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Top orchestral albums of the 1950s

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Updated: 28 May
Average Ratings Reviews
New York Philharmonic / Leonard Bernstein - Le sacre du printemps, Cover art
Le sacre du printemps
Igor Stravinsky / New York Philharmonic / Leonard Bernstein
4.02 4k 4,442 38 38
September 1958 Album
Modern Classical Ballet Orchestral Music
orchestral ritualistic dissonant instrumental apocalyptic suspenseful avant-garde spring
4k Ratings 38 Reviews 4.02 Average
New York Philharmonic / Leonard Bernstein - Symphony No. 5, Op. 47, Cover art
Symphony No. 5, Op. 47
Dmitri Shostakovich Дмитрий Шостакович / New York Philharmonic / Leonard Bernstein
3.96 430 430 2 2
December 1959 Album
Symphony Modern Classical
symphony instrumental acoustic orchestral energetic triumphant melancholic melodic
430 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.96 Average
Columbia Symphony Orchestra / New York Philharmonic / Leonard Bernstein - Rhapsody in Blue; An American in Paris, Cover art
Rhapsody in Blue; An American in Paris
George Gershwin
3.89 1k 1,439 18 18
December 1959 Album
Modern Classical Orchestral Music
Tone Poem Big Band Concerto
urban melodic orchestral energetic tone poem instrumental epic complex
1k Ratings 18 Reviews 3.89 Average
Münchener Bach-Orchester / Münchener Bach-Chor / Karl Richter - Passio secundum Matthaeum, Cover art
Passio secundum Matthaeum
Johann Sebastian Bach
3.90 404 404 5 5
August 1959 Album
Baroque Music Oratorio Christian Liturgical Music
Christian religious choral acoustic orchestral lush passionate oratorio
404 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.90 Average
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra / Herbert von Karajan - New World Symphony / The Moldau, Cover art
New World Symphony / The Moldau
Antonín Dvořák / Bedřich Smetana
3.91 442 442 3 3
August 1959 Album
Romanticism Symphony
Tone Poem
triumphant symphony acoustic orchestral instrumental
442 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.91 Average
RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra / Kirill Kondrashin / Van Cliburn - Concerto No. 1, Cover art
Concerto No. 1
Pyotr Tchaikovsky Пётр Чайковский
3.88 524 524 4 4
1958 Album
Romanticism Concerto
instrumental concerto acoustic uplifting technical epic passionate melodic
524 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.88 Average
Vienna Philharmonic / Solti / London / Flagstad / Svanholm / Neidlinger - Das Rheingold, Cover art
Das Rheingold
Richard Wagner
3.87 418 418 4 4
August 1959 Album
Romanticism Opera
opera acoustic mythology orchestral epic love romantic pessimistic
418 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.87 Average
Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book, Cover art
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book
Ella Fitzgerald
3.86 583 583 9 9
1958 Album
Vocal Jazz Big Band Standards
Swing Tin Pan Alley
playful lush romantic love orchestral soothing
583 Ratings 9 Reviews 3.86 Average
Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Fritz Reiner - New World Symphony, Cover art
New World Symphony
Antonín Dvořák / Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Fritz Reiner
3.90 167 167 1 1
1958 Album
Romanticism Symphony
symphony orchestral acoustic instrumental
167 Ratings 1 Reviews 3.90 Average
Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Fritz Reiner - Concerto for Orchestra, Cover art
Concerto for Orchestra
Béla Bartók / Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Fritz Reiner
3.82 1k 1,074 6 6
April 1956 Album
Modern Classical Concerto for Orchestra Orchestral Music
instrumental technical uncommon time signatures complex polyphonic orchestral suspenseful mysterious
1k Ratings 6 Reviews 3.82 Average
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Beecham Choral Society / Sir Thomas Beecham / Ilse Hollweg - Peer Gynt, Cover art
Peer Gynt
Edvard Grieg
3.84 220 220 2 2
1958 Album
Romanticism Orchestral Music
Choral
orchestral acoustic choral lush folklore
220 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.84 Average
Frank Sinatra - Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely, Cover art
Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely
Frank Sinatra
3.77 3k 2,659 45 45
8 September 1958 Album
Standards Vocal Jazz
lonely breakup melancholic depressive nocturnal concept album atmospheric sentimental
3k Ratings 45 Reviews 3.77 Average
Jacques Brel - N° 4, Cover art
N° 4
Jacques Brel
3.76 1k 1,174 17 17
November 1959 Album
Chanson à texte
Traditional Pop Cabaret
passionate poetic love melancholic introspective longing lush lonely
1k Ratings 17 Reviews 3.76 Average
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra - Masterpieces by Ellington, Cover art
Masterpieces by Ellington
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
3.75 1k 1,485 26 26
1951 Album
Big Band
Vocal Jazz Progressive Big Band
romantic acoustic mellow melodic melancholic technical improvisation lonely
1k Ratings 26 Reviews 3.75 Average
Miles Davis - Porgy and Bess, Cover art
Porgy and Bess
Miles Davis
3.69 4k 4,291 73 73
March 1959 Album
