GMG Classical Music Forum

Let the battle begin! ;D

(https://d27t0qkxhe4r68.cloudfront.net/t_900/190295712709packshot.jpg?1532597985) (https://d27t0qkxhe4r68.cloudfront.net/images/records/dg4798642.jpg?1516457890)

I don't have either but I'd choose the Warner because it's considerably more complete and has better artwork on the sleeves.

Quote from: Brian on February 27, 2019, 07:23:24 AM
I don't have either but I'd choose the Warner because it's considerably more complete and has better artwork on the sleeves.

Yes, indeed. The presentation of the Warner set is quite simply gorgeous. I'd wager that the Deutsche Grammophon set has many, IMHO, 'better' performances of individual favorites, but you just can't beat the completeness of the Warner, which, ironically, was something I was kind of against initially.

Quote from: Brian on February 27, 2019, 07:23:24 AM
and has better artwork on the sleeves [than the DG].

That's a rather low bar to clear... :D

Quote from: Jo498 on February 27, 2019, 07:35:03 AM
That's a rather low bar to clear... :D

Indeed.

Quote from: Mirror Image on February 27, 2019, 07:31:02 AM
Yes, indeed. The presentation of the Warner set is quite simply gorgeous. I'd wager that the Deutsche Grammophon set has many, IMHO, 'better' performances of individual favorites, but you just can't beat the completeness of the Warner, which, ironically, was something I was kind of against initially.

Kind of against? I seem to remember thousands of posts about how you had no interest in the Warner set because of all of the superfluous stuff. :)

For the record, I have the Warner set but have spent more time with the earlier Sony set (which is not a "complete" edition). The main motivation for getting the Warner set was to have a complete collection of the Melodie from solid artists.

[asin]B006VKKAXU[/asin]

I ended up voting for the Warner set just for it's completeness. What a remarkable achievement from Warner to compile this set and even though there are caveats to both sets, it's still a gorgeous package altogether.

I have the earlier DG Debussy edition, and won't be purchasing the newer box. And the Warner box is available to stream, so I also won't be purchasing it.  But I enjoy listening to both sets since the performers are different and there are some works included with the Warner box not in the DG.

So I voted "both".

Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on February 27, 2019, 07:36:46 AM
Kind of against? I seem to remember thousands of posts about how you had no interest in the Warner set because of all of the superfluous stuff. :)

For the record, I have the Warner set but have spent more time with the earlier Sony set (which is not a "complete" edition). The main motivation for getting the Warner set was to have a complete collection of the Melodie from solid artists.

[asin]B006VKKAXU[/asin]

No need to overdramatize things, Scrapia. ;) I had a change of heart. Anyway, I've come to appreciate, admire, and love all facets of Debussy's music and skill as a composer whether it be his orchestrations, his transcriptions of other composers' works, and his own compositional prowess. He really is my numero uno and it's taken me this long to realize this and just how important of an influence he has been on me. I can only think of a few composers where I enjoy almost everything they wrote. Stravinsky is certainly another one where I can enjoy almost everything I hear and gain some kind of pleasure from it.

I voted for both. I think overall they come out at the same level. Although 1) I am basing myself on the earlier DG box and 2) qualitywise I think the Sony box is just as good.

I have the earlier DG box AND the Paul Jacobs piano stuff, plus lots of other recordings of the piano music, and the EMI melodies, so I am well set.

"Complete works" are usually a mistake I have found. There is a lot of deadwood even in Beethoven or Brahms.

Quote from: JBS on February 27, 2019, 05:48:25 PM
I voted for both. I think overall they come out at the same level. Although 1) I am basing myself on the earlier DG box and 2) qualitywise I think the Sony box is just as good.

Or do you mean the Warner box, which is what I based this poll from?

Quote from: Ken B on February 27, 2019, 07:28:45 PM
I have the earlier DG box AND the Paul Jacobs piano stuff, plus lots of other recordings of the piano music, and the EMI melodies, so I am well set.

