Don't bother, there isn't one I would really recommend.

For the 5th, I would recommend
Koussevitzky's with the Boston Symphony Orcestra on RCA. It's a mono recording, and also has the 1st and parts of Romeo and Juliet.

The only one that really compares is Karajan's with the Berlin Philharmonic or Rattle's with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

I'd suggest finding some Debussy, mostly his orchestral stuff.

Especially some Pierre Boulez conducted Debussy. I believe there is a good assortment of his pieces(La Mer,Images Pour Orchestre, etc) on Deutches Grammophon. Also, Ravel may be a good bet. Once again I suggest the Boulez conducted pieces on the same label. Though, EMI classics has an excellent box set of the Complete Orchestral works of Debussy and Ravel so that may be something to consider. I find it quite good. Debussy sorta composed in and out of the twentieth century as did Mahler...So I think he fits.


Kronos Quartet performing the Henryk Gorecki quartets is a wonderful album. Quartet No. 2 is a great piece though at first it takes some MAJOR adjusting from Gorecki's other works. The Kronos Quartet performing Philip Glass is also a good buy. Quartet No. 5 is wonderful.

Also, I have to mention George Gerschwin. The Manhatten soundtrack may be a good place to start with him or perhaps just finding a good recording of Rhapsody in Blue.

Okay...these be essential:

Schoenberg, Berg, Webern
Lasalle Quartet
Neue Wiener Schule
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=43:6499

Lutoslawski/Penderecki/Cage
Lasalle Quartet
http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASI...708922-3629600

Mravinsky Conducting (with Oistrakh on vln.):
Shostakovich
Violin Concerto No. 1
Also in this boxed set is that Prokofiev symphony No. 6 mentioned earlier
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p...=&sql=43:80371

Mravinsky Conducting:
Paul Hindemith/Arthur Honegger
Symphony Die Harmonie Der Welt/Symphony No. 3
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p...n=&sql=43:9916

Earle Brown
Times Five (1963) / Octet 1 (1953) / December (1952) / Novara (1962)
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p...0:16zsa9rgu23u

Alois Hába
Centenary
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=43:84452

Conlon Nancarrow
Studies for Player Piano, Vols. 1 - 5
On Wergo

Iannis Xenakis
Arditti String Quartet (under the composer's supervision)
Chamber Music, 1955 - 90
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p...ql=43:85234~T0

cool, i have a couple of those. my suggestion:

Anton Webern - Pierre Boulez - Complete Webern