# Classical Box Set Review



## EDaddy

We all know there are a plethora box sets out there... ranging from complete cycles of the various composers to sets like Mercury's Living Stereo Series, and everything in between. Some are sumptuously packaged but perhaps fail to deliver in sound or content, while others really deliver the goods in everything from packaging to performances,sound, etc.

This may well be a war horse thread topic and, if so, I must beg your pardon. However, it is not one that I have had the opportunity to be involved with in a "live" or current discussion sense during my limited time here on the TC board and, as such, it is a subject I would like to learn more about (as I have literally but one box set in my collection to date which I would like to remedy in the very near future). So if you would indulge me on the subject, my good and trusty TC members, I would be most obliged. And it I think it would be very educational and fun, hopefully for more members than just myself.

That said, I am interested to know what you consider, in your experience and estimations, to be the very finest box sets out there, and _why_ (The why is very important, of course). Feel free to throw everything but the kitchen sink at this. The more info the better! And again, these can be complete symphonic cycles or "label-centric" sets like Decca's The Analogue Years, Mercury's Living Stereo Series, and the like. I'm looking for what people consider to be _the creme de la creme_ of classical box sets.

What say yunses? :tiphat:


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## DavidA

Some of Sony's reissues. Boxes by Richter, Graffmann and Fleisher


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## QuietGuy

Decca's box set (14 CDs) of Ravel's complete works. Since that set came out, they have also released his competition entries for the Prix de Rome (1900-1905). They are available on Amazon (EMI and Marco Polo/Naxos), and IMO they're just as good as anything else he wrote.


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## Triplets

The Sony box sets have some amazing deals. The Mercury boxes may be for you if the repertoire appeals.
It would help if you would state what your Musical interests are...


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## Queen of the Nerds

If you want _every_ Debussy work, do _not_ get The Debussy Edition, because the Piano Trio in G Major is missing.


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## Queen of the Nerds

The Decca and Deutsche Grammophon Collectors Editions are very nice. I also like the Deutsche Grammophon Trio and Phillips Duo brands.


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## EDaddy

Triplets said:


> The Sony box sets have some amazing deals. The Mercury boxes may be for you if the repertoire appeals.
> It would help if you would state what your Musical interests are...


Fair enough. My interests span pretty far and wide, but leave of at atonal, 12-row and the like. I appreciate music from the baroque, classical and romantic periods, as well as a lot if not all neoclassical. I am a big fan of much (or in some cases most) of the music by Mozart, Bruckner, Bach, Beethoven, Dvorak, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky (pretty much all the Russians greats), Schubert, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Prokofiev, Debussy, Ravel, Sibelius, Holst, Berlioz, Chopin, Grieg, Bax, Delius, etc., etc... If it comes from the traditional "western school" of music (harmony, melody, counterpoint, cycle of fifths) chances are I either like it, love it, and want some of it (sorry! couldn't resist)... or am at least open to giving it a first listen in the event I have not heard it before.

I'm not a big fan of the music of composers like Stockhausen, Cage, Xenakis, Ligeti, nor do Schoenberg's 12-tone explorations appeal to me (however I love his Verklärte Nacht, which of course is not 12-tone oriented).

Does this help?


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## Manxfeeder

If you like historic recordings, Music and Arts remastered Furtwangler's Bruckner symphonies, Nos. 5 through 9 (though No. 6 doesn't have the first movement) in "Furtwangler Conducts Bruckner." The sound is the best I've heard for Furtwangler, clearing out the muddiness.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Boulez on DG. Whether it be his 'complete' works (a work in progress, filled with music Boulez deemed suitable to release) or his box set of 20th century music...his Mahler cycle, or the recent 67 cd box set on Sony.


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## SONNET CLV

I remain a big fan of the big box sets and have acquired quite a few of them -- I mean, _quite_ a few. All of them contain worthwhile content, some of them can "break the bank" but are worth having for the content, several remain "steals" and one should look for the deals and snatch them up while you can.

Reviewing your musical tastes in the post #7 above, EDaddy, I can recommend the following set to you:









This is a 17 CD set that runs the gamut of the 19th century from Beethoven (Piano Concerto No. 3 and Symphony No. 5) to Schoenberg's _Verklärte Nacht _-- certainly not a Schoenberg work to _work up _a non-atonalist!), and it is comprised of finely recorded full works, not excerpts (except for occasional opera highlights), performed by some of the real "biggies" in the field:

Take a look at a listing of content:

*Arriaga: Symphony in D
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37; Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67; Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111
Bellini: Il Pirata - Sinfonia
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14
Berwald: Symphony No. 3 in C major 'Sinfonie singulière'
Bizet: Symphony in C
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15
Bruch: Kol Nidrei, Op. 47
Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor ed. Nowak
Cherubini: Les Abencérages Overture
Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21; Barcarolle in F sharp major, Op. 60
Debussy: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
Dukas: The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Dvorak: Serenade for Strings in E major, Op. 22
Elgar: Enigma Variations, Op. 36
Fauré: Requiem, Op. 48
Franck, C: Symphonic Variations for piano & orchestra, M46
Glinka: Ruslan & Lyudmila Overture
Gottschalk, L: The Union, Op. 48
Gounod: Faust - Ballet Music
Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16
Hummel, J: Introduction, Theme and Variations in F minor Op. 102
Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 2 in A major, S125; Piano Sonata in B minor, S178; Mephisto Waltz No. 1
Mahler: Symphony No. 4
Mendelssohn: Songs without Words, Book 1 (6), Op. 19b; Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64
Paganini: Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major, Op. 6
Puccini: La Bohème (highlights)
Rimsky Korsakov: Marfa's Scene & Aria: In Novgorod from The Tsar's Bride
Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia Overture
Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22
Satie: Gnossienne No. 1; Gnossienne No. 2; Gnossienne No. 3
Schoenberg: Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4
Schubert: Piano Quintet in A major, D667 'The Trout'; Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D759 'Unfinished'
Schumann: Piano Quintet in E flat major, Op. 44; Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 61
Sibelius: Lemminkäinen Suite, Op. 22: The Swan of Tuonela (No. 2)
Smetana: Má Vlast
Spohr: Double String Quartet No. 1 in D minor, Op. 65 (String Octet)
Strauss, J, I: Radetsky March, Op. 228
Strauss, J, II: Rosen aus dem Süden, Op. 388
Strauss, R: Don Juan, Op. 20
Tchaikovsky: Romeo & Juliet - Fantasy Overture; Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35
Verdi: Aida (highlights)
Wagner: Der fliegende Holländer: Overture; Lohengrin: Prelude to Act 1; Parsifal: Prelude; Siegfried Idyll
Weber: Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in E flat Major, Op. 74; Oberon Overture
Widor: Organ Symphony No. 5 in F minor, Op. 42 No. 1
Wolf, H: Verborgenheit (No. 12 from Mörike-Lieder); Lebe wohl (No. 36 from Mörike-Lieder)*

