Recordings That You Are Considering

[Mirror Image]

How is that Villa Lobos set? I've had it on my radar for a long time but never pulled the trigger.

You have none of Shostakovich's piano music?  When you do your Christmas shopping, get at least the recording of the  Preludes, Sonata 1 and Aphorisms on Naxos, and the 24 Preludes and Fugues by--well, I've got Scherbakov, Lin and Melnikov and I'd say they're all good, and there seem to be some other highly regarded sets out there.

Also I'd suggest the CD of Ligeti's Etudes performed by Aimard.  (Yes, I know it's Ligeti, but I think these piano works are great ones, and I'm not fan of Ligeti in general.)

I already own that Ligeti recording. In fact, I own both the Ligeti Project set on Teldec and the Ligeti Edition recordings on Sony. The Villa-Lobos piano set (w/ Rubinsky (?) I believe) is great. Some gems in that set. If you like VL, it's worth picking up. I need to get Shosty's piano works at some point. Thanks for the recommendations.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

3. And while I am asking about Brilliant boxes, are there any opinions about Brilliant's original recordings of the Brahms lieder?

The only series (of songs) I could wholeheartedly recommend (and then only one disc at a time) is the one on Hyperion... or the single Bernarda Fink disc (HMU).

If it's a series of Brahms lieder we're after there's also the very fine series on cpo with Banse and Schmidt, who both possess something of that creaminess and huskiness in their voices befitting Brahms. And Deutsch is a fine accompanist. I only have three discs from this series but they're keepers.



[asin]B00005KBQJ[/asin]

[Octave]

Thanks for that tip, DD.  I think I will start out slow on the Brahms lieder. 

I'm sorry to say I am thinking about another big box.  (It's like there is a Law of Conservation of Nonconservation of Income.) 

[asin]B005BZBY1I[/asin]
LUMIERES (Harmonia Mundi, 29cd + cdrom)

Requisite chatter:
As B.R.O. seems to be carrying it for $45, a little cheap math makes me wonder if this set would be worth it just for the Mozart FIGARO (Rene Jacobs); the Gluck ORFEO (also Jacobs); Rameau's CASTOR/POLLUX (Wm. Christie); a Beethoven #9 (Herreweghe, this one); and Handel's SOLOMON (Reuss).  All these I've wanted for a while, and there are at least several discs of other things that look extra-enticing (Campra, Pergolesi), though not in performances that I already wanted.  I don't usually like "bleeding chunk" approaches to repertoire or excerpted programming. [i.e. I passed on a nice cheap LIED 3cd from HM, which included all the Brahms from the Werner Gura disc that Jens recommended immediately above, but left off a number of the Schumanns' tracks, even though it includes bits and pieces from other releases, works, and singers.]  Really the only problem might be if I end up re-purchasing some of these performances (e.g. Staier's C.P.E. Bach) after buying the box.

If anyone has input or sees this little investment as a mistake, let me know!  I have not seen much discussion about it, though one GMG'er mentioned that lots of forum members had acquired it, so perhaps all the posts discussing it aren't turning up key words.

[Octave]

And, um, another box set.

[asin]B007NM8DJS[/asin]
Doulce Mémoire: ITALIE RENAISSANCE (Naive, 6cd, 2012)   
Follow ASIN link for zoomable back cover with contents.

Ran across this just now and noticed it contained Cristobal Morales recording that I heard several years ago and remembered as being beautiful.  It's been out of print and pretty expensive since then, so I'm kind of curious about this set.  Does anyone know any of the other items?

From Presto, I think these are the consituent original albums:
E8604 Baldassar Castiglione - Il libro del Cortegiano, Venezia, 1528
E8626 Lorenzo il Magnifico - Trionfo di Bacco
E8878 Cristobal de Morales - ca. 1500 - 1553 Office des Ténèbres
E8847 Le Siècle du Titien
E8648 Viva Napoli
E8883 Léonard de Vinci - L'harmonie du monde

This was the old cover of the Morales, as I remember it:

[The new erato]

Both Harry and me have registered our enthusiasm for several of these discs on numerous occasions in the listening thread. And the Morales disc here is extremely beautiful.

[North Star]

I'm starting to warm up to solo piano music, though it's still not a favorite and I doubt it will ever be. I bought a Debussy solo piano set a few weeks ago (Ogawa on BIS). I also own Bavouzet's Ravel set, all of the Mompou solo piano recordings on Naxos, all of Villa-Lobos solo piano recordings on Naxos, and several others. I like to have at least one set of solo piano works from my favorite composers.

Excellent news, John!
That Raekallio set is one of my favourites.

I'm sorry to say I am thinking about another big box.  (It's like there is a Law of Conservation of Nonconservation of Income.) 

LUMIERES (Harmonia Mundi, 29cd + cdrom)

Requisite chatter:
As B.R.O. seems to be carrying it for $45, a little cheap math makes me wonder if this set would be worth it just for the Mozart FIGARO (Rene Jacobs); the Gluck ORFEO (also Jacobs); Rameau's CASTOR/POLLUX (Wm. Christie); a Beethoven #9 (Herreweghe, this one); and Handel's SOLOMON (Reuss).  All these I've wanted for a while, and there are at least several discs of other things that look extra-enticing (Campra, Pergolesi), though not in performances that I already wanted.  I don't usually like "bleeding chunk" approaches to repertoire or excerpted programming. [i.e. I passed on a nice cheap LIED 3cd from HM, which included all the Brahms from the Werner Gura disc that Jens recommended immediately above, but left off a number of the Schumanns' tracks, even though it includes bits and pieces from other releases, works, and singers.]  Really the only problem might be if I end up re-purchasing some of these performances (e.g. Staier's C.P.E. Bach) after buying the box.

If anyone has input or sees this little investment as a mistake, let me know!  I have not seen much discussion about it, though one GMG'er mentioned that lots of forum members had acquired it, so perhaps all the posts discussing it aren't turning up key words.

It's a fantastic box, with a good booklet. I wouldn't worry much about buying some of the original discs later, the ones you mention, and Jacobs's Orfeo & Euridice would cost at least the same as the box, and they're all brilliant (well, not so sure about the Handel but I haven't been in a Handel mood lately).
I can't stand the vibratos of the singers in Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, though - Alessandrini, Bertagnolli, Mingardo & Concerto Italiano (naïve) are on another level. Jacobs & Freiburg's Mozart 41st is my favourite, before Mackerras & SCO.

[Mirror Image]

Excellent news, John!
That Raekallio set is one of my favourites.

I'm definitely considering it, Karlo, but I haven't made a final decision yet. Good to hear you enjoy it.

[Octave]

Thanks for the feedback, Erato and North Star.

One more I'm curious about, though it seems like Cantus Cölln might be a brand I can trust?  I already like the small number of Telemann cantatas that I've heard in the Brilliant Classics Telemann Edition, particularly the bass cantatas.  (Which iirc are available on a single disc, though maybe not from Brilliant?)

[asin]B002WEC75S[/asin]
Telemann: TRAUER-ACTUS [Cantus Cölln dir. Junghänel - HM]

[Lisztianwagner]

Excellent news, John!
That Raekallio set is one of my favourites.

I'm definitely considering it, Karlo, but I haven't made a final decision yet. Good to hear you enjoy it.

+1

I agree with Karlo, the Raekallio Prokofiev set is absolutely beautiful; if you decide to get it, you won't be disappointed.

[Brian]

Comments welcome:

[Mirror Image]

+1

I agree with Karlo, the Raekallio Prokofiev set is absolutely beautiful; if you decide to get it, you won't be disappointed.

This is good to hear, Ilaria. Thanks for the feedback.

[The new erato]

Comments welcome:

I've only listened to the first disc of the Ormandy (Debussy/Ravel/Mussorgsky) but didn't find it very interesting/exciting neither as performance nor as a recording, certainly not up to the level of the two Sony boxes of Stokowski releases I've been wallowing in recently. But it's one disc of a large set.....

The Foerster trios are fine, melodic and enjoyable, beautfully played and recorded, though very conservatove for their time.

[Bogey]

Comments welcome:

I believe that a lot of the six eye mono recordings that I have been picking off at my local record shop are probably on here Brian.  Must be the case.  Here is why.  It seems to me that Ormandy truly championed more "modern" composers by recording them, probably many of their compositions for the first time (though this set does not contain such recordings as his Schuman:Credenum, but does have the likes of Khachaturian.)

Here is my take for this set:

If you like Ormandy, of course.
If you want to experience some Ormandy, and are missing a number of the pieces present, of course.
If you think he is so-so, then many of the pieces that he may of initially championed have probably been recorded by others so you may want to look there. 

I will pass on the set due to the fact that I am not completely sold on Ormandy after listening more to him.  I will stick with the $3 lps that burst at the bins with his name scrolled at the top.  I believe John should weigh in here at this point.

Now, as for those Stowkowski sets....oooooooo.

[Mirror Image]

I've never been really fond of Ormandy's performances. I think he's one of those conductors who's more into flash instead of substance. The Philadelphia Orchestra were (are) an outstanding orchestra no question about it, but always felt like Ormandy's run-of-the-mill conducting kept that orchestra from really flourishing. Muti's tenure with Philly was much more noteworthy. One only needs to compare Respighi's Pines of Rome. Under Ormandy, they sound workaday. Under Muti, he turns this orchestral showpiece into a conglomerate of heartfelt emotion, intensity, and, of course, virtuosity. I think Ormandy's approach suffers too often from lack of depth for the music. Just my opinion of course.

[Daverz]

Comments welcome:

Unlike the other guys, I'm somewhat of an Ormandy fan, but the contents of this set is rather disappointing.  Now a box of all of his recordings of American contemporaries, or Prokofiev or all his Shostakovich would be something to grab.  (Why is Chrome trying to force the spelling Shostakovitch on me?)

[The new erato]

Unlike the other guys, I'm somewhat of an Ormandy fan, but the contents of this set is rather disappointing.  Now a box of all of his recordings of American contemporaries, or Prokofiev or all his Shostakovich would be something to grab.  (Why is Chrome trying to force the spelling Shostakovitch on me?)

I agree on both points; and the disppointing selection in this set (neither his best performances, nor the most interesting repertoire) has been a common complaint in various reviews I've seen of this. Let's hope for a new box where Sony does it right.

[Conor71]

Im hoping I can get some help deciding between these 2 (if either!) sets:





The Hanssler set is kind of expensive    - Im also wondering how much of either set is made of his vocal/orchestral music? I ask this because I really dislike Messiaens song-cycles (I have some of them on the Messiaen Edition) and am not sure I want to take a chance on a set which has a lot of choral music.
There isnt much information on either set at Amazon? - cheers 

[Que]

And, um, another box set.

[asin]B007NM8DJS[/asin]
Doulce Mémoire: ITALIE RENAISSANCE (Naive, 6cd, 2012)   
Follow ASIN link for zoomable back cover with contents.

Ran across this just now and noticed it contained Cristobal Morales recording that I heard several years ago and remembered as being beautiful.  It's been out of print and pretty expensive since then, so I'm kind of curious about this set.  Does anyone know any of the other items?

From Presto, I think these are the consituent original albums:
E8604 Baldassar Castiglione - Il libro del Cortegiano, Venezia, 1528
E8626 Lorenzo il Magnifico - Trionfo di Bacco
E8878 Cristobal de Morales - ca. 1500 - 1553 Office des Ténèbres
E8847 Le Siècle du Titien
E8648 Viva Napoli
E8883 Léonard de Vinci - L'harmonie du monde

I't still on my shopping list - looks like a pretty cool bargain!

Harry got it, and as I understand is very happy with it. Believe one or two others got it as well.

Q

[Octave]

[re: ITALIE RENAISSANCE box on Naive]

Yes Que, erato mentioned this in passing....

Both Harry and me have registered our enthusiasm for several of these discs on numerous occasions in the listening thread. And the Morales disc here is extremely beautiful.

I guess it's been too long since I heard the Morales to assert my love of it, but I do remember it sounding wonderful and ghostly to me then.  I think I will spring for this soon, myself. 

[Conor71]

I don't have that particular DG collection, but you're looking at two of the best catch-all sets of the orchestral works.

I have to leave for a concert right now (Pfitzner-Berg-Wagner-Mahler-Metzmacher), but I'll edit this post later to include the contents of at least the excellent Haenssler box.

Thanks Jens that would be very much appreciated (and enjoy your concert!)