Recordings That You Are Considering

[Que]

This is now 30 Euros on jpc. Worthwhile?

Definitely, if you are looking for a convincing and excellent performance on period instruments, look no further. 
The only regret I have I did not have the patience to wait for this box set, which I bought recently anyway.

And at jpc the price seems to be right......

Q

[Mandryka]

.
[asin]B00H4G4D56[/asin]

I have a recording of him playing op 111 in 2012 which I'll be happy to share with you. My feeling is that you won't regret hearing it, from what I've seen you write  about this sonata. Did you enjoy his Waldstein?

[Todd]

Did you enjoy his Waldstein?

It's been a while, but as much as I can enjoy willful readings, I found Say's solo LvB a bit too willful.  This is a bit strange, because I found his Haydn disc a peach start to finish.  I'm thinking the probability I buy this disc is probably around .97. 

[Brian]

It's been a while, but as much as I can enjoy willful readings, I found Say's solo LvB a bit too willful.  This is a bit strange, because I found his Haydn disc a peach start to finish.  I'm thinking the probability I buy this disc is probably around .97.

Just found it on NML. I am going to listen now, though I'm hesitant since it means switching from a revisit to Penelope Crawford.

Track timings for "Moonlight" are certainly eccentric:

Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2, "Moonlight"
   6.  I. Adagio sostenuto          00:07:33
   7.  II. Allegretto          00:02:08
   8.  III. Presto agitato           00:06:56

[Brian]

It's been a while, but as much as I can enjoy willful readings, I found Say's solo LvB a bit too willful.  This is a bit strange, because I found his Haydn disc a peach start to finish.  I'm thinking the probability I buy this disc is probably around .97.

Humming: check
Willfulness: check
Slightly agonizing left-hand work in the Moonlight adagio: check
Dazzling precision in the Moonlight finale: check
Weird dynamic blips down to piano or up to forte in unexpected parts of Op. 111: check
Transition to the "boogie" variation anticlimactically downplayed with luftpause: check
"Boogie" variation itself uniquely bizarre: check
Overall conformity to the Fazil Say paradigm: 100%

[Todd]

Overall conformity to the Fazil Say paradigm: 100%

Probability now at .98.

[Brian]

Oh man although I still recommend it as a fun album (haven't heard the concerto), the trills at the end of Op. 111 are brutally bad. Like...I think he actually stops trying to play them a couple of times.

EDIT: And is that final chord written with a low C?!
EDIT II: No

[Mandryka]

Oh man although I still recommend it as a fun album (haven't heard the concerto), the trills at the end of Op. 111 are brutally bad. Like...I think he actually stops trying to play them a couple of times.

EDIT: And is that final chord written with a low C?!
EDIT II: No

I wonder why he does that. (I haven't heard it, it's not on spotify.)

[springrite]

I wonder why he does that. (I haven't heard it, it's not on spotify.)

Because it is the Fazil Say paradigm.

[Karl Henning]

(* chortle *)

[marvinbrown]

  I'd like to buy another Schubert symphony cycle.  I have Wand's Schubert and am now considering one of these 3:

  [asin]B000AGL1A2[/asin]

  or

  [asin]B00005KK4P[/asin]

  or

  [asin]B00000E4OJ[/asin]

  I am leaning towards the Harnoncourt set but the Kertesz seems to have gotten rave reviews as well.  Any advice here would be appreciated.

  marvin

[TheGSMoeller]

  I'd like to buy another Schubert symphony cycle.  I have Wand's Schubert and am now considering one of these 3:

  or

  or

  I am leaning towards the Harnoncourt set but the Kertesz seems to have gotten rave reviews as well.  Any advice here would be appreciated.

  marvin

I really like the Harnoncourt cycle. And the Kertesz is nice, although I believe Ray (Chamber Nut) would give a more glowing review of that one. If I can suggest another one it would be Immerseel, fantastic set, been getting the most spins on my player lately.

[asin]B008XQ4MS4[/asin]

[Que]

I really like the Harnoncourt cycle. And the Kertesz is nice, although I believe Ray (Chamber Nut) would give a more glowing review of that one. If I can suggest another one it would be Immerseel, fantastic set, been getting the most spins on my player lately.

[asin]B008XQ4MS4[/asin]

+1...   Two thumbs up for Immerseel!

I found Harnoncourt's cycle frustrating. I have the impression that Harnoncourt overthinks the score, instead of simply following the composer's lead. The result sounds awkward to my ears.
I can't think of a reason why anyone would need Böhm's calcified Schubert. Don't know Kertesz. I'm not well versed in "traditional" symphonic Schubert, which in any case should sound like Krips' recording of the 8th & 9th. Now, that is epic stuff.
But there must be a decent traditional cycle out there: I see there is Blomstedt, Sawallish, Abbado and Wand. One of them should be able to pull it off?

