In recent years, I've made two end-of-year lists for the magazine, one of memorable live performances and the other of notable recordings. For fear of short-changing a few promising events in the next couple of weeks-Stockhausen and Feldman at ISSUE Project Room, Busoni's elephantine Piano Concerto with the American Symphony, and Stile Antico in the Music Before 1800 series, among others-I'll withhold the "live" list until the holidays. Here, though, is a selection of exceptional classical releases from 2011, which may be of assistance as you seek the perfect gift for your curious nephew who likes Fauré. A few audio samples are embedded.

Lully, "Atys"; Bernard Richter, Paul Agnew, Sophie Daneman, Marc Mauillon, Nicolas Rivenq, Cyril Auvity, Stéphanie D'Oustrac, Jaël Azzaretti, with William Christie conducting Les Arts Florissants (FRA Musica DVD and Blu-ray) [see my review of "Atys" at BAM]

"Diva/Divo": Arias by Massenet, Mozart, Gluck, Rossini, Gounod, Berlioz, Bellini, Strauss; Joyce DiDonato, Kazushi Ono, Lyon Opera Orchestra (Virgin Classics)

"Music for a Time of War": Ives, Adams, Britten, Vaughan Williams; Carlos Kalmar conducting the Oregon Symphony, with Sanford Sylvan (PentaTone) [see my review of the Spring for Music concert that duplicated this program]

Haydn, String Quartets Op. 74; Takács Quartet (Hyperion)

Ives, Violin Sonatas; Hilary Hahn, Valentina Lisitsa (DG)

Fauré, Complete Chamber Music for Piano and Strings; Renaud and Gautier Capuçon, Quatuor Ebène, Nicholas Angelich, Michel Dalberto, Gérard Caussé (Virgin Classics)

John Luther Adams, "Four Thousand Holes," "... and bells remembered..."; Stephen Drury, Scott Deal, Callithumpian Consort (Cold Blue)

Liszt, "Harmonies du soir," Ballade No. 2, Six Consolations, etc.; Nelson Freire (Decca)

Britten, "Winter Words," "Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo"; Nicholas Phan, Myra Huang (Avie)

Berlioz, "Nuits d'été," Handel arias; Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Nicholas McGegan, Philharmonia Baroque (PBP