# Cheap box set: Beethoven cycle/Klemperer 1960, Brahms cycle/Kempe 1975-76



## Steve Wright (Mar 13, 2015)

Any opinions on this? Seems very well-reviewed (and I am sure I have read realdealblues praising Kempe's Brahms). And is, well, affordable shall we say.

I'm not totally in the market for another cycle of either - happy with what I have - but could be persuaded here...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-B...8&qid=1431951304&sr=1-1&keywords=brahms+kempe


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Looks interesting. Probably a more "vital" Klemperer, like the one of the 50s, before he decided to slow down a lot of music .

EDIT: a review here: 
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2012/Jan12/Beethoven_Klemperer_sys_CD1252.htm


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## Steve Wright (Mar 13, 2015)

joen_cph said:


> Looks interesting. Probably a more "vital" Klemperer, like the one of the 50s, before he decided to slow down a lot of music .
> 
> EDIT: a review here:
> http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2012/Jan12/Beethoven_Klemperer_sys_CD1252.htm


Good spot, thank you. I have to admit to not yet having heard a minute of Klemperer's conducting, in my fledgling classical-listening career. Maybe I'll start with this (ironically, I very much have my eye on his Brahms).

I'm sufficiently keen to hear Kempe's Brahms, meanwhile, to pay the rather modest asking sum for this set: some granitic Klemperer Beethoven will be a bonus (shame the reviewer doesn't like K's 7th, my favourite, though).


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Anything by Klemperer is great.
It's just a question of the sound quality.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Price is right, may as well grab it.

Edit:


Itullian said:


> Anything by Klemperer is great.
> It's just a question of the sound quality.


Can try to find it on Allmusic .com and play the clips.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Florestan said:


> Price is right, may as well grab it.
> 
> Edit:
> 
> Can try to find it on Allmusic .com and play the clips.


Sometimes Presto Classical has sound clips too.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

This is the one to get............

http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Bra...TF8&qid=1431964963&sr=1-26&keywords=klemperer


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

This one is cheap (conductor Bella Drahos):


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

^^Bela Lugosi? Who's that?


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> This one is cheap (conductor Bella Drahos):


yes, these are fine but I doubt anyone will write "we're hearing one of the last century's great Beethoven interpreters at work, distilling a lifetime's experience of these scores" when there is a review in 40 years time.

Klemperer was a great conductor, these are great performances (though not to everyone's taste) and his version of the 6th is my favourite (though not of the music-web reviewer)


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Headphone Hermit said:


> yes, these are fine but I doubt anyone will write "we're hearing one of the last century's great Beethoven interpreters at work, distilling a lifetime's experience of these scores" when there is a review in 40 years time.


True, but Drahos actually makes this Amazon Beethoven Symphony Cycle list--not that that means anything.


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> True, but Drahos actually makes this Amazon Beethoven Symphony Cycle list--not that that means anything.


Well, it means its among the *28* cycles that are reviewed on that list :lol:


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## papsrus (Oct 7, 2014)

Florestan said:


> True, but Drahos actually makes this Amazon Beethoven Symphony Cycle list--not that that means anything.


Is there some easy way to pull up a menu of similar review lists at amazon? Say a Bruckner Symphony Cycle list? 
Not obvious to me.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

papsrus said:


> Is there some easy way to pull up a menu of similar review lists at amazon? Say a Bruckner Symphony Cycle list?
> Not obvious to me.


I have saved links to three such lists for Beethoven cycles (one by our esteemed TC member KenOC). Try google (or duckduckgo.com) searching something like this maybe:

Bruckner Symphony Cycle recommendations list amazon


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## papsrus (Oct 7, 2014)

Thanks. Will try to search around.


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## Guest (May 19, 2015)

I don't know this particular set, but I do have a complete set of Klemperer's Beethoven, including the Missa Solemnis (my reference recording for that work) on EMI, and love them. He is also great in Brahms (symphonies and Deutsches Requiem), and his Mahler's 2nd symphony is excellent. Finally, I adore his recording of Mozart's Magic Flute, with Popp as THE Queen of the Night.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

DrMike said:


> I don't know this particular set, but I do have a complete set of Klemperer's Beethoven, including the Missa Solemnis (my reference recording for that work) on EMI, and love them. He is also great in Brahms (symphonies and Deutsches Requiem), and his Mahler's 2nd symphony is excellent. Finally, I adore his recording of Mozart's Magic Flute, with Popp as THE Queen of the Night.


Ah yes, the Missa Solemnis! You have to hear Ormandy's Missa Solemnis. It is wonderful!


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## Steve Wright (Mar 13, 2015)

papsrus said:


> Is there some easy way to pull up a menu of similar review lists at amazon? Say a Bruckner Symphony Cycle list?
> Not obvious to me.


I find the Amazon 'So You'd Like To' guides very helpful (and addictive reading).
http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/syltguides/fullview/R1L1EGKNY1ZC8X/ref=cm_pdp_sylt_title_2
(this is KenOC's guide to Beethoven cycles)
To browse the guides, just type your chosen composer into the Search Guides field down the right-hand side. Lots of interesting features - I found a really good Schubert cycles list, for example.
That said, I haven't found a Bruckner one on there - for Bruckner I have been going by this list, which recommends Karajan (see separate review, linked in the article), Haitink, Celibidache and Skrowaczewski. But not Jochum, although his EMI cycle is raved about here.
Still with Bruckner, neither of those two guides talk much about Wand's RCA/Kolner cycle, but that's the one most raved about by Amazon reviewers. I think it'll be Jochum, Wand or Karajan for me in the first instance, and Celi when I am ready for an alternative hearing.


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