# Reboot your Classical Collection



## bz3 (Oct 15, 2015)

I know many of us are collectors as well as fans, it's just the nature of the genre. This thread is for anyone interested in what other collectors feel would be a good starting point to a collection for all genres and eras of classical music. Opera, chamber, orchestral, songs - choose whatever it is you like most and whomever you want to recommend. The idea, though, is to recommend sets or cycles of works - I became interested in creating this thread after reading the various recommendations for JS Bach Collection thread (which contains many I've never heard!).

The only parameter I'll set for this thread is that you limit your recommendations to 5 items. For example, I'll start:

Bernstein Symphony Edition

Richter on Piano Decca/Phillips/DG

Bach Sacred Works by Gardiner

Oistrakh Complete EMI Recordings

Reiner Complete RCA Recordings


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I'm thinking most collectors are not going to have this kind of disposable income. 

Far better to get a little at a time and absorb each CD before moving on to the next. I have no room to talk though.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I am more focused into certain areas of the entire classical music realm.


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## bz3 (Oct 15, 2015)

Weston said:


> I'm thinking most collectors are not going to have this kind of disposable income.
> 
> Far better to get a little at a time and absorb each CD before moving on to the next. I have no room to talk though.


Yeah the Bernstein is absurdly priced but I think the others are reasonable and well worth it. Much as I like Bernstein I don't own that set, but I do own his NYPO Mahler, Haydn, Beethoven, etc. that are in there. Fabulous work from such diverse composers.

I'm considering an opera box set. I get that going one by one is probably a better way to do it but I like to jump in with both feet and am not as married individual interpretations except in my very favorite works - in which case I'd generally purchase a number of interpretations regardless.


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## bz3 (Oct 15, 2015)

And by all means, if you'd reboot your collection with 5 single works by a certain interpreter please post them. I included only large sets but I didn't mean for that to be the only thing anyone chose. Maybe some people feel a certain Mahler cycle is best to start a collection, or Gould's Golbergs, or a disc of 20th century violin concertos.

I'm not exclusionary!


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I would start a collection with the nine symphonies of Beethoven. Handel's Messiah is also essential in my opinion. Beyond that one could go just about anywhere, but should also include some opera, piano sonatas, violin concertos, a mass...


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## Vronsky (Jan 5, 2015)

Ravel: The Complete Edition/Decca
The Debussy Edition/Deutsche Grammophon
Works of Igor Stravinsky/Sony or Stravinsky: Complete Edition/Deutsche Grammophon
Mahler Complete Symphonies by Bernstein (Carnegie Hall Presents)/Sony
Berlioz Complete Orchestral Works by Sir Colin Davis/Philips or Hector Berlioz Edition by Eliahu Inbal/Brilliant Classics
Mozart Complete Sacred Music by Harnoncourt/Warner Classics & Jazz


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Sell/Cleveland Beethoven Symphonies
Szell- Fleischer Beethoven and Brahms Concertos
Bruno Walter--Mahler set (Sony)
Ormandy/Philadelphia Tchaikovsky box (Sony--Symphonies, Ballets, 1812, Capriccio Italian, etc)
Berland/Bournemouth Sibelius Cycle

all of these are routinely available for under $20 each on Amazon. I'll cheat and add a 6th--Rubinstein's Chopin on Sony/RCA, 10 discs for $12 + shipping


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Can I just pass on this one


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## bz3 (Oct 15, 2015)

Triplets said:


> Sell/Cleveland Beethoven Symphonies
> Szell- Fleischer Beethoven and Brahms Concertos
> Bruno Walter--Mahler set (Sony)
> Ormandy/Philadelphia Tchaikovsky box (Sony--Symphonies, Ballets, 1812, Capriccio Italian, etc)
> ...


Does the Szell/Fleischer all sound like this? I've seen it recommended frequently but it's an old recording and as such I have avoided it. I'm not one to refuse interpretations solely on the grounds of sound but that link is very crackly, which is more than a minor irritant to me. Is this basically what it sounds like on disc but with a better bitrate?

Also, and speaking of quality, how is the Walter Mahler cycle in terms of quality? I think the Bernstein/Mahler Sony cycle is well done in remasters, but the Walter Beethoven is more a thing of casual interest to me. I'm somewhat interested in Walter's Mahler for the historical aspect of it, but I hesitate because of the sound.


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## bz3 (Oct 15, 2015)

Pugg said:


> Can I just pass on this one


Afraid not, you won't be allowed. Surely you have an opera or two you'd think would be indispensable to a new listener. I want to know them!


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## Bruckner Anton (Mar 10, 2016)

Big box sets on performers:
1. Karajan complete DG opera recordings
2. Haitink the Philips years
3. Beaux arts trio complete Philips recordings
4. Quartetto Italiano complete Philips & Decca recordings
5. S.Richter complete Decca, Philips & DG recordings

Collector edition on composers:
1. Philips complete Mozart edition 
2. Teldec complete Bach edition
3. DG complete Beethoven edition
4. DG complete Brahms edition
5. Philips Wagner Bayreuther Festspiele edition


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

bz3 said:


> Afraid not, you won't be allowed. Surely you have an opera or two you'd think would be indispensable to a new listener. I want to know them!


Fair enough.
In no particular order:



Philips box, something for everyone .



Mercury box, outstanding.



Leonard Bernstein, I do like the first box but this one I choose










Decca; Classic recital discs










Last but not least: Verdi complete operas​


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

bz3 said:


> Does the Szell/Fleischer all sound like this? I've seen it recommended frequently but it's an old recording and as such I have avoided it. I'm not one to refuse interpretations solely on the grounds of sound but that link is very crackly, which is more than a minor irritant to me. Is this basically what it sounds like on disc but with a better bitrate?
> 
> Also, and speaking of quality, how is the Walter Mahler cycle in terms of quality? I think the Bernstein/Mahler Sony cycle is well done in remasters, but the Walter Beethoven is more a thing of casual interest to me. I'm somewhat interested in Walter's Mahler for the historical aspect of it, but I hesitate because of the sound.


I wouldn't take Walter's Mahler set to reboot a collection because it's missing several symphonies (including the Sixth, which Walter reportedly disliked), but if you're interested in Mahler interpretation, you should definitely check it out (and Mengelberg's _extremely_ idiosyncratic Fourth as well).


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## manyene (Feb 7, 2015)

Compared with say 25 years ago, starting a large CD collection from scratch is a relatively inexpensive matter, and integral box sets by composer is the way to begin, taking a little at a time to avoid being swamped. Best to shop around to get the cheapest prices after doing some research on the performances themelves.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Weston said:


> I'm thinking most collectors are not going to have this kind of disposable income.
> 
> Far better to get a little at a time and absorb each CD before moving on to the next. I have no room to talk though.


Much better yes. I tend to bring 3 to maybe 8 CD's on vacations and I always develop musical bonds this way.

But personally, my CD situation is an absolute mess. I'm on youtube these days, mostly. Fortunately the desktop is connected to living room speakers and I can get away from the screen completely to listen.

An older friend of mine recently purchased a victrola and I have to admit, it's really fun to listen to music on those.


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