"Complete works" are usually a mistake I have found. There is a lot of deadwood even in Beethoven or Brahms.

That's an interesting viewpoint and one I don't really agree with. I have found no mistakes with either the Warner and DG sets and enjoy both immensely.

Quote from: Mirror Image on February 27, 2019, 07:36:26 PM
That's an interesting viewpoint and one I don't really agree with. I have found no mistakes with either the Warner and DG sets

They leave out his orchestral music??

Quote from: Mirror Image on February 27, 2019, 07:35:05 PM
Or do you mean the Warner box, which is what I based this poll from?

I meant that I was taking the earlier DG box as the functional equivalent of the current one. And that the Sony box, while including less, was equal to the ones produced by the other labels.

Quote from: JBS on February 27, 2019, 08:14:12 PM
I meant that I was taking the earlier DG box as the functional equivalent of the current one. And that the Sony box, while including less, was equal to the ones produced by the other labels.

Ah, I see. I know many of the performances in the Sony set, but I don't know the Crossley nor do I know those two mélodies discs in the set. I wonder if Rafael owns the Sony set? Also, would love to hear his input in this thread.

[Over supermarket intercom] Paging...Rafael...paging Rafael...your opinion on this topic would be welcomed on aisle 14. ;D

Quote from: Mirror Image on March 01, 2019, 06:14:29 AM
[Over supermarket intercom] Paging...Rafael...paging Rafael...your opinion on this topic would be welcomed on aisle 14. ;D

Reporting for duty!

My two-cents worth:

No, I don't own the Sony set, as it would imply too much duplication (I've owned all the Boulez recordings for decades, Casadesus, Upshaw, MTT's excellent Le martyre..., etc.), and then there's some discs I know I'd never listen to (those containing what IMHO seem like pointless arrangements—the piano pieces arranged for violin duo, or the pieces transcribed for solo harp  :o).

I have the "old" DG set, and the Warner "complete". I'd agree with the notion that the former includes perhaps some more accomplished performances (although this is not always the case—e,g. Aldo Ciccolini in the piano pieces on Warner is top-notch), while the latter is more complete (and the arrangements it includes have far greater historical—and probably musical—value).

Still, I must confess I haven't listened to either of my sets in their entirety, but rather use them as a sort of repository for Debussy's music when looking for some obscure piece. When I listen to the music (which is often), I usually head to the (very many) single CDs in my collection, looking for specific performances.

In any case, I've voted both (but remember, in my case were talking of the "old", smaller DG set).

Quote from: ritter on March 01, 2019, 08:45:12 AM
Reporting for duty!

My two-cents worth:

No, I don't own the Sony set, as it would imply too much duplication (I've owned all the Boulez recordings for decades, Casadesus, Upshaw, MTT's excellent Le martyre..., etc.), and then there's some discs I know I'd never listen to (those containing what IMHO seem like pointless arrangements—the piano pieces arranged for violin duo, or the pieces transcribed for solo harp  :o).

I have the "old" DG set, and the Warner "complete". I'd agree with the notion that the former includes perhaps some more accomplished performances (although this is not always the case—e,g. Aldo Ciccolini in the piano pieces on Warner is top-notch), while the latter is more complete (and the arrangements it includes have far greater historical—and probably musical—value).

Still, I must confess I haven't listened to either of my sets in their entirety, but rather use them as a sort of repository for Debussy's music when looking for some obscure piece. When I listen to the music (which is often), I usually head to the (very many) single CDs in my collection, looking for specific performances.

In any case, I've voted both (but remember, in my case were talking of the "old", smaller DG set).

If it's the one I am thinking of*, the harp transcription CD is a nice one, different enough to warrant hearing, although not necessarily one for repeated listens .

*which it probably is, since there can't be that many Debussy for harp recordings.

