Postings on a Bach basic library were not plentiful, but a library for Beethoven works might be since just about everyone thinks they know the best Beethoven recordings. Sorry, but that distinction actually applies to a small number of persons (myself included). Here's my basic library, and you should obtain all these recordings to have the best available: Piano Sonatas - Giles, Brendel, Pollini. Diabelli Variations - Kovacevich, Yudina. Violin Sonatas - Mutter. Piano Trios - Borodin Trio. String Quartets - Tokyo, Melos, Alban Berg, Vegh. Piano Quintet - Perahia. Septet/Sextet - Old Fairfield Academy. String Trios/Serenade - L'Archibudelli. Piano Concertos - Brendel/Rattle/Levine, Perahia/Haitink, Levin/Gardiner. Violin Concerto - Beths/Weil. Triple Concerto - Oistrakh/Rostropovich/Richter/Karajan. Symphonies - Harnoncourt, Gardiner. Fidelio - Mackerras. Mass in C - Gardiner. Missa Solemnis - Gardiner, Klemperer. Choral Fantasy - Tan/Norrington. Absolute Best Beethoven Recording - Late Piano Sonatas from Pollini. Don Satz [log in to unmask]