Recordings That You Are Considering

[Harry]

Anyone heard this disc of 20th-c. "name" quartets (Sibelius Voces Intimae, Berg Lyric Suite)? Looks like a good gap-filler:

Its cheap, and its wonderful, you can buy that without hesitation. Good performances and good sound.

[Novi]

I know that many rate the live Appassionata very highly, over the studio version in fact. What's the rest of the set like? I'd like to hear the Appassionata, but was wondering if it's worth getting the set for.

Thanks.

[Franco]

I know that many rate the live Appassionata very highly, over the studio version in fact. What's the rest of the set like? I'd like to hear the Appassionata, but was wondering if it's worth getting the set for.

Thanks.

I have this set and think you will be very happy with it.  Besides the sonatas (which is a very good selection), the concertos are excellent, IMO, with Kurt Masur.  Sound is good.

[Florestan]

I have this set and think you will be very happy with it.  Besides the sonatas (which is a very good selection), the concertos are excellent, IMO, with Kurt Masur.  Sound is good.

Seconded.

[Novi]

I have this set and think you will be very happy with it.  Besides the sonatas (which is a very good selection), the concertos are excellent, IMO, with Kurt Masur.  Sound is good.

Seconded.

Thank you very much! Have ordered now.

By the way, Florestan, don't know if you've ordered either of those Vivaldi operas, but Jaroussky is phenomenal. I heard a bit of Orlando Furioso on the radio a couple of years ago and bought the recording just because of him (and I don't usually even like counter tenors).

[Florestan]

By the way, Florestan, don't know if you've ordered either of those Vivaldi operas, but Jaroussky is phenomenal. I heard a bit of Orlando Furioso on the radio a couple of years ago and bought the recording just because of him (and I don't usually even like counter tenors).

I'll certainly buy them some day soon.

[Brian]

      

      

   

I want all of these, but I only have the budget for less than half of them. At MDT the price tag for all 8 is $281, and I'm hoping to wrestle my purchase down to $150.
I already have a few HIP Beethoven cycles (Gardiner, Hogwood, Norrington I), Barshai's Shostakovich set, and Kreisler's complete miniatures. I don't have the Beethoven violin sonatas (all in the Kreisler box; I've only heard 2), the Dvorak quartets (I've only heard 3 and only own the "American"), any Mozart piano concertos other than 20 and 21, or any Haydn sonatas at all.

[Franco]

If I were you, I'd nix both the Immerseel sets and the Brautigam Haydn.  Unless you love the sound of the fortepiano, which I don't - but I do find these sets interesting and worthwhile, while not first choices. 

Peraya or Anda for the Mozart PC and individual Haydn sonata disks, Glenn Gould has recorded some of these and they are surprisingly good, instead of the whole fortepiano shebang as your first taste.  Don't know the Immerseel Beethoven (heard good things), but if you already have some of that, why spend limited funds on somewhat duplicative material.

The other things you've picked I think are more "necessary" and interesting and if I had to glean, that's how I'd do it.

[jlaurson]

   

 

I want all of these, but I only have the budget for less than half of them. At MDT the price tag for all 8 is $281, and I'm hoping to wrestle my purchase down to $150.
I already have a few HIP Beethoven cycles (Gardiner, Hogwood, Norrington I), Barshai's Shostakovich set, and Kreisler's complete miniatures. I don't have the Beethoven violin sonatas (all in the Kreisler box; I've only heard 2), the Dvorak quartets (I've only heard 3 and only own the "American"), any Mozart piano concertos other than 20 and 21, or any Haydn sonatas at all.

If you are really into historical recordings, your personal choice will obviously differ from mine... but these are the four boxes I'd keep of these... and I'd put a question mark behind the Haydn, too. Not because it's not good--if it's gonna be fortepiano, might as well make it Brautigam--but because it doesn't strike me as particularly essential. There are smaller collections (piano) that I'd look into, first.

Doubling up on DSCH isn't essential, either, but Jansons' set contains the best 3rd, 4th, 12th, and 13th--and the rest is variously excellent (8th, 2nd, 14th) or good.
Definitely a higher gain than doubling up on your considerable collection of HIP Beethoven Symphonies. I like Immerseel's set, but wouldn't deem it a must-have when you have limited resources and no recording of the Violin Sonatas.

Looking for a good-enough recording of those that doesn't break the piggy-bank? Grumiaux-Haskil would be one suggestion... cheap on Decca:

...and cheaper still on Brilliant Classics:
.

Dvorak... simply the music, but also these excellent performances... are a must.

I agree with Franco on Mozart: Are you really going, specifically, for the fortepiano sound???
If not, Perahia (spelling, please, Franco!  ) is a fine choice, and more economical than Buchberger or Schiff. Serkin, not complete but with the most important ones included, might be tempting.

