# "Complete Works"



## MattTheTubaGuy

on Boxing day (the day after Christmas), I went shopping, because everything is on special (particularly Christmas stuff). I got some christmas lights really cheap, but I also got Beethoven's Complete Works in a box set with 87 CD's.
I got it _*really*_ cheap, just $12.50 NZD (about $9.40 US, or 7.1 Euro!), but it's usual price of $50 NZD is still really good.
I have listened to some of the CD's, and the quality varies. The 1st symphony misses out the first few seconds, but everything else I have listened to so far has been pretty good.

this box set was produced by Cascade Medien Productions in Germany.

has anyone seen anything like this before? 
I looked on the internet, and there is Mozart (170 CD's!), Brahms, plus a couple others.

has anyone seen any other composers like Tchaikovsky?


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## JSK

Brilliant Classics has put out some supposedly pretty good sets of the complete works of Brahms, Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, Bach, Corelli, and Tallis as well as a 150 CD set of Haydn.

I have the Beethoven and Mozart boxes. I haven't listened to all of either, but they are excellent value.


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## emiellucifuge

theres a complete works of Varese by Chailly and the RCO


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## Manxfeeder

emiellucifuge said:


> theres a complete works of Varese by Chailly and the RCO


That's a great recording, although it's not "complete" in that it leaves out sketches for his last piece, but that's quibbling.

Boulez has released the complete works of Anton Webern on his Webern 2000 box set.


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## Yoshi

How did you get that for only 7 €?! That's impossible 
I only found a box set for Beethoven's complete works in a store once and it was 100€. Too much for me so I didn't buy it.


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## chung

MattTheTubaGuy said:


> on Boxing day (the day after Christmas), I went shopping, because everything is on special (particularly Christmas stuff). I got some christmas lights really cheap, but I also got Beethoven's Complete Works in a box set with 87 CD's.
> I got it _*really*_ cheap, just $12.50 NZD (about $9.40 US, or 7.1 Euro!), but it's usual price of $50 NZD is still really good.
> I have listened to some of the CD's, and the quality varies. The 1st symphony misses out the first few seconds, but everything else I have listened to so far has been pretty good.
> 
> this box set was produced by Cascade Medien Productions in Germany.
> 
> has anyone seen anything like this before?
> I looked on the internet, and there is Mozart (170 CD's!), Brahms, plus a couple others.
> 
> has anyone seen any other composers like Tchaikovsky?


I have Brilliant Classics' "complete" set of Beethoven (85 CDs) and that company also put out the sets of Mozart (170 CDs) and Brahms that you mention.

I suppose that the only good thing about the set by Cascade that you got is that it's extremely cheap. Most of the recordings are reissued from existing recordings (some from Naxos, a few from Vox, at least one from Decca and others from no-name or fly-by-night labels). However there are problems as you mention (and not just clipping the first few seconds of Symphony No. 1). The biggest problem is that the music has been spread out quite haphazardly on the CDs following the symphonies and concertos (e.g. the piano sonatas do not occupy a coherent whole, with at least one piano sonata being found on the 85th CD next to some songs and miscellanea. In another instance Piano Trios Nos. 5 and 7 are on CDs 44 and 45 respectively but Piano Trio No. 6 is on CD 84. You get the sense that the producers were amateurs and freaked out when they realized that they almost forgot to include a piece and just put it on the next CD in line to be filled).

See this discussion for comments including the technical screw-ups (including how a movement of one of the piano sonatas seems to have been left out of the set altogether).

http://www.forum-lvbeethoven.com/Forum//read.php?20,7621,page=1

Another matter is the provenance and nature of the compilation itself (outside the strange sequencing of the music). For example, the symphonies are played by various ensembles, some of which are of uncertain origin (e.g. "Eugen Duvier" is almost certainly a pseudonym, while I have found out in a discussion on Bruckner's symphonies that the "Suddeutsche Philharmonie" very probably refers to a pick-up band of the 1970s consisting of performers from the Bamberg Symphony and Czech Philharmonic Orchestras. The piano concertos and piano sonatas have a similar make-up, employing different performers (e.g. the piano sonatas are a hodgepodge from a performance point of view since the recordings with Richter are live, while the others are in studio with competent but rather unremarkable performances (i.e. Sylvia Capova, Dubravka Tomisic)).

In general, most of the performances include lower-profile artists or even "ghost artists", but there are a few decent or at least recognizable names (e.g. Kodaly Quartet, Anton Nanut, Michael Gielen, Christian Tetzlaff, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Herbert Blomstedt, Emmy Verhey, Jeno Jando),

The biggest value in getting Cascade's set is that you can get a sense of how a piece sounds like. Undoubtedly there are more accomplished recordings of the majority of pieces in this set. The "complete" set by Brilliant Classics is more expensive (usually between $100 and $200) but on the whole is of somewhat sturdier quality given the recordings that Brilliant Classics was able to obtain licenses for (although I wish that Brilliant had got a license from Decca/Phillips to reissue any cycle of Beethoven's symphonies other than Masur's first cycle of them. It sounds as if Sir Neville Marriner were conducting Beethoven in his prim and prissy way but let down by a questionable recording job from the sound engineers).


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## David58117

I love complete sets, I've been gathering them for some time now, so far I have:

Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Brahms, Haydn (as previously mentioned, not complete), Rachmaninoff, Webern, Mahler (on EMI), and I think the Berg on DG is complete or almost complete. I have many many more box sets (as well as just cds), but those are the main "complete" ones I have.

Personally, I love being able to focus on one artist and hear their growth, or all of their output for a particular category. Also what better way to discover hidden gems! 

Anyway, for awhile the secret was ordering from amazons European sites (mainly Germany and France). Haha, I looked up a post I made from 2 years ago on amazon giving more detail - 

If you're going to buy these box sets today, be sure to get them from the german Amazon.de .

After having the Bach set shipped to me in 8 days for $73 USD, I just had to jump on the Mozart and Beethoven sets as well. Imagine my shock when I see I was charged 41.97 Euro ($55.61) per box set, and then a one time shipping fee of 14.00 euro ($18.55)!

In total, that's $129.79 USD for the Beethoven AND Mozart sets shipped to your american door in 8 days! That's LESS than 2 for the price of 1 Mozart set (which is listed at $149).


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## StlukesguildOhio

I've never had any use for "complete" box sets of any composer. In most instances such box sets do not collect the best... or even one of the best recordings of these works. Neither can I imagine confronting the entire oeuvre of a given composer at one fell swoop. The closest I have come to this is the purchase of box sets of the complete works by a give composer in a single genre: ie. the complete symphonies of Beethoven, Bruckner, or Dvorak; the complete piano concertos of Mozart, the complete organ works of Bach, etc... Even in most of these instances I also have individual recordings of given works within this genre. I have Gardiner's and Karajan's and Krips's entire cycle of Beethoven symphonies... but I still have Kleiber's 5th, Bohm's 6th, etc...


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## HarpsichordConcerto

StlukesguildOhio said:


> I've never had any use for "complete" box sets of any composer. In most instances such box sets do not collect the best... or even one of the best recordings of these works. Neither can I imagine confronting the entire oeuvre of a given composer at one fell swoop. The closest I have come to this is the purchase of box sets of the complete works by a give composer in a single genre: ie. the complete symphonies of Beethoven, Bruckner, or Dvorak; the complete piano concertos of Mozart, the complete organ works of Bach, etc... Even in most of these instances I also have individual recordings of given works within this genre. I have Gardiner's and Karajan's and Krips's entire cycle of Beethoven symphonies... but I still have Kleiber's 5th, Bohm's 6th, etc...


You beat me to it! My thoughts exactly. Complete works *by genre * of a composer as performed by a favourite group/soloist is a totally different matter.

The one exception, which sort of falls into both categories, are the complete harpsichord sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti, and Antonio Soler that I have. Each oeuvre performed by one artist (on period harpsichords).


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## jurianbai

now if somebody in the label company could issued a complete works by BOCCHERINI in chamber music genre that will be.... fuantastico


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## starthrower

Who could possibly listen to a 170 CD set? That's ridiculous! The only relatively large set I was even tempted to buy is the 22 CD set of Stravinsky, and I haven't bought it yet.

I have a library copy of the Webern/Boulez set in my possession at the moment. I enjoy two out of the six discs, so I won't being buying this set either. 

There are a lot of decent quality 5-10 CD sets that can be had for very little money. These make more sense to me as a listener.


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## dmg

I've listened to my 170 CD Mozart set in its entirety and still listen to works from it on occasion. It was worth every penny to me. 

They re-compiled and re-released these recently with some changes - I wish there was a way to just buy the additions instead of having to re-purchase the entire set.


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## zoziejemaar

I bought my "Brilliant Classics" Mozart-box for 45€. Box sets are gorgeous for those completists among us! I listened from KV 1 to KV 626, discovering many hidden gems and fine pieces under the way. 

The quality of the performances varies very much, however. The piano sonatas (Klara Würtz) are absolutely outstanding, in my honest opinion. Many performances are interesting, but not the best (the symphonies and piano concertos, for instance). Most vocal works (and the violin sonatas) are even quite disastrous. 

But yet... The sheer idea to have Mozart completely in a box...


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## Elgarian

For a currently available bargain value Brilliant Complete Mozart box, see here, #14.


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## starthrower

What is it about Mozart that people love? I'm being sincere with this question because I could never get into his music. Granted, I've only heard a tiny portion compared to his immense output.

Can anyone recommend some pieces that are slow, deep, and beautiful. I don't like any of that upbeat, cutesy stuff.


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## Art Rock

Try the clarinet concerto.


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## zoziejemaar

Perhaps give the String Quintet in c minor, KV 406 a try? If you don't like this one, neither the upbeat stuff, chances are that your chromosome for Mozart is lacking.


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## Elgarian

starthrower said:


> What is it about Mozart that people love? I'm being sincere with this question because I could never get into his music.


We have to be careful here or we'll sidetrack this thread (which is devoted to 'Complete' editions, and not Mozart specifically). But I sympathise with your question, because for a long time I shared your mystification. You may find, as I did, that listening to Mozart played in a historically informed manner, on period instruments, solves at least part of the problem for you. The Mozart you're familiar with is most likely the Mozart as traditionally interpreted with big modern orchestras, with a 'smoothed out' sound that (for me) tends to smother much of the vitality in his music. You could do worse than look at some of the comments and recommendations in the HIP Mozart thread, and then take up the discussion there?


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## starthrower

Thanks for the suggestions!


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## MattTheTubaGuy

I have ripped 44 cd's on to my computer now. I did it at 192kbps, because that is what I have been converting the rest of my music to on itunes (i have been ripping with windows media player). is this quality sufficient enough? 
I have listened through 15 cd's so far, and it is varying quality. some of it is very good, but other is just crap. it was very cheap though, so definitely worth it, and if there is something I really like that has a not so good recording, then I can get a better recording.


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## Ralfy

I use books like the _Penguin Guide_ and ratings indicated in the Naxos catalog to make choices. In most cases, though, much of what I have I obtained locally because of annual sales (they were unsold disks and box sets and offered at 75 pct off or better), so I bought most without thinking twice.


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## myaskovsky2002

*Complete works*

are a big deal when you have NOTHING at all.

I bought:

Mozart complete (I had many things by him)
Beethoven complete (I had 15% of his production)
Brahms complete (I had 30%)
Bartók complete ( I had 99%)

Conclusion: Very often the versions of the _complete works _ are more than poor...The CDs I bought separately (except Naxos) are better: Deutsche Grammophon...no mistake, EMI quite good...Philips, often good...

No secret, more you pay, more quality you have unless you get a real bargain or used (I like buying used CDs).

Sometimes it is not even interesting....

These are just opinions.

Martin


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## World Violist

BIS is releasing a complete Sibelius Edition that I can't believe has never been mentioned here (that goes for me as well). I've got the first few volumes (projected 13 volumes of 4-6 CDs each) and it's incredible.


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## Elgarian

World Violist said:


> BIS is releasing a complete Sibelius Edition that I can't believe has never been mentioned here (that goes for me as well). I've got the first few volumes (projected 13 volumes of 4-6 CDs each) and it's incredible.


I have the big BIS 'Essential Sibelius' box, WV (which is about as far as I'll probably go towards completeness) - though I'm not sure how this relates to the proposed complete Edition. Are they re-recording everything? Or are they the same recordings?


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## World Violist

Elgarian said:


> I have the big BIS 'Essential Sibelius' box, WV (which is about as far as I'll probably go towards completeness) - though I'm not sure how this relates to the proposed complete Edition. Are they re-recording everything? Or are they the same recordings?


The Complete Edition uses the same recordings as in the "Essential" box. I think they released the Essential box for the people who don't care to hear every note that survives, but who wanted the same performances in a convenient box.


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## bassClef

The 22-CD set of Stravinsky's works is a real steal too - I'm not sure it's got absolutely everything ever composed by him though.


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## Aksel

World Violist said:


> BIS is releasing a complete Sibelius Edition that I can't believe has never been mentioned here (that goes for me as well). I've got the first few volumes (projected 13 volumes of 4-6 CDs each) and it's incredible.


I didn't know it had been released yet. I'll have to get my hands on this one.


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## World Violist

Aksel said:


> I didn't know it had been released yet. I'll have to get my hands on this one.


It's been mostly released--I believe 11 of the 13 have been released.


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## arturs86

I have one of these at home too. I was quite skeptical at the very beginning. But now I would say that the recordings in those CD's are in good quality, performers are great etc. The only thing - You'll have "1 act" of that, First mvt of this concerto, beginning of something else... If that doesn't disturb You, there is no other problems with this collection.


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## gr8gunz

How do you delete a post???


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## Manxfeeder

Oops. I replied to a message that was off-topic, so I'm deleting it. Sorry.


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