Nick, I own and use the following guides:
(1) Gramophone Classical Good CD Guide. British. Over 1300 pages. (There is also a shorter version of this book on opera only.)
(2) Penguin Guide to Compact Discs. British. Over 1500 pages.
(3) Classical Music on CD: The Rough Guide. British. About 500 pages. (There is also a shorter version of this book on opera only.)
(4) Jim Svejda, The Record Shelf Guide to Classical CDs. American. About 900 pages.
All of these are fat, large-format paperbacks and all are well worth having and using. Of course they often don't agree, but what is "the best" performance is obviously a subjective judgment. Books like these will certainly alert you to famous, celebrated performances that stand out from the pack. Good luck and good listening.
(1) Gramophone Classical Good CD Guide. British. Over 1300 pages. (There is also a shorter version of this book on opera only.)
(2) Penguin Guide to Compact Discs. British. Over 1500 pages.
(3) Classical Music on CD: The Rough Guide. British. About 500 pages. (There is also a shorter version of this book on opera only.)
(4) Jim Svejda, The Record Shelf Guide to Classical CDs. American. About 900 pages.
All of these are fat, large-format paperbacks and all are well worth having and using. Of course they often don't agree, but what is "the best" performance is obviously a subjective judgment. Books like these will certainly alert you to famous, celebrated performances that stand out from the pack. Good luck and good listening.