I remember doing this last year, but that was totally for humorous
purposes; I received many private e-mails of a downright sinister nature
lambasting me for making fun of unusual sexual preferences, depreciating
"sacred" artists, and, generally, having no respect for Art.  This year,
it's only serious stuff.

The recordings that win my vote naturally have to be familiar to me and
also reflect my general preferences:

Solo Instrumental:

Bach - WTC Book 1 - Schepkin/Ongaku.
Bach - WTC Book 2 - Hewitt/Hyperion.
Bach - Violin Sonatas/Partitas - Podger/Channel Classics.
Bach - Violin Sonatas/Partitas - van Dael/Naxos.
Haydn - Piano Sonatas - Schiff/Teldec.
Rachmaninov - Pletnev/DG.

Chamber:

Bach - Musical Offering - Aston Magna/Centaur.
Vainberg - String Quartets - Gothenberg/Olympia.
Schubert - Piano Trios - La Gala Scienza/Winter & Winter.
Beethoven - Cello Sonatas - Bylsma/Immerseel/Sony.
Zemlinsky - String Quartets - Artis/Nimbus.
Nielsen - String Quartets - Oslo/Naxos.

Orchestral:

Chopin - Piano Concerto no. 1 - Ax/Mackerras/Sony.
Mozart - Piano Concertos 20 & 24 - Brendel/Mackerras/Philips.
Bartok - Concerto for Orchestra - Fischer/Philips.
Mahler - Symphony no. 7 - Tilson-Thomas/RCA.
Handel - Concerti Grossi - Manze/Harmonia Mundi.
Shostakovich  - Symphony no. 15 - Solti/Decca.

Vocal:

Schmidt - Book of Seven Seals - Welser-Most/EMI.
JPE Hartmann - Liden Kirsten - Schonwandt/Dacapo.
Bach - St. Matthew Passion - Herreweghe/Harmonia Mundi.
Schumann - Der Rose Pilgerfahrt - Creed/Harmonia Mundi.
Bach - St. John Passion - Suzuki/BIS.
Gouvy - Electre - Cao/K617.

Those are my nominations for each category.  The winners, based on adding
the most to my appreciation of the composer/work are:

Solo Instrumental - Bach Violin Sonatas/Partitas - van Dael/Naxos.
Although I've liked the solo violin works for many years, it took van
Dael to really provide me with a true apreciation for them.

Chamber - Schubert Piano Trios - La Gala Scienza/Winter & Winter.  The
same applies here, particularly with opus 100.  These period instrument
performances are outstanding for pacing, drama, and pungency.

Orchestral - Bartok Concerto for Orchestra - Fischer must have Bartok in
his blood.  I never thought very highly of this work until I heard the
Fischer recording.

Vocal - Bach's St. John Passion - Suzuki/BIS - Again, this disc is the
first which I felt really brought out the splendor of the work.

The recording of the year?  Schubert's Piano Trios.

Sometimes, reviewers lament the dearth of great recordings in recent years.
I think that's rubbish.  1999 was a great year, and I'm looking forward to
what the year 2000 has to offer.  The one recording I strongly regret not
having heard is Suzuki's Christmas Oratorio (Bach), but I have not been
able to locate it yet.

Don Satz
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