| I'll give this a shot: here goes,
1. I'll have to agree with Ed and bring my Sergei Rachmaninov: Vespers with the Robert Shaw Chorale. This could be my favorite recording. I love the sound of the human voice, so pure and rich!
2. Sticking with the vocal theme I'll go with Chanticleer: Wonderous Love; a great disc of a capella folk songs
3. One more vocal disc The King's Singers: Annie Laurie, Folksongs of the British Isles; another great a capella disc of some of the world's great folk songs
4. Phil Smith and the NY Staff Band, My Song of Songs; for me, this is the trumpet disc for quality of sound, period. I have worn this disc out and have even began performing several of the selections on the disc and trying to do them justice.
5. Robert Sullivan: Treasures for Trumpet; I love the selections Bob Sullivan chose to put on this recording, esp. the opera arias towards the end of the disc! Bravo!
6. German Brass: Bach 2000; WOW!!!!!
7. Mahler 2/NY Bernstein from the 1980s on DG label; I love the Mahler symphonies and this one is particularly good for me
8. Mahler 3/NY Bernstein from the 1980s on DG label; see above
9. Pines of Rome/ Philadelphia w/Ormandy; nothing like having my old teacher Mr. Gilbert Johnson singing that offstage solo
10. Wagner/ Highlights from the Ring/ NY with Zubin Mehta; during Siegfried's Funeral Music, Mr. Smith plays the richest low C I have ever heard!! The rest of the disc is fantastic!
I'll stop there, I could go on and on but how many discs could you get on your deserted island!! :)
Ben Fairfield |