looking for good recordings of...

[James]

(without having to get a boxed set)

-prokofiev's 5th & 6th symphonies

-tchaikovsky's ballet suites. (sleeping beauty, swan lake & nutcracker)

-bach's violin concertos & organ trio sonatas

-mussorgsky's night on the bald mountain

-tippett's piano concerto

-janacek's string quartets

thanks in advance.

[piston]

Concerning Mussorgsky's Night on the Bald Mountain, I recommend the Abbado recording which you can see here http://www.amazon.com/Claudio-Abbado-Co ... B000003FBY
Scroll down the page and you will observe other interesting orchestral works that are not so frequently heard as his Pictures at an Exhibition.

[Lance]

Well, here's some quick responses. Obviously, there will be MANY different CDs available of everything you are seeking. This just gives you an idea:

PROKOFIEV: Symphonies 5/6
Decca 470.528 (2 CDs) - gives you Symphonies 1, 5, 6, 7, and other material. All with Concertgebouw Orchestra-Amsterdam, Vladimir Ashkenazy, conducting. (Sold as a "twofer" - but seems to be imported these days at a much higher price.)

TCHAIKOVSKY: Ballet Suites
Philips 422.265 w/Monteux, Dorati, Fistoulari, conductors
EMI 76899 w/von Karajan conducting (mono performances, mid-price)
Decca 466.379 w/Von Karajan (Vienna Philharmonia) (stereo, mid-price)

BACH: Violin Concertos
DGG B000986 w/Hillary Hahn, violin
EMI 74720 w/Pinkhas Zukerman, violin
[So many to recommend, it's impossible, actually]

MUSSORGSKY: Night on Bald/Bare Mountain
Sony Classical 78761 w/Mitroupoulos, New York Philharminic
RCA 61394 w/Fritz Reiner, Chicago Symphony (also gives you Pictures at an Exhibition). It really doesn't get much better than this!

TIPPETT: Piano Concerto
Chandos 9934 w/Howard Shelley, piano
Naxos 8.553591 w/Benjamin Frith, piano
Nimbus 5301 w/Martino Tirino, piano (Tippett conducting). This may be a cutout now and difficult to find.

Hope this helps a little.