Recordings That You Are Considering

[JBS]

What is that one?

[Asin]B0000012WK[/asin]

Going by the pricing on Amazon US Marketplace, the Dvorak/Schulhoff/Kurtag CD is the more elusive one.

[Mandryka]

[Asin]B0000012WK[/asin]

Going by the pricing on Amazon US Marketplace, the Dvorak/Schulhoff/Kurtag CD is the more elusive one.

Ah, that I have apart from Quartet 1, which has gone mysteriously and annoyingly missing.

The only Brahms with Paul Guilda and a Hagen I have is a set of sonatas with Veronika.

[Jo498]

No, I meant the *Brahms* piano quintet op.34 with Gulda, coupled with an arrangement of the Schoenberg chamber symphony (I don't care about that one - whats the point if all the woodwinds are missing...). It goes for around 30 EUR used, no thanks...

[asin]B00000E56M[/asin]

I have both of the Schumann discs, they are easier to find, I think (but I have had them for years)

For some reason DG has not bothered to keep most of the Hagen recordings available and they have also not re-issued/repackaged any of them except the Mozart quartets, I believe. (The Bartok I have on the "Newton" re-issue label.)

[SonicMan46]

What are the pros and cons of each set? Which would you ultimately recommend?

You can't go wrong with any of them, yet a true GMGer would get both. I hope this helps. 

Hey Andrei - agree on that Telemann 'table music' - just have to alternate 2 or 3 performances - I own the Goebel & the Freiburger Barockorchester - may have even had the Brilliant box at one time but needed to cull out one for storage reasons - yes, a PITA because all are fine to my ears! 

[JBS]

No, I meant the *Brahms* piano quintet op.34 with Gulda, coupled with an arrangement of the Schoenberg chamber symphony (I don't care about that one - whats the point if all the woodwinds are missing...). It goes for around 30 EUR used, no thanks...

[asin]B00000E56M[/asin]

I have both of the Schumann discs, they are easier to find, I think (but I have had them for years)

For some reason DG has not bothered to keep most of the Hagen recordings available and they have also not re-issued/repackaged any of them except the Mozart quartets, I believe. (The Bartok I have on the "Newton" re-issue label.)

You did say Brahms and it didn't register...
Quick check on Amazon suggests the Newton re-issue of the Bartok is more expensive to buy now than the original DG issue!

[Jo498]

Ah, I didn't know that - I'm really looking forward to getting it now. If you want me to let you have the music files when it arrives PM me.

Sorry, that's a misunderstanding. The Dvorak op.96 + Kodaly was from 1987 with Bik. The Dvorak/Kurtag disc is from 2001 or so with Schmidt

[Jo498]

You did say Brahms and it didn't register...
Quick check on Amazon suggests the Newton re-issue of the Bartok is more expensive to buy now than the original DG issue!

This certainly was not the case when I bought it! The discs and sound seem fine but Newton issues look generic and ugly, so I'd always try to get originals but I am also too cheap to buy it again!

[Jo498]

I personally love the Brilliant Classics set which features Pieter-Jan Belder and his ensemble whose name I cannot recall at this time.

Musica Amphion, IIRC. It is very good and perfectly serviceable. However, the Musica Antiqua is a real classic from their prime although I don't know how this reissue is, the original Archiv issues were also beautiful and with very good documentation/comments, often some by Goebel himself. If it is not far more expensive I would get this in favor of the Brilliant.

[Madiel]

What are the pros and cons of each set? Which would you ultimately recommend?

I have the first set and like it very much, but I don't know any others. Basically I got it because it was one of those recordings that seems to be a near-universal recommendation, and it worked for me.

[Mandryka]

No, I meant the *Brahms* piano quintet op.34 with Gulda, coupled with an arrangement of the Schoenberg chamber symphony (I don't care about that one - whats the point if all the woodwinds are missing...). It goes for around 30 EUR used, no thanks...

I'm listening now to the Schoenberg transcription, thanks to the kindness of strangers. What I can say immediately is the sound is very impressive. Music is good, and performance electric - maybe to a fault (like in Solti.)


I find Paul Gulda an energetic muscular pianist with very little nuance. 

[Mandryka]

I am a member and completely forgot about that! Thank you for the offer. I had pulled out Wyn Morris in Symphony 8 from storage and had in my heavy rotation, my memory on this being one of the finest performances held up.

Did you see that it has been uploaded?

[Mandryka]

IIRC I found their Dvorak op.96 good but not particularly noteworthy. (But op.105 is a rather different piece, much less reliant on folk/bohemian idioms I think.)
It's also one of their earliest discs, still with Annette Bik on 2nd violin whereas the 2001 disc shown above is roughly contemporary with their great Beethoven op.131, 130/133 etc.  According to discogs they recorded only 4 LPs/CDs in 1986-87 before Rainer Schmidt replaced Bik, namely the Dvorak/Kodaly, Mozart/Weber clarinet quintets, last two Mozart quartets and Schubert D 804/703/87. (And the "Trout" already 1984 but that obviously has no 2nd violin, so only the 3 Hagen siblings)
(I am not sure if there are any official recordings with the "oldest" (i.e. youngest, mostly still teenaged) ensemble of 1981 with another Hagen sister playing 2nd violin.)

In the event I think it's very impressive Dvorak. Of course, fresh and original. Sound quality is fabulous. The Schulhoff is a bit neo-Dvorak in parts. I was specially interested in hearing the Kurtag because they worked with him to prepare the Bartok -- which has become my favourite Bartok. The sense of moving forward inevitably is really special. Get the CD or PM me for a download. 

[Papy Oli]

Qobuz has a sale on Supraphon with, among others, some very cheap Ancerl Gold FLACs. What would be the top picks of the bunch in that Ancerl Gold series please (I only have his Mahler 9th) ? Thank you.

[Brian]

Qobuz has a sale on Supraphon with, among others, some very cheap Ancerl Gold FLACs. What would be the top picks of the bunch in that Ancerl Gold series please (I only have his Mahler 9th) ? Thank you.

Oh my gosh so many are so good. This is one of my favorite recording series of all time. I may shop this sale also to collect what I don't yet own.

Some essentials:
Janacek - Glagolitic Mass
Janacek - Sinfonietta + Martinu Frescoes and Parables
Prokofiev - all his Prokofiev recordings especially Alexander Nevsky (also includes piano concertos with Richter, R&J suite, and cello symphony)
Shostakovich - Symphonies 1 and 5
Smetana - Ma Vlast
Dvorak - Symphony No. 6, an all time great recording of this symphony
Stravinsky - Rite/Petrushka (my personal favorite Petrushka ever with all the Czech woodwind solos)
Kabelac - Mystery of Time (one of the most extraordinary recordings of the 20th century)
The disc with Liszt Les preludes, Shostakovich Cello Concerto 1, and a Czech viola concerto

Additionally:
Anything with violinist Josef Suk is worth hearing, especially the recording of his grandfather Josef Suk's fantasy (though I now prefer the Ondine recording by Christian Tetzlaff)
The Dvorak Requiem is 2nd best ever behind Antoni Wit

Finally, there are many recordings of now very obscure Czech composers and works not available anywhere else. I can't predict which you will like most, partly because I don't remember which ones I liked most  . But the best start would be the final volume in the series (43), a diverse 4CD compilation of premiere recordings and obscurities.

[Papy Oli]

Oh my gosh so many are so good. This is one of my favorite recording series of all time. I may shop this sale also to collect what I don't yet own.

