The Record Shelf's Guide to Gift Recordings – 2008 Edition
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HANDEL:  Messiah.  Soloists, London Symphony Choir and Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis.  Philips 438 356-2. (2 CDs) (M)

TCHAIKOVSKY:  The Nutcracker.  Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, Antal Dorati.  Philips 442 562-2.  (2 CDs) (M)

The Chanukkah Story.  Leonard Nimoy, narrator;  Western Wind Vocal Ensemble.  Western Wind 16.

BIZET:  L'Arlesienne -- complete incidental music; Carmen:  Suite.  Les Musiciens du Louvre, Chorus of the Lyon National Opera, Marc Minkowski.  Naive 5130

The Ultimate Strauss Family.  Vienna Philharmonic, Willi Boskovsky.  Decca 478 0223.
(5 CDs) (B)

ANDERSON:  Complete Orchestral Music.  BBC Concert Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin.  Naxos 8.559381-621.  (5 CDs) (B)

MOZART:  Violin Concertos (5); Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat, K. 364.  Giuliano Carmignola, vl.; Orchestra Mozart, Claudio Abbado.  Deutsche Grammophon Archiv 477 7371.

DVORAK:  Symphonies (9).  Various orchestras and conductors.  Brilliant Classics 936635.  (6 CDs) (B)

BEETHOVEN:  Complete works for Cello and Piano.  Antonio Meneses, vc.; Menahem Pressler, pf.  Avie 2103.  (2 CDs)

BRAHMS, SCHUMANN:  Piano Quintets.  Leif Ove Andsnes, pf.; Artemis Quartet.  Virgin Classics 395143.

BARTOK:  String Quartets (6).  Belcea Quartet.  EMI 94400.  (2 CDs)

BACH:  Brandenburg Concertos (6).  European Brandenburg Ensemble, Trevor Pinnock.  Avie 2119.  (2 CDs)

PURCELL:  Keyboard Suites and Grounds.  Richard Egarr, hpscd.  Harmonia Mundi 907428.

DEBUSSY:  Suite Bergamasque; RAVEL:  Sonatine; Valses nobles et sentimentales; Alborada del gracioso.  Piano Music.  Leon Fleisher, pf.  Sony 57307.  (M)

BEETHOVEN:  Piano Sonatas (10).  Paul Lewis, pf.  Harmonia Mundi 901903.05.  (3 CDs)

LUTOSLAWSKI:  Sonata; STUCKY:  Four Album Leaves; Three Little Variations for David;  SALONEN:  Yta II; Three Preludes; Dichotomie.  Gloria Cheng, pf.  Telarc 80712.

MORAVEC:  The Time Galery; Protean Fantasy; Ariel Fantasy.  Peter Sheppard-Skaerved, vl.; Aaron Shorr, pf., eighth blackbird.  Naxos 8.559267.  (B)

SCULTHORPE:  Requiem; orchestral works.  William Barton, didjeridu; Adelaide Chamber Singers and Symphony, Arvo Volmer, James Judd.  ABC Classics 476 5692. (2 CDs)

HAYDN:  The Creation.  Soloists, Gabrieli Consort and Players, Paul McCreesh.  Deutsche Grammophon Archiv 477 7361. (2 CDs)

BANTOCK:  Omar Khayyam.  Soloists, BBC Symphony and Chorus, Vernon Handley.  Chandos 5051.  (3 CDs)

HANDEL:  Tolomeo.  Soloists, Il Complesso Barocco, Alan Curtis.  Deutsche Grammophon Archiv 477 7106.  (3 CDs)

WAGNER:  The Mastersingers of Nuremberg.  Soloists, Sadler’s Wells Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Sir Reginald Goodall.  Chandos 3148. (4 CDs)

Marilyn Horne:  The Complete Decca Recitals.  Marilyn Horne, mz.; various orchestras and conductors.  Decca 108 9302.  (11 CDs)  (B)

Dinu Lipatti:  The Master Pianist.  Dinu Lipatti, pf.; various orchestras and conductors.  EMI 07318.  (7 CDs) (B)

MIASKOVSKY:  Symphonies (27).  Russian Federation Orchestra, USSR State Symphony, Evgeny Svetlanov.  Warner Classics 513 844.  (16 CDs) (M)

(M) =  medium-priced recording
(B) =  budget recording