Boulez's Bartok

[marvinbrown]

  Hi guys/gals it's marvin , I hope everyone is doing well. I am looking for feedback on this comprehensive set:

 

  Basically it contains the piano concertos, violin concertos, orchestral works etc. Anyone own this set? Any advice you can give me would be appreciated.  The only Bartok recordings I have are the six string quartets so I need to beef up my collection......any ideas? 

  marvin

[The new erato]

I have one disc from this; the Wooden Prince/Cantata Profana which certainly is exceptionally fine. There used to be a cheap box with Fischer on Philips as well that I consider major competition if it still is available, and besides that you should consider getting some Reiner on Living Stereo. But with the proviso that I only know one of the Boulez disc, I can't imagine you will be disappointed by this set!

[Wanderer]

I bought this the day it was released. Performances range from excellent to exceptional. If you feel the price is right, go for it.

[Todd]

I have most of the individual discs, and overall Boulez's DG Bartok recordings are quite good, even if they sometimes lack the intensity of his CBS recordings.  The best of what I've heard from the set is probably The Wooden Prince.  The first two piano concertos are quite good as well, though the Third can be bettered.  (The Barenboim / Boulez recording bests the newer one, for instance.)  The Violin Concertos are not so hot in my estimation; Shaham just doesn't fit well here to my ears.  The CfO is quite good, though, again, better are out there, but the Four Pictures is exceptionally good.

Overall, Boulez's DG Bartok is quite good, but better is out there.  Ivan Fischer, Fricsay, Kocsis (as pianist and conductor), and Reiner all offer better takes on some of the works.

[marvinbrown]

  I am very pleased to read that overall the set is recommendable.  I found it at £35 on amazon.co.uk marketsellers and have placed it into my shopping basket.  I like the idea of it being a comprehensive set, it should expose me to alot of Barotk's music missing from my collection. 

Thanks for the feedback  .

  marvin

[jlaurson]

  I am very pleased to read that overall the set is recommendable.  I found it at £35 on amazon.co.uk marketsellers and have placed it into my shopping basket.  I like the idea of it being a comprehensive set, it should expose me to alot of Barotk's music missing from my collection. 

Thanks for the feedback  .

  marvin

Definitely a very good choice!