Recordings That You Are Considering

[Haffner]

C.) Guarneri is _not_ the early RCA set but the otherwise out of print Philips set. Good, but hardly special.

D.) Strauss with Kempe is essential, no matter what you already have with Strauss. Not "overwhelmingly good", but sublime through surprisingly understated performances. Sound is good, not great.

Then forget the Guarneri. And he's right about the Strauss 10000%. Get it.

[ChamberNut]

Then forget the Guarneri. And he's right about the Strauss 10000%. Get it.

Andy, 10000%?  You do not give it enough credit! 

[Haffner]

Andy, 10000%?  You do not give it enough credit! 

That's a recording that will just keep earning its weight in gold.

[George]

Like Brian, I need to hear more about this one. Anyone?

Here's a review from Classics Today.

[Brian]

A.) Why Naxos' Mozart when you can have Mackerras' in a new money saving Telarc box???

Didn't know about the money-saving Telarc box. Can't find it on MDT or Amazon. Future release?

B.) Barenboim's Beethoven--if you don't mind your Beethoven with rich old-European varnish--is an absolute MUST.

Based on the performances I've heard (3,6,7,8) I whole-heartedly agree! But I don't really want to pick up the box now that I have most of the cycle on my hard drive...

C.) Guarneri is _not_ the early RCA set but the otherwise out of print Philips set. Good, but hardly special.

D.) Strauss with Kempe is essential, no matter what you already have with Strauss. Not "overwhelmingly good", but sublime through surprisingly understated performances. Sound is good, not great.

Thanks for these tips.

[Brian]

Two more quite worthy contenders to be the last item in my order.

   

I am pretty sure there is a Sibelius cycles thread somewhere I should read up on...

[George]

Brian, I LOVE the Ashy set, but then I like my Sibelius played in a romantic (rather than modern) vein.

[jlaurson]

Didn't know about the money-saving Telarc box. Can't find it on MDT or Amazon. Future release?

Nope... 2008.

Mozart - Mackerras, Complete Symphonies
Space and money-saving Box.

[jlaurson]

Two more quite worthy contenders to be the last item in my order.

   

I am pretty sure there is a Sibelius cycles thread somewhere I should read up on...

Man... that's like "Sophie's Choice". Both are terrific. But I'd second George and give the Ashkenazy set the nudge by a small, but emotional, margin.
(Plus it's space saving in its box and comes with extra works, whereas Blomstedt doesn't and comes in the big jewel case... not that that should really decide--merely inform--your decision.)

[Coopmv]

Q

[SonicMan46]

Two more quite worthy contenders to be the last item in my order.

     

I am pretty sure there is a Sibelius cycles thread somewhere I should read up on...

Hi Brian - my two 'complete' Sibelius Symphony cycles are Blomstedt & Berglund (inserted one 2-CD set above; EMI offers the other @ bargain prices; also, there is a Berglund EMI box w/ all of the symphonies + tone poems, think an 8-CD set); I had Ashkenazy set but no longer, just choose to stick w/ the two mentioned - all are pretty DAMN good!  

The Sibelius Thread HERE if you want more opinions!  Dave  

[Coopmv]

Hi Brian - my two 'complete' Sibelius Symphony cycles are Blomstedt & Berglund (inserted one 2-CD set above; EMI offers the other @ bargain prices; also, there is a Berglund EMI box w/ all of the symphonies + tone poems, think an 8-CD set); I had Ashkenazy set but no longer, just choose to stick w/ the two mentioned - all are pretty DAMN good!  

The Sibelius Thread HERE if you want more opinions!  Dave  

Herbert Blomstedt is great.  I have his Nielsen Symphonies and his Bach Mass in B Minor on DVD. 

[SonicMan46]

Herbert Blomstedt is great.  I have his Nielsen Symphonies and his Bach Mass in B Minor on DVD. 

