The Record Shelf Guide to Gift Recordings - 2010 Edition
Each year on The Record Shelf, Jim Svejda presents his annual Guide to Gift Recordings, a public service for the befuddled holiday shopper. Below is the complete list of Jim's picks for 2010.
Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker. Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, Antal Dorati.
Philips 442 562. (2CDs) (M).
BUY: 
Handel: Messiah. Soloists, London Symphony Chorus and Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis.
Philips 438 356 (2CDs) (M).
BUY:
Chanukah in Story and Song. Leonard Nimoy, narrator; Western Wind Vocal Ensemble.
Western Wind 9.
BUY:
The Cherry Tree. Anonymous 4.
Harmonia Mundi 807 453.
BUY:
Boughton: Bethlehem. Soloists, The Holst Singers, City of London Sinfonia, Alan Melville.
Hyperion 66690.
BUY:
“Vivaldi: The French Connection.” La Serenissima.
Avie 2178.
BUY:
Handel: Concerti Grossi, Op. 6. The Avison Ensemble.
Linn 362. (3 CDs).
BUY:
Byrd: Infelix Ego. The Cardinall’s Musick, Andrew Carwood.
Hyperion 67779.
BUY:
Mussorgsky/Everybody: Pictures at an Exhibition. Nashville Symphony, Leonard Slatkin.
Naxos 8.570716.
BUY:
Dvorak: Violin Concerto; Legends. Richard Tognetti, vl.; Nordic Chamber Orchestra, Christian Lindberg.
Bis 1708.
BUY:
Tchaikovsky: Piano Concertos. Stephen Hough, pf.; Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo Vanska.
Hyperion 67711. (2 CDs).
BUY:
Beethoven: Piano Concertos. Paul Lewis, pf.; BBC Symphony, Jiri Belohlavek.
Harmonia Mundi 902053.55. (3 CDs).
BUY:
Beethoven: The Late Quartets. Tokyo String Quartet.
Harmonia Mundi 807481.83. (3 CDs).
BUY:
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas. Friedrich Gulda, pf.
Orfeo 808 109. (9 CDs).
BUY:
Bowen: Piano Sonatas. Danny Driver, pf.
Hyperion 67751. (2 CDs).
BUY:
Bach: Trio Sonatas. Benjamin Alard, org.
Alpha 152.
BUY:
Stravinsky: Complete Music for Violin and Piano. Anthony Marwood, vl.; Thomas Ades, pf.
Hyperion 67723. (2 CDs).
BUY:
Corigliano: Circus Maximus. University of Texas Wind Ensemble, Jerry Junkin.
Naxos 8.559601.
BUY:
Heggie: Songs. Various performers, Jake Heggie, pf.
Avie 2198.
BUY:
Elgar: The Crown of India. Soloists, Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, BBC Philharmonic, Sir Andrew Davis.
Chandos 10570. (2 CDs) (M).
BUY:
Verdi: Requiem. Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Santa Cecilia Academy, Antonio Pappano.
EMI 98936. (2 CDs).
BUY:
Wagner: Gotterdammerung. Soloists, Halle Orchestra, Sir Mark Elder.
Halle 7525. (5 CDs).
BUY:
Sullivan: Ivanhoe. Soloists, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, David Lloyd-Jones.
Chandos 10578.
BUY:
“Giulini in America.” Los Angeles Philharmonic, Carlo Maria Giulini.
DG 477 8840. (6 CDs) (M).
BUY: