Recordings That You Are Considering

[Maciek]

I can't make up my mind about this. Judging from the samples, the Handel disc is the one I really want. I'm somehow not convinced with the Vivaldi (it seems less interesting than the Mingardo-Alessandrini that I already have) and Dowland is a composer I'm not very fond of... OTOH, samples are just samples and I generally love countertenors... Maybe I'd change my mind if I actually got this... Another thing which puts me off is the fact that there's far too much purely instrumental music stuck into those discs, while I'd be buying them for Scholl, not for Ensemble 415 or the AAM. Maybe it would make more sense to get these from eMusic, skipping the instrumental tracks altogether? But then, Harmonia Mundi booklets often have interesting material. Hmph...

[Maciek]

Another one I can't make up my mind about:



Practically all the recordings included in this set fetched excellent reviews. But do I really need them (I already have, for example, Baker in Frauenliebe und Leben, Fischer-Dieskau in Dichterliebe etc.)?

[PerfectWagnerite]

That is a fabulous set, I normally really really do not like this music but this set is a treasure, along with Mutter's set (surrprisingly).

[mn dave]

Yowza!

[Maciek]

Note the price tag here! (and here)

[Novi]

Is this a good set for newcomers to Vaughan Williams?

I only have his symphonies - Previn on RCA - that I bought a few years ago for no other reason than that they were very cheap (I didn't know about conductors, ensembles, or interpretations back then ). I've never been able to get into them, even though I've been dipping in intermittently and I thought I'd try again .

Cheers.

[mn dave]

Vaughan Williams on the biggest British label? I would think so.

[Lethevich]

Is this a good set for newcomers to Vaughan Williams?

I only have his symphonies - Previn on RCA - that I bought a few years ago for no other reason than that they were very cheap (I didn't know about conductors, ensembles, or interpretations back then ). I've never been able to get into them, even though I've been dipping in intermittently and I thought I'd try again .

Cheers.

100% yes. The only quibble is no texts, but the price outweighs this by an enormous magnitude. The symphony cycle on it is Handley which is superb, with no weak links. The rest of the works would be very costly to collect seperately, and they are all very fine to excellent - no clunkers. His operas in particular are better than one might think.

[Drasko]

These just got released on some Greek label I'm unfamiliar with. I'm probably more interested in vol.2.



http://www.studio52.gr/info_en.asp?infoID=00000xxv
http://www.studio52.gr/info_en.asp?infoID=00000xxw

[mn dave]

These just got released on some Greek label I'm unfamiliar with. I'm probably more interested in vol.2.



http://www.studio52.gr/info_en.asp?infoID=00000xxv
http://www.studio52.gr/info_en.asp?infoID=00000xxw

Ooo. Lots of Minneapolis Symphony there. 

[Novi]

100% yes. The only quibble is no texts, but the price outweighs this by an enormous magnitude. The symphony cycle on it is Handley which is superb, with no weak links. The rest of the works would be very costly to collect seperately, and they are all very fine to excellent - no clunkers. His operas in particular are better than one might think.

Thanks, Lethe. I'll buy it for Christmas then .

[eyeresist]

100% yes. The only quibble is no texts, but the price outweighs this by an enormous magnitude. The symphony cycle on it is Handley which is superb, with no weak links. The rest of the works would be very costly to collect seperately, and they are all very fine to excellent - no clunkers. His operas in particular are better than one might think.

I'd say the Sinfonia Antartica is a definite weak link in Handley's cycle, the weakest performance of this work in my collection (though Thomson wins for weakest organ). No atmosphere at all.

If the excellent Previn cycle hasn't convinced you on Vaughan Williams, I'd suggest you hold off investing in this admittedly bargain-priced brick.

[Lethevich]

I'd say the Sinfonia Antartica is a definite weak link in Handley's cycle, the weakest performance of this work in my collection (though Thomson wins for weakest organ). No atmosphere at all.

[Response to highlighted part] I suppose I can say the same for myself, as I prefer Boult 1 and Haitink in the 7th, but I don't find Handley trailing too far behind. In fact, I don't think I've heard a bad 7th yet, which makes me interested in that Thomson, although I would've assumed that this work would play to that conductor's strengths.