Q

[Brian]

I am a huge, huge fan of Harnoncourt, Wand, and Immerseel. Three different approaches, all of them glorious. Thomas Dausgaard's new Swedish Chamber Orchestra CD of Symphonies 3/4/5 is a winner too, similar in approach to Immerseel but on modern instruments; his 6 is also top-notch but for whatever reason his CD of the last two symphonies fell far short.

[trung224]

  I'd like to buy another Schubert symphony cycle.  I have Wand's Schubert and am now considering one of these 3:

  [asin]B000AGL1A2[/asin]

  or

  [asin]B00005KK4P[/asin]

  or

  [asin]B00000E4OJ[/asin]

  I am leaning towards the Harnoncourt set but the Kertesz seems to have gotten rave reviews as well.  Any advice here would be appreciated.

  marvin

If you have the Wand's cycle, Harnoncourt's is nice alternative. Harnoncourt brings so many unique insights to score, especially in the early symphonies. Hearing Harnoncourt in this symphonies (except the Fourth) is the first time Schubert' early symphonies convinces me that they are really worthy. Two other cycles you mentioned ( Böhm and Kertesz) are in vein with Wand, reliable,  traditional but not distictive enough to be must have.

[Cosi bel do]

I don't really like Wand's cycle (his later recordings of symphonies 8 & 9 are great, though).
Harnoncourt's cycle is not that good either (compared to his Beethoven for instance).
Immerseel is one of my favourites, but not good in all symphonies, a little frustrating at times (the very wide and a little blurry sonics are mostly responsible).
Kertész is good but still a little too romantic to my taste. Böhm is, too, but it's still a classic, one everyone should have somewhere.
Avoid at all cost Karajan on EMI.

The one that was not mentioned and that is absolutely the best if you're looking for interpretations that are precise, tasteful, not too dry but not too romantic either, is Abbado. His Schubert cycle is actually his best complete cycle of symphonies of any composer...

So my choice would be : 1. Abbado because it's the best on the market ; 2. Böhm because you must have it ; 3. Immerseel because it will really bring you a different view on these symphonies.
Then if you want a few more, start with Kertész and Harnoncourt.

I still have to listen to Dausgaard here.

[North Star]

+1...   Two thumbs up for Immerseel!

I found Harnoncourt's cycle frustrating. I have the impression that Harnoncourt overthinks the score, instead of simply following the composer's lead. The result sounds awkward to my ears.
I can't think of a reason why anyone would need Böhm's calcified Schubert. Don't know Kertesz. I'm not well versed in "traditional" symphonic Schubert, which in any case should sound like Krips' recording of the 8th & 9th. Now, that is epic stuff.
But there must be a decent traditional cycle out there: I see there is Blomstedt, Sawallish, Abbado and Wand. One of them should be able to pull it off?

Q

The Abbado Unfinished and No. 9 are very fine indeed, when I listened to them on Spotify premium they were, anyway.

[trung224]

I don't really like Wand's cycle (his later recordings of symphonies 8 & 9 are great, though).
Harnoncourt's cycle is not that good either (compared to his Beethoven for instance).
Immerseel is one of my favourites, but not good in all symphonies, a little frustrating at times (the very wide and a little blurry sonics are mostly responsible).
Kertész is good but still a little too romantic to my taste. Böhm is, too, but it's still a classic, one everyone should have somewhere.
Avoid at all cost Karajan on EMI.

The one that was not mentioned and that is absolutely the best if you're looking for interpretations that are precise, tasteful, not too dry but not too romantic either, is Abbado. His Schubert cycle is actually his best complete cycle of symphonies of any composer...

So my choice would be : 1. Abbado because it's the best on the market ; 2. Böhm because you must have it ; 3. Immerseel because it will really bring you a different view on these symphonies.
Then if you want a few more, start with Kertész and Harnoncourt.

I still have to listen to Dausgaard here.

Abbado's cycle is not bad, but for me it has a serious problem,  boring  late Symphonies. When compare the Unfinished and the Great from Abbado cycle with the traditional cycle, Kertesz, Böhm, it is underwhelming, but it also does not really escape from tradition, and produces something original like Immerseel. The result is somewhere in between but not for both world, I think.
And speaking of Abbado, I think his late Mahler cycle with BPO, and Lucerne Festival Orchestra is actually his best complete symphonies cycle.

  Thread duty: the only live Shostakovich performance by Tennstedt. Base on his conducting style in front of audicians, it would be a fiery and original performance.
[asin]B000XYXQK4[/asin]

[Cosi bel do]

Yeah, of course, but when I'm listening to a Schubert cycle, I don't really care about the Unifinished and the Great. There are always better versions anyway, and I never listen again to the versions in these sets... And frankly, the Unfinished and the Great in all the cycles that have been mentioned here are between very bad and quite mediocre, with the exception of Immerseel (very good Unfinished) and Böhm.

[DavidW]

A set that I enjoy (Bruggen) is out of print.  But if you find it, pick it up you won't regret it!

But I will say there are other sets out there besides what's listed on this page.  I'm inspired to try another one, so I ordered Blomstedt, who is one of my favorite conductors.  I hope that his Schubert is as awesome as his Beethoven and Nielsen.