Colin Davis - The Philips Years: 15CD set released 20th May

[akiralx]

Contents as below:

CD 1
Bartók: Piano Concerto No.1 BB91, Sz.83
Bartók: Piano Concerto No.2 BB101, Sz.95
Bartók: Piano Concerto No.3 BB127, Sz.119
CD 2
Beethoven: Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op.67
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.5 in E flat major, Op.73 - "Emperor"
CD 3
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Op.14
Mussorgsky: A Night On The Bare Mountain
CD 4
Berlioz: Requiem Op.5 (Grande Messe des Morts)
CD 5
Berlioz: Requiem Op.5 (Grande Messe des Morts)
Berlioz: Te Deum, Op.22
CD 6
Dvorák: Symphony No.7 in D minor, Op.70
Dvorák: Symphony No.9 in E minor, Op.95 - "From the New World"
CD 7
Elgar: Variations on an Original Theme, Op.26 - "Enigma"
Holst: The Planets, Op.132
CD 8
Haydn: Symphony in G, Hob.I/94 - "Surprise"
Haydn: Symphony in D, Hob.I/101 - "The Clock"
Haydn: Symphony in D, Hob.I/104 - "London"
CD 9
Reger: Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart, Op.132
Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphoses on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber
Stravinsky: Symphony in 3 Movements
CD 10
Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
CD 11
Mozart: Symphony No.25 in G minor, K183
Mozart: Symphony No.32 in G, K318 (Overture in G)
Mozart: Piano Concerto No.15 in B flat, K450
Mozart: Symphony No.40 in G minor, K550
CD 12
Mozart: Vesperae solenns de confessore in C, K339
Mozart: Kyrie in D minor, K341
Mozart: Ave verum corpus, K618
Mozart: Exsulate, jubilate, K165
Mozart: Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben (Zaide, K344 / Act I)
Mozart: Ach, ich fühl's (Die Zauberflöte, K620 / Act II)
Mozat: Ei parte... Per pietà, ben mio (Così fan tutte, K588 / Act II)
CD 13
Sibelius: Symphony No.1 in E minor, Op.39
Sibelius: Finlandia, Op.26
Sibelius: Pohjolas Daughter, Op.49
Sibelius: Tapiola, Op.112
CD 14
Tippett: The Knot Garden
CD 15
Stravinsky: The Firebird - Ballet (1910)
Stravinsky: Orpehