 in D major Berliner Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein (Recorded in 1979) "Bernstein's Mahler-interpretations were world famous. This live recording is a classic in many ways. Penguin Guide wrote: 'quite an emotional experience' and Gramophone Magazine praised: 'The recording is really rather good [...] An extraordinary night. Warts and all, a collector's item.' This was the only time when Bernstein conducted Berliner Philharmoniker. Karajan gave a special permit".
2) GIACOMO PUCCINI: La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West) Neblett · Domingo · Milnes, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Zubin Mehta (Recorded in 1977) "The bandit Dick Johnson could have been a role tailor-made for Plácido Domingo, and although there are a couple of later recordings of him in the same part, this Fanciulla is perhaps the best of all his Puccini roles on disc": (Gramophone)
3) CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS: Symphony No. 3 "Organ", Bacchanale from "Simson and Delilah" Gaston Litaize (organ), Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Daniel Barenboim (Recorded 1975 & 1978)
4) BEETHOVEN, LUDWIG VAN: Fidelio, Op. 72 (complete opera), Leonore Overture No. 3 Janowitz, Popp, Kollo, Sotin, Fischer-Dieskau, Jungwirth, Dallapozza, Terkal, Sramek, Wiener Staatsoperchor & Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein (Recorded in 1978) " Bernstein's 1978 recording of Beethoven's opera has always been accorded one of his finest achievements . . . it was a work that meant a tremendous amount to the conductor, and he brings to it a particular kind of intensity that the superb playing of the Vienna Philharmonic underlines . . . Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau offers spiritual presence as Don Fernando . . . " Opera Now, London (2003)
5) TCHAIKOVSKY, PJOTR ILYICH: The Queen of Spades, Op. 68 Gougaloff, Vishnevskaya, Resnik, Weikl, Iordachescu, Schwarz, Popp, Choeur Tchaikovsky, Maîtrise de Radio France, Orchestre National de France, Mstislav Rostropovich (Recorded in 1977) "This DG version is the finest of the opera sets conducted by Mstislav Rostropovich...Vishnevskaya was still at her peak, here providing a strong and vibrant Lisa, not young-sounding but with plenty of temperament...As the Countess Regina Resnik gives an aptly over-the-top performance, biting and incisive. Penguin Guide, 2010 edition ***"
6) FREDERIC CHOPIN: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 Krystian Zimmermann (piano), Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Carlo Maria Giulini (Recorded 1978 & 1979)
Of course there is Carlos Kleiber's recording of Weber's "Der Freishutz". Any comments? Do you agree?
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