Box Blather

Started by Ken B, April 19, 2014, 07:07:51 PM

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Moonfish

Quote from: Mookalafalas on June 25, 2018, 12:10:40 AM
It's only available through Amazon.jp      The good news is, they have cheap shipping and the box is only about $95.

And stellar superfast shipping to boot!    :D
"Every time you spend money you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want...."
Anna Lappé

Moonfish

"Every time you spend money you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want...."
Anna Lappé

Moonfish

Bach 333 has such an extreme blend of performers - kind of like a giant bowl of mixed nuts!

"Every time you spend money you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want...."
Anna Lappé

Madiel

I had a brief moment of interest and then I saw just how many CDs of padding there are. "Traditions" being code for "let's flog them another old performance that doesn't have the sound quality to stand up on its own".

There's 24 extra discs of "vocal traditions" alone. 24. That's enough for a freaking box in its own right.
I am now working on a discography of the works of Vagn Holmboe. Please visit and also contribute!

Pat B

Quote from: Madiel on July 27, 2018, 04:33:44 PM
I had a brief moment of interest and then I saw just how many CDs of padding there are. "Traditions" being code for "let's flog them another old performance that doesn't have the sound quality to stand up on its own".

There's 24 extra discs of "vocal traditions" alone. 24. That's enough for a freaking box in its own right.

Even outside of the "traditions" discs, there are 3 recordings of the Goldberg Variations and 2 of many other major works.

Mookalafalas

Big new Szell box is out.  Anybody got it? Getting it?

[asin]B079VD2YRP[/asin]

  It's $180 here in Taiwan, not on sale. Supposedly it is available for similar prices at some on-line places in the states... It does look beautiful. I got the smaller Korean box a couple of years ago, so am finding myself able to resist. So Far. 


   I'm reading a Leonard Bernstein biography while listening to the two Sony Boxes I have.  The pleasure is very, very great. I originally skipped all of his own compositions--I was even a bit angry there were so many of them. However, I am now a big fan.  I like all of his stuff I've heard so far--very much.
  This box is crazy good. Is it really 3 years since it came out?
[asin]B00LL4U1TE[/asin]
I assume you guys are getting the new one?
It's all good...

Biffo

Not tempted by the Szell box as I have accumulated most of the contents over the years, mainly as box sets. I also have a box his Salzburg recordings not from Sony.

SurprisedByBeauty

Here's some box-blather:

Big Boxes: Anatol Ugorski, The Great Bewilderer



(Insider content, alas... Then again, what an opportunity to subscribe and shower David Hurwitz with wealth, please, so that he may continue to do his good/evil, whichever you prefer!  ;D)


Brian

Hurwitz is a good dude. Once I learned to ignore him on anything HIP before 1800 and that he gives an automatic 9-10 to any late romantic piece with 4+ percussion instruments, he has been a reliable guide to me and has actually answered all my grumpy reader emails. Gosh, it feels good to write long GMG posts again - because I had been meaning to tell you it is very good to see your byline with increasing frequency there. Life has dealt Dave some tough cards lately and it would be super cool to me (if unprofitable to you) if CT became a Jens vehicle.

A couple years ago Len rejected a review I sent him because he was having a big fight with the record label (Crystal Classics I think?) and refused to cover them. I sent it to Dave, but it was a piano recital, so he said that was Jed's turf. Naturally Jed never covered it  ::)

Anyway....


I want that Szell box! Just need somewhere to put it.

Also intrigued by a jumbo Alicia de Larrocha box coming soon on Decca.

And there ought to be a Previn/RCA complete box.

MickeyBoy

Quote from: Mookalafalas on August 20, 2018, 06:34:10 AM
Big new Szell box is out.  Anybody got it? Getting it?

Today's Wall Street Journal has a review of the box by Allan Kozinn. Link here: https://goo.gl/gjyraK. There are some interesting comments. In the 60s the Cleveland and Szell were considered to be the top performers of Haydn and Mozart. Now, per Kozinn, "His Mozart, Haydn, and Bach, for example, sound a bit ponderous by today's standards." On the contrary, "Szell's specialty was the Romantic repertory." Hmmmm, but I do remember with great fondness his Sibelius Second with the Concertgebow.

"The discs are beautifully remastered, and packaged in sleeves that replicate their original artwork and liner notes, with period-correct labels and a hardcover book that details all the recording details." "Period correct" is, I presume, a sop to the HIP crowd.   :laugh:
...the sound of a low whisper

JBS

Quote from: Mookalafalas on August 20, 2018, 06:34:10 AM
Big new Szell box is out.  Anybody got it? Getting it?

