What if I were shipwrecked on the proverbial desert island with a CD player, some solar power cells and the choice of 10 CDs or CD sets? What would I choose? The 10 selections below are my “desert island recordings.” These are different from a choice of the greatest works ever written; that would surely include Beethoven’s symphonies, for example. These are performances that I return to again and again as touchstones of high artistry and deep spirituality.

Beethoven: The Complete Piano Sonatas: Wilhelm Kempff

I got to know these originally back in the LP era. I bought the sonatas as individual records, mostly in the 1970s; Recorded in stereo in the mid-sixties, the sonatas are now available on Deutsche Grammophon in an 8 CD set. You may be able to find some better performances of individual works, but for me, as a whole, no other recording touches the intensity and depth of these well thought-out interpretations.

Beethoven: The Late String Quartets: The Lindsay Quartet

I like almost everything the Lindsays did, especially their Haydn recordings, but for me the pinnacle of their art was these recordings of the Beethoven late quartets. I prefer their older traversal of these works, the one originally recorded in the early 1980s in analog. I believe it is available now on Decca.

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9: Fritz Reiner, Chicago Symphony,

This was one of the first records I ever bought, and it has been a reference point for me ever since. In the original 2 LP set, it was coupled with the first symphony, providing an interesting overview of the development of Beethoven’s symphony writing. I return to this recording again and again for the unparalleled power with which it presents this narrative of the triumph of joy and humanity over chaos and pain.

Schubert: Sonata in B flat, D. 960, et. al: Arthur Rubenstein

I discovered this recording relatively recently. Schubert’s last sonata was also one of my first recordings, in a mono LP performed by Paul Badura Skoda. This performance has proved unmatched in its searching artistry, with Murray Perahia’s reading, in 2003 recordings of the last three Schubert sonatas, a close second. Perahia also deserves an honorable mention for his recording of the Impromptus, D. 899 and 935.

Schubert: Die Winterreise: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Gerald Moore

I have to be careful listening to this recording, as moving as it is—it’s possible to get drawn too far into the spiritually desolate world of this spurned lover. I also value the Benjamin Britten/Peter Pears collaboration on this work, but the combo of Fischer-Dieskau and Moore is unbeatable.

Mozart: Requiem: Vienna Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Another of my early record purchases was Karajan performing the Requiem, in a mid-sixties recording with the Berlin Philharmonic and a different cast of singers than my preferred recording. Karajan returned to this work several times between the mid-sixties and mid-1980s, but on balance I believe the best is the 1987 recording with the Vienna Philharmonic, the Vienna Singverein and soloists Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Helga Molinari, Vinson Cole and Paata Buchuladze.

Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro: Karl Boehm, Chorus and Orchestra of the German Opera, Berlin

My favorite Mozart opera—my favorite opera, period—with a perfect cast, including Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau as the count and the incomparable Gundula Janowitz as the countess.

Schumann: The Complete Symphonies: George Szell, Cleveland Orchestra

To me, these are perfectly played: the perfect balance of orchestral forces, perfect emphases, and perfect tempos. The early 1960s stereo recording, at least in my 1996 compilation, is quite good, giving a warm glow to the sound.

Mendelssohn: Quintets, Octet: Hausmusik London

The highlight for me is not the famous Octet, but the lesser-known Quintets. This set also includes a Quartet, so it is a good sampler of Mendelssohn’s chamber art, played by one of the leading “authentic” music groups.

Mahler: Symphony No. 10: Rattle, Berlin Philharmonic

My familiarity with Mahler’s Tenth goes all the way back to a Philadelphia Orchestra recording with Eugene Ormandy from the 1960s. Rattle’s recording opened my eyes again to this work, conceived around the same time as Mahler’s other autumnal works, the Ninth Symphony and Das Lied von der Erde. Incomparable…stunning.

So with my CDs, player and solar cells, I should be all set to survive, at least culturally and spiritually, on my remote island. Now if I can just get used to the taste of coconut milk.

I invite others to submit their lists.