Progressive Big Band Big Band
Third Stream Cool Jazz
instrumental orchestral acoustic lush romantic melancholic nocturnal warm
4k Ratings 73 Reviews 3.69 Average
Dorival Caymmi - Caymmi e o mar, Cover art
Caymmi e o mar
Dorival Caymmi
3.73 244 244
1957 Album
Singer-Songwriter Brazilian Folk Music Samba-canção
Samba de roda Spoken Word Orchestral Music Samba-canção Brazilian Classical Music
nature poetic passionate orchestral concept album religious optimistic lush
244 Ratings 3.73 Average
Billie Holiday & Ray Ellis and His Orchestra - Lady in Satin, Cover art
Lady in Satin
Billie Holiday & Ray Ellis
3.67 3k 3,418 71 71
June 1958 Album
Vocal Jazz
melancholic sentimental sad lonely love orchestral lush melodic
3k Ratings 71 Reviews 3.67 Average
Count Basie and His Orchestra - April in Paris, Cover art
April in Paris
Count Basie & Count Basie Orchestra
3.70 727 727 18 18
February 1957 Album
Big Band Swing
energetic instrumental spring warm acoustic orchestral
727 Ratings 18 Reviews 3.70 Average
Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book, Cover art
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book
Ella Fitzgerald
3.67 1k 1,019 28 28
1959 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Swing Big Band
romantic playful mellow orchestral lush
1k Ratings 28 Reviews 3.67 Average
Frank Sinatra - Songs for Swingin' Lovers!, Cover art
Songs for Swingin' Lovers!
Frank Sinatra
3.65 3k 3,413 82 82
5 March 1956 Album
Standards Vocal Jazz
Swing
happy romantic love sentimental playful uplifting optimistic lush
3k Ratings 82 Reviews 3.65 Average
The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra / Bruno Walter / Kathleen Ferrier / Julius Patzak - Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) and Three Rückert Songs, Cover art
Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) and Three Rückert Songs
Gustav Mahler
3.87 157 157 3 3
September 1957 Album
Romanticism Orchestral Song Lied
acoustic orchestral
157 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.87 Average
Count Basie and His Orchestra + Neal Hefti Arrangements - Basie, Cover art
Basie
Count Basie, Count Basie Orchestra & Neal Hefti
3.64 2k 2,416 46 46
January 1958 Album
Big Band Swing
Cool Jazz Hard Bop
instrumental improvisation energetic playful uplifting lush acoustic orchestral
2k Ratings 46 Reviews 3.64 Average
Frank Sinatra - In the Wee Small Hours, Cover art
In the Wee Small Hours
Frank Sinatra
3.60 8k 7,548 160 160
25 April 1955 Album
Standards Vocal Jazz
lonely nocturnal melancholic concept album introspective sentimental romantic breakup
8k Ratings 160 Reviews 3.60 Average
Orchestra National de la Radiodiffusion Française / Heitor Villa-Lobos / Victoria de los Ángeles - Bachianas brasileiras Nos. 2, 5, 6, & 9, Cover art
Bachianas brasileiras Nos. 2, 5, 6, & 9
Heitor Villa-Lobos
3.68 173 173
1957 Album
Brazilian Classical Music Neoclassicism Modern Classical
Orchestral Music Modern Classical
suite orchestral instrumental
173 Ratings 3.68 Average
Gil Evans - New Bottle Old Wine, Cover art
New Bottle Old Wine
Gil Evans
3.68 176 176 1 1
1958 Album
Big Band Cool Jazz
Swing
orchestral complex concept album
176 Ratings 1 Reviews 3.68 Average
Miles Davis + 19 - Miles Ahead, Cover art
Miles Ahead
Miles Davis + 19
3.57 3k 3,241 47 47
21 October 1957 Album
Cool Jazz
Progressive Big Band Third Stream
instrumental lush orchestral acoustic complex mellow passionate romantic
3k Ratings 47 Reviews 3.57 Average
Frank Sinatra - Come Fly With Me, Cover art
Come Fly With Me
Frank Sinatra
3.57 1k 1,225 27 27
6 January 1958 Album
Standards Vocal Jazz
concept album romantic melodic passionate love optimistic sensual longing
1k Ratings 27 Reviews 3.57 Average
Philharmonic Promenade Orchestra / Sir Adrian Boult - The Planets, Cover art
The Planets
Gustav Holst / London Philharmonic Orchestra / Adrian Boult
3.92 126 126 4 4
1954 Album
Modern Classical Tone Poem Orchestral Music
Romanticism
instrumental passionate orchestral triumphant space epic lush tone poem
126 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.92 Average
Nat "King" Cole & Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra - The Very Thought of You, Cover art
The Very Thought of You
Nat "King" Cole & Gordon Jenkins
3.66 175 175 4 4
November 1958 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
mellow lush sentimental soothing orchestral romantic
175 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.66 Average
The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra / Cast and Chorus of the Vienna State Opera / Erich Kleiber / Hilde Gueden / Lisa Della Casa / Suzanne Danco / Cesare Siepi / Alfred Poell / Fernando Corena - Le nozze di Figaro, Cover art
Le nozze di Figaro
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
3.89 134 134 1 1
1955 Album
Classical Period Opera buffa
opera acoustic humorous playful energetic complex warm technical
134 Ratings 1 Reviews 3.89 Average
Image blocked in settings
Sea of Dreams
Nelson Riddle
3.51 288 288 5 5
March 1958 Album
Light Music
mellow lush instrumental soft longing warm melodic orchestral
288 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.51 Average
Les Baxter - Tamboo!, Cover art
Tamboo!
