Box Blather

[Mirror Image]

Whoa. That's more than i was expecting to hear... You're righ, there are 4 "Soltissimo" boxes. I believe this set is his 70s work. His box sets are a lot like Karajan's, in that he  regularly re-recorded the core repertoire. In other words, there is a ton of duplication from box to box--full LvB and Brahms cycles, for example. 2 has almost no Haydn, however, and 3 has quite a lot. There is also a "Complete Chicago" box. That would probably be the one to get, but this is the only one that popped up in a pretty cheap used copy...

Yeah, there's just SO MUCH out there! Solti's discography is just massive, but so was Karajan's and Bernstein's. It's rather unreal to think about just how much they recorded during their lifetimes. Overwhelming to say the least.

[DavidW]

Comparison to Karajan would not be apt (no one has Karajan's level of re-recordings.)

Haintik.  He has recorded some warhorses 3-4 times over.

[Karl Henning]

Maybe we haven't been vocal about it, but Solti was one of the greats!

[DavidW]

Maybe we haven't been vocal about it, but Solti was one of the greats!

I beg to differ.  I think his Wagner is great.  The Mahler 1 accidentally is great.  And everything else is just garbage.  Solti completely lacks subtly.  His music-making is just terrible.

[Mirror Image]

I beg to differ.  I think his Wagner is great.  The Mahler 1 accidentally is great.  And everything else is just garbage.  Solti completely lacks subtly.  His music-making is just terrible.

Hmmm...I happen to love many of Solti's performances. For example, his Das Lied von der Erde with Kollo and Minton (and the CSO) is one my favorite performances of this work.

[Karl Henning]

I beg to differ.  I think his Wagner is great.  The Mahler 1 accidentally is great.  And everything else is just garbage.  Solti completely lacks subtly.  His music-making is just terrible.

Interesting, thanks!

[DavidW]

Hmmm...I happen to love many of Solti's performances. For example, his Das Lied von der Erde with Kollo and Minton (and the CSO) is one my favorite performances of this work.

Oh, that is my least favorite Mahler recording ever!  It was my introduction to the piece, and I hated it until I heard it live, and I found another recording.

[JBS]

I think his London Symphonies (Haydn) are the best non-HIP set around.

 Not sure which Soltissimo box includes it. But most of the Solti I like is from his opera recordings--his first Meistersinger and his Nozze di Figaro especially.

[Mookalafalas]

Wow. Some strong opinions here. I have found a way to get a digital copy. I think I'll settle for that. I'm actually selling off most of my physical media, so buying a new door-stop box probably wouldn't be wise.
   Thank you for your input!

[Mirror Image]

Oh, that is my least favorite Mahler recording ever!  It was my introduction to the piece, and I hated it until I heard it live, and I found another recording.

I see. Well, we're in disagreement about Solti however you want to slice it. I LOVE Solti's Mahler --- his LSO and CSO recordings. Top-notch for me in every way.

[lordlance]

Haintik.  He has recorded some warhorses 3-4 times over.

More apt to say live performances have been released by labels. Karajan went to the studio to record Dvorak 9 by my count at least 6 times. 

[Spotted Horses]

I beg to differ.  I think his Wagner is great.  The Mahler 1 accidentally is great.  And everything else is just garbage.  Solti completely lacks subtly.  His music-making is just terrible.

I would agree with the general statement that Solti lacks subtlety, but I would not go so far as to characterize it as terrible. Particularly during the period when he was recording everything under the sun with the CSO (70's into the 80's) I typically found the recordings his work not too memorable. Well played, precisely articulated, but lacking something. Speaking for myself, of course.

[DavidW]

More apt to say live performances have been released by labels. Karajan went to the studio to record Dvorak 9 by my count at least 6 times.

Holy cow!  I did not know that.

[DavidW]

Wow. Some strong opinions here. I have found a way to get a digital copy. I think I'll settle for that. I'm actually selling off most of my physical media, so buying a new door-stop box probably wouldn't be wise.
  Thank you for your input!

Since I filled up my shelf, instead of buying another shelf I've mostly been buying downloads instead of CDs.  Once I get into the habit of looking over my digital library, it is the same thing as browsing my shelves... except I don't have to get up from my couch.  Also, the sound quality is the same!

[lordlance]

Holy cow!  I did not know that.

So twice for EMI. Thrice for DG (one from the '40). Once on video from the 60s in B/W (the Sony video is probably the same recording sessions from '85 but different takes -- trying to figure out the Beethoven Sony DVDs audio source is a labyrinthine task with no clear answers.)

[Roasted Swan]

Every major label back in the day had a "superstar" conductor who was marketed as being the best at just about anything and everything - your one-stop-shop for musical nirvana.  This still happens to this day with labels creating "house conductors" who turn doing any and all repertoire.  And who in their right mind (and any conductor must be an egotist by definition) is going to turn down the chance to do big repertoire with big orchestras.

I don't have a problem with Solti - or Karajan or Rattle - two other condcutors who folk love to damm because I choose the repertoire that I think suits their talents.  And yes there were/are very talented.  A bit like with football managers everyone else is an expert/critic but couldn't do the job themselves.  Specifically with Solti I find it interesting how good he can be in repertoire which the easy/lazy narrative would say he would not be - Mozart operas/Haydn symphonies etc.

Actually my reason for coming on this thread was to talk about this box;



which I managed to recently get for around 50p a disc (22 CD's for under £11.00).  A rhertorical question; is there any "the composer conducts" set that is a better/more comprehensive survey of a major compoer's work?  The easy answer is no - possibly Elgar comes close but compromised by the available technology.  Walton conducts Walton - possibly but not as important.  I suppose Britten conducts Britten on Decca is the only other one......??

[Mirror Image]

Every major label back in the day had a "superstar" conductor who was marketed as being the best at just about anything and everything - your one-stop-shop for musical nirvana.  This still happens to this day with labels creating "house conductors" who turn doing any and all repertoire.  And who in their right mind (and any conductor must be an egotist by definition) is going to turn down the chance to do big repertoire with big orchestras.

I don't have a problem with Solti - or Karajan or Rattle - two other condcutors who folk love to damm because I choose the repertoire that I think suits their talents.  And yes there were/are very talented.  A bit like with football managers everyone else is an expert/critic but couldn't do the job themselves.  Specifically with Solti I find it interesting how good he can be in repertoire which the easy/lazy narrative would say he would not be - Mozart operas/Haydn symphonies etc.

Actually my reason for coming on this thread was to talk about this box;



which I managed to recently get for around 50p a disc (22 CD's for under £11.00).  A rhertorical question; is there any "the composer conducts" set that is a better/more comprehensive survey of a major compoer's work?  The easy answer is no - possibly Elgar comes close but compromised by the available technology.  Walton conducts Walton - possibly but not as important.  I suppose Britten conducts Britten on Decca is the only other one......??

Don't forget about Copland conducting his own music, which is collected in this fantastic set:

[Elgarian Redux]

I think his Wagner is great.

So do I.

[Roasted Swan]

Don't forget about Copland conducting his own music, which is collected in this fantastic set:

Duh and double duh!!! Of course (I knew I had missed some people - triple duh given that I have all those discs.....)

[Roasted Swan]

I see. Well, we're in disagreement about Solti however you want to slice it. I LOVE Solti's Mahler --- his LSO and CSO recordings. Top-notch for me in every way.

Add me to the admirers list!