The Super-Duper Cheap Bargains Thread

[DaveF]

The RVW set has landed this morning 

Mine's been here a couple of days too.  Terrible packaging - one of those flat packs with cardboard flaps tucked in underneath the item, not secured in any way - a quick shake and the box was in my grubby paw.  Luckily the slow elephant-transport across the Alps can't have bounced it about too much.  What a great set, though - pretty well a complete works (The Poisoned Kiss isn't there, apart from the overture, but I can't spot any other major absentees).  So far have revisited Boult's Job (not as good as Handley), been astonished by Silvestri's Tallis Fantasia (especially lovely work from the solo viola), disappointed by the old mono recording of the Tuba concerto from Philip Catelinet (this baleful little masterpiece needs better) and dipped various toes into various folk songs.  All rather guilty pleasures (must sober up with some Barraqué or Webern or Josquin), but what pleasures!

[jserraglio]

RVW megabox. Arrived today with box outside the mailer. No damage inside or out since it is fairly sturdy. Amazing bargain at $20 and change. Now listing for €56 on amz.it.

[Karl Henning]

RVW megabox. Arrived today with box outside the mailer. No damage inside or out since it is fairly sturdy. Amazing bargain at $20 and change.

Sweet deal!

[Ken B]

The DG Debussy box is going for $39 plus shipping at i-Deals and a few Azon marketplace shops.

[PerfectWagnerite]

This one going for $22 on Amazon.com in the US



Granted nothing will make me want to listen to 23 cds of Ozawa who is arguably one of the least interesting of the big-name conductors. But others might.

[Ken B]

This one going for $22 on Amazon.com in the US



Granted nothing will make me want to listen to 23 cds of Ozawa who is arguably one of the least interesting of the big-name conductors. But others might.

Thanks.
I had to get the barcode to find it
0028948204106

I have heard much I like from him, some I didn't, but have almost nothing, so this was an easy buy for me at that price.

[PerfectWagnerite]

Thanks.
I had to get the barcode to find it
0028948204106

I have heard much I like from him, some I didn't, but have almost nothing, so this was an easy buy for me at that price.

Sorry should have included the link for all those interested.

http://www.amazon.com/Life-Music-Ludwig-van-Beethoven/dp/B00J498T74/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1432857512&sr=8-5&keywords=ozawa

There is also this one (a few days ago it was for $16 but is now $30 but is still relatively cheap for 16cds:



http://www.amazon.com/Art-Seiji-Ozawa/dp/B00A6OX1KQ/ref=pd_sim_15_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1ZBBJRGE6D3147F5VH73

Also this Mahler set which for a little while was going for a tad under $14 but is now $35 (still a damn good price for a full mahler set):


http://www.amazon.com/Gustav-Mahler-Symphnies-Kindertotenlieder/dp/B00CSDCC8A/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1432862490&sr=1-1&keywords=ozawa+mahler

Not sure what the occasion is but there are at least 3 or 4 big Ozawa box sets out there right now.
I heard quite a bit of Ozawa when I was a student in Boston back in the mid '90s. Can't really say there was anything really remarkable about his conducting. Most of the times it seems like the man is on auto-pilot. The bigger draws were when the BSO had their frequent guest conductors like Haitink and Colin Davis.

[Ken B]

Sorry should have included the link for all those interested.

http://www.amazon.com/Life-Music-Ludwig-van-Beethoven/dp/B00J498T74/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1432857512&sr=8-5&keywords=ozawa

There is also this one (a few days ago it was for $16 but is now $30 but is still relatively cheap for 16cds:



http://www.amazon.com/Art-Seiji-Ozawa/dp/B00A6OX1KQ/ref=pd_sim_15_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1ZBBJRGE6D3147F5VH73

Also this Mahler set which for a little while was going for a tad under $14 but is now $35 (still a damn good price for a full mahler set):


http://www.amazon.com/Gustav-Mahler-Symphnies-Kindertotenlieder/dp/B00CSDCC8A/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1432862490&sr=1-1&keywords=ozawa+mahler

Not sure what the occasion is but there are at least 3 or 4 big Ozawa box sets out there right now.
I heard quite a bit of Ozawa when I was a student in Boston back in the mid '90s. Can't really say there was anything really remarkable about his conducting. Most of the times it seems like the man is on auto-pilot. The bigger draws were when the BSO had their frequent guest conductors like Haitink and Colin Davis.

I have heard some wonderful stuff. His Shosty CC2 with Slava is on my short list of perfect recordings. His Berlioz R&J is terrific. Good Prokkers too. His Gurrelieder is less soul destroying than most. So I have a good impression of him, but not one of a strong personality like HvK or Klemps say. Just middle of the road high competence. So I am keen to give these a goid listen.

Now a Kitajenko box would make my mouth water ...

[Brian]

Ozawa who is arguably one of the least interesting of the big-name conductors.

Kurt Masur

Oh wait, you said "one of", we're good.

[Ken B]

Kurt Masur

Oh wait, you said "one of", we're good.

