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 2011.

Printable List (PDF)

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

Handel:  Messiah.  Soloists, London Symphony Chorus and Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis. 
Philips 438 356 (2 CDs) (M).
BUY:

Chanukah in Story and Song.  Leonard Nimoy, narrator; The Western Wind. 
Western Wind 16
BUY:

Bach:  Trio Sonatas (6).  Benjamin Alard, organ. 
Alpha 152
BUY:

Striggio:  Mass in 40 Parts.  I Fagiolini, Robert Hollingworth. 
Decca 478 2743
BUY:

An Evening with Leopold Stokowski.  Brussels Philharmonic, Richard Egarr. 
Glossa 922209
BUY:

Byron Janis:  The Legendary Concerto Recordings.  Byron Janis, pf. 
Brilliant 9182.  (4 CDs) (B)
BUY:

Horovitz:  Concertos (4).  Soloists, Royal Ballet Sinfonia, Joseph Horovitz. 
Dutton 7188
BUY:

Dvorak:  String Quartets (2).  Pavel Haas Quartet. 
Supraphon 4038-2
BUY:

Fiction.  Quatuor Ebene. 
Virgin Classics 2866 804
BUY:

Richard Farrell:  The Complete Recordings, Vol. 2.  Richard Farrell, pf. 
Atoll 909
(Available at www.Marbecks.co.nz)

Liszt:  Piano Works.  Lise de la Salle, pf. 
Naïve 5267
BUY:

Mediterraneo.  Milos Karadaglic, guitar. 
Deutsche Grammophon B0015579-02
BUY:

Mahler:  Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection.”  London Philharmonic, Vladimir Jurowski. 
LPO 0054 (2 CDs)
BUY:

Stravinsky:  Ballets (4).  Monte Carlo Philharmonic, Yakov Kreizberg. 
OPMC Classics 001.  (3 CDs) (Available at www.opmc.mc.)
BUY:

Suk:  Asrael Symphony.  Czech Philharmonic, Sir Charles Mackerras. 
Supraphon 4043-2
BUY:

Rossini:  Stabat Mater.  Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Santa Cecilia Academy, Antonio Pappano. 
EMI 40529
BUY:

Elgar:  The Kingdom.  Soloists, Halle Choir and Orchestra, Sir Mark Elder. 
Halle 7526 (2 CDs)
BUY:

Schubert:  Lieder.  Matthias Goerne, bar.; Alexander Schmalcz, pf. 
Harmonia Mundi 902063
BUY:

Verismo Arias.  Jonas Kaufmann, ten.; Orchestra of Rome’s Santa Cecilia Academy, Antonio Pappano. 
Decca B005463-02
BUY:

Diva/Divo.  Joyce DiDonato, mz.; Orchestra of the Lyon Opera, Kazushi Ono. 
Virgin Classics 41986
BUY:

Beethoven:  Symphonies (9).  La Chambre Philharmonique, Emmanuel Krivine. 
Naïve 5258 (5 CDs)
BUY:

The Gilbert and Sullivan Edition.  D’Oyle Carte Opera Company. 
Decca 156702 (25 CDs) (M)
BUY:

William Steinberg:  The Complete EMI Recordings. 
EMI 26486 (20 CDs) (M)
BUY: