As well as opera, Janet Baker often sang oratorio roles and gave solo recitals. Among her best recordings are her singing of the Angel in Elgar's "The Dream of Gerontius", made with Sir John Barbirolli in December 1964 and Sir Simon Rattle over twenty years later; her 1965 performances of Elgar's "Sea Pictures" and Mahler's Rückert-Lieder, also recorded with Barbirolli; and, also from 1965, the first commercial recording of Ralph Vaughan Williams's Christmas oratorio "Hodie" under Sir David Willcocks. In 1976, she gave the first performance of Britten’s the solo cantata "Phaedra" which had been written for her.