Better Acquired via Box Set & Cheaper Releases

[admiralackbar74]

opus, that's the second thing I've seen recently that's only available overseas. (Schiff's big box of Bach was the other.) Good to know that it's out there, though. Thanks!

[Opus106]

opus, that's the second thing I've seen recently that's only available overseas. (Schiff's big box of Bach was the other.) Good to know that it's out there, though. Thanks!

You are welcome. Yes, it's good to know they are out there. There are a few other boxes like that: Schubert's piano works by Brendel, which I mentioned in that first post; a12-CD set of Beethoven's piano sonatas and concerti, featuring Friedrich Gulda as the pianist. The same recordings of the sonatas [edit: and concerti] are, however, more easily available from Brilliant Classics. 6 CD's worth of Mozart's piano sonatas played by Clara Haskil. And some of Haydn's notable sacred music.

[PerfectWagnerite]

Is this new?



Available from Amazon for a ridiculous $62 for 40 plus cds, and this is DG, not Brilliant Classics.

http://www.amazon.com/Brahms-Complete-Various-Ltd-Box/dp/B001TH28EO/ref=pd_bxgy_m_text_b

[admiralackbar74]

Is this new?



Available from Amazon for a ridiculous $62 for 40 plus cds, and this is DG, not Brilliant Classics.

http://www.amazon.com/Brahms-Complete-Various-Ltd-Box/dp/B001TH28EO/ref=pd_bxgy_m_text_b

It is fairly new. It doesn't include some of the most famous DG recordings (Brahms PCs by Gilels/Jochum, Brahms 4 with Kleiber, etc.), but it is tempting at that price. I've been considering it, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

I'm also skeptical that the piano works are of the highest rate. But I await reviews... I'd love to see how the early works compare with Katchen, in particular.

[Coopmv]

And, it seems that Pierre Fournier's recording of the Bach Suites is available in two releases, the second being significantly less expensive. (Am I correct on this? Are these the same recording?)

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I have the first 2 CD-set by Fournier.  I bought the set from MDT and it was not expensive.

[Coopmv]

Is this new?



Available from Amazon for a ridiculous $62 for 40 plus cds, and this is DG, not Brilliant Classics.

http://www.amazon.com/Brahms-Complete-Various-Ltd-Box/dp/B001TH28EO/ref=pd_bxgy_m_text_b

The set looks tempting enough and I also do not have too many duplicates other than the Karajan and Bohm - about half dozen CD's.  Unfortunately, I have yet to start listening to the the 38-CD Karajan Symphony Edition set.   

[Grazioso]

Here are a few big sets that each include a good number of top-notch recordings, with each set going for the price of a few full-priced discs, if you hunt around:





and one of my best classical music investments ever:


Lots of delightful recordings in there, most easily and cheaply bought as part of the complete set.

[Coopmv]

Here are a few big sets that each include a good number of top-notch recordings, with each set going for the price of a few full-priced discs, if you hunt around:





and one of my best classical music investments ever:


Lots of delightful recordings in there, most easily and cheaply bought as part of the complete set.

We are seeing the War of the Big Boxes.   LOL

[admiralackbar74]

I'd like to avoid the potential of this thread becoming nothing more than a big repository of box set recommendations. I'm more interested in the particular situation(s) where you were considering a single disc and found it to be better purchased in a box set or via a cheaper re-release that you found.

(No offense meant to those that have posted recently. Just my thoughts.)

[Grazioso]

I'd like to avoid the potential of this thread becoming nothing more than a big repository of box set recommendations. I'm more interested in the particular situation(s) where you were considering a single disc and found it to be better purchased in a box set or via a cheaper re-release that you found.

(No offense meant to those that have posted recently. Just my thoughts.)

None taken. For the ones I listed: the Chandos set has a bunch of recordings I would have ended up buying individually and far more expensively, such as Stanford's Songs of the Sea etc., Mordkovitch's DSCH violin concerti, Mackerras' Janacek Glagolitic Mass, to name but a few. (I already had the included Boulanger disc, which is a stunner.) I bought the Beethoven set instead of the individual set of the Zinman symphonies. Mendelssohn: I wanted a set of the string quartets, and I got that plus a whole bunch more, some of the recordings top rated. RVW set: I would have ended up buying a lot of that one individually as I continue to explore his work. DHM anniversary set: that I bought just because I knew it would be good, and I can say in retrospect, many of those 50 discs would indeed be worth buying individually. Mozart: bought it to get the complete Mozart, but if I hadn't, I would have ended up buying the Würtz piano sonatas (by common consent one of the greatest sets), probably the late string quartets included, and had I ever gotten to hear any of them, the otherwise OOP violin sonatas by Accardo and Canino--delightful! Lots of other goodies in there.