Hey, his Bruckner was excellent. I think I mean Masur.  Maybe not!

The thing is, I don't see "indistinct" as a flaw,if you do it brilliantly. George Szell did it brilliantly, he is the apotheosis of the self-effacing conductor. I never get a Szell vibe like I do with Klemps say.  But there is no conductor I admire more than Szell. I'd buy a big Szell box even of stuff I have n times.

[PerfectWagnerite]

Kurt Masur

Oh wait, you said "one of", we're good.

I think Masur at least tries. I heard a Tchaikovsky 5th at the NYPO that was pretty good, but no he does not come off well in recordings. But you are right Ozawa and Masur do have similarities...

I think what also hurt them is that they really don't have a "specialty". Haitink (who can be dullness epitomized at times) gets away with it most of the times because of his reputation of being a great Mahler conductor. Colin Davis, no stranger to being dull, is dubbed as a Berlioz specialist. What do Masur or Ozawa excel at? Nothing really, and they compete in the crowded Austrian/German repertoire.

Hey, his Bruckner was excellent. I think I mean Masur.  Maybe not!

The thing is, I don't see "indistinct" as a flaw,if you do it brilliantly. George Szell did it brilliantly, he is the apotheosis of the self-effacing conductor. I never get a Szell vibe like I do with Klemps say.  But there is no conductor I admire more than Szell. I'd buy a big Szell box even of stuff I have n times.

Szell and Klemperer are number 1 and 1A on my list of favorite conductors so you don't have to convince me. While there are a couple Szell recordings I am lukewarm towards (his Mahler 4th and 6th, Brahms Symphonies - all of them, Bruckner 3rd and 8th), there are no Klemperer recordings that I don't think are absolutely fantastic. The guy just lays the score before you and lets you hear details like nobody else. Klemp never comes across as smooth, suave, and squeaky clean like Szell, whose expressive orchestral timbre is rooted in Schubert and Beethoven. A Klemperer performance is never "beautiful", they are ragged almost to the point of jarring, with a lot of contrast between winds and strings.

Also if you like Kitajenko I recommend this set:

http://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich-Complete-Symphonies-Hybrid-SACD/dp/B000B8QEVA/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432868968&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=kitajanko+shostakovich
The price has gone up significantly but it makes a nice contrast to the Barshai set. I believe the orchestra is the same just under a different name.

[Kamisama]

Amazon UK
Beethoven: Complete String Quartets, currently £4.87
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-Complete-Alban-Berg-Quartett/dp/B008DK3PJC

[asin]B008DK3PJC[/asin]

[Ken B]

Amazon UK
Beethoven: Complete String Quartets, currently £4.87
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-Complete-Alban-Berg-Quartett/dp/B008DK3PJC

[asin]B008DK3PJC[/asin]

Cool, thanks. 11 bucks shipped so I bought it. Oyveh.

[Kamisama]

Out of stock but currently cheap:
Wagner: Complete Operas (Barenboim) 34CD

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Operas-Wagner/dp/B005MIQG6M/
[asin]B005MIQG6M[/asin]

[albanberg]

Also out of stock but currently cheap on Amazon UK, for jazz fans:

The Complete Bill Evans on Verve (18 CDs) for £25.27, which for us Yanks is approx £24 shipped to the US.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00IK5I0OA

[Moonfish]

Horowitz OJC - $75 - Prime

[asin] B002P3J3BW[/asin]

[Ken B]

Horowitz OJC - $75 - Prime

[asin] B002P3J3BW[/asin]

That is a great bargain. And yet it does not tempt me. I am not sure that that is a good thing. I'd be happier if I were tempted but resolute.
My only excuse is Horowitz has never really impressed me. And there is so much mono.

[Moonfish]

That is a great bargain. And yet it does not tempt me. I am not sure that that is a good thing. I'd be happier if I were tempted but resolute.
My only excuse is Horowitz has never really impressed me. And there is so much mono.

Yes, I know what you mean. I have had it for years but do not listen to it very much (hopefully remedied in the future). Still, great for a core set of the classic piano or as a Horowitz reference. One cannot beat the price. I am surprised that it is even offered this low. Did Sony overestimate the demand for this box?   0:)

[PerfectWagnerite]

Yes, I know what you mean. I have had it for years but do not listen to it very much (hopefully remedied in the future). Still, great for a core set of the classic piano or as a Horowitz reference. One cannot beat the price. I am surprised that it is even offered this low. Did Sony overestimate the demand for this box?   0:)

If you look at the track listings a lot of the cds have very short runtimes, so you are not getting the equivalent of 70cds worth of music.

Horowitz isn't my cup of tea either, fast fingers but not much behind the notes. Murray Perahia, on the other hand...

[Ken B]

If you look at the track listings a lot of the cds have very short runtimes, so you are not getting the equivalent of 70cds worth of music.

Horowitz isn't my cup of tea either, fast fingers but not much behind the notes. Murray Perahia, on the other hand...

Exactly. I have the Perahia box, which is wonderful. Better pianist, better sound.