Your biggest box

[Alison]

Disappointingly, I moved too slowly on the recent Szell box reviewed by RO in Gramophone. Not now available, unless any of the experts-in-finding on this forum have any tips?

Oh I wanted that one too.

[Alison]

Good story Richard FG. I do hope the Brendel box wasn’t damaged. Not easily replaced ...

[Ein Heldenleben]

Is there any forumite who owns a 75 plus CD boxed set who can , hand on heart , say they have listened to every disc?
If they have what do they think was the best ?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Is there any forumite who owns a 75 plus CD boxed set who can , hand on heart , say they have listened to every disc?
If they have what do they think was the best ?

Yes. I've listened to all my 85CD Beethoven Edition, 183CD Mozart Edition, 170CD Bach Edition and 107CD Furtwangler Edition (the best), but still have a few more of the 109CD Barbirolli Edition to go.

[Jonathan]

Yes - I had the Liszt box as individual discs over 20 odd years and then I listened to the whole lot in my journeys to and from work in the car (when I had a long commute - I no longer do!)

[Petrushka]

Is there any forumite who owns a 75 plus CD boxed set who can , hand on heart , say they have listened to every disc?
If they have what do they think was the best ?

No, I don't think that's the point as it can easily come to seem a chore rather than a pleasure. At one time I did panic about never having the time to play all that I have but ultimately it's better not to get obsessed about it otherwise you panic even more!

[Dave2002]

Disappointingly, I moved too slowly on the recent Szell box reviewed by RO in Gramophone. Not now available, unless any of the experts-in-finding on this forum have any tips?

Which Szell box was that? Orchestra/record company/number of discs/approximate price etc.

There are several boxes, and some still seem to be available.

[Petrushka]

Which Szell box was that? Orchestra/record company/number of discs/approximate price etc.

There are several boxes, and some still seem to be available.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/George-Szell-Complete-Columbia-Collection/dp/B079VD2YRP

[Alison]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/George-Szel.../dp/B079VD2YRP

That was the one you were raving about Pet??

[Petrushka]

That was the one you were raving about Pet??

Yes, it was Alison. A truly excellent set with barely a duff performance in it amongst those I've heard. Surprised that it's two years since I bought it but worth every penny.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Yes. I've listened to all my 85CD Beethoven Edition, 183CD Mozart Edition, 170CD Bach Edition and 107CD Furtwangler Edition (the best), but still have a few more of the 109CD Barbirolli Edition to go.

Amazing. Still playing over that Furtwangler Unfinished in my mind from a week ago on Essential Classics - that flexibility of line ...tremendous.

[Dave2002]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/George-Szel.../dp/B079VD2YRP

Doesn't look like that one, or a similar one, will come back in a hurry. It's possible to pick up odd subsets of that box, from other compilations, but the box plus the book may be difficult to replicate - unless one can pick up a good second hand copy.

In the meantime there is a Warner box currently available from Presto for under £40 - or even from eBay. A bit of a mixture, with some good recordings and performances, but which I already have.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8820900--george-szell-complete-warner-recordings

[MickyD]

We’re you not aware that Forum Membership was only available to those of us that each have a wing of Windsor Castle to ourselves? How did you manage to slip in?
The storage issue is one that has kept me from further big box purchases. Most of my CDs are kept on a custom shelving unit that occupies a full wall of my listening room. Several of the boxes are stacked on the topmost area, about 9 feet off the ground. My Bruno Walter box has the Brendel box mentioned in the opening post of this thread on top of it. A few days ago I was straining on tippy toes to remove Brendel to get at Bruno, losing my grip on A.B., whose 100 CD or so box with hard cover book hit me square in the face and knocked me to the floor. I could have literally died for love of music. Fortunately the Wife wasn’t home to witness the latest domestic mishap. And speaking of the Good Woman, she represents another break on purchasing; she is supportive of my music addiction but when the number of complete Beethoven sets climbs towards three digits then she begins to wonder

That's a disturbing modern near-equivalent to the sad demise of Alkan!

[LHC]

That's a disturbing modern near-equivalent to the sad demise of Alkan!

Isn’t the story about Alkan’s death apocryphal?

For many years it was believed that Alkan met his death when a bookcase toppled over and fell on him as he reached for a volume of the Talmud from a high shelf. This tale, which was circulated by the pianist Isidor Philipp, is dismissed by Hugh Macdonald, who reports the discovery of a contemporary letter by one of his pupils explaining that Alkan had been found prostrate in his kitchen, under a porte-parapluie (a heavy coat/umbrella rack), after his concierge heard his moaning. He had possibly fainted, bringing it down on himself while grabbing out for support. He was reportedly carried to his bedroom and died later that evening. The story of the bookcase may have its roots in a legend told of Aryeh Leib ben Asher, rabbi of Metz, the town from which Alkan's family originated.

[vinteuil]

Isn’t the story about Alkan’s death apocryphal?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=363ZAmQEA84

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