EMI Icon Series

[visualnickmos]

On having at a look at this series - it looks pretty good, but I'm finding it difficult to pick out the real gems; there is so much of potential quality. Does anyone have any experience of this series, and if so any particular thoughts and/or recommendations?

Thanks everyone.

[makropulos]

On having at a look at this series - it looks pretty good, but I'm finding it difficult to pick out the real gems; there is so much of potential quality. Does anyone have any experience of this series, and if so any particular thoughts and/or recommendations?

Thanks everyone.

I've got most of them. My own favourites (among many) include the boxes of Edwin Fischer, Fritz Kreisler, Bruno Walter and the Melos Ensemble, all of which are among my current listening. There are fine things in the Mackerras box but I had all of them before getting the Icon set, and there are some wonderful performances in the Fournier box. And there's plenty more...

[visualnickmos]

Thanks makropulos

Of those you mention, I'm going to look at Edwin Fischer. I am also drawn to Silvestri (?) but it seems that perhaps the technical recording quality is - well - variable, shall I say...?

[Petrushka]

I've got the Colin Davis box. There are some real gems in there including the famous RPO Beethoven 7 and Stravinsky Oedipus Rex.

The Eugen Jochum box is well regarded on here as it includes his Beethoven, Brahms and Bruckner cycles, the last of which frustratingly rules out a purchase as I already have them. Much the same applies to the Rudolf Kempe box. I keep on meaning to add the Carl Schuricht and Bruno Walter sets but haven't got round to it yet.

[Barbirollians]

Cantelli box is a must !

[makropulos]

Cantelli box is a must !

How did I forget that one? Yes, it is!

[amateur51]

I've got the Colin Davis box. There are some real gems in there including the famous RPO Beethoven 7 and Stravinsky Oedipus Rex.

The Eugen Jochum box is well regarded on here as it includes his Beethoven, Brahms and Bruckner cycles, the last of which frustratingly rules out a purchase as I already have them. Much the same applies to the Rudolf Kempe box. I keep on meaning to add the Carl Schuricht and Bruno Walter sets but haven't got round to it yet.

The Schuricht box is worth getting I think Petrushka - an interesting set of Beethoven symphonies

Is Colin Davis' account of Oedipus Rex the one with Sir Ralph Richardson?

[gurnemanz]

I agree about the Melos set and also have Solomon but I seem to have concentrated mainly on vocal compilations which have given me great pleasure: Janet Baker, Hans Hotter, Kirsten Flagstad, Nicolai Gedda, Richard Tauber. The two Elisabeth sets - Schumann and Schwarzkopf contain many delights and a lot of discoveries.

[HighlandDougie]

I am also drawn to Silvestri (?) but it seems that perhaps the technical recording quality is - well - variable, shall I say...?

Nick

I wouldn't hesitate for a second. It's full of wonderful stuff - and the recordings are never less than acceptable. Diapason raved about it - " ....une somme fabuleuse ....à écouter prestissimo ..." - and gave it a Diapason d'Or. Even allowing for the French passion for larding the flowery language on with a trowel, it's a great box.

[Ferretfancy]

I haven't bought many Icons because there would be a lot of duplication, but they are all good. I would say that the best of the four I have is the Pierre Fournier box, 7 CDs covering much of the best cello repertoire including the Beethoven sonatas, Schubert's Arpeggione, the Brahms Double Concerto with Oistrakh and much more.

Another fine box of 9 discs has a similar wide ranging choice from Emil Gilels, including the Beethoven concertos with Szell, plus the same works with Leopold Ludwig and Vandernoot. I'm not quite so impressed with his Rachmaninov 3, but that may just be me. I certainly wouldn't like to be without the Beethoven and Chopin.

The lovely box from Lucia Popp really shows her range from Handel to Janacek. Wonderful Mozart, a fine Four Last Songs with Tennstedt as well as more Strauss songs with Sawallisch at the piano, plus Schubert with Irwin Gage. Marvellous stuff.

My last box is of Victoria de los Angeles. Naturally this includes Spanish songs as well as the Chants d'Auvergne. My only reservation is that the microphone did not always capture her voice well, and some of the accompaniments sound boxy on my equipment. Nevertheless, I'm glad to own it.

This is a true bargain series.

[amateur51]

I'd certainly recommend the ICON sets devoted to Fournier, Edwin Fischer, Cantelli, Gilels,The Melos Ensemble, Carl Schuricht and Alexis Weissenberg, who was hitherto largely unknown to me.

I've not explored any of the vocal sets and I'll remedy that soon, as well as the sets devoted to Silvestri, Colin Davis and Alicia de Larrocha

[visualnickmos]

Nick

I wouldn't hesitate for a second. It's full of wonderful stuff - and the recordings are never less than acceptable. Diapason raved about it - " ....une somme fabuleuse ....à écouter prestissimo ..." - and gave it a Diapason d'Or. Even allowing for the French passion for larding the flowery language on with a trowel, it's a great box.

HighlandDougie

Thank you for you endorsement! Silvestri duly ordered from the French "tributary" so to speak. Can't wait to receive it.

[aeolium]

I've especially enjoyed the EMI Icon sets of the Melos Ensemble, Lucia Popp and Elisabeth Schumann. I only wish there were one for the late Lisa della Casa.

[verismissimo]

... I only wish there were one for the late Lisa della Casa.

Of course, she was essentially a Decca artist, aeolium. Not much on EMI, I don't think. Have her Deccas been issued by Eloquence?

[aeolium]

Of course, she was essentially a Decca artist, aeolium. Not much on EMI, I don't think. Have her Deccas been issued by Eloquence?

Yes, most of her recordings were originally for Decca, but several have been rereleased on other labels, e.g. the Strauss Vier Letzte Lieder. There is a 2-CD set of arias on EMI, but perhaps there was just not enough outside the complete opera recordings to fill an EMI Icon box (though Elisabeth Schumann's contains only six CDs). I don't think anything has appeared on the Eloquence label.