Box Blather

[Ken B]

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.

His Debussy and Chopin are top notch. And his Brahms concerti ...

The box comes with a bonus 4'33" ...

[Mookalafalas]

His Debussy and Chopin are top notch. And his Brahms concerti ...

The box comes with a bonus 4'33" ...

I'm crazy about 4'33". I set it on auto repeat and play it all night while I'm sleeping.

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

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.

I know Arrau mainly the Beethoven and Chopin, which are among my favorites, but I bought the set for the stuff I did not covered, the Debussy, Schumann, Liszt. It is all superb.

The advertising copy does not make clear whether this set has been remastered. When I put the Debussy discs into EAC it identified it as a 1987 release. So it is clear that at least some of the content is based on the original Philips masters (which were very good, despite being done in the early days of the CD). Probably they only have new masters for things that have not made it to CD until now.

[Mookalafalas]

I know Arrau mainly the Beethoven and Chopin, which are among my favorites, but I bought the set for the stuff I did not covered, the Debussy, Schumann, Liszt. It is all superb.

The advertising copy does not make clear whether this set has been remastered. When I put the Debussy discs into EAC it identified it as a 1987 release. So it is clear that at least some of the content is based on the original Philips masters (which were very good, despite being done in the early days of the CD). Probably they only have new masters for things that have not made it to CD until now.

  I like Phillip's sound, and in general everything after 1955 sounds plenty good to me. I don't think I have a single physical Arrau disk (although I have a lot on my hard drive), so it will all be new and fresh as far as I'm concerned...

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

I think you will enjoy it.

One interesting feature of the physical edition. On the cover photo Arrau is seen wearing a jacket with a distinctive pattern. The same pattern is used to decorate the box, the large booklet and the other packaging materials. Very nicely done.

[Mookalafalas]

I think you will enjoy it.

One interesting feature of the physical edition. On the cover photo Arrau is seen wearing a jacket with a distinctive pattern. The same pattern is used to decorate the box, the large booklet and the other packaging materials. Very nicely done.

  It is set to arrive any day. I am pleasantly excited.

     And a "Super Duper" cheap box for any interested, the Kubelik box from Amazon.co.uk is about $75, with very cheap shipping. The Kubelik Dvorak and Mahler is worth that price alone, IMO.  The Chailly is also just over $100.  Brilliant Symphonies, Brilliant Conductors, Brilliant prices...lots of warhorses. 

[Moonfish]

Have fun with the Arrau box, Al!   

Have you been diving into the Szell frenzy at all?

[Mookalafalas]

Have fun with the Arrau box, Al!   

Have you been diving into the Szell frenzy at all?

  I had the earlier Szell box from Korea, and I have a digital copy of the new box. Haven't been playing any of it, however, for quite a while. Been playing Harnoncourt, Bernstein, Decca Mono, Telemann, and the Russian box for the last 3 weeks or so, though playing Nathan Milstein right now (from a digital copy of a Korean box set of his work).
   What have YOU been playing lately?

[Moonfish]

Sounds like you have your Szell quota covered for the ages (and beyond)!  Lately I have been a bit obsessed with Bach on the piano so there has been plenty of Andras Schiff performances over the last few weeks (WTC, Goldberg, French, Italian, the Partitas, Inventions and all that jazz...). Somehow I always gravitate back to Schiff even though there are many other recordings I enjoy.  Also - a bit of obsession with Rachmanninov's Preludes! 

Starting to dig into the Kubelik box that has been sitting around for a few weeks gathering dust.....

[Mookalafalas]

Hmmm....that's a nice reminder.  I like Schiff, but have played far less than I should have--and I have his solo box.  I'll do some work on that soon--tomorrow, in fact. Thanks

[Holden]

This was my first WTC and try as I might I just couldn't get into it preferring to play those that I liked myself. Fortunately, versions by Jando and then Feinberg, Gulda and Richter were released on CD and I can now enjoy the whole 48. Schiffs rather academic and dry approach might certainly appeal to many but I like my Bach a bit more red blooded than that. For me, Richter is the one I turn to the most. ...and yes, no Glenn Gould.

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

This was my first WTC and try as I might I just couldn't get into it preferring to play those that I liked myself. Fortunately, versions by Jando and then Feinberg, Gulda and Richter were released on CD and I can now enjoy the whole 48. Schiffs rather academic and dry approach might certainly appeal to many but I like my Bach a bit more red blooded than that. For me, Richter is the one I turn to the most. ...and yes, no Glenn Gould.

Liking or not liking Schiff is a personal matter, but I'm surprised to see him described as academic. If I had to characterize his approach I would say clarity and lyricism. His WTC remains my preferred version on piano.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

This was my first WTC and try as I might I just couldn't get into it preferring to play those that I liked myself. Fortunately, versions by Jando and then Feinberg, Gulda and Richter were released on CD and I can now enjoy the whole 48. Schiffs rather academic and dry approach might certainly appeal to many but I like my Bach a bit more red blooded than that. For me, Richter is the one I turn to the most. ...and yes, no Glenn Gould.

Hmm...I've never viewed Schiff's Bach as "academic". Far from it. I agree with Moonfish: good stuff.

[Ken B]

Hmmm....that's a nice reminder.  I like Schiff, but have played far less than I should have--and I have his solo box.  I'll do some work on that soon--tomorrow, in fact. Thanks

You have Hewitt's box?

Her WTC is probably my favorite on piano, but Schiff is a contender for sure. I sold my Bernard Roberts. I liked his Beethoven a lot. Hated his WTC.

[Brian]

How does MDG package box sets? Do they do space savers or do they slap a paper cover on all the jewel cases? I am considering Stefan Irmer's upcoming Rossini piano box since it's just $30 for 8 CDs at MDT.

[Ken B]

How does MDG package box sets? Do they do space savers or do they slap a paper cover on all the jewel cases? I am considering Stefan Irmer's upcoming Rossini piano box since it's just $30 for 8 CDs at MDT.

I only have one. Cardboard sleeves, so a space saver. Great label.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

How does MDG package box sets? Do they do space savers or do they slap a paper cover on all the jewel cases? I am considering Stefan Irmer's upcoming Rossini piano box since it's just $30 for 8 CDs at MDT.

The new ones should be cardboard boxes, not just rewrapped jewel-cases (like their Reger Organ Works from eons ago).

[Mookalafalas]

You have Hewitt's box?

Her WTC is probably my favorite on piano, but Schiff is a contender for sure. I sold my Bernard Roberts. I liked his Beethoven a lot. Hated his WTC.

  I hadn't heard it, but like her Goldbergs a lot. Working on getting a digital copy now...

[Mookalafalas]

Have fun with the Arrau box, Al!   

  It's starting to look like Amazon UK is going to stiff me on the Arrau box just as they did on the Menuhin.  After I ordered, the price went back up to double what mine cost. I was supposed to receive it by Oct. 2, but instead just got an apology letter for it's being late, and they would let me know it's real arrival date--but gave me an offer to cancel the order.   As the days pass, it has not been reshipped.  Screwing up like that once is understandable, but twice is just irritating, especially if they are just going to keep me waiting without owning up to their error.

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

  It's starting to look like Amazon UK is going to stiff me on the Arrau box just as they did on the Menuhin.  After I ordered, the price went back up to double what mine cost. I was supposed to receive it by Oct. 2, but instead just got an apology letter for it's being late, and they would let me know it's real arrival date--but gave me an offer to cancel the order.   As the days pass, it has not been reshipped.  Screwing up like that once is understandable, but twice is just irritating, especially if they are just going to keep me waiting without owning up to their error.

Sit tight. It might come yet.