Recordings That You Are Considering

[Mirror Image]

Oh, no argument from me. The more I hear of him, the more I enjoy... except for some of the very early works that are long-winded. But once he clicked, he really clicked. And my own collection has, by my standards, grown very rapidly.

It's just your speed of acquisition is so... scary. I don't know where the heck you put it all. I just did the maths, and I've bought 20 classical CDs so far this year (including an 11-CD Shostakovich set). Plus I've been given 4 more in extraordinary circumstances.

For me that's a decent amount - once upon a time it would have been a lot, but in the last few years my pace has accelerated a bit (GMG influence?) so 20 in a half-year is plausible. And I'll resist buying more until I finish at least the purchased ones. I'm close, but there's still a couple of Shostakovich symphonies and several Vine symphonies to go.

Whereas I get the feeling you regularly purchase 20 in a week.

I really need to slow down, though, orfeo as I'm scaring myself now! I actually envy you in a way that you don't have this 'collector mentality' like I have where my impulses can't be stopped unless I smell the allure of a grilled pork chop. If you do get that Sacred Music Dvorak set, I'd be very interested in hearing your thoughts on this music, because it's completely new to me.

[André]

Big boxes are making a collector's life difficult. The apprenticeship years mean you circle around, tentatively zero-in on a much talked about masterpiece (say, Dvorak's Stabat Mater - but you could just have well zeroed in on another much talked about masterpiece like the same composer's Requiem). But, Inch' Allah, you made your mind for the Stabat Mater.

Now comes the arduous part of trying to find "the best" performance - you don't want to be disappointed, do you ? After much reading and consulting, you realize that the desired "best performance" is available for 20$ on Amazon, but for 25$ more you can get the "Choral, Sacred Works" on 10 cds, all in renowned performances.    What is one to do ?

For 45$ you can savor the Stabat Mater (and the Requiem, youppeee!), but are left swimming like a fly in treacle trying to catch up with the rest of the works for the next 4-5 years (dutifully downloading pdf files and program notes and reading on Wikipedia in the process). The whole affair is so practical, economical and makes such good sense, doesn't it ?

That explains why, after grappling for 2 decades with the Shostakovich quartets before I felt comfortable with all of them, I recently proceeded to Weinberg's 17 quartets, but went for the full 6cd integral set on CPO, effectively clogging my musical arteries with indiscriminate attention to 17 difficult, hard to digest works. After all, buying the whole caboodle was twice as cheap as buying them discs individually - including original art cover and program notes!. The economics of the decision-making weigh in big time.

This is a new paradigm and we have to get used to it...

[Ken B]

I really need to slow down, though, orfeo as I'm scaring myself now! I actually envy you in a way that you don't have this 'collector mentality' like I have where my impulses can't be stopped unless I smell the allure of a grilled pork chop. If you do get that Sacred Music Dvorak set, I'd be very interested in hearing your thoughts on this music, because it's completely new to me.

Isn't he Brian's favorite? Some note on what's good would be useful ...
I have a few pieces. I remember liking them okay, but nothing stands out.

TD None. Not in the market. I have several yards of unheard discs ...

[Ken B]

Big boxes are making a collector's life difficult. The apprenticeship years mean you circle around, tentatively zero-in on a much talked about masterpiece (say, Dvorak's Stabat Mater - but you could just have well zeroed in on another much talked about masterpiece like the same composer's Requiem). But, Inch' Allah, you made your mind for the Stabat Mater.

Now comes the arduous part of trying to find "the best" performance - you don't want to be disappointed, do you ? After much reading and consulting, you realize that the desired "best performance" is available for 20$ on Amazon, but for 25$ more you can get the "Choral, Sacred Works" on 10 cds, all in renowned performances.    What is one to do ?

For 45$ you can savor the Stabat Mater (and the Requiem, youppeee!), but are left swimming like a fly in treacle trying to catch up with the rest of the works for the next 4-5 years (dutifully downloading pdf files and program notes and reading on Wikipedia in the process). The whole affair is so practical, economical and makes such good sense, doesn't it ?

That explains why, after grappling for 2 decades with the Shostakovich quartets before I felt comfortable with all of them, I recently proceeded to Weinberg's 17 quartets, but went for the full 6cd integral set on CPO, effectively clogging my musical arteries with indiscriminate attention to 17 difficult, hard to digest works. After all, buying the whole caboodle was twice as cheap as buying them discs individually - including original art cover and program notes!. The economics of the decision-making weigh in big time.

This is a new paradigm and we have to get used to it...

Actually I find the boxes make it easier. I no longer worry about getting a version I want to live with. Some stuff is cheap enough I buy it for just a couple of listens and the can sell or forget it. The problem is space when I want to keep a box. For example I bought a Maazel box. Generally very good but stuff ai have so I'd like to sell it now. Except I want to keep the Beethoven cycle which I really admire (and had on vinyl).

