Marvinbrown's dilemma: What do I do now guys?? What the hell do I do now!

[marvinbrown]

  Hi guys it's marvinbrown, sorry I have been away from GMG for many weeks now. I have been busy travelling and working (how's that for the recession)!!! I have been listening to a lot of Schumann, Schubert, Verdi and Wagner (obviously  ) lately on my iPod since I have been away from my cds.  Since coming back to the UK from France I decided to drop in on HMV, you know an innocent visit  , and I came across a boxset that's been taunting and teasing me for many years now! Now folks this is a boxset that I have been considering buying then reconsidering not buying then considering buying then reconsidering NOT buying, yeah I know SHUT UP MARVIN AND GET TO THE POINT!!!!!! 

  I SAW THIS FOR £40.........  £40 for 170 CDs:

 

  I have given myself every excuse imaginable not to buy this set in the past: 1) The operas don't have translated librettos,
  2) I already have Mozart's major operas, piano concertos, late symphonies and chamber music in my collection.  Granted I am missing the piano sonatas, dances,  most of the concertos for wind instruments, all of the sacred music but are they really worth it??
  3) Am I really going to be intrested in hearing works Mozart composed as a child??  and didn't our colleague PerfectWagnerite   sell his Mozart Brilliant collection recently.
  4) Am I really going to listen to all those early operas, they certainly can't be in the league of Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro, The Magic Flute, Cosi Fan Tutte etc.

  BUT COME ON!!  AT £40 those "bastards" (please forgive the swear word but I can not think of a more accurate way of describing them) at HMV have priced it so low I'd be a jackass to walk away from a deal like that n'est-ce-pas?  What do I do? What do I do? .......OH What do I do??

 

  marvin

[jwinter]

Well, it would fill in a lot of gaps for you.  It's got one of the best sets of the piano sonatas around, for any price.  And you very definitely need to hear the wind concerti and many of the sacred works (though you can of course do better with individual recordings).  Many of the divertimenti are beautiful as well.  Plus, ripping it all to your iPod will take care of any nagging spare time concerns you may have, plus it'll make a great doorstop. 

If you love the Mozart you have, and you're a serious classical enthusiast (which I can only assume from your many posts here), I'd say go for it.  No-brainer at that price.

There, you are officially enabled! 

[Dr. Dread]

Follow your gut and buy the frakkin thing.

[Sergeant Rock]

I can't help you with this specific purchase but can tell you I really enjoy early Mozart, even the kid stuff: the symphonies, the early piano sonatas, the serenades and divertimenti. Hey, the kid was a genius. Whether these performances will give the most satisfying listen, I can't say (I like Pinnocks symphonies, Gould's sonatas, various conductors in the serenades and divertimenti, like Szell, Weil, Harnoncourt). Of course there's much middle and late Mozart you probably don't have either, and this box would satisfy that need. I guess it comes down to whether or not Mozart is one of your favorite composers. But that's both a reason to buy and not to buy.     I love his music so much I want the best performances I can find even in the minor works.

Sarge

[ChamberNut]

Buy it Marvin, buy!   Whatever you don't need or don't like, send it my way.   

[karlhenning]

Dilemma?

Nothing here, folks, keep it moving 

[Grazioso]

No dilemma at all: great set, great price, some of the greatest music ever written. Buy it   

[George]

Sorry, but I say don't get it marvin. You've already given some good reasons not to get it. Plus, there will be plenty more good deals in the future, given the way things have been going in the industry. To me a good deal is only a good deal when the CDs are of great (or better) performances. If they aren't, you'll just end up replacing them at a later date.

My new rule is that if I wouldn't buy the CDs at full price, then I don't buy them at a very good price. I have saved a lot of money already this way.

I have 20 CD's at home that I could sell for $1.99 That's .10 a CD. Trust me, it wouldn't be a good deal.

[Bunny]

Try and compute the cost on a per listening basis.  If you will listen to a cd once and never again, then it becomes a very expensive cd.  If you will listen to the cd many, many times, then even if the initial cost is high, it pays for itself.  With box sets like this, there is an awful lot of filler which you may not even listen to once.  So, first sort out the cds that you will listen to once or not at all.  Subtract them from the mix and then compute the cost of the remainder cds by dividing that number into the price.  Then look at these cds and think: how many times will I really listen to these cds?  Will I listen to them 3 or 4 times and then forget them while I look for a performance that is more satisfying?  If there are at least 10 cds in the set that you will listen to regularly, then imo the set is worth buying, even if you never listen to any of the other cds in the set.  That brings the cost of the cds you like to £4 each, which is reasonable.  The others are just "bonus" cds that you can keep, sell or trash.

