Purchases Today

[JBS]

An order from Presto.

[prémont]

Carmen Piazzini
John McCabe
Rudolf Buchbinder
Walid Akl
Ekaterina Derzhavina
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet
Tom Beghin
Ronald Brautigam
Roland Batik
Artur Balsam
Daniel Fuchs

You forgot Jando.

[Florestan]

Thank you Dave, Que, Todd* and premont.

So here is the updated list:

Carmen Piazzini
John McCabe
Rudolf Buchbinder
Walid Akl
Ekaterina Derzhavina
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet
Tom Beghin
Ronald Brautigam
Roland Batik
Artur Balsam
Daniel Fuchs
Jeno Jando
Christine Schornsheim

I highlighted the ones I have (go figure it, I discovered I have the Jando too.)

*also for the Mozart/Batik tip.

[Madiel]

Btw, does anyone know how many complete Haydn piano sonatas cycle are there? I have six on modern pianos (Carmen Piazzini. John McCabe, Rudolf Buchbinder, Walid Akl, Ekaterina Derzhavina, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet) and one HIP (Tom Beghin).

And do you have any preferences?

[Brian]

I thought it was out of print, but it is currently $99 (plus shipping and tax = $120) at Center Stage, the Universal-owned classical clearance website. They have a big box set sale ongoing.

[Brian]

I thought it was out of print, but it is currently $99 (plus shipping and tax = $120) at Center Stage, the Universal-owned classical clearance website. They have a big box set sale ongoing.

The Center Stage website said "Ships December 2," so I bought it thinking it would arrive middle of next week. I selected standard shipping.

I just got a tracking alert from UPS saying that the package will arrive...tomorrow.

[Spotted Horses]

I thought it was out of print, but it is currently $99 (plus shipping and tax = $120) at Center Stage, the Universal-owned classical clearance website. They have a big box set sale ongoing.

Oooch, I paid considerably more. That's the way it goes. You can wait it out and you either get it for cheaper, or it sells out and you've missed it.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

The Center Stage website said "Ships December 2," so I bought it thinking it would arrive middle of next week. I selected standard shipping.

I just got a tracking alert from UPS saying that the package will arrive...tomorrow.

Glad that you were able to purchase it.  By the way, I tried googling that website and didn't run across it.  Would you mind providing a link to it?

PD

[Brian]

Glad that you were able to purchase it.  By the way, I tried googling that website and didn't run across it.  Would you mind providing a link to it?

PD

Link to the whole box set sale: https://classical.centerstagestore.com/collections/classical-box-set-sale

Oooch, I paid considerably more. That's the way it goes. You can wait it out and you either get it for cheaper, or it sells out and you've missed it.

Yeah, I blinked and missed on Reiner/Chicago, Monteux/RCA, and a couple others, so it is a pleasant surprise to see this one come back.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Link to the whole box set sale: https://classical.centerstagestore.com/collections/classical-box-set-sale

Yeah, I blinked and missed on Reiner/Chicago, Monteux/RCA, and a couple others, so it is a pleasant surprise to see this one come back.

Thanks Brian!

PD

[Todd]

Yeah, I blinked and missed on Reiner/Chicago, Monteux/RCA, and a couple others, so it is a pleasant surprise to see this one come back.

The Monteux is perhaps the best conductor focused box I have purchased.  I have wavered on Kubelik since I own most of the recordings and can stream almost everything else.  Plus his Parsifal and Meistersinger recordings are still not included.  (I got my hands on those years ago.)  If one does not have a big slug of Kubelik's recordings, I see the current price as a no brainer.

Incidentally, the Kempff box is also available for the same price.

[Brian]

Update: my optimism was misplaced. The UPS package arriving tomorrow is NOT the Kubelik box, but rather a box from Barnes & Noble containing various Criterion movie Blu-Rays that were on sale 50% off.

Incidentally, the Kempff box is also available for the same price.

I could still order it. I have some reservations about the presentation/completeness based on Amazon reviews, but I don't have a lot of Kempff in my collection at all. Like, very little.

[Florestan]

And do you have any preferences?

The only one I listened to in its entirety is the Piazzini (during the 2020 lockdown) and I enjoyed it a lot --- actually, it (together with the Beaux-Arts Trio set of piano trios and the Pinnock set of Mozart symphonies) was essential for the preservation of my sanity during those dire times. From what I've heard of the others, Akl, Bavouzet and Jando are also very good. But honestly, my favorite is always the one I currently listen to. I never ever did, or will do, any A/B/C/D/whatever comparisons, it's just not my thing.

[Todd]

I have some reservations about the presentation/completeness based on Amazon reviews

Perfect completeness is overrated.  It seems unlikely that UMG will issue a more complete box of Kempff's recordings.  They did for the Emerson, but Kempff has been dead for decades.  If you have very little, then you would have what, 50, 60, 70, 75 discs of new material?  You'd have not only his solo Beethoven but his solo Schubert.  His Liszt.  His Bach.  His chamber music recordings.  You may not like Kempff as much as I do, or maybe you'd like him more.  There's a lot to explore for a buck and a quarter a disc.  If a handful of recordings didn't make it in, so what? 

[Madiel]

The only one I listened to in its entirety is the Piazzini (during the 2020 lockdown) and I enjoyed it a lot --- actually, it (together with the Beaux-Arts Trio set of piano trios and the Pinnock set of Mozart symphonies) was essential for the preservation of my sanity during those dire times. From what I've heard of the others, Akl, Bavouzet and Jando are also very good. But honestly, my favorite is always the one I currently listen to. I never ever did, or will do, any A/B/C/D/whatever comparisons, it's just not my thing.

Well, that's no help as I aim to purchase only one!

There's a good chance it will be Bavouzet, I just need to decide by the time his set is boxed up...

[Florestan]

Well, that's no help as I aim to purchase only one!

There's a good chance it will be Bavouzet, I just need to decide by the time his set is boxed up...

You can't go wrong with the Bavouzet and it has excellent sonics.

[Lisztianwagner]

Just bought as MP3 download:

[Florestan]

Hat tip jlopes.

[classicalgeek]

Thank you Dave, Que, Todd* and premont.

So here is the updated list:

Carmen Piazzini
John McCabe
Rudolf Buchbinder
Walid Akl
Ekaterina Derzhavina
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet
Tom Beghin
Ronald Brautigam
Roland Batik
Artur Balsam
Daniel Fuchs
Jeno Jando
Christine Schornsheim

I highlighted the ones I have (go figure it, I discovered I have the Jando too.)

*also for the Mozart/Batik tip.

Has anyone mentioned Walter Olbertz on Berlin Classics? It was released in three three-disc sets, so it may not count as totally complete (most of the other 'complete' collections are 11 or 12 CDs.) I have two of the three aforementioned sets; he's a bit colorless and run-of-the-mill in my opinion. Of the sets I've sampled on streaming, I really like Bavouzet and Brautigam.

[SonicMan46]

Well, emboldened by Todd and Andrei concerning Kemp English's recordings of Kozeluch's Keyboard Sonatas (and owning the set by Jenny Kim), I've been listening to English on a Spotify playlist and greatly enjoying - but cost (and storage space!) was an issue w/ the Grand Piano CDs - well, doing some googling the last few days, JPC had a bunch on sale - SO, just made the purchase shown below for 6 discs at about $8 each - will double them up in 2-CD jewel boxes - Dave