You get a wide assortment of works from familiar war-horses to lesser known stuff to whet one's exploratory urges, all in good performances and great sound. And this set won't break the bank. What it will do is provide you with a life-time of great music.

I don't know how many times this was the box set I've grabbed to carry in the old Jeep when I had to take a long drive. I can generally find something of interest to pop into the CD deck no matter what my mood. (I don't often agree with Sirius Radio's choices on the single "Classical" station allowed me.)

Give this one a consideration. It's from EMI CLASSICS and was released circa 2009.

-- More info on the set here: http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/EMI/6983172


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## SONNET CLV

A second box set to complement that set I listed in post #10 above is from CHANDOS -- the MILESTONES collection "30 Years of Chandos".









When I didn't take the EMI "19th Century Masterpieces" box on my travels, I had with me this Chandos collection, 30 CDs of mostly Romantic style music with a few exceptions thrown in. All good stuff.

Here's what to expect:

*(01) Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni - Oboe Concertos
(02) Arnold Bax - Symphony No.4 & Tintagel
(03) Lili Boulanger - Choral Works
(04) Frederic Chopin - etudes (Louis Lortie)
(05) Frederick Delius - Sea Drift & Songs of Farewell & Songs of Sunset
(06) Edward Elgar - Salut d'Amour & other Elgar favourites (Nigel Kennedy)
(07) Grainger - The Grainger Edition Vol.1 - Orchestral Works
(08) Grechaninov - Passion Week
(09) Handel - Chandos Anthems Vol.1
(10) Hamilton Harty - An Irish Symphony & A Comedy Overture
(11) Gustav Holst - The Planets
(12) Johann Nepomuk Hummel - Piano Concertos
(13) Johann Nepomuk Hummel - Masses Vol.1
(14) Leos Janacek - Glagolitic Mass
(15) Sergey Prokofiev - Symphony No.6 & Waltz Suite
(16) Henry Purcell - Dido and Aeneas
(17) Borodin Trio - Sergei Rachmaninov, Trios elegiaque No.1 & No.2
(18) Ottorino Respighi - Belkis, Queen of Sheba & Metamorphoseon
(19) Dmitry Shostakovich - Violin Concertos (Lydia Mordkovitch)
(20) Dmitry Shostakovich - Concerto No.1 & Chamber Symphony
(21) Stanford - Songs of the Fleets & etc
(22) Richard Strauss - Der Rosenkavalier (Highlights)
(23) Tchaikovsky - Symphony No.5 (Mariss Jansons)
(24) Johann Baptist Vanhal - Symphonies
(25) Ralph Vaughan Williams - A London Symphony & etc
(26) Ralph Vaughan Williams - Film Music Vol.1
(27) William Walton - Music from the film Henry V
(28) Black **** Band - The Complete Champions
(29) The Kings Singers - Debut Album
(30) C.Ogden & A.Stephens - Music from the novels of Louis de Bernieres*

A "must have" collection for the newbie or old timer Classical music fan. It was released in 2009 and will set you back a couple of bucks more than will the EMI box, but it's worth every penny.


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## Triplets

EDaddy said:


> Fair enough. My interests span pretty far and wide, but leave of at atonal, 12-row and the like. I appreciate music from the baroque, classical and romantic periods, as well as a lot if not all neoclassical. I am a big fan of much (or in some cases most) of the music by Mozart, Bruckner, Bach, Beethoven, Dvorak, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky (pretty much all the Russians greats), Schubert, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Prokofiev, Debussy, Ravel, Sibelius, Holst, Berlioz, Chopin, Grieg, Bax, Delius, etc., etc... If it comes from the traditional "western school" of music (harmony, melody, counterpoint, cycle of fifths) chances are I either like it, love it, and want some of it (sorry! couldn't resist)... or am at least open to giving it a first listen in the event I have not heard it before.
> 
> I'm not a big fan of the music of composers like Stockhausen, Cage, Xenakis, Ligeti, nor do Schoenberg's 12-tone explorations appeal to me (however I love his Verklärte Nacht, which of course is not 12-tone oriented).
> 
> Does this help?


I didn't see Mahler listed, so I will refrain from mentioning any of thse sets. I would recommend:
Szell-Beethoven Symphonies
Leon Fleischer--Beethoven and Brahms Concertos.
Robert Casadesus/Szell-Mozart PCs
Ormandy--Tcaikovsky Box--Symphonies, Ballet Suites, Concertos. The Muti Symphony box on Warner would be good alternative.
Chopin--recommend Rubinstein very highly,Perahia much less enthusiastically
Strongly consider the Rubinstein Concerto Set and the Gary Graffman box. The Heifetz box as well.
I have the Guarneri Quartet in Mozart Chamber Music and the Quartetto Italiano in the same. Both are great.
I have the first two Mercury boxes and the Haitink "Phillips Years" boxes. Check the repertoire to see if they appeal
Gunter Wand or the DG Karajan Bruckner boxes. Szell in the Schumann Symphonies. Reiner in Richard Strauss. Martinon in Debussy.


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## Albert7

All you need is Grimaud:


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## DebussyDoesDallas

I'm a sucker too for a well-curated, well-annotated, and well-packaged box set. Boy, have I got the thing for you.

