Bartok - BasicRep.com

Bartok: Music History 102

Hungarian Bela Bartok's most famous works are the Concerto for Orchestra and Music for Strings, Percussion, & Celesta. The definitive versions are by Fritz Reiner conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The works have been remastered, and you will not find a better version. The CD also contains Hungarian Sketches.
The Miraculous Mandarin is another great work of Bartok. Unfortunately, Eugene Ormandy's recording for Sony is once again deleted from the catalog. However, his later recording for EMI is available, and comes with nice compainion pieces by Hindemith. If you want to explore the Piano and Violin Concertos, the Philips Duo set contains Piano Concertos 1-3 and the Violin Concerto No. 2.

All of the recommended CDs are Mid-Priced, and are older remastered recordings.

Concerto for Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celesta
Hungarian Sketches
Conductor: Fritz Reiner
Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Label: BMG/RCA VICTOR
Catalog: 61504

Miraculous Mandarin
Works form Hindemith
Conductor: Ormandy
Ensemble: Philadelphia SO
Label: EMI Classics Encore
Catalog: 86095

Piano Concerto No.1 / 2 / 3
Conductor: Sir Colin Davis
Ensemble: BBC Symphony Orchestra
Violin Concerto No.2 in B minor / Concerto for Orchestra
Conductor: Bernard Haitink
Ensemble: Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
Label: UNI/PHILIPS
Catalog: 438812 - 2 CD SET