[ChamberNut]

 
I want all of these, but I only have the budget for less than half of them. At MDT the price tag for all 8 is $281, and I'm hoping to wrestle my purchase down to $150.
I already have a few HIP Beethoven cycles (Gardiner, Hogwood, Norrington I), Barshai's Shostakovich set, and Kreisler's complete miniatures. I don't have the Beethoven violin sonatas (all in the Kreisler box; I've only heard 2), the Dvorak quartets (I've only heard 3 and only own the "American"), any Mozart piano concertos other than 20 and 21, or any Haydn sonatas at all.

Brian!!!    Get the Supraphon Dvorak set (the red one if you can), if not, the blue one (I wish I had the red one).  Out of those 8, make sure you get one of those two!

And that's an order, young man! 

[DavidW]

I want all of these, but I only have the budget for less than half of them. At MDT the price tag for all 8 is $281, and I'm hoping to wrestle my purchase down to $150.
I already have a few HIP Beethoven cycles (Gardiner, Hogwood, Norrington I), Barshai's Shostakovich set, and Kreisler's complete miniatures. I don't have the Beethoven violin sonatas (all in the Kreisler box; I've only heard 2), the Dvorak quartets (I've only heard 3 and only own the "American"), any Mozart piano concertos other than 20 and 21, or any Haydn sonatas at all.

The HIP cycles you have are British, and Hogwood is good, but Gardiner and Norrington I are terrible.  Immerseel is much much better.  Buy with confidence.

Kreisler is known as the super-vibrato guy, but his sensitivity to rhythmic nuances make him worth hearing.  Given the sound quality, it really depends on how much it costs.

Those Dvorak recordings are awesome, buy them!  But that is alot of Dvorak for one purchase, you could get away with the SQs now and buy the other set later.

If you have to choose Mozart PCs would be my choice over Haydn sonatas because even though I enjoy them, I only find the late ones exceptional, while I find nearly all of Mozart's PCs exceptional.  I'm not saying don't buy that big Haydn set, I'm saying don't buy it now.

[George]

Looking for a good-enough recording of those that doesn't break the piggy-bank? Grumiaux-Haskil would be one suggestion... cheap on Decca:

...and cheaper still on Brilliant Classics:
.

Ironically, the sound is better on the Brilliant Issue.  Better still on the long OOP original Philips CDs, from what I hear.

Great performances, either way.  

[Gurn Blanston]

I want all of these, but I only have the budget for less than half of them. At MDT the price tag for all 8 is $281, and I'm hoping to wrestle my purchase down to $150.
I already have a few HIP Beethoven cycles (Gardiner, Hogwood, Norrington I), Barshai's Shostakovich set, and Kreisler's complete miniatures. I don't have the Beethoven violin sonatas (all in the Kreisler box; I've only heard 2), the Dvorak quartets (I've only heard 3 and only own the "American"), any Mozart piano concertos other than 20 and 21, or any Haydn sonatas at all.

Brian,
It's quite important in this case that you tell Franco to take a long walk. His taste for dead performers will leave you short of some very good music making.

Anyway, in order of importance, considering what you already have;

1 > Both Dvorak boxes.
2 > The Brautigam Haydn. It is rapidly going OOP, and it will cost you a bunch some day soon.

As for the rest. Nothing indispensable there. You already have a good DCSH, the Beethoven symphonies. The Kreisler simply cannot be your first and/or only Beethoven sonata set. Kreisler, while being a great fiddler and an ingenious composer (I really like his own music) is a pure Romantic in style. That's not what you want for Beethoven, believe me.

Immerseel is good in the Mozart.



----------------
Listening to:
La Petite Bande / Sigiswald Kuijken - Hob 02 20 Divertimento in F 4th mvmt - Menuett II

[Wanderer]

I want all of these, but I only have the budget for less than half of them. At MDT the price tag for all 8 is $281, and I'm hoping to wrestle my purchase down to $150.
I already have a few HIP Beethoven cycles (Gardiner, Hogwood, Norrington I), Barshai's Shostakovich set, and Kreisler's complete miniatures. I don't have the Beethoven violin sonatas (all in the Kreisler box; I've only heard 2), the Dvorak quartets (I've only heard 3 and only own the "American"), any Mozart piano concertos other than 20 and 21, or any Haydn sonatas at all.

Having 3 HIP Beethoven cycles already, I don't think purchasing the Immerseel set is essential (however better than Gardiner or Norrington he may be). If you're absolutely set on yet another Beethoven cycle, though,  I'd recommend you hold Immerseel on your wishlist and go for the far better Harnoncourt set.

The Gilels set is filled with gems and would strongly recommend getting it, as it's not costly.

Seeing that you lack a recording of the Beethoven violin sonatas, I'd say that you ought to get one immediately (at the expense of e.g. Haydn's set, which under the circumstances seems like overkill) – preferably Argerich/Kremer or Cerovsek/Jumppanen on Claves.

