Box O'Chopin

[locrian]

Box sets are still for chumps, however I was wondering if anyone bought this one and what they thought of it.

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/Drilldown?name_id1=2211&name_role1=1&bcorder=1&comp_id=249710

[And I put this in the wrong forum. D'oh!]

[orbital]

I don't know this box, but the pianists listed are not the best in Chopin  The DG Box lists better suited pianists, or you could go with a one name box (Ashkenazy for example, or that Rubinstein cheap set)

[George]

I don't know this box, but the pianists listed are not the best in Chopin  The DG Box lists better suited pianists, or you could go with a one name box (Ashkenazy for example, or that Rubinstein cheap set)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY7-iWZmOtk

[locrian]

I don't know this box, but the pianists listed are not the best in Chopin  The DG Box lists better suited pianists, or you could go with a one name box (Ashkenazy for example, or that Rubinstein cheap set)

You have heard these pianists in Chopin?

[orbital]

You have heard these pianists in Chopin?

Not all of them, but at least the better known ones I have, yes. There is not one that stands out in Chopin IMO (including Gilels)

[PerfectWagnerite]

Not all of them, but at least the better known ones I have, yes. There is not one that stands out in Chopin IMO (including Gilels)

I saw three names I recognize: Kocsis, Giles, and Kissin. The rest look Dutch and I am betting that Brilliant grabbed them off the streets of Amsterdam and gave each a bag of peas to make a recording. For my money I'll get the Ashkenazy for about the same price, or even the Biret on Naxos for half the price.

[sidoze]

the Kocsis waltzes are great, a unique and fresh approach, but you can get them elsewhere. Same with Gilels. Lortie's etudes are very good but not Sokolov/Ginzburg/Ashkenazy standard. I'm surprised to see the Fiorentino licensed from APR. Harasiewicz is awful, no style at all. Davidovich didn't cultivate much of a personality either (though her husband was something else). Kissin, take him or leave him (leave him). Cor de Groot is rather cool though, and he has a great name which is always a bonus Don't know the rest. This screams "pass".

[locrian]

Thanks, folks.

I was going through my Chopin recordings, comparing them to a list of his works, and noticed I'm missing quite a few. The polonaises are not complete for instance. Cello and orchestral stuff.

And what about the works without opus numbers? Are those worth acquiring?

[orbital]

the Kocsis waltzes are great, a unique and fresh approach, but you can get them elsewhere. Same with Gilels. Lortie's etudes are very good but not Sokolov/Ginzburg/Ashkenazy standard. I'm surprised to see the Fiorentino licensed from APR. Harasiewicz is awful, no style at all. Davidovich didn't cultivate much of a personality either (though her husband was something else). Kissin, take him or leave him (leave him). Cor de Groot is rather cool though, and he has a great name which is always a bonus Don't know the rest. This screams "pass".

I sampled the Kocsis waltzes just recently, they are wild and imaginative, but I began to think soon afterwards : sometimes a waltz is just a waltz. He would make an interesting preludes set (if he hasn't already) for example. With Gilels I don't know, his preludes are one of the least impressive I have. Not a big fan of his concerto  either, i have not heard much else from his regarding Chopin. Agreed about Harasiewicz 100% and Kissin too (though he seems to have a knack for Polonaises, but he does not play them here).

I was confused about de Groot, I thought that was van Oort who has this nocturnes set played on period instruments 

Thanks, folks.

I was going through my Chopin recordings, comparing them to a list of his works, and noticed I'm missing quite a few. The polonaises are not complete for instance. Cello and orchestral stuff.

And what about the works without opus numbers? Are those worth acquiring?

I like the cello works quite a lot. The trio, sonata and the grand duo. There is a very nice Hungarton CD which contains all three which beats others I've heard (including BAT, Argerich).
One piece I am getting to like more and more is the Allegro de Concert op 46. But it is very rarely recorded 

[Great Gable]

I bet that's a bit hit and miss. If I hadn't alredy got all the individual Chopin disks by Ashkenazy I would have gone for his complete collection box. Another option, and I have quite a few individual sets, would be Rubinstein's collection.

In fact, I just spotted a link to the 11-disk set and it's on Amazon for $26 - which is insanely cheap. I just ordered it.
Rubinstein is, for me, the spiritual equivalent of having Chopin play his own music.

[BachQ]

Box sets are still for chumps,

I love boxes.

I especially love boxes o'Elgar .........

[locrian]

I love boxes.

I especially love boxes o'Elgar .........