I really recommend the Music of the Enlightenment box on Harmonia Mundi, which covers late baroque through late Beethoven on 29 CDs. It is accompanied by informative notes that comprise a virtual music appreciation intro course. The selections represent the cream of the label's current crop, judiciously but not predictably selected. I've yet it listen to every single track, but so far every performance has been a winner both sonically and performance-wise, as one would expect from the label.

In terms of major composers, you'll find both warhorses as well as lesser-known pieces--for instance, an earlier Mozart quartet as well as one of his "Haydn" quartets, or Haydn piano sonatas along with the Oxford symphony, or Beethoven's 9th along with (curiously) his least well-regarded piano concerto, the 2nd, in a fabulous Paul Lewis performance. For me, these quirks make the set better than a perfunctory "Classical's greatest hits," but rather an "enlightening" (if you'll forgive me) journey through familiar and unfamiliar terrain. Beyond the household name composers, I've discovered wonderful pieces by Tartini, Schobert, Sammartini, Monn, Couperin, and Stamitz, and sundry Bach sons. In sum, a well-curated box perfect for both curious newbies and grizzled veterans.

The cheapest option might be the French Amazon, where I had it shipped stateside for a total less then buying domestically:
http://www.amazon.fr/Lumières-Musique-XVIIIème-siècle-Coffret/dp/B005BZBY1I/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1434854188&sr=8-5&keywords=music+of+the+enlightenment

But U.S. Amazon ain't bad either.
http://www.amazon.com/Music-Enlightenment-Jean-Philippe-Rameau/dp/B005BZBY1I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434854012&sr=8-1&keywords=music+of+the+enlightenment


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## Mahlerian

EDaddy said:


> I'm not a big fan of the music of composers like Stockhausen, Cage, Xenakis, Ligeti, nor do Schoenberg's 12-tone explorations appeal to me (however I love his Verklärte Nacht, which of course is not 12-tone oriented).


Those composers have next to nothing in common, so your dislike of them tells me very little about your musical tastes.

Edit: I know that might come off as snippy and probably a bit glibly simplistic, but it's true: Cage, Xenakis, Ligeti, and Schoenberg are so utterly different in methods, aims, and results that a blanket grouping of them cannot be a response to any significant element of their music.


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## techniquest

I have both the Bernstein Mahler sets (Sony and DG) and, while both have all manner of virtues and downpoints in terms of musical performance and recording, I still find the Sony set to be the most interesting. Not only do we get the very best No.3 and a far better No.8 than the DG set, but the packaging of each symphony replicates the original vinyl releases. Although this makes for some very tricky reading at times due to the obvious downsizing of each sleeve, it is fascinating.
It is also a more compact set with no jewel cases - always my preference.


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## EDaddy

SONNET CLV said:


> I remain a big fan of the big box sets and have acquired quite a few of them -- I mean, _quite_ a few. All of them contain worthwhile content, some of them can "break the bank" but are worth having for the content, several remain "steals" and one should look for the deals and snatch them up while you can.
> 
> Reviewing your musical tastes in the post #7 above, EDaddy, I can recommend the following set to you:
> 
> View attachment 71346
> 
> 
> This is a 17 CD set that runs the gamut of the 19th century from Beethoven (Piano Concerto No. 3 and Symphony No. 5) to Schoenberg's _Verklärte Nacht _-- certainly not a Schoenberg work to _work up _a non-atonalist!), and it is comprised of finely recorded full works, not excerpts (except for occasional opera highlights), performed by some of the real "biggies" in the field:
> 
> Take a look at a listing of content:
> 
> *Arriaga: Symphony in D
> Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37; Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67; Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111
> Bellini: Il Pirata - Sinfonia
> Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14
> Berwald: Symphony No. 3 in C major 'Sinfonie singulière'
> Bizet: Symphony in C
> Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15
> Bruch: Kol Nidrei, Op. 47
> Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor ed. Nowak
> Cherubini: Les Abencérages Overture
> Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21; Barcarolle in F sharp major, Op. 60
> Debussy: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
> Dukas: The Sorcerer's Apprentice
> Dvorak: Serenade for Strings in E major, Op. 22
> Elgar: Enigma Variations, Op. 36
> Fauré: Requiem, Op. 48
> Franck, C: Symphonic Variations for piano & orchestra, M46
> Glinka: Ruslan & Lyudmila Overture
> Gottschalk, L: The Union, Op. 48
> Gounod: Faust - Ballet Music
> Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16
> Hummel, J: Introduction, Theme and Variations in F minor Op. 102
> Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 2 in A major, S125; Piano Sonata in B minor, S178; Mephisto Waltz No. 1
> Mahler: Symphony No. 4
> Mendelssohn: Songs without Words, Book 1 (6), Op. 19b; Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64
> Paganini: Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major, Op. 6
> Puccini: La Bohème (highlights)
> Rimsky Korsakov: Marfa's Scene & Aria: In Novgorod from The Tsar's Bride
> Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia Overture
> Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22
> Satie: Gnossienne No. 1; Gnossienne No. 2; Gnossienne No. 3
> Schoenberg: Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4
> Schubert: Piano Quintet in A major, D667 'The Trout'; Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D759 'Unfinished'
> Schumann: Piano Quintet in E flat major, Op. 44; Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 61
> Sibelius: Lemminkäinen Suite, Op. 22: The Swan of Tuonela (No. 2)
> Smetana: Má Vlast
> Spohr: Double String Quartet No. 1 in D minor, Op. 65 (String Octet)
> Strauss, J, I: Radetsky March, Op. 228
> Strauss, J, II: Rosen aus dem Süden, Op. 388
> Strauss, R: Don Juan, Op. 20
> Tchaikovsky: Romeo & Juliet - Fantasy Overture; Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35
> Verdi: Aida (highlights)
> Wagner: Der fliegende Holländer: Overture; Lohengrin: Prelude to Act 1; Parsifal: Prelude; Siegfried Idyll
> Weber: Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in E flat Major, Op. 74; Oberon Overture
> Widor: Organ Symphony No. 5 in F minor, Op. 42 No. 1
> Wolf, H: Verborgenheit (No. 12 from Mörike-Lieder); Lebe wohl (No. 36 from Mörike-Lieder)*
> 
> You get a wide assortment of works from familiar war-horses to lesser known stuff to whet one's exploratory urges, all in good performances and great sound. And this set won't break the bank. What it will do is provide you with a life-time of great music.
> 
> I don't know how many times this was the box set I've grabbed to carry in the old Jeep when I had to take a long drive. I can generally find something of interest to pop into the CD deck no matter what my mood. (I don't often agree with Sirius Radio's choices on the single "Classical" station allowed me.)
> 
> Give this one a consideration. It's from EMI CLASSICS and was released circa 2009.
> 
> -- More info on the set here: http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/EMI/6983172


