Obscure Composers 
by John A. Sarkett

Amazon

 

"Wonderful compilation." Henry Fogel, Dean, Chicago College of Performing Arts, Roosevelt University;  former president, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, American Symphony Orchestra League
 

"An enjoyable read, and a great conversation starter."  James McCarthy, Limelight magazine, Australia

 

"...for those seeking to shake up their listening habits and explore musical rarities."  Opera America

 

The Obscure Composers Index™:  
  Most Recorded Ensembles Recordings
1 London Symphony Orchestra   1,970
2 Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra   1,621
3 Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra   1,413
4 Philharmonia Orchestra   1,388
5 London Philharmonic Orchestra   1,141
6 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra   980
7 English Chamber Orchestra   793
8 Academy of St. Martin in the Fields   726
9 New York Philharmonic   622
10 Milan Teatro alla Scala Orchestra   609
11 Chicago Symphony Orchestra   572
12 Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra   541
13 Philadelphia Orchestra   521
14 Royal Opera House Covent Garden Orchestra   518
15 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra   514
16 Dresden Staatskapelle   497
17 New Philharmonia Orchestra   469
18 Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra   468
19 Boston Symphony Orchestra   428
20 BBC Symphony Orchestra   427
21 Cleveland Orchestra   385
22 Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra   385
23 Metropolitan Opera Orchestra   338
24 Vienna Symphony Orchestra   334
25 Royal Scottish National Orchestra   311
26 Bavarian Radio Chorus   303
27 Suisse Romande Orchestra   255
28 BBC Philharmonic Orchestra   250
29 Monteverdi Choir   244
30 Czech Philharmonic Orchestra   243
31 Vienna State Opera Orchestra   237
32 Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra   224
33 Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra   221
34 Academy of Ancient Music   217
35 English Baroque Soloists   214
36 Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra   206
37 Columbia Symphony Orchestra   200
38 Israel Philharmonic Orchestra   199
39 King's College Choir, Cambridge   194
40 Montreal Symphony Orchestra   185
41 Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra   182
42 English Concert   181
43 Boston Pops   180
44 Scottish Chamber Orchestra   176
45 Bayreuth Festival Orchestra   174
46 Ambrosian Opera Chorus   170
47 Chamber Orchestra of Europe   167
48 Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra   167
49 City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra   165
50 Moscow Symphony Orchestra   165
51 City of London Sinfonia   160
52 San Francisco Symphony Orchestra   159
53 RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra   157
54 ORTF National Orchestra   155
55 Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra   153
56 Seattle Symphony Orchestra   149
57 Orchestre de Paris   147
58 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra   140
59 Vienna Boys' Choir   131
60 The Sixteen   130
61 Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment   127
62 Orpheus Chamber Orchestra   127
63 New Zealand Symphony Orchestra   119
64 Vienna Concentus Musicus   119
65 Nash Ensemble   113
66 Mormon Tabernacle Choir   112
67 Tafelmusik   103
68 National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland   97
69 Kodály String Quartet   96
70 Ulster Orchestra   96
71 Bach Collegium Japan   92
72 Canadian Brass   92
73 Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia   86
74 Juilliard String Quartet   84
75 Northern Sinfonia   82
76 Orchestra of St. Luke's   79
77 Beaux Arts Trio   72
78 Russian Philharmonic Orchestra   71
79 Tallis Scholars   70
80 Minnesota Orchestra   69
81 Westminster Cathedral Choir   69
82 Westminster Choir   67
83 King's Consort   66
84 La Petite Bande   65
85 Hilliard Ensemble   64
86 Emerson String Quartet   62
87 King's Singers   62
88 Philip Jones Brass Ensemble   56
89 Robert Shaw Chorale   56
90 Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra   55
91 Chanticleer   54
92 Guarneri String Quartet   49
93 Quartetto Italiano   48
94 Tokyo String Quartet   43
95 Purcell Quartet   40
96 Les Violons du Roy   38
97 Fretwork   37
98 Nashville Symphony Orchestra   36
99 Los Angeles Guitar Quartet   35
100 Les Voix Humaines   32
101 Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra   28
102 Musica Amphion   27
103 Anonymous 4   24
104 St. Thomas Men and Boy's Choir   22
105 Deller Consort   21
106 LaSalle String Quartet   21
107 Ysa˙e String Quartet   20
108 Wanderer Trio   19
109 Quatuor Ebčne   15
110 National Philharmonic Orchestra London   10
111 Stile Antico   9
112 Waverly Consort   7

 

Source:  arkivmusic.com, 1/22/2015,
Analysis:  Sarkett & Associates, Inc., publishers:
 Obscure Composers