One thing I've learned: if you find these sorts of mega box sets at good prices, just snatch them up. Even if just a portion of the discs are really to your taste, you've made out better than hunting and pecking--and over-paying--for individual discs.

[admiralackbar74]

Grazioso, thanks for including some comment on what is included in the boxes you listed. There's a lot in there that I had been considering as well and I had no idea that they were available in box sets, too! Very helpful, and what this thread is all about. Thanks!

[Coopmv]

It is fairly new. It doesn't include some of the most famous DG recordings (Brahms PCs by Gilels/Jochum, Brahms 4 with Kleiber, etc.), but it is tempting at that price. I've been considering it, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

I'm also skeptical that the piano works are of the highest rate. But I await reviews... I'd love to see how the early works compare with Katchen, in particular.

While this set is tempting to a degree, I already have the Symphonies by Karajan/BPO and a few other works.  I also do not care much for the lieder by Jesse Norman.  Do you consider the Katchen's set for solo piano as your gold standard?

[Grazioso]

I forgot some perfect examples for this thread, particularly when they go on sale: the Naxos gift sets available from Arkivmusic.com. I can strongly recommend these three, with only some minor reservations:




All are loaded with top-rated recordings too numerous to list. These are cases where I would have gradually ended up buying many of the discs in question individually and spent far more doing so.

As for my reservations: the discs come in flimsy paper sleeves in flimsy cardboard boxes, with the absolute bare minimum of notes. While many of these mega-box sets skimp on packaging or documentation to some degree, most (such as the Brahms set discussed above) are a little classier and sturdier than the bargain-basement presentation of these Naxos sets. Also, one wonders why the English symphonies set includes their complete Bax and RVW cycles, but only part of their Arnold cycle. Still, these are cheap ways to load up on wonderful recordings, and in the case of the American symphonies set, a way to fill in what was a major gap in my knowledge/collection.

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/listPage.jsp?list_id=734

[admiralackbar74]

While this set is tempting to a degree, I already have the Symphonies by Karajan/BPO and a few other works.  I also do not care much for the lieder by Jesse Norman.  Do you consider the Katchen's set for solo piano as your gold standard?

To be honest, Coopmv, I haven't heard anyone other than Katchen in the early works. I prefer Lupu in the late works (Opp. 79, 117-119), but Katchen is the only other pianist I've heard outside of those.

[Brian]

As for my reservations: the discs come in flimsy paper sleeves in flimsy cardboard boxes, with the absolute bare minimum of notes. While many of these mega-box sets skimp on packaging or documentation to some degree, most (such as the Brahms set discussed above) are a little classier and sturdier than the bargain-basement presentation of these Naxos sets. Also, one wonders why the English symphonies set includes their complete Bax and RVW cycles, but only part of their Arnold cycle. Still, these are cheap ways to load up on wonderful recordings, and in the case of the American symphonies set, a way to fill in what was a major gap in my knowledge/collection.

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/listPage.jsp?list_id=734

In addition, one wonders why the "British Orchestral Collection" includes two full discs which do not have a single bar of orchestral music on them, but rather some songs with piano accompaniment. But I have to say, at their current price of $74.75 on NaxosDirect, they're only three dollars a CD and that's a great way to pick up a ton of music in one go.

[PerfectWagnerite]

Anyone know anything about this:



http://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Haydn-Complete-Symphonies-Russell/dp/B001NBS5NE/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1250626728&sr=1-6

[admiralackbar74]

Go figure. Sony's new packaging of Murray Perahia's English Suites is actually more expensive than two discs purchased separately.

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[Coopmv]

Go figure. Sony's new packaging of Murray Perahia's English Suites is actually more expensive than two discs purchased separately.

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The only Perahia's recording I have is the Handel's Suites on Sony.  I am still not sure if I really like him enough to spring for that 5-CD Bach set.

[Bulldog]

Go figure. Sony's new packaging of Murray Perahia's English Suites is actually more expensive than two discs purchased separately.

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That is odd, especially when one of the single discs has the "bonus" of a Handel keyboard suite.

[Bulldog]

The only Perahia's recording I have is the Handel's Suites on Sony.  I am still not sure if I really like him enough to spring for that 5-CD Bach set.

Perahia's Bach is a treasure compared to his pathetic attempt with Handel.