The Complete Wilhelm Furtwängler on Record (Warner) 55 CDs

[Petrushka]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B095L94DT1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought this set on its release last September but put it away for Christmas whereupon it has had a first hearing of a tiny portion of what's inside. A good number of these recordings will be familiar to many, especially the HMV ones from the 1950s; these are included, but so too are recordings that appeared on DG and Decca. The earliest date from 1926 (not yet sampled) with the famous Die Walkure set from 1954 being his last.

There is a fascinating booklet note by Stephane Topakian about the edition, WF's recorded history and the various errors, imperfections and omissions etc that abound. I had no idea that, for example, there is a woman's voice appearing, for some unaccountable reason, in the finale of the Beethoven 7 recording from 1950! It's now been removed by using material from another 'take' from tapes that were believed to be lost.

Everything here has been restored and remastered and the sound on the discs I've so far sampled is miraculous and a vast improvement on anything I've heard before.

Strongly recommended to those interested, even if you have multiple versions of some of these recordings already. Has anyone else got it?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Judging by the Barbirolli Warner bad, issued last year, the transfer team is frankly out of the top drawer. So it’s no surprise to hear they’ve done it again.

I have the 107 CD Furtwangler box that includes every work that WF recorded. When he recorded a work several times, the one considered to be “the best” was included. That box contains may live concert recordings, some of which are not well recorded (e.g. the premiere of Strauss’s Four Last Songs, and Beethoven’s 2nd Symphony. This new box may be smaller, but the recorded sound should reflect the best that could be achieved at the time.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I’ll be interested to know whether or not Disc 18 Track 10 has the first note intact.

[ChandlersFord]

John Fowler’s comprehensive Amazon review of this set has somewhat put me off acquiring it. Orphan movements from larger works included? No, thanks.

[Petrushka]

Orphan movements from larger works included? No, thanks.

Eh?

Not sure why this should put you off as there is very little of it. The usual Wagner chunks and overtures, an Act 3 of both Walkure and Gotterdammerung and a Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings shorn of its first movement is all. Other very minor examples occur in the very earliest recordings as would have been common at the time. This is no reason at all to dismiss the set out of hand.

[Cockney Sparrow]

I can't recall - after a long period expecting it to be "nla" - why the Berliner Philharmonica set of live recordings caught my interest. However, to put the matter to rest, I emailed to ask if it would be available again in CD form or (in my case - hopefully) as a Download. In its CD form its pricey...........

No to downloads but they said CDs would be available again, and they are:

https://www.berliner-philharmoniker-recordings.com/radio-recordings.html

Does anyone here have an opinion about the set?

(Peter Quantrill in The Gramophone is very enthusiastic ........ https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/...ings-1939-1945

[Petrushka]

I can't recall - after a long period expecting it to be "nla" - why the Berliner Philharmonica set of live recordings caught my interest. However, to put the matter to rest, I emailed to ask if it would be available again in CD form or (in my case - hopefully) as a Download. In its CD form its pricey...........

No to downloads but they said CDs would be available again, and they are:

https://www.berliner-philharmoniker-recordings.com/radio-recordings.html

Does anyone here have an opinion about the set?

(Peter Quantrill in The Gramophone is very enthusiastic ........ https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/...ings-1939-1945

I think our fellow Forumista, Pastoralguy, bought this and was enthusiastic. I was very keen to get this set having had some of the recordings in previous CD incarnations. However, that price tag of nearly £200 for ancient radio broadcasts in not very good sound seemed a bit steep even by the standards I'm willing to pay. It really needs to come down by 50%.

[Cockney Sparrow]

I think our fellow Forumista, Pastoralguy, bought this and was enthusiastic. I was very keen to get this set having had some of the recordings in previous CD incarnations. However, that price tag of nearly £200 for ancient radio broadcasts in not very good sound seemed a bit steep even by the standards I'm willing to pay. It really needs to come down by 50%.

I should have recalled the detail on the shop webpage "Recordings exclusive in this edition (i.e. no download or streaming)". Which rather seems like a promise to buyers at the steep price they are asking....

The Gramophone review and the 5 minute You Tube video only add to the dilemma..............

[cloughie]

John Fowler’s comprehensive Amazon review of this set has somewhat put me off acquiring it. Orphan movements from larger works included? No, thanks.

aka Bleeding chunks? Normally I’m not in favour but with deceased performers in the ansence of the full work it is sometimes good to know how they handle the music!

[pastoralguy]

I think our fellow Forumista, Pastoralguy, bought this and was enthusiastic. I was very keen to get this set having had some of the recordings in previous CD incarnations. However, that price tag of nearly £200 for ancient radio broadcasts in not very good sound seemed a bit steep even by the standards I'm willing to pay. It really needs to come down by 50%.

Actually, I was loaned it by a very good friend and I did enjoy it but the sound quality, whilst excellent considering it’s age, still required tolerance.

[Petrushka]

Actually, I was loaned it by a very good friend and I did enjoy it but the sound quality, whilst excellent considering it’s age, still required tolerance.

Thanks, PG. I remember you mentioning it a while back. Your comment reinforces my belief that nearly £200 is an awful lot to pay for recordings of this vintage and provenance, however good the restoration. If the BPO were to knock it down to half that, then I'd go for it.