Regarding the Mozart piano concertos, I'd recommend Perahia, Anda or Brendel.

The two Dvorak sets are excellent, but I daresay the Beethoven gap in your collection needs more urgent attention at the moment.

Jansons' Shostakovich set is very worthwhile but, seeing that you already have a very good Shostakovich cycle, it's not an essential purchase at the moment.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Too late to say I'm considering it (since I've already ordered), but who is familiar with this disc by pianist Konstantin Lifschitz?



It's got his own transcription of the Musical Offering, plus some Frescobaldi. (I'm in a quest for some early Baroque on piano.) Good stuff? 

[Franco]

Brian,
It's quite important in this case that you tell Franco to take a long walk. His taste for dead performers will leave you short of some very good music making.

Anyway, in order of importance, considering what you already have;

1 > Both Dvorak boxes.
2 > The Brautigam Haydn. It is rapidly going OOP, and it will cost you a bunch some day soon.

As for the rest. Nothing indispensable there. You already have a good DCSH, the Beethoven symphonies. The Kreisler simply cannot be your first and/or only Beethoven sonata set. Kreisler, while being a great fiddler and an ingenious composer (I really like his own music) is a pure Romantic in style. That's not what you want for Beethoven, believe me.

Immerseel is good in the Mozart.



----------------
Listening to:
La Petite Bande / Sigiswald Kuijken - Hob 02 20 Divertimento in F 4th mvmt - Menuett II

LOL

You fortepiano aficionadi are funny.   I have two complete sets of the Haydn keyboard works and prefer John McCabe to Richard Brautigam, primarily because I prefer the sound of a concert grand piano to a spinet that needs to be tuned.

I will probably end up getting Immerseel's Beethoven set because I really like the sound of his band in the Mozart PC - but the Beethoven symphonies have the added advantage of not containing a fortepiano part.

[DavidW]

Having 3 HIP Beethoven cycles already, I don't think purchasing the Immerseel set is essential (however better than Gardiner or Norrington he may be). If you're absolutely set on yet another Beethoven cycle, though,  I'd recommend you hold Immerseel on your wishlist and go for the far better Harnoncourt set.

I disagree, Harnoncourt is not "far better" he's not even better.  And it really, really does not matter that he has 3 HIP cycles already, because Immerseel is pretty different in interpretation.  If there is one thing that any serious HIPster knows by now is that there is no unified style in period performances.  Now back to Harnoncourt: I listened to Immerseel and Harnoncourt's cycles back to back and I preferred Immerseel.  I'm not alone in that preference either.  Harnoncourt is good but he's not as definitive as others around would suggest.

Besides, Brian wanted advise on slimming his cart, and all you and the other posters (well I guess not Gurn) have done is criticize his choices and his taste.  Between you, Jens, Franco and Florestan you would empty his cart and fill it with completely different recordings.  But he's not you, he will not share your taste that precisely, and that's not what he asked for.

[DavidW]

You fortepiano aficionadi are funny.   I have two complete sets of the Haydn keyboard works and prefer John McCabe to Richard Brautigam, primarily because I prefer the sound of a concert grand piano to a spinet that needs to be tuned.

But since this isn't about your taste, and it isn't about Gurn's taste, perhaps we could ask Brian if he likes the sound of a fortepiano before you and Gurn go round 3?  Just a thought.

(a) Brian likes the sound of the fortepiano, then he takes Gurn's advise.
(b) Brian dislikes the sound of the fortepiano (then why so much fortepiano in his cart?), then he takes your advise.
(c) Brian has not heard the fortepiano, but wants to buy two huge box sets to give it a try, in that case he really, really needs to take your advise!

I just think we need to stop now and just wait for him to return, if we mean for this discussion to actually be constructive.

[Franco]

Besides, Brian wanted advise on slimming his cart, and all you and the other posters (well I guess not Gurn) have done is criticize his choices and his taste.

Hold on there fella, I did not do any such thing - I said how I would glean, and suggested that he buy the other CDs, which are all very good investments. 

Unless someone is a fan of the fortepiano, I would not advise anyone to invest in large sets in which that instrument is featured.  The Immerseel is NOT the first set to buy if you have hardly any Mozart PC recordings, it is a nice addition after you have heard the best of the traditional recordings, but I think it is HIPster folly to advise someone to start out with Immerseel's set.  Same with the Haydn.

But if you love the sound of the fortepiano - then by all means, go all out for those recordings.

[Franco]

But since this isn't about your taste, and it isn't about Gurn's taste, perhaps we could ask Brian if he likes the sound of a fortepiano before you and Gurn go round 3?  Just a thought.

Did you even read my post?  I set that as the context for my recommendations.  I never thought it was "about" my taste, but when someone asks for recommendations they have to expect you to reply according to your taste, after all, there is no way I can know someone else's taste unless I know them very well.