I find Handley's 6th possibly easier to argue a case of weakness for, but I also respond to Handley's approach in this (the more restrained approach to it offers as many rewards as some of the scarier sounding recordings). Overall I find the set to be very consistent without sacrificing insight - on the latter point I have more problems with a lot of the other very well-played recordings that are slightly uninteresting.

If the excellent Previn cycle hasn't convinced you on Vaughan Williams, I'd suggest you hold off investing in this admittedly bargain-priced brick.

I would hope that he isn't buying it just for the symphony cycle. This is a perfect opportunity to hear RVW's excellent chamber music, songs and choral music in great performances and for next to nothing.

[eyeresist]

[Response to highlighted part] I find Handley's 6th possibly easier to argue a case of weakness for, but I also respond to Handley's approach in this (the more restrained approach to it offers as many rewards as some of the scarier sounding recordings). Overall I find the set to be very consistent without sacrificing insight - on the latter point I have more problems with a lot of the other very well-played recordings that are slightly uninteresting.

Lately, I've been minded to consider the 6th one of VW's less profound symphonic achievements, but, speaking of "restrained approach", I picked up the Haitink cycle recently and found his performance of the 6th quite convincing: the surface urbanity seemed to reveal more of the dark depths beneath. I found his finale, usually problematic, quite convincing here.

[Lethevich]

Lately, I've been minded to consider the 6th one of VW's less profound symphonic achievements, but, speaking of "restrained approach", I picked up the Haitink cycle recently and found his performance of the 6th quite convincing: the surface urbanity seemed to reveal more of the dark depths beneath. I found his finale, usually problematic, quite convincing here.

I don't remember Haitink's 6th at all (the 1st, 7th and 8th stood out for me in that cycle), I'll have to give it a relisten soon - thanks for the pointer

[PerfectWagnerite]

Anyone heard this recording of Tristan?



Says it's uncut, I am not sure what that means. Aren't MOST recordings of Tristan like Boehm, Kleiber, etc. uncut?

[Drasko]

This is just out:

http://www.amazon.fr/Symphonies-Complete-Comp/dp/B001DETD8W

but
Note: There are three recordings of Tchaikovsky’s complete symphonies conducted by Evgeny Svetlanov: two studio recordings, for Melodiya (USSR) and for Canyon Classics (Japan), one live recording in Tokyo for Canyon Classics

I might consider this, that's if I would know which cycle they opted for, live one on Canyon always received superlative reviews, that would be nice.

According to hmv.jp site this indeed is 1990 live Tokyo cycle. If so, set goes straight into my shopping basket.
http://www.hmv.co.jp/product/detail/2815953

also:

https://www.hmv.co.jp/product/detail/2815982

Yeeesss, Melodiya is releasing my absolutely favorite Mussorgsky song cycles recording on CD, no brainer purchase. I have these as LP rips and even though they are remarkably good, sound breaks apart a bit above forte, unfortunately will have to keep them since CD release drops 5-6 songs (originally it was I believe 2 LP release).

I'd also love to hear Yi-Kwei Sze in these, but it's strictly paypall, which means a no-go in my case.

http://www.geocities.com/bearac_reissues/SzeMusTscher.html

[ezodisy]

Yeeesss, Melodiya is releasing my absolutely favorite Mussorgsky song cycles recording on CD, no brainer purchase.

hmm, I don't know who that is. I usually just listen to Christoff or the live Vishnevskaya and drift off into oblivion. I would like to hear this though -- *cough* links please *cough*

[Brian]

Has anyone got this box set?



Besides wondering about the artistic and sound quality of the set, I'm curious about the box itself - is it a proper box set package, or one of those cardboard sleeves Naxos always throws around the original jewel cases?

[Bunny]

I wonder if it's as good as the André Previn box set?  That was supposed to be the definitive set.  There's also a Slatkin set with the Philharmonia.  From the picture, it's way too thick to be a "proper" box set.