Recordings: Best of the Best

What are the best recordings of the best music?

I'm at work, with something on the player to drown out the din...

Beethovan's Ninth. I bought a set of his symphonies at a bargain-bin type store: 5 CDs for 5$... how bad could it be?

Pretty bad... Philharmonia Slavonica, Soloist of the State Opera Bratislava. I grew up on Deutsche Grammaphone's recording of the Berlin Philharmonic. Incredible how much difference...

So... what's the best recording of the best music?
In the case of musicians since the beginning of recording, what's the best 'Best Of'... For example: for Benny Goodman, I'd say Concert at Carnegie Hall.