Quote from: ritter on March 01, 2019, 08:45:12 AM
Reporting for duty!

My two-cents worth:

No, I don't own the Sony set, as it would imply too much duplication (I've owned all the Boulez recordings for decades, Casadesus, Upshaw, MTT's excellent Le martyre..., etc.), and then there's some discs I know I'd never listen to (those containing what IMHO seem like pointless arrangements—the piano pieces arranged for violin duo, or the pieces transcribed for solo harp  :o).

I have the "old" DG set, and the Warner "complete". I'd agree with the notion that the former includes perhaps some more accomplished performances (although this is not always the case—e,g. Aldo Ciccolini in the piano pieces on Warner is top-notch), while the latter is more complete (and the arrangements it includes have far greater historical—and probably musical—value).

Still, I must confess I haven't listened to either of my sets in their entirety, but rather use them as a sort of repository for Debussy's music when looking for some obscure piece. When I listen to the music (which is often), I usually head to the (very many) single CDs in my collection, looking for specific performances.

In any case, I've voted both (but remember, in my case were talking of the "old", smaller DG set).

Thanks for the reply, Rafael. Your opinion was pretty much what I thought it was going to be: a vote for both sets. I do agree with you about the idea of the Warner set being great for more obscure works/arrangements/transcriptions/etc. Much of these rarer pieces you just can't find anywhere else.

This question is a heck of a reach, has anyone compiled Lesure's numbering to the disc and track number on either box?

I am not sure what you are asking but the Warner box has the "L" numbers:

[asin]B077FXKHPD[/asin]

Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on May 30, 2019, 06:32:32 PM
I am not sure what you are asking but the Warner box has the "L" numbers:

[asin]B077FXKHPD[/asin]

It has them listed after the name of the work in the booklet but it doesn't have a listing presenting them chronologically (with the CD and track number it is on) like some composer style boxes do. For instance with the Decca Complete Bartok box even though the box is organized similarly to the two Debussy boxes, with CDs organized by composition style, there is an index of BB numbers presenting them chronologically with the disc and track number that it is found on.

I personally prefer listening to the music that I'm not familiar with on these boxes by composition year (roughly what L numbers would correspond to) and knowing what disc and track number they're on make it easier for me.

Quote from: staxomega on May 30, 2019, 04:46:09 PM
This question is a heck of a reach, has anyone compiled Lesure's numbering to the disc and track number on either box?

No, because, no offense, it's of no importance to me. What is important, however, is the chronological order of the compositions by year, which can be found on the Debussy website.

http://www.debussy.fr/encd/centre/centre.php (http://www.debussy.fr/encd/centre/centre.php)

If anyone happens to have the booklet available as a PDF would they mind sharing? I travel between my main house and lake house during the weekends and this booklet is so convenient in finding contents but I often forget it at one location or another. Proof that I do own the box (https://i.imgur.com/oN3OFdK.jpg)  :) Thank you

Quote from: hvbias on April 26, 2020, 02:02:16 PM
If anyone happens to have the booklet available as a PDF would they mind sharing? I travel between my main house and lake house during the weekends and this booklet is so convenient in finding contents but I often forget it at one location or another. Proof that I do own the box (https://i.imgur.com/oN3OFdK.jpg)  :) Thank you

Have you tried to find it by doing a Google search? Unless someone has downloaded the box set and that download came with the booklet in pdf format, no one has it as a pdf.

Quote from: Mirror Image on April 30, 2020, 06:59:46 PM
Have you tried to find it by doing a Google search? Unless someone has downloaded the box set and that download came with the booklet in pdf format, no one has it as a pdf.

I did try a search. Universal and Warner do release them not as part of music downloads, but it seems to be random or they are only up for a very short amount of time before the website link expires (some Warner sets actually give you the URL). For instance here is the recent Backhaus PDF I keep so I don't need to carry the booklet around. I do this with several releases. https://i.imgur.com/VNbzQPK.png