[Mirror Image]

Big boxes are making a collector's life difficult. The apprenticeship years mean you circle around, tentatively zero-in on a much talked about masterpiece (say, Dvorak's Stabat Mater - but you could just have well zeroed in on another much talked about masterpiece like the same composer's Requiem). But, Inch' Allah, you made your mind for the Stabat Mater.

Now comes the arduous part of trying to find "the best" performance - you don't want to be disappointed, do you ? After much reading and consulting, you realize that the desired "best performance" is available for 20$ on Amazon, but for 25$ more you can get the "Choral, Sacred Works" on 10 cds, all in renowned performances.    What is one to do ?

For 45$ you can savor the Stabat Mater (and the Requiem, youppeee!), but are left swimming like a fly in treacle trying to catch up with the rest of the works for the next 4-5 years (dutifully downloading pdf files and program notes and reading on Wikipedia in the process). The whole affair is so practical, economical and makes such good sense, doesn't it ?

That explains why, after grappling for 2 decades with the Shostakovich quartets before I felt comfortable with all of them, I recently proceeded to Weinberg's 17 quartets, but went for the full 6cd integral set on CPO, effectively clogging my musical arteries with indiscriminate attention to 17 difficult, hard to digest works. After all, buying the whole caboodle was twice as cheap as buying them discs individually - including original art cover and program notes!. The economics of the decision-making weigh in big time.

This is a new paradigm and we have to get used to it...

Well, you certainly have made a fair assessment. God only knows why I continue to buy box sets given that I have so much that needs to heard that is lying around either sealed or just faintly glanced at. I need to get to some serious listening and quick! At the same time, as I've mentioned before (on another thread), one reason I suppose I do acquire so much is I like having a lot of different performances at my disposal, so I can listen to them at my leisure. I might have Sibelius' 5th pop into my head and I'll be thinking "What performance do I want to hear?" Since I own many of them, I can figure out from there what performance I want to hear, but it's usually my favorite performances I flock to (Vanska, Segerstam, HvK, Berglund). It's just nice to have that kind of luxury. Box sets have certainly made a collector's life easier, but I continue to buy single recordings as some things I'm looking for aren't available in a box set.

[Mirror Image]

Isn't he Brian's favorite? Some note on what's good would be useful ...
I have a few pieces. I remember liking them okay, but nothing stands out.

TD None. Not in the market. I have several yards of unheard discs ...

I do believe Dvorak is Brian's numero uno composer, but I could mistaken about that. Hopefully, he'll join in the conversation here at some juncture. Only then will we know the truth!

[Madiel]

Big boxes are making a collector's life difficult. The apprenticeship years mean you circle around, tentatively zero-in on a much talked about masterpiece (say, Dvorak's Stabat Mater - but you could just have well zeroed in on another much talked about masterpiece like the same composer's Requiem). But, Inch' Allah, you made your mind for the Stabat Mater.

Now comes the arduous part of trying to find "the best" performance - you don't want to be disappointed, do you ? After much reading and consulting, you realize that the desired "best performance" is available for 20$ on Amazon, but for 25$ more you can get the "Choral, Sacred Works" on 10 cds, all in renowned performances.    What is one to do ?

For 45$ you can savor the Stabat Mater (and the Requiem, youppeee!), but are left swimming like a fly in treacle trying to catch up with the rest of the works for the next 4-5 years (dutifully downloading pdf files and program notes and reading on Wikipedia in the process). The whole affair is so practical, economical and makes such good sense, doesn't it ?

That explains why, after grappling for 2 decades with the Shostakovich quartets before I felt comfortable with all of them, I recently proceeded to Weinberg's 17 quartets, but went for the full 6cd integral set on CPO, effectively clogging my musical arteries with indiscriminate attention to 17 difficult, hard to digest works. After all, buying the whole caboodle was twice as cheap as buying them discs individually - including original art cover and program notes!. The economics of the decision-making weigh in big time.

This is a new paradigm and we have to get used to it...

See, I tended to go for complete sets from the beginning.

And I'm not talking about enormous groaning boxes on the whole (though hey, 13 CDs of Chopin fairly early on), more often than not I started off by looking at things with 3 or 4 discs in them, or a combination of a few discs, that together made a logical grouping of works.

I'm still not very interested in the jumbo boxes. The largest box I ever bought was 40 CDs of the cellist Tortelier, and that was a very rare exception of a box where most of the repertoire interested me.

I'll buy what has what I want, not what is the most "value". And if I couldn't find what I wanted in terms of a program and performance combination, then I'd just put that aside and buy something else on the shopping list instead. There's always been a potential shopping list of works.

Note, this largely does not apply to Holmboe where I transformed into buying nearly everything in sight. But I did start with the box of symphonies followed by the box of string quartets.

[Mirror Image]

Note, this largely does not apply to Holmboe where I transformed into buying nearly everything in sight. But I did start with the box of symphonies followed by the box of string quartets.

And, thus, begun the addiction. Trust me, I know this feeling all too well. It's like me and Nielsen. I have to slap myself right across the face just so I won't click 'buy now'.