Thanks Sonnet! This sounds like a _great_ set. I will investigate. :tiphat:


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## EDaddy

Mahlerian said:


> Those composers have next to nothing in common, so your dislike of them tells me very little about your musical tastes.
> 
> Edit: I know that might come off as snippy and probably a bit glibly simplistic, but it's true: Cage, Xenakis, Ligeti, and Schoenberg are so utterly different in methods, aims, and results that a blanket grouping of them cannot be a response to any significant element of their music.


Just giving some examples of composers I don't particularly care for, M. Didn't really see a need to break it down and risk offending anyone such as yourself. I think I made it pretty clear in the previous paragraph what I like and what I don't. Perhaps if I had added descriptive-s like "avant-garde", "electronic" or "micropolyphony" that might have helped?


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## EDaddy

DebussyDoesDallas said:


> I'm a sucker too for a well-curated, well-annotated, and well-packaged box set. Boy, have I got the thing for you.
> 
> I really recommend the Music of the Enlightenment box on Harmonia Mundi, which covers late baroque through late Beethoven on 29 CDs. It is accompanied by informative notes that comprise a virtual music appreciation intro course. The selections represent the cream of the label's current crop, judiciously but not predictably selected. I've yet it listen to every single track, but so far every performance has been a winner both sonically and performance-wise, as one would expect from the label.
> 
> In terms of major composers, you'll find both warhorses as well as lesser-known pieces--for instance, an earlier Mozart quartet as well as one of his "Haydn" quartets, or Haydn piano sonatas along with the Oxford symphony, or Beethoven's 9th along with (curiously) his least well-regarded piano concerto, the 2nd, in a fabulous Paul Lewis performance. For me, these quirks make the set better than a perfunctory "Classical's greatest hits," but rather an "enlightening" (if you'll forgive me) journey through familiar and unfamiliar terrain. Beyond the household name composers, I've discovered wonderful pieces by Tartini, Schobert, Sammartini, Monn, Couperin, and Stamitz, and sundry Bach sons. In sum, a well-curated box perfect for both curious newbies and grizzled veterans.
> 
> The cheapest option might be the French Amazon, where I had it shipped stateside for a total less then buying domestically:
> http://www.amazon.fr/Lumières-Musique-XVIIIème-siècle-Coffret/dp/B005BZBY1I/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1434854188&sr=8-5&keywords=music+of+the+enlightenment
> 
> But U.S. Amazon ain't bad either.
> http://www.amazon.com/Music-Enlightenment-Jean-Philippe-Rameau/dp/B005BZBY1I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434854012&sr=8-1&keywords=music+of+the+enlightenment


Wow that sounds fantastic, DDD, and like something that is right up my alley! Definitely a top contender from the sounds of it. Clicking the links you provided... _now_. :tiphat:

(DebussyDoesDallas. Lol Good one!)


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## EDaddy

Triplets said:


> I didn't see Mahler listed, so I will refrain from mentioning any of thse sets. I would recommend:
> Szell-Beethoven Symphonies
> Leon Fleischer--Beethoven and Brahms Concertos.
> Robert Casadesus/Szell-Mozart PCs
> Ormandy--Tcaikovsky Box--Symphonies, Ballet Suites, Concertos. The Muti Symphony box on Warner would be good alternative.
> Chopin--recommend Rubinstein very highly,Perahia much less enthusiastically
> Strongly consider the Rubinstein Concerto Set and the Gary Graffman box. The Heifetz box as well.
> I have the Guarneri Quartet in Mozart Chamber Music and the Quartetto Italiano in the same. Both are great.
> I have the first two Mercury boxes and the Haitink "Phillips Years" boxes. Check the repertoire to see if they appeal
> Gunter Wand or the DG Karajan Bruckner boxes. Szell in the Schumann Symphonies. Reiner in Richard Strauss. Martinon in Debussy.


Yeah not a big Mahler fan. I have some well-regarded Mahler to be sure, all good and well... just don't go there that often. I'm a huge Wand fan for both Beethoven and Bruckner's symphonic works; and Karajan as well. A lot of good suggestions here. Thx!


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## Brouken Air

I am not a big fan of big boxes, but this one is a jewel!


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## Albert7

"Miss Sexy" pianist delivering the goodies with Abbado dude on da mic on a few discs:


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## Templeton

Full cycles of Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner and Schubert. Additional recordings of Tchaikovsky, Debussy, Mozart, Mussorgsky, Schumann and Stravinsky, amongst others, on twenty-seven CDs.

Great recordings, without fail, and in the UK, often available for less than £25. Wonderful value and gorgeous to listen to.


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## SONNET CLV

Albert7 said:


> "Miss Sexy" pianist delivering the goodies with Abbado dude on da mic on a few discs:


Argerich is even sexier looking nowadays!









Which has nothing to do with why I have collected nearly every recording she has made.


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## Lord Lance

SONNET CLV said:


> Argerich is even sexier looking nowadays!
> 
> View attachment 71475
> 
> 
> Which has nothing to do with why I have collected nearly every recording she has made.


Well, a fellow connoisseur of Mature women.

I will recommend Furtwangler - The Legacy to any barely-interested in classical music person. Absolutely necessary to fully understand why this legendary man influenced every conductor of his generation and every since and left such an inimitable legacy behind.


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## DavidA

one of the best value boxes I have bought. You get Karajan's 1970s sets of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Schumann, Bruckner, etc.. Fantastic!


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## starthrower

I can't help you, as my favorite boxes are by the composers you don't care for.


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## EDaddy

Lord Lance said:


> Well, a fellow connoisseur of Mature women.
> 
> I will recommend Furtwangler - The Legacy to any barely-interested in classical music person. Absolutely necessary to fully understand why this legendary man influenced every conductor of his generation and every since and left such an inimitable legacy behind.