Boy, we seem to have a lot of the same STUFF!  Also own the Nielsen Symphonies w/ Herbert B.!  He & the San Franciscans seem to have an affinity for this music from the northern European climes - 

I've visited San Francisco many times (mainly out there on medical meetings) and have been on boats in San Fran Bay often, and on several trips w/ the fog rolling in, the weather can turn nasty, cold, and wet fast!  But, a quick drive across the GG Bridge into Napa/Sonoma w/ warmer weather & some wine tours, all returns to normal - Dave 

[Jay F]

Didn't know about the money-saving Telarc box. Can't find it on MDT or Amazon. Future release?

Mackerras' Mozart box set on Telarc, $39.95: http://www.concordmusicgroup.com/artists/Sir-Charles-Mackerras-Prague-Chamber-Orchestra/

[Jay F]

Man... that's like "Sophie's Choice". Both are terrific. But I'd second George and give the Ashkenazy set the nudge by a small, but emotional, margin.
(Plus it's space saving in its box and comes with extra works, whereas Blomstedt doesn't and comes in the big jewel case... not that that should really decide--merely inform--your decision.)

Third vote for Ashkenazy doing Sibelius (but I haven't heard the other two).

[karlhenning]

Herbert Blomstedt is great.  I have his Nielsen Symphonies and his Bach Mass in B Minor on DVD. 

Since this seems sort of a 'Continental Version' of a show we've already taped elsewhere . . . I too prefer Blomstedt to Ashkenazy in Sibelius.

[Coopmv]

Boy, we seem to have a lot of the same STUFF!  Also own the Nielsen Symphonies w/ Herbert B.!  He & the San Franciscans seem to have an affinity for this music from the northern European climes - 

Herbert Blomstedt was born in MA, of Swedish parents, though he returned to Sweden with his parents at a young age.  He is actually American.  He has excellent conducting style and I truly enjoyed his Bach Mass in B DVD ...

[SonicMan46]

Wanted to post a 'wish' here - below is from the 'listening thread' but about to be buried, as usual, so:

Any comments on the Mozart Flute Quartets w/ a wooden flute?  The K. Bros. seem like a great choice - have them in other recordings, but would be curious about other recommendations - thanks all - 

I think that the disc is excellent, but I do like the recorder, and am not concerned about that slight quibble; but one does need a 'real' flute set of performances, so I put the one on that I do own - Nash Ensemble (one of my favorite chamber groups - often on the Hyperion/Helios label) - this is a bargain 2-CD set on Virgin, though excellent in all ways; these are w/ a 'modern' flute!

Now considering a set of Wolfie's Flute Quartets w/ a period instrument (after listening to the flute in those Blavet recordings shown in a previous thread of mine!) - any opinions on the performances by the Kuijken Bros on Accent - liked on Amazon & great review in the Penguin Guide - older recording?  Thanks all - 


 

[Lilas Pastia]

Athough there are better individual performances of the Da Ponte operas (at no greater cost than that Muti set), it contains three good to excellent performances. Cosi fan tutte is the least satisfactory (relatively speaking), its most annoying feature being the recessed sound. Although recorded live  in the Kleines Festspielhaus (Salzburg), it sounds like an airless, dead venue. It does disservice to Mozart's sparkling music and its many conversational exchanges. The other two operas were record in the Musikvereinsaal and the acoustics are excellent. For modern stereo performances with uniformly excellent cast, playing and fine conducting, it's hard to beat.

None of these is my favourite performance, but this box is excellent value. Good booklet with detailed scene by scene plot summary (helpfully pointing every musical highlight). No libretto, but these are easy to come by on the web. I'd rate the whole 8.5 out of 10.

[Sergeant Rock]

Two more quite worthy contenders to be the last item in my order.

   

I am pretty sure there is a Sibelius cycles thread somewhere I should read up on...

Another vote for Ashkenazy...but I have a feeling you'd actually like Blomstedt more. That gut feeling is based on nothing I can explain 

Have you considered Maazel/Vienna? Brilliant 1, 3, 4 and 7, very good 5. And it's much cheaper than the other two sets.

Sarge