[Madiel]

And, thus, begun the addiction. Trust me, I know this feeling all too well. It's like me and Nielsen. I have to slap myself right across the face just so I won't click 'buy now'.

Your mistake was choosing a composer where it's COMMON to have more than one recording of a work.

[Mirror Image]

Your mistake was choosing a composer where it's COMMON to have more than one recording of a work.

No argument here and I'm still slapping myself about this!

[Mandryka]

[Madiel]

Has anyone come across this recording of Sibelius violin works?

[asin]B014X0HXJS[/asin]

The programme interests me. Haven't spotted any reviews, other than a snippet of a Gramophone one (and Gramophone sticks their reviews behind a paywall).

[Mirror Image]

Has anyone come across this recording of Sibelius violin works?

[asin]B014X0HXJS[/asin]

The programme interests me. Haven't spotted any reviews, other than a snippet of a Gramophone one (and Gramophone sticks their reviews behind a paywall).

I own that recording and it is marvelous. If you're looking for a one-stop violin/orchestra Sibelian party outside of the Violin Concerto, then I believe you would find little to complain about with that recording. Top-drawer audio quality, too.

[Madiel]

I own that recording and it is marvelous. If you're looking for a one-stop violin/orchestra Sibelian party outside of the Violin Concerto, then I believe you would find little to complain about with that recording. Top-drawer audio quality, too.

Ta. I'm definitely interested in these smaller works (not that I even have a violin concerto recording yet, it's on the shopping list).

I've just stumbled across a "deluxe version" that adds some more violin/piano works, but I suspect it may be download only. The bonus tracks take it past the length of a single CD.

[Mirror Image]

Ta. I'm definitely interested in these smaller works (not that I even have a violin concerto recording yet, it's on the shopping list).

I've just stumbled across a "deluxe version" that adds some more violin/piano works, but I suspect it may be download only. The bonus tracks take it past the length of a single CD.

If you're looking for this particular program, then don't hesitate, buy it now! Exquisite music-making.

[jlaurson]

I own that recording and it is marvelous. If you're looking for a one-stop violin/orchestra Sibelian party outside of the Violin Concerto, then I believe you would find little to complain about with that recording. Top-drawer audio quality, too.

Seconded! I've listened to these works before (like the Beethoven Romances), but this recording really put it on my map. Terrific.

[marvinbrown]

Seriously considering getting one of these:
[asin]B001DCQIAU[/asin]

[asin]B00M7IR5Q0[/asin]


Anyone own any of these? Or both of these? Feedback and advise would be welcome. Just how good is Karajan's Bruckner cycle anyway? The 80s set does not have the complete symphonies!

  marvin

[Parsifal]

Seriously considering getting one of these:
[asin]B001DCQIAU[/asin]

[asin]B00M7IR5Q0[/asin]


Anyone own any of these? Or both of these? Feedback and advise would be welcome. Just how good is Karajan's Bruckner cycle anyway? The 80s set does not have the complete symphonies!

  marvin

I have all three of the Karajan decade boxes. I consider the 60's box the most essential. The 80's box I got mostly out of the forward momentum, having already purchased the other two. I also liked that it allowed me to dispose of the smattering of 80's Karajan individual CDs on my shelves. For me the best thing about the decade boxes (especially the 60's and 70's) was listening to some of the recordings that I thought, "Karajan would be awful for that," only to discover that I liked it.

Karajan's Bruckner is uniformly marvelous, I would say, although the audio on some of the earlier recordings is not top-notch. I gather that the Bruckner in the decade boxes is remastered (for the first time since it's been on CD) but I have not listened to any of the Bruckner yet, so I can't say if it has improved substantially.

[marvinbrown]

I have all three of the Karajan decade boxes. I consider the 60's box the most essential. The 80's box I got mostly out of the forward momentum, having already purchased the other two. I also liked that it allowed me to dispose of the smattering of 80's Karajan individual CDs on my shelves. For me the best thing about the decade boxes (especially the 60's and 70's) was listening to some of the recordings that I thought, "Karajan would be awful for that," only to discover that I liked it.

Karajan's Bruckner is uniformly marvelous, I would say, although the audio on some of the earlier recordings is not top-notch. I gather that the Bruckner in the decade boxes is remastered (for the first time since it's been on CD) but I have not listened to any of the Bruckner yet, so I can't say if it has improved substantially.

  Thank you Scarpia. Much appreciated.
 
  marvin

[André]

I have the Karajan Symphony Edition, and at the price quoted on Amazon's site it's a no-brainer. Personally I don't find any of those cycles indispensable.  OTOH all are at least quite good  (Haydn, Schumann, Mendelssohn,) very good (Brahms, Bruckner, Tchaikovsky),  remarkable (Beethoven 1977) or even remarkably different (Mozart). IOW I can easily name a better set for all those composers, but Karajan IS special regardless of the repertoire. Be warned that most of these integrals were recorded early in the digital era and often have shrill sonics.