How do the recordings of this box sound, LL? (Understanding they are vintage recordings)


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## Cosmos

If you like Romantic piano music, you can't go wrong with Medtner's Complete Piano Sonatas, with Marc Andre Hamelin, issued by Hyperion Records. Includes all 14 of Medtner's piano sonatas, and the two sets of Forgotten Melodies [which are each book-ended by a piano sonata, and each piece in the suites are like preludes based off of the material in the corresponding sonatas]










Fantastic album. My opinions of Hamelin's interpretations are all subjunctive, but I overall love the set. It's especially good because, being a "complete" set, it has some rare works, like the first piano sonata in f minor. My only gripe is kind of silly, and that's the fact that the set also includes op. 8, two skazki, and they're more filler than anything. I'm sure you'd hear the same ones on Hyperion's companion set: Medtner's Complete Skazki, with Hamelin. I haven't heard it so I can't vouch for it. But this set is definitely a keeper


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## Lord Lance

EDaddy said:


> How do the recordings of this box sound, LL? (Understanding they are vintage recordings)


Very variable. Of the few I have heard, some can be horrid and some can be very good. None are the best - but that shouldn't surprise anyone as this is a budget box set, not a dedicated remastering project. For his Bruckner, try the M&A-I have heard it is of a good quality, better than the _Legacy _remastering most likely. For his Beethoven, the war time recordings set by M&A is excellent starting point. Better yet, get those Pristine Classical and Furtwangler society reissues. Avoid major label releases: DG, EMI and even Andromeda.

I know it's not much but I ain't no Herr Furtwangler expert.


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## EDaddy

Ok... I have read everyone's suggestions and, while in a perfect world I would want to acquire at least most of them, alas, I had to narrow it down. I admitedly went a little box crazy. Here's what I got and/or ordered:















Bought these and the Complete Shostakovitch Symphonic works on Naxos (Vols. 1 & 2) in used but mint condition from McKays here in Nashville. I got both volumes for $8 a piece... mint! A lot to absorb here; looking very forward.

And I just ordered the Berliner Philharmoniker Centenary Edition - 100 Years of Great Recordings (1913-2013) [50 CD Box Set], Music of The Enlightenment and The 30 Years of Chandos.

Now I will need to work overtime for the next 3 weeks solid. 

Thanks all, for your thoughtful suggestions!


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## Lord Lance

EDaddy said:


> Ok... I have read everyone's suggestions and, while in a perfect world I would want to acquire at least most of them, alas, I had to narrow it down. I admitedly went a little box crazy. Here's what I got and/or ordered:
> 
> View attachment 71529
> View attachment 71530
> 
> 
> Bought these and the Complete Shostakovitch Symphonic works on Naxos (Vols. 1 & 2) in used but mint condition from McKays here in Nashville. I got both volumes for $8 a piece... mint! A lot to absorb here; looking very forward.
> 
> And I just ordered the Berliner Philharmoniker Centenary Edition - 100 Years of Great Recordings (1913-2013) [50 CD Box Set], Music of The Enlightenment and The 30 Years of Chandos.
> 
> Now I will need to work overtime for the next 3 weeks solid.
> 
> Thanks all, for your thoughtful suggestions!


Remember when you want to _truly _embrace your inner batshit insanity, surf Spotify. See the fireworks. You will hear bells and whistles and horns in a dark room alone. You will lose all control of self and go on a playlist spree. God help me, God help my soul.


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## Albert7

Lord Lance said:


> Remember when you want to _truly _embrace your inner batshit insanity, surf Spotify. See the fireworks. You will hear bells and whistles and horns in a dark room alone. You will lose all control of self and go on a playlist spree. God help me, God help my soul.


Wow I am very impressed by your comment. You should check out Tristan und Isolde with the way you hear music.


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## Lord Lance

Albert7 said:


> Wow I am very impressed by your comment. You should check out Tristan und Isolde with the way you hear music.


I am not sure anymore. Is that a compliment?


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## Albert7

Lord Lance said:


> I am not sure anymore. Is that a compliment?


Two thumbs up. You know me.


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## Lord Lance

Albert7 said:


> Two thumbs up. You know me.


Your comments regarding me completely confusing me. You are condescending at once, mocking me or having fun at my expense and on the other all friendly-friendly and supportive. Damn it, Alfie!

Thank you for the compliment.


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## Albert7

Lord Lance said:


> Your comments regarding me completely confusing me. You are condescending at once, mocking me or having fun at my expense and on the other all friendly-friendly and supportive. Damn it, Alfie!
> 
> Thank you for the compliment.


No problem. I am a dude of many literary tropes.


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## Lord Lance

Albert7 said:


> No problem. I am a dude of many literary tropes.


They weren't "literary tropes". I know tropes. They _weren't _tropes.


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## Albert7

Lord Lance said:


> They weren't "literary tropes". I know tropes. They _weren't _tropes.


Sorry sorry it was antelope.


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## EDaddy

Albert7 said:


> Sorry sorry it was antelope.


Ok love birds. Get a room!
It's getting to be a real BROmance fest in here. :lol:

(As you were)


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## EDaddy

Lord Lance said:


> Remember when you want to _truly _embrace your inner batshit insanity, surf Spotify. See the fireworks. You will hear bells and whistles and horns in a dark room alone. You will lose all control of self and go on a playlist spree. God help me, God help my soul.


Yeah, Spotify is pretty awesome for the fans. Too bad it is at the expense of the artist/writer/composer. A lot of people don't realize that.


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## MrTortoise

EDaddy said:


> Ok... I have read everyone's suggestions and, while in a perfect world I would want to acquire at least most of them, alas, I had to narrow it down. I admitedly went a little box crazy. Here's what I got and/or ordered:
> 
> View attachment 71529
> View attachment 71530
> 
> 
> Bought these and the Complete Shostakovitch Symphonic works on Naxos (Vols. 1 & 2) in used but mint condition from McKays here in Nashville. I got both volumes for $8 a piece... mint! A lot to absorb here; looking very forward.
> 
> And I just ordered the Berliner Philharmoniker Centenary Edition - 100 Years of Great Recordings (1913-2013) [50 CD Box Set], Music of The Enlightenment and The 30 Years of Chandos.
> 
> Now I will need to work overtime for the next 3 weeks solid.
> 
> Thanks all, for your thoughtful suggestions!


