Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Classical

The Grammy Award for Best Engineered Recording, Classical has been awarded since 1959. The award had several minor name changes:

  • In 1959 the award was known as Best Engineered Record (Classical)
  • From 1960 to 1962 it was awarded as Best Engineering Contribution - Classical Recording
  • From 1963 to 1964 it was awarded as Best Engineered Recording - Classical
  • In 1965 it was awarded as Best Engineered Recording
  • From 1966 to 1994 it returned to the title Best Engineered Recording, Classical
  • From 1966 to 1994 it was awarded as Best Classical Engineered Recording
  • Since 1992 it has been awarded as Best Engineered Album, Classical
Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Classical
Awarded forquality classical music engineering
CountryUnited States
Presented byNational Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
First awarded1959
Currently held byShawn Murphy, Charlie Post, Gary Rydstrom, Michael Rowanowski; Bates: Philharmonia Fantastique - The Making of the Orchestra (2023)
Websitegrammy.com

This award is presented alongside the Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. From 1960 to 1965 a further award was presented for Best Engineered Recording - Special or Novel Effects.

Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.

The award is presented to engineers (and, if applicable, mastering engineers), not to artists, orchestras, conductors or other performers on the winning works, except if the engineer is also a performer.

Winners and nominees

YearRecipients(s)WorkPerforming artist(s)Nominees
Performers are in parentheses
Ref.
1959Sherwood Hall III (engineer)Duets with Spanish GuitarLaurindo Almeida & Salli Terri
1960Lewis W. Layton (engineer)Victory at Sea, Vol. IRobert Russell Bennett
1961Hugh Davies (engineer)The Spanish Guitars of Laurindo AlmeidaLaurindo Almeida
1962Lewis W. Layton (engineer)Ravel: Daphnis et ChloéCharles Münch (conductor) & the Boston Symphony Orchestra
1963Lewis W. Layton (engineer)Strauss: Also Sprach ZarathustraFritz Reiner (conductor) & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
1964Lewis W. Layton (engineer)Puccini: Madama ButterflyErich Leinsdorf (conductor) & the RCA Italiana Opera Orchestra
[1]
1965Douglas Larter (engineer)Britten: The Young Person's Guide to the OrchestraCarlo Maria Giulini (conductor) & the Philharmonia Orchestra
[2]
1966Fred Plaut (engineer)Horowitz at Carnegie Hall - An Historic ReturnVladimir Horowitz
[3]
1967Anthony Salvatore (engineer)Wagner: LohengrinErich Leinsdorf (conductor), the Pro Musica Chorus & the Boston Symphony Orchestra
[4]
1968Edward (Bud) T. Graham (engineer)The Glorious Sound of BrassPhiladelphia Brass Ensemble
[5]
1969Gordon Parry (engineer)Mahler: Symphony No. 9 in DGeorg Solti (conductor) & the London Symphony Orchestra
[6]
1970Walter Carlos [a]Switched-On BachWalter Carlos
[7]
1971Arthur Kendy, Fred Plaut, Ray Moore (engineers)Stravinsky: Le Sacre du PrintempsPierre Boulez (conductor) & the Cleveland Orchestra
[8]
1972Vittorio Negri (engineer)Berlioz: RequiemColin Davis (conductor), the Wandsworth School Boys Choir & the London Symphony Orchestra
[9]
1973Gordon Parry, Kenneth Wilkinson (engineers)Mahler: Symphony No. 8 (Symphony of a Thousand)Georg Solti (conductor) & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
[10]
1974Edward (Bud) T. Graham, Ray Moore (engineers)Bartók: Concerto for OrchestraPierre Boulez (conductor) & the New York Philharmonic
[11]
1975Kenneth Wilkinson (engineer)Berlioz: Symphonie FantastiqueGeorg Solti (conductor) & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
[12]
1976Edward (Bud) T. Graham, Milton Cherin, Ray Moore (engineers)Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé (Complete Ballet)Pierre Boulez (conductor), the Camarata Singers & the New York Philharmonic
[13]
1977Edward (Bud) T. Graham, Milton Cherin, Ray Moore (engineers)Gershwin: Rhapsody in BlueMichael Tilson Thomas (conductor), George Gershwin, & the Columbia Jazz Band
[14]
1978Kenneth Wilkinson (engineer)Ravel: BoleroGeorg Solti (conductor) & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
[15]
1979Arthur Kendy, Edward (Bud) T. Graham, Ray Moore (engineers)Varèse: Ameriques/Arcana/Ionisation (Boulez Conducts Varese)Pierre Boulez (conductor) & the New York Philharmonic
[16]
1980Anthony Salvatore (engineer)Sondheim: Sweeney ToddOriginal Cast with Angela Lansbury & Len Cariou
[17]
1981Karl-August Naegler (engineer)Berg: Lulu (Complete Version)Pierre Boulez (conductor) & the Orchestre de l'Opera de Paris
[18]
1982Andrew Kazdin, Edward (Bud) T. Graham, Ray Moore (engineers)Isaac Stern 60th Anniversary CelebrationZubin Mehta (conductor), Isaac Stern, Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman, & the New York Philharmonic
[19]
1983Paul Goodman (engineer)Mahler: Symphony No. 7 in E Minor (Song of the Night)James Levine (conductor) & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
[20]
1984James Lock (engineer)Mahler: Symphony No. 9 in DGeorg Solti (conductor) & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
[21]
1985Paul Goodman (engineer)Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 in B Flat, Op. 100Leonard Slatkin (conductor) & the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
[22]
1986Jack Renner (engineer)Berlioz: RequiemRobert Shaw (conductor) & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
[23]
1987Paul Goodman (engineer)Horowitz - The Studio Recordings, New York 1985Vladimir Horowitz
  • Michael Sheady, engineer – Respighi: The Pines of Rome, The Fountains of Rome and Roman Festivals (Riccardo Muti, conductor)
  • James Lock, engineer – Liszt: A Faust Symphony (Georg Solti, conductor)
  • Marc Aubort, engineer – Copland: Billy The Kid and Rodeo (Complete Ballets) (Leonard Slatkin, conductor)
  • Paul Goodman, engineer – Bernstein: Candide (John Maucer, conductor)
[24]
1988Jack Renner (engineer)Fauré: Requiem/Duruflé: RequiemRobert Shaw (conductor) & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
[25]
1989Jack Renner (engineer)Verdi: Requiem & Operatic ChorusesRobert Shaw (conductor) & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
[26]
1990Jack Renner (engineer)Britten: War RequiemRobert Shaw (conductor), the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & the Atlanta Boy Choir
[27]
1991Jack Renner (engineer)Rachmaninoff: VespersRobert Shaw (conductor) & the Robert Shaw Festival Singers
[28]
1992Gregor Zielinsky (engineer)Bernstein: CandideLeonard Bernstein (conductor) & the London Symphony Orchestra
[29]
1993James Lock, John Pellowe, Jonathan Stokes & Philip Siney (engineers)R. Strauss: Die Frau ohne SchattenGeorg Solti (conductor) & the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Michael Bishop, engineer – Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring and Pulcinella Suite (Yoel Levi, conductor)
  • Stanley Goodall, engineer – Orff: Carmina Burana (Herbert Blomstedt, conductor)
  • John Eargle, engineer – Hanson: Mosaics; Piano Con. In G; Syms. Nos. 5 and 7 (Gerard Schwarz, conductor; Carole Rosenberger, piano)
  • Mitch Heller, engineer – Barber: The Lovers; Prayers of Kierkegaard (Andrew Schenck, conductor)
  • Keith O. Johnson, engineer – Arnold: A Sussex Overture; Beckus The Dandipratt; The Smoke; The Fair Field (Malcolm Arnold, conductor)
[30]
1994Rainer Maillard (engineer)Bartók: The Wooden Prince & Cantata ProfanaPierre Boulez (conductor) & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
[31]
1995William Hoekstra (engineer)Copland: Music for Films (The Red Pony, Our Town, Etc.)Leonard Slatkin (conductor) & the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
[32]
1996Jonathan Stokes, Michael Mailes (engineers)Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; "Kossuth" - Symphonic PoemHerbert Blomstedt (conductor) & the San Francisco Symphony
  • William Hoekstra & Lawrence Rock, engineers – The Typewriter - Leroy Anderson Favorites (Leonard Slatkin, conductor)
  • Tony Faulkner, engineer – The Lily and The Lamb (Chant and Polyphony from Medieval England) (Anonymous 4)
  • Tony Faulkner, engineer – Prokofiev: Alexander Nevsky (Yuri Temirkanov, conductor)
  • William Hoekstra & Lawrence Rock, engineers – Orff: Carmina Burana (Leonard Slatkin, conductor)
[33]
1997Lawrence Rock, William Hoekstra (engineers)Copland: Dance Symphony; Short Symphony; Organ SymphonyLeonard Slatkin (conductor) & the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
[34]
1998Michael J. Bishop, Jack Renner (engineers)Copland: The Music of America (Fanfare for the Common Man; Rodeo, etc.)Erich Kunzel (conductor) & the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
[35]
1999Jack Renner (engineer)Barber: Prayers of Kierkegaard/Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem/Bartók: Cantata ProfanaRobert Shaw (conductor) & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
[36]
2000Markus Heiland (engineer)Stravinsky: The Firebird; The Rite of Spring; PerséphoneMichael Tilson Thomas (conductor), the Peninsula Boys Choir, the San Francisco Girl's Chorus & the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
[37]
2001John M. Eargle (engineer)Dvořák: Requiem, Op. 89; Sym. No. 9, Op. 95 "From the New World"Zdeněk Mácal
[38]
2002Richard King (engineer)Bernstein (Arr. Brohn & Corigliano): West Side Story Suite (Lonely Town; Make Our Garden Grow, Etc.)Joshua Bell
  • Ralph Couzens, engineer – Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony (Sym. No. 2, Org. 1913 Version) (Richard Hickox)
  • Keith O. Johnson, engineer – Respighi: Belkis, Queen of Sheba-Suite; Dance of The Gnomes; The Pines of Rome (Eiji Oue)
  • Marc J. Aubort, engineer – Haydn: The Complete String Quartets (The Angeles String Quartet)
  • Simon Rhodes, engineer – Berlioz: Les Troyens (Sir Colin Davis)
[39]
2003Michael J. Bishop (engineer)Vaughan Williams: A Sea Symphony (Sym. No. 1)Robert Spano (conductor), Norman Mackenzie (chorus director), & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
[40]
2004Richard King & Todd Whitelock (engineers)Obrigado BrazilYo-Yo Ma
[41]
2005Jack Renner (engineer)Higdon: City Scape; Concerto for OrchestraRobert Spano & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
  • Wolfgang Decker & Charly Morell, engineers – Turnage-Scofield: Scorched (Hugh Wolff)
  • Robert J. Friedrich, engineer – LAGQ's Guitar Heroes (Towner, McLaughlin, Hendrix, Metheny, Etc.) (Los Angeles Guitar Quartet)
  • Bill Maylone & Christopher Willis, engineers – Kurka: Symphonic Works (Symphony No. 2, Op. 24; Julius Caesar; Music For Orchestra, Etc.) (Carlos Kalmar)
  • Jean Chatauret & Jean-Martial Golaz, engineers – Glazunov: Symphony No. 5; The Seasons, Op. 67 (Complete Ballet) (José Serebrier)
[42]
2006Da-Hong Seetoo (engineer)Mendelssohn: The Complete String QuartetsEmerson String Quartet
[43]
2007Michael J. Bishop (engineer)Elgar: Enigma Variations; Britten: The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Four Sea InterludesPaavo Järvi & the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
[44]
2008John Newton (engineer)Grechaninov: Passion WeekCharles Bruffy, Phoenix Bach Choir & the Kansas City Chorale
[45]
2009David Frost, Tom Lazarus & Christopher Willis, engineersTraditions and Transformations: Sounds of Silk Road ChicagoMiguel Harth-Bedoya, Alan Gilbert, Silk Road Ensemble, Wu Man, Yo-Yo Ma & Chicago Symphony Orchestra
[46]
2010Peter Laenger (engineer)Mahler: Symphony No. 8; Adagio From Symphony No. 10Michael Tilson Thomas & the San Francisco Symphony
[47]
2011TIE
  • Mark Donahue, John Hill & Dirk Sobotka (engineers)
  • Leslie Ann Jones, Kory Kruckenberg, Brandie Lane & David Sabee (engineers)
[48][1]
2012Byeong-Joon Hwang and John Newton (engineers); Jesse Lewis (master engineer)Aldridge: Elmer GantryWilliam Boggs, Keith Phares, Patricia Risley, Vale Rideout, Frank Kelley, Heather Buck, Florentine Opera Chorus & Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
[49]
2013Tom Caulfield & John Newton (engineers); Mark Donahue (mastering engineer)Life & Breath - Choral Works by René ClausenCharles Bruffy & the Kansas City Chorale
[50]
2014David Frost, Brian Losch & Tim Martyn (engineers); Tim Martyn (mastering engineer)Winter Morning WalksDawn Upshaw, Maria Schneider, the Australian Chamber Orchestra & the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
[51]
2015Michael Bishop (engineer/mastering engineer)Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem; Symphony No. 4; The Lark AscendingRobert Spano, Norman Mackenzie, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
[52]
2016Leslie Ann Jones, John Kilgore, Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum & Justin Merrill (engineers); Patricia Sullivan (mastering engineer)Ask Your MamaSan Francisco Ballet Orchestra & George Manahan
[53]
2017Mark Donahue, David L. Williams & Fred Vogler (engineers)Corigliano: The Ghosts of VersaillesJames Conlon, Guanqun Yu, Joshua Guerrero, Patricia Racette, Christopher Maltman, Lucy Schaufer, Lucas Meachem, LA Opera Chorus & Orchestra
[54]
[55]
2018Mark Donahue (engineer)Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; Barber: AdagioManfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
[56]
2019Shawn Murphy & Nick Squire (engineers); Tim Martyn (mastering engineer)Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andris Nelsons
[57]
2020Leslie Ann Jones (engineer); Robert C. Ludwig (mastering engineer)Riley: Sun RingsKronos Quartet
[58]
2021David Frost & Charlie Post (engineers); Silas Brown (mastering engineer)Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13, Babi YarRiccardo Muti & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
[59]
2022Leslie Ann Jones & Michael Rowanoski, engineerChanticleer Sings ChristmasChanticleer
[60]
2023Shawn Murphy, Charlie Post & Gary Rydstrom (engineers); Michael Rowanowski (mastering engineer)Bates: Philharmonia Fantastique - The Making of the OrchestraEdwin Outwater (conductor) & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
[61]
2024David Frost & Charlie Post (engineers); Silas Brown (mastering engineer)Contemporary American ComposersRiccardo Muti & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Notes

References