[asin]B079VD2YRP[/asin]

  It's $180 here in Taiwan, not on sale. Supposedly it is available for similar prices at some on-line places in the states... It does look beautiful. I got the smaller Korean box a couple of years ago, so am finding myself able to resist. So Far. 


   I'm reading a Leonard Bernstein biography while listening to the two Sony Boxes I have.  The pleasure is very, very great. I originally skipped all of his own compositions--I was even a bit angry there were so many of them. However, I am now a big fan.  I like all of his stuff I've heard so far--very much.
  This box is crazy good. Is it really 3 years since it came out?
[asin]B00LL4U1TE[/asin]
I assume you guys are getting the new one?

I have a whole bunch of Szell, so I will skip it as well.
I did just order the Ax RCA box after realizing the only recordings in there I have are his Beethoven cycle with Previn.

Hollywood Beach Broadwalk

Daverz

Quote from: JBS on August 23, 2018, 12:50:06 PM
I have a whole bunch of Szell, so I will skip it as well.
I did just order the Ax RCA box after realizing the only recordings in there I have are his Beethoven cycle with Previn.

But they are supposed to have gotten the transfers "right this time", or so I've read on some forums.

SurprisedByBeauty

Quote from: Brian on August 22, 2018, 11:48:10 AM
Hurwitz is a good dude. Once I learned to ignore him on anything HIP before 1800 and that he gives an automatic 9-10 to any late romantic piece with 4+ percussion instruments, he has been a reliable guide to me and has actually answered all my grumpy reader emails. Gosh, it feels good to write long GMG posts again - because I had been meaning to tell you it is very good to see your byline with increasing frequency there. Life has dealt Dave some tough cards lately and it would be super cool to me (if unprofitable to you) if CT became a Jens vehicle.

A couple years ago Len rejected a review I sent him because he was having a big fight with the record label (Crystal Classics I think?) and refused to cover them. I sent it to Dave, but it was a piano recital, so he said that was Jed's turf. Naturally Jed never covered it  ::)

Anyway....


I want that Szell box! Just need somewhere to put it.

Also intrigued by a jumbo Alicia de Larrocha box coming soon on Decca.

And there ought to be a Previn/RCA complete box.

Not looking to make anything my vehicle... but very glad to have gotten a new CD review home after Forbes.com bailed... and especially glad for it to be ClassicsToday... which, quirks and personality and all, is honest and the best such site around. Finally I get to write take-downs, too, which is massively good for my psycho-acoustic health!  ;D

MickeyBoy

Quote from: Moonfish on July 27, 2018, 12:47:01 PM
Bach 333 is coming.....    ???    *hides*

https://www.bach333.com/

IMO this should at least have a option for a Blu-Ray edition, which would hold far fewer disks and enable - a dream - displaying the scores while playing the music-only CDs.
...the sound of a low whisper

Mookalafalas

The 90 disk Menuhin box is about $40 from Amazon UK.  I think it is $200 at Amazon US, so maybe it is just a mistake... still, pretty sweet deal.
It's all good...

marvinbrown

Quote from: Mookalafalas on September 11, 2018, 06:39:53 AM
The 90 disk Menuhin box is about $40 from Amazon UK.  I think it is $200 at Amazon US, so maybe it is just a mistake... still, pretty sweet deal.

Well I'm in! Thanks! Ordered! But as you said, it could be a mistake.

  marvin


Mookalafalas

Quote from: marvinbrown on September 11, 2018, 07:06:20 AM
Well I'm in! Thanks! Ordered! But as you said, it could be a mistake.

  marvin

  I guess we'll eventually find out 8) By the way, their Arrau box is down to $108 as well.  I don't really need or want that one too badly, but couldn't hold back :-\
It's all good...

marvinbrown

Quote from: Mookalafalas on September 11, 2018, 10:20:19 PM
  I guess we'll eventually find out 8) By the way, their Arrau box is down to $108 as well.  I don't really need or want that one too badly, but couldn't hold back :-\

  I don't blame you.... I love Arrau's Chopin, especially the Nocturnes.

Ghost of Baron Scarpia

Quote from: Mookalafalas on September 11, 2018, 10:20:19 PM
  I guess we'll eventually find out 8) By the way, their Arrau box is down to $108 as well.  I don't really need or want that one too badly, but couldn't hold back :-\

Go straight to his Debussy preludes...

Mookalafalas

Whoa! Nice to feel all this Arrau love flowing.  I was actually thinking more about his LvB and Liszt, but your comments are upping my enthusiasm for the box overall.
It's all good...