Les Baxter
3.50 176 176 1 1
1956 Album
Exotica
instrumental peaceful lush warm tribal soothing tropical rhythmic
176 Ratings 1 Reviews 3.50 Average
Charlie Parker - Charlie Parker With Strings, Cover art
Charlie Parker With Strings
Charlie Parker
3.44 927 927 18 18
February 1950 Album
Cool Jazz
Light Music Third Stream Standards
lush melodic acoustic peaceful romantic instrumental nocturnal soothing
927 Ratings 18 Reviews 3.44 Average
Yma Sumac - Voice of the Xtabay, Cover art
Voice of the Xtabay
Yma Sumac
3.40 1k 1,236 23 23
October 1950 Album
Exotica
Hispanic American Music Indigenous Andean Music
quirky lush playful warm tropical orchestral folklore tribal
1k Ratings 23 Reviews 3.40 Average
Johnny Mathis - Merry Christmas, Cover art
Merry Christmas
Johnny Mathis
3.47 172 172 5 5
6 October 1958 Album
Christmas Music Traditional Pop
Standards Easy Listening
Christmas winter lush Christian optimistic carol mellow warm
172 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.47 Average
Boston Symphony Orchestra / Charles Munch - Daphnis and Chloe, Cover art
Daphnis and Chloe
Maurice Ravel / Boston Symphony Orchestra / Charles Munch
3.85 115 115 1 1
1955 Album
Impressionism Orchestral Music Ballet
Choral
acoustic orchestral
115 Ratings 1 Reviews 3.85 Average
Les Baxter - Space Escapade, Cover art
Space Escapade
Les Baxter
3.40 271 271 2 2
March 1958 Album
Space Age Pop Light Music
novelty playful lush instrumental space soft melodic orchestral
271 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.40 Average
Les Baxter - The Passions, Cover art
The Passions
Les Baxter
3.38 167 167 3 3
1954 Album
Exotica Space Age Pop
Tone Poem Space Age Pop
manic concept album passionate orchestral
167 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.38 Average
Boston Symphony Orchestra / Charles Munch - Symphonie fantastique, Cover art
Symphonie fantastique
Hector Berlioz / Boston Symphony Orchestra / Charles Munch
3.69 119 119 2 2
1955 Album
Romanticism Symphony
complex melodic playful orchestral instrumental
119 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.69 Average
Jacques Brel - Quand on n'a que l'amour, Cover art
Quand on n'a que l'amour
Jacques Brel
3.32 300 300 3 3
March 1957 Album
Chanson à texte Chanson
Vocal Jazz
playful love orchestral eclectic
300 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.32 Average
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Soundtracks

  • The Philadelphia Orchestra / Leopold Stokowski - Walt Disney's Fantasia, Cover art
    Walt Disney's Fantasia
    1957 Album
    383 Ratings 5 Reviews 4.04 Average
    4.04 383 383 5 5
  • Bernard Herrmann - Vertigo, Cover art
    Vertigo
    1958 Album
    1k Ratings 13 Reviews 3.92 Average
    3.92 1k 1,171 13 13
  • Duke Ellington - Anatomy of a Murder, Cover art
    Anatomy of a Murder
    1959 Album
    593 Ratings 13 Reviews 3.69 Average
    3.69 593 593 13 13
  • Various Artists - The Wizard of Oz: Musical and Dramatic Selections Recorded Directly From the Sound Track of M-G-M's Technicolor Picture, Cover art
    The Wizard of Oz: Musical and Dramatic Selections Recorded Directly From the Sound Track of M-G-M's Technicolor Picture
    1956 Album
    171 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.71 Average
    3.71 171 171 6 6
  • Miklós Rózsa - Ben-hur, Cover art
    Ben-hur
    1959 Album
    137 Ratings 3.83 Average
    3.83 137 137
    • See all 25 Include in main chart

    Live

  • Orchestra and Chorus of the 1951 Bayreuth Festival / Wilhelm Furtwängler / Elisabeth Schwarzkopf / Elisabeth Höngen / Hans Hopf / Otto Edelmann - "Choral" Symphony, Cover art
    "Choral" Symphony
    1955 Album
    425 Ratings 2 Reviews 4.05 Average
    4.05 425 425 2 2
  • The Thelonious Monk Orchestra - The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall, Cover art
    The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall
    1959 Album
    367 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.94 Average
    3.94 367 367 4 4
    • See all 2 Include in main chart
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