Some essentials:
Janacek - Glagolitic Mass
Janacek - Sinfonietta + Martinu Frescoes and Parables
Prokofiev - all his Prokofiev recordings especially Alexander Nevsky (also includes piano concertos with Richter, R&J suite, and cello symphony)
Shostakovich - Symphonies 1 and 5
Smetana - Ma Vlast
Dvorak - Symphony No. 6, an all time great recording of this symphony
Stravinsky - Rite/Petrushka (my personal favorite Petrushka ever with all the Czech woodwind solos)
Kabelac - Mystery of Time (one of the most extraordinary recordings of the 20th century)
The disc with Liszt Les preludes, Shostakovich Cello Concerto 1, and a Czech viola concerto

Additionally:
Anything with violinist Josef Suk is worth hearing, especially the recording of his grandfather Josef Suk's fantasy (though I now prefer the Ondine recording by Christian Tetzlaff)
The Dvorak Requiem is 2nd best ever behind Antoni Wit

Finally, there are many recordings of now very obscure Czech composers and works not available anywhere else. I can't predict which you will like most, partly because I don't remember which ones I liked most  . But the best start would be the final volume in the series (43), a diverse 4CD compilation of premiere recordings and obscurities.

Thank you Brian, I had already bookmarked the ones in bold before your post, I'll check the others out.

[staxomega]

Did you see that it has been uploaded?

Haven't logged in yet, but will check, thanks for the heads up.

[Daverz]

Qobuz has a sale on Supraphon with, among others, some very cheap Ancerl Gold FLACs. What would be the top picks of the bunch in that Ancerl Gold series please (I only have his Mahler 9th) ? Thank you.

Viteslav Novak's Nikotina for $1.49: https://open.qobuz.com/album/geis1rhkkyx4b

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Oh my gosh so many are so good. This is one of my favorite recording series of all time. I may shop this sale also to collect what I don't yet own.

Some essentials:
Janacek - Glagolitic Mass
Janacek - Sinfonietta + Martinu Frescoes and Parables
Prokofiev - all his Prokofiev recordings especially Alexander Nevsky (also includes piano concertos with Richter, R&J suite, and cello symphony)
Shostakovich - Symphonies 1 and 5
Smetana - Ma Vlast
Dvorak - Symphony No. 6, an all time great recording of this symphony
Stravinsky - Rite/Petrushka (my personal favorite Petrushka ever with all the Czech woodwind solos)
Kabelac - Mystery of Time (one of the most extraordinary recordings of the 20th century)
The disc with Liszt Les preludes, Shostakovich Cello Concerto 1, and a Czech viola concerto

Additionally:
Anything with violinist Josef Suk is worth hearing, especially the recording of his grandfather Josef Suk's fantasy (though I now prefer the Ondine recording by Christian Tetzlaff)
The Dvorak Requiem is 2nd best ever behind Antoni Wit

Finally, there are many recordings of now very obscure Czech composers and works not available anywhere else. I can't predict which you will like most, partly because I don't remember which ones I liked most  . But the best start would be the final volume in the series (43), a diverse 4CD compilation of premiere recordings and obscurities.

Brian and others here,

Do you need to be a subscriber to Qobuz in order to purchase downloads from them?

PD

[DaveF]

Do you need to be a subscriber to Qobuz in order to purchase downloads from them?

PD

If you mean subscribing to one of their streaming plans, then no (at least not on the UK version) - you just create your account with associated payment method and start downloading.  It's a great site, with so much that's cheaper than elsewhere - cataloguing/metadata is just a bit hit-or-miss; you may have to be prepared to search for things in several languages (French and German mostly) to find them.

[Spotted Horses]

If you mean subscribing to one of their streaming plans, then no (at least not on the UK version) - you just create your account with associated payment method and start downloading.  It's a great site, with so much that's cheaper than elsewhere - cataloguing/metadata is just a bit hit-or-miss; you may have to be prepared to search for things in several languages (French and German mostly) to find them.

I've purchased from qobuz from the US without a streaming plan, but you need to make an account. Initially I made purchases of downloads in FLAC format from Presto but sometime qobuz is cheaper. Sometimes a pdf booklet is included, sometimes not, which is the same as on Presto.