Btw, also make sure that you have ample room for the set.  Nothing is worse than buying something that takes up space without giving satisfaction.

[springrite]

I have 20 CD's at home that I could sell for $1.99 That's .10 a CD. Trust me, it wouldn't be a good deal.

That's one hell of a great deal for a set of coasters! 

[George]

That's one hell of a great deal for a set of coasters! 

I take paypal, just shoot me a PM.   

[karlhenning]

Btw, also make sure that you have ample room for the set.  Nothing is worse than buying something that takes up space without giving satisfaction.

Well, there are a great many things in life that are worse.  But with your general point, that this is forehead-bashingly bad (unless you possess a large extra garage), there can only be agreement.

[marvinbrown]

Try and compute the cost on a per listening basis.  If you will listen to a cd once and never again, then it becomes a very expensive cd.  If you will listen to the cd many, many times, then even if the initial cost is high, it pays for itself.  With box sets like this, there is an awful lot of filler which you may not even listen to once.  So, first sort out the cds that you will listen to once or not at all.  Subtract them from the mix and then compute the cost of the remainder cds by dividing that number into the price.  Then look at these cds and think: how many times will I really listen to these cds?  Will I listen to them 3 or 4 times and then forget them while I look for a performance that is more satisfying?  If there are at least 10 cds in the set that you will listen to regularly, then imo the set is worth buying, even if you never listen to any of the other cds in the set.  That brings the cost of the cds you like to £4 each, which is reasonable.  The others are just "bonus" cds that you can keep, sell or trash.

Btw, also make sure that you have ample room for the set.  Nothing is worse than buying something that takes up space without giving satisfaction.

  LOL oh yes the mathematical approach.  See this is what I love about GMG, there will always be a member or two who comes up with a marvelous idea such as the one quoted above.  Between the piano sonatas, violin concertos, serenades, dances and sacred works missing from my collection I am quite certain that I can find up to 10 CDs to make this set worthwhile  .  I have already been told that the piano sonatas are solid performances I was wondering if someone here could comment on the violin concertos, serenades, dances and sacred works performances?

  marvin

[Marc]

I adore Mozart.
(I wanted you to know that.)

I don't know if the contents of this box set have changed during the years.
I bought it, volume per volume, lots of years ago.
I never play it any more. Except for the operas (and some rare stuff) I thought the quality was moderate or worse.
This is what I remember in general:

The sacred vocal music: there are hundreds of better recordings.
The piano sonatas: not bad, but there are plenty of budget-priced boxes that are equal to these recordings, if not better.
Wind concertos: OK. Not exceptional.
Violin concertos: see 'wind concertos'.
Dances/serenades/divertimenti: dito.
Chamber music: also average in most cases.
Early symphonies: not bad. Late symphonies: rather superficial, at least to my likings.
Organ works (1 CD, if I remember well): good!!
Piano concertos: nothing much happening here.
Lieder: OK. Some even better.

So: operas and organ works and a couple of songs and other stuff: good, up to really good. The rest isn't very impressive. Still, I admit: haven't listened to it for years (except for some operas & organs), so who am I to say/remember?
With shaky hands I give you my advice: don't buy it. If you've got the money to spend, spend it on better stuff!
(If you don't: I enable you to buy the set. )

[Bulldog]

From the man who adores large boxes - don't get it.

[greg]

It's the complete works for only that much? Maybe you just don't have the collector's mentality, because I see no reason to pass it up. Just think- you can familiarize yourself with Mozart's entire output, and then everything Mozart from there on is just another recording of what's already on there. The set would be an excellent foundation- one day, I'll get it myself.

[Dr. Dread]

Follow your gut and buy the frakkin thing.

Why are we still discussing this?

[marvinbrown]

Why are we still discussing this?

  LOL I have always been for debate, the more we debate the better off we will be.  I like reading the different points of view  .

  marvin

[springrite]

Step One: Buy it.

Step Two: Listen to works you have not heard before.

Step Three: Donate the entire box (minus a few choice items if necessary, although I doubt it would be since most of the works you have not heard before may not require another listening, especially since you do have a decent CD collection -- it's not like you are starving for music.).
Best to donate is a local organization or library, or better yet, some young newbie interested in classical music.

[Bulldog]

It's the complete works for only that much? Maybe you just don't have the collector's mentality, because I see no reason to pass it up. Just think- you can familiarize yourself with Mozart's entire output, and then everything Mozart from there on is just another recording of what's already on there. The set would be an excellent foundation- one day, I'll get it myself.

Reasons to pass it up:
1.  Costs money
2.  Takes up space
3.  Many of the performances suck

I also don't understand the urge to own every note from particular composers.  Snap up the good stuff and let the remainder languish.