# What Beethoven cycles have you given away?



## Itullian

*What Beethoven symphony cycles have you given away?*

For me, Walter Weller, Mackeras, Mazur, Dohnanyi, Solti for a few. might remember more. library has them


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## joen_cph

Not because they were bad, but because they didn´t supply much contrast to what I have: Konwitschny, Bernstein/WPO on DG, Blomstedt, Karajan/EMI.


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## annie

you meant the symphonies i guess... rattle/vpo, zinman/zt, mackerras/sco, sawallisch/rco.


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## itywltmt

I spoke of the four cycles I have owned over the years in my blog a few weeks ago: http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/302-beethoven-cycle-s-do.html

My old Reader`s Digest vinyl set by Leibowitz was given away (well worn out...) when I returned from Grad School, but not before I copied them to tape. Thank God, I found the re-issue in MP3 format this year, and get to enjoy it again!


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## kv466

itywltmt said:


> I spoke of the four cycles I have owned over the years in my blog a few weeks ago: http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/itywltmt/302-beethoven-cycle-s-do.html
> 
> My old Reader`s Digest vinyl set by Leibowitz was given away (well worn out...) when I returned from Grad School, but not before I copied them to tape. Thank God, I found the re-issue in MP3 format this year, and get to enjoy it again!


Thank Bog! I was about to de-friend you!! :devil:


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## Brahmsian Colors

Bohm/Vienna Philharmonic
Szell/Cleveland Orchestra
Solti/Chicago Symphony
Toscanini/NBC Symphony
Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra
Krips/London Symphony
Schmidt-Isserstedt/Vienna Philharmonic
Jochum/Amsterdam Concertgebouw
Leibowitz/Royal Philharmonic

The four favorites that survived(not in order of preference):

Weingartner/Vienna Phil/London Sym./Royal Phil.--original Columbia Harmony vinyl box set
Walter/Columbia Symphony
Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic--1963 set (which was actually recorded in 1961-62)
Klemperer/Philharmonia Orchestra


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## SixFootScowl

I gave away a cheap set conducted by Edlinger which has beautiful disk artwork.

I gave my Hanover Band set, which included a disk signed by one of the two conductors, to my daughter for her to sell online. It had the nine symphonies, one disk of overtures, and the Missa Solemnis.

I gave Walter and Klemperer's cycles to my son.

So I retain cycles of Zinman, Toscanini (later cycle about 1950ish), Monteux, Bernstein NYPO, Szell, Wand, Leibowitz (cheap digital download), Ferencsik, and a partial Fricsay cycle. At present I am not looking for any more cycles. I could get rid of more as I mainlyl listen to Zinman, Toscanini, and Monteux.


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## Pugg

I do not give things away, either I change it in the local second hand shop or sell it .


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## Brahmsian Colors

Pugg said:


> I do not give things away, either I change it in the local second hand shop or sell it .


I failed to clarify---Other than the ones I kept, I also sold or gave to thrift shops the sets listed above.


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## bigshot

I can't have enough different sounding Beethoven. The problem ones are the ones that sound too much the same. Offhand the only version I have that I consistently skip past when it comes up in rotation is Abbado.


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## Guest

given away by the one sought by the other


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## DavidA

Pugg said:


> I do not give things away, either I change it in the local second hand shop or sell it .


Me too! Does that say something about us?

Ronny Barker: "I ain't mean - I just don't give anyone anything!" (Porridge)


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## Guest

DavidA said:


> Me too! Does that say something about us?
> 
> Ronny Barker: "I ain't mean - I just don't give anyone anything!" (Porridge)


Nice question around Christmas.


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## Pugg

DavidA said:


> Me too! Does that say something about us?
> 
> Ronny Barker: "I ain't mean - I just don't give anyone anything!" (Porridge)


I do give presents to dear ones however....
Specially on birthdays and Christmas.


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## jegreenwood

On CD - Norrington and Harnoncourt
On LP - all of them


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## CMonteverdi

Kubelik cycle... not given away, but I could easily do it... 

LK


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## Manxfeeder

If I weren't such a pack rat, Norrington would be out the door and probably will when I get the gumption.


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## SixFootScowl

Manxfeeder said:


> If I weren't such a pack rat, Norrington would be out the door and probably will when I get the gumption.


Seems Norrington has come up more than once in this thread. I'll remember not to get that one.

After a few hundred posts we ought to tally the frequency of different cycles being gotten rid of. It would be a nice reverse recommendation list. :lol:

But seriously, I think it would be very useful to know what is least liked. I can still check it out, but at least know its status.


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## Pugg

Manxfeeder said:


> If I weren't such a pack rat, Norrington would be out the door and probably will when I get the gumption.


I am so glad I never bought the to begin with.


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## Oldhoosierdude

Got rid of Immerseal, Solti, Zinman. Would gladly give away my download of the Lebowitz cycle if anyone wanted it.


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## SixFootScowl

Oldhoosierdude said:


> Got rid of Immerseal, Solti, Zinman. Would gladly give away my download of the Lebowitz cycle if anyone wanted it.


I have and would keep my Zinman, but would get rid of Lebowitz, but as it is a digital download, it's not like I can hand them the CD set.


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## premont

I have culled Krips, Menuhin and Leinsdorf but kept the others (ca.35).


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## Oldhoosierdude

Florestan said:


> I have and would keep my Zinman, but would get rid of Lebowitz, but as it is a digital download, it's not like I can hand them the CD set.


I don't know what I was thinking. I never had the Zinman set. It was Abbado cd set that I sold. Right about the download, that cycle came with a bunch of other Beethoven on a cheap Amazon download . I listened to it once. I might burn it and give it to my daughter, then just delete the files on my computer.


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## Oldhoosierdude

I tried a number of cycles with Amazon prime or spotify. I wanted to like the famous Karajan 63 but sorry. The Toscanini and Furtwangler were too distorted for me. The Bernstein tjat many think was his best screeched in my headphones at times. Some of the other prominently mentioned sets I didn't see as distinct from what I already had. It was nice trying them out anyway. The Prime membership especially has been great for me.


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## SixFootScowl

Oldhoosierdude said:


> I tried a number of cycles with Amazon prime or spotify. I wanted to like the famous Karajan 63 but sorry. *The Toscanini and Furtwangler were too distorted for me*. The Bernstein tjat many think was his best screeched in my headphones at times. Some of the other prominently mentioned sets I didn't see as distinct from what I already had. It was nice trying them out anyway. The Prime membership especially has been great for me.


Which Toscanini cycle did you try? I have one from around 1950 that is pretty good (sound clips). The 1939 cycle I would not buy because of poor sound quality (regardless of how great of performances it is) (sound clips).


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## Oldhoosierdude

Not sure it is permanently on Prime. I'll take a look.


Florestan said:


> Which Toscanini cycle did you try? I have one from around 1950 that is pretty good (sound clips). The 1939 cycle I would not buy because of poor sound quality (regardless of how great of performances it is) (sound clips).


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