Nice snag from McKay's. I finished ripping my last haul from McKay's a few days ago and all the discs were perfect. It is a great place to pick up classical music.


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## Centropolis

DavidA said:


> View attachment 71477
> 
> 
> one of the best value boxes I have bought. You get Karajan's 1970s sets of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Schumann, Bruckner, etc.. Fantastic!


I was reading through this thread and if no one mentioned this, I was gonna say that its a must buy if you don't have much Karajan recordings. USD$44 for this box of 38 CDs. Best value right now.

If I didn't already have half of these recordings separately, I would have bought it too.


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## techniquest

> Bought these and the Complete Shostakovitch Symphonic works on Naxos (Vols. 1 & 2) in used but mint condition from McKays here in Nashville. I got both volumes for $8 a piece... mint! A lot to absorb here; looking very forward.


Who's the orchestra & conductor for these Naxos volumes?


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## Lord Lance

EDaddy said:


> Ok love birds. Get a room!
> It's getting to be a real BROmance fest in here. :lol:
> 
> (As you were)


Bros forever, EDaddy.


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## Lord Lance

*Perhaps not...*



EDaddy said:


> Yeah, Spotify is pretty awesome for the fans. Too bad it is at the expense of the artist/writer/composer. A lot of people don't realize that.


Yeah, too bad for Bohm, oh no wait he's dead. Karajan? Also dead. I know - Haitink. He's pretty close to death....

I am morally fine too since all of my favorite artists - conductors, pianists, cellists and violinists - are dead and the orchestral members of the time are also dead.


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## Albert7

Lord Lance said:


> Yeah, too bad for Bohm, oh no wait he's dead. Karajan? Also dead. I know - Haitink. He's pretty close to death....
> 
> I am morally fine too since all of my favorite artists - conductors, pianists, cellists and violinists - are dead and the orchestral members of the time are also dead.


Lance, don't forget that even if the conductor or performer their estate still gets paid for the works if bought, etc. Spotify is terrible for payment so hopefully Apple Music will pay the artist properly this time around.


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## Lord Lance

Albert7 said:


> Lance, don't forget that even if the conductor or performer their estate still gets paid for the works if bought, etc. Spotify is terrible for payment so hopefully Apple Music will pay the artist properly this time around.


I, uh, don't care for their second generation successors. If they are reliant on their grandfather's or great-grandfather's or father's income as primary income source, perhaps, they should re-think on their life decisions. Widows? Perhaps for them. Buh, eh!


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## Morimur

From my experience the smaller box sets are of better quality.

Examples:


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## EDaddy

Lord Lance said:


> Yeah, too bad for Bohm, oh no wait he's dead. Karajan? Also dead. I know - Haitink. He's pretty close to death....
> 
> I am morally fine too since all of my favorite artists - conductors, pianists, cellists and violinists - are dead and the orchestral members of the time are also dead.


Yeah, for classical composers in the grave it's all good, although A7 does make a good point. For the rest of the starving artists out there it is a travesty. Oh well... I guess that's why God made Raman Noodles! (or was it man? I always get the two mixed up these days!) :lol:


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## EDaddy

SONNET CLV said:


> A second box set to complement that set I listed in post #10 above is from CHANDOS -- the MILESTONES collection "30 Years of Chandos".
> 
> View attachment 71348
> 
> 
> When I didn't take the EMI "19th Century Masterpieces" box on my travels, I had with me this Chandos collection, 30 CDs of mostly Romantic style music with a few exceptions thrown in. All good stuff.
> 
> Here's what to expect:
> 
> *(01) Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni - Oboe Concertos
> (02) Arnold Bax - Symphony No.4 & Tintagel
> (03) Lili Boulanger - Choral Works
> (04) Frederic Chopin - etudes (Louis Lortie)
> (05) Frederick Delius - Sea Drift & Songs of Farewell & Songs of Sunset
> (06) Edward Elgar - Salut d'Amour & other Elgar favourites (Nigel Kennedy)
> (07) Grainger - The Grainger Edition Vol.1 - Orchestral Works
> (08) Grechaninov - Passion Week
> (09) Handel - Chandos Anthems Vol.1
> (10) Hamilton Harty - An Irish Symphony & A Comedy Overture
> (11) Gustav Holst - The Planets
> (12) Johann Nepomuk Hummel - Piano Concertos
> (13) Johann Nepomuk Hummel - Masses Vol.1
> (14) Leos Janacek - Glagolitic Mass
> (15) Sergey Prokofiev - Symphony No.6 & Waltz Suite
> (16) Henry Purcell - Dido and Aeneas
> (17) Borodin Trio - Sergei Rachmaninov, Trios elegiaque No.1 & No.2
> (18) Ottorino Respighi - Belkis, Queen of Sheba & Metamorphoseon
> (19) Dmitry Shostakovich - Violin Concertos (Lydia Mordkovitch)
> (20) Dmitry Shostakovich - Concerto No.1 & Chamber Symphony
> (21) Stanford - Songs of the Fleets & etc
> (22) Richard Strauss - Der Rosenkavalier (Highlights)
> (23) Tchaikovsky - Symphony No.5 (Mariss Jansons)
> (24) Johann Baptist Vanhal - Symphonies
> (25) Ralph Vaughan Williams - A London Symphony & etc
> (26) Ralph Vaughan Williams - Film Music Vol.1
> (27) William Walton - Music from the film Henry V
> (28) Black **** Band - The Complete Champions
> (29) The Kings Singers - Debut Album
> (30) C.Ogden & A.Stephens - Music from the novels of Louis de Bernieres*
> 
> A "must have" collection for the newbie or old timer Classical music fan. It was released in 2009 and will set you back a couple of bucks more than will the EMI box, but it's worth every penny.


Sadly, this Chandos set is no longer available, and so far the used copies I'm finding are offensively over-priced. So I settled for this instead:


photo hosting

It just arrived today. Not too shabby a set to have to settle for! Looking forward to much fresh listening from days gone by. While I already have five or six titles in the set, most I have never heard before so I am pretty pumped.

Still going to see if I can hunt down some obscure website that may still have a new copy of the Chandos box in stock. If you or anyone on the board happens to know of or stumble across a copy (preferably a new one), please let me know. If it's used, in "like new" condition and the price is right, I may consider that route too.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Morimur said:


> From my experience the smaller box sets are of better quality.
> 
> Examples:


I wish there were more Boulez boxes of his earlier recordings more easily available. Those are some of his best recordings.


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## Saintbert

There's rarely a box set I can't get enough of. To be honest, most are too much. But quite recently, the Archiv Produktion/Universal set of Karl Richter's Bach recordings ("Revealing Bach") has been a favourite of mine. I wasn't familiar with Richter's output, I was with most of Bach but it's a great acquitance and a wide selection of one composer's works in one place.


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## PeterF

I have quite a number of box sets. A major reason I have acquired many of them is the excellent value of getting a lot of wonderful music at a bargain price. This is particularly true for the 14 Sony box sets I have. Among my favorite Sony Boxes:
Casadesus plays Mozart
Serkin play Beethoven
Rubinstein plays Chopin
Rubinstein plays Brahms
Bruno Walter / Mozart

The larger box sets on EMI by Oistrakh and by Jochum are also favorites.

On DG I especially like :
Kempff - Schubert
Gulda - Mozart
Amadeus String Quartet - Brahms
Jochum - Haydn

RCA - Buchbinder - Beethoven piano Sonatas

These are just some of my favorites


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## Albert7

The complete Warner records for Helene Grimaud are priceless to me.


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## Lord Lance

Albert7 said:


> The complete Warner records for Helene Grimaud are priceless to me.


Are you sure you aren't just falling in love with her? _For realsies? _


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## Steatopygous

Oh dear. I have come late to this thread, but I LOVE box sets because they contain so much music, while taking up relatively little space on the shelf, compared with jewel cases. My wife is justifiably irritated that there are now a couple of thousand CDs making a mountain on coffee tables, around bookcases, on my desk etc.Not as bad as it sounds because many are boxes. 
Here are the sets I have acquired this year, minimum 5 CDs:
Sviatoslav Richter complete Decca, DG, Philips recordings, 51 CDs. An absolute gem
Kyung Wha Chung complete Decca, 19 CDs. Very fine.
Haydn, the complete Masses, 8 CDs, which someone mentioned earlier.
The Argerich/Abbado concertos (5 CDs), also already cited.
Boulez 20th century works on DG, 44 CDs
Decca, the Mono years, 1944-56, 53 CDs. 
Emma Kirkby, the complete recitals, 12 CDs
Igo Pogorelich, complete recordings, 14 CDs
Scriabin, complete works, 18 CDs. It really surprised me how much I liked this.
Anne-Sophie von Otter, 10 Classic Albums, 10 CDs
Haydn, sym 1-75, 94, 96, 104 - Hogwood, AAM, 32 CDs
Maria Joao Pires, complete concerto recordings, 5 CDs
Piano, the legendary recordings (DG), 40 CDs
Vivaldi, AAM Hogwood, 20 CDs. Have not listened to this, so over Vivaldi, I fear.
Perlman, complete DG recordings, 25 CDs
Boulez, Le Domaine musical, 10 CDs
Karajan, the complete opera recordings on DG, 70 CDs, brilliant but alas without the superb 50s sets
Karl Bohm, late recordings, 23 CDs.
That's 2015 so far. I could recommend all of these sets, apart from Vivaldi (through no fault of Hogwood's). Some are just the record companies mining their archives, but even so are really worthwhile. Boulez and Scriabin had the most stuff new to me, and I warmly recommend them. I only knew half a dozen Scriabin works. The early stuff is pretty, Chopin-derivative, the late stuff is mad and fascinating and often lovely.


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## Albert7

Lord Lance said:


> Are you sure you aren't just falling in love with her? _For realsies? _


Ummmmmmm no. After that last night where you acclaimed du Pre as violinist I really don't know what to say.


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## Lord Lance

Albert7 said:


> Ummmmmmm no. After that last night where you acclaimed du Pre as violinist I really don't know what to say.


Hey, humans make mistake. Part of being a human. I was eating at the time, anyway. Not perfect thinking capacity. Still, I know you fawn over Taylor Swift and Grimaud for now.


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## Albert7

Albert7 said:


> The complete Warner records for Helene Grimaud are priceless to me.


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## Steatopygous

EDaddy said:


> Sadly, this Chandos set is no longer available, and so far the used copies I'm finding are offensively over-priced. So I settled for this instead:
> 
> 
> photo hosting
> 
> It just arrived today. Not too shabby a set to have to settle for! Looking forward to much fresh listening from days gone by. While I already have five or six titles in the set, most I have never heard before so I am pretty pumped.
> 
> Still going to see if I can hunt down some obscure website that may still have a new copy of the Chandos box in stock. If you or anyone on the board happens to know of or stumble across a copy (preferably a new one), please let me know. If it's used, in "like new" condition and the price is right, I may consider that route too.


Well, I warmly endorse both sets. Pretty different. Lots of Reiner, Heifetz etc on RCA, which is essential if you don't already have it. Really good collection. But so is the Chandos. I have both, but because the RCA arrived more recently (I bought it from Import CDs) I have been listening to it. The Chandos has some great CDs if you don't already have them, eg the Hough Hummel piano concertos.


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## CDs

One box set that falls short in presentation and content is the *Murray Perahia "Complete Mozart Piano Concertos*" on Sony. It comes with no booklet which in my opinion is a huge disappointment. From a music standpoint the set is fantastic!
I like the *Karl Bohm "Late Recording"* set on DG nice sturdy box with booklet and a great array of composers.


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## Jeffrey Smith

CDs said:


> One box set that falls short in presentation and content is the *Murray Perahia "Complete Mozart Piano Concertos*" on Sony. It comes with no booklet which in my opinion is a huge disappointment. From a music standpoint the set is fantastic!
> I like the *Karl Bohm "Late Recording"* set on DG nice sturdy box with booklet and a great array of composers.


Did you get the newer superbudget set? That series always comes without a book.

But the Perahia box to get is


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## Pugg

CDs said:


> One box set that falls short in presentation and content is the *Murray Perahia "Complete Mozart Piano Concertos*" on Sony. It comes with no booklet which in my opinion is a huge disappointment. From a music standpoint the set is fantastic!
> I like the *Karl Bohm "Late Recording"* set on DG nice sturdy box with booklet and a great array of composers.


I do have the first release in a box set and there is a ( small) book in it, tracks and a little background .


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## CDs

Jeffrey Smith said:


> Did you get the newer superbudget set? That series always comes without a book.
> 
> But the Perahia box to get is


Yeah I think I did get the Super budget one it was around $20. I'll have to look up the other box set you mentioned. Thanks!


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## Vaneyes

I hope OPie EDaddy is okay. He hasn't posted since early February 2016.

Some boxes (3 or more CDs), JS Bach with GG, various concerti with Argerich, LvB Sonatas with Gulda, LvB SQs with ESQ, Hindemith with Blomstedt, R. Strauss with HvK, Brahms with HvK, LvB with HvK (DG 60's), Mompou with Mompou, Severac with Ciccolini, Schubert with Muti, Tchaikovsky with Philharmonia/Muti, Mahler with LB (Sony), Bruckner with Jochum (DG).:tiphat:


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## amfortas

I'm poor, so I'm big on the box sets. Really love my Solti Strauss operas.


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## bz3

Pinnock/Vivaldi and Gardiner/Bach Cantatas are 2 sets I return to often. To pick a 3rd because I like the number 3, Reiner's RCA album collection is good. I would like to find some half-decent box to kick off an interest in medieval and early music but have done little research myself. Anyone want to help?


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## Pugg

amfortas said:


> I'm poor, so I'm big on the box sets. Really love my Solti Strauss operas.


Maybe poor but excellen taste .:tiphat:


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## Pugg

Vaneyes said:


> I hope OPie EDaddy is okay. He hasn't posted since early February 2016.
> 
> Some boxes (3 or more CDs), JS Bach with GG, various concerti with Argerich, LvB Sonatas with Gulda, LvB SQs with ESQ, Hindemith with Blomstedt, R. Strauss with HvK, Brahms with HvK, LvB with HvK (DG 60's), Mompou with Mompou, Severac with Ciccolini, Schubert with Muti, Tchaikovsky with Philharmonia/Muti, Mahler with LB (Sony), Bruckner with Jochum (DG).:tiphat:


If I remember correctly he took a break from the site for his own good


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## Triplets

I see that the Previn Vaughn Williams cycle has been released by Sony. I actually owned these on cassette. I am sure the Sony remastering will beat the knickers off of that!


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## Mal

Triplets said:


> I see that the Previn Vaughn Williams cycle has been released by Sony. I actually owned these on cassette. I am sure the Sony remastering will beat the knickers off of that!


Really? They destroyed Walter's version of Beethoven's Pastoral in the latest remastering. Plus see what "the experts" have to say about Sony's latest remastering of Walter's Mozart on amazon.com. You might wish you'd kept your cassettes. Certainly the Beethoven debacle has made me mistrust any new remastering, I'll now only buy after a considered listen.


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## Pugg

Mal said:


> Really? They destroyed Walter's version of Beethoven's Pastoral in the latest remastering. Plus see what "the experts" have to say about Sony's latest remastering of Walter's Mozart on amazon.com. You might wish you'd kept your cassettes. Certainly the Beethoven debacle has made me mistrust any new remastering, I'll now only buy after a considered listen.


Are you going to stream first then?


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## Reichstag aus LICHT

amfortas said:


> Really love my Solti Strauss operas.


That particular set has to be one of the best ever; consistently excellent, often "demonstration-class" recordings brought together in one bumper bundle. And what singers, too!


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## Pugg

Reichstag aus LICHT said:


> That particular set has to be one of the best ever; consistently excellent, often "demonstration-class" recordings brought together in one bumper bundle. And what singers, too!


That's so true, apart from the Solti haters though.


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## SixFootScowl

Some box sets to contemplate as discussed in this article.


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## Ralphus

The Harmonia Mundi "Lumieres" set has been mentioned and I would second that as an exceptional overview of the era with excellent performances throughout.

I have many of the DG Collector's Edition sets as well as the Sony Masters sets and find that they are outstanding ways of covering complete repertoire in fine performances. Indeed, some are outright superb!

Some others that are meaningful to me are:

Latin America Alive (Mata/Bolivar Venezuela) [Dorian]
Mahler Symphonies (Abbado/Chicago/Vienna) [Universal Korea]
Prokofiev Symphonies (Kitaenko/Gurzenich) [Phoenix]
Bach Sacred Masterpieces (Gardiner) [Archiv]
Haydn Complete String Quartets (Aeolian) [Decca]

The Mata set features excellent performances of Villa-Lobos, Chavez, Orbon, Ginastera, and de Falla in great sound. Incredible value. I have a soft spot for Abbado's first near-complete Mahler cycle as some of the performances were the first I heard of certain of the symphonies (2, 6, 9). The Korean release is better than the standard DG release because it restores the original--and far superior--Chicago 2 to the set, instead of the strangely chosen Vienna 2, which wasn't part of the original cycle. It also restores the original peacock feather artwork. I honestly believe that several of these performances are genuinely first-rate (2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10 Adagio). The Kitaenko Prokofiev is, I believe, the number one Prokofiev set. The Bach Gardiner set is great value with way too much wonderful music to listen to  ! I had always wanted a Haydn String Quartet set but never dreamed of being able to afford one. I finally splashed out, so it's a special box in my collection. Now for the symphonies...(Fischer? Hogwood/Dantone? Davies/Stuttgart? ye olde favourite, Dorati?)


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## Mal

CDs said:


> Yeah I think I did get the Super budget one it was around $20. I'll have to look up the other box set you mentioned. Thanks!


I also have the original set, which comes with a booklet:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/moz...ertos-murray-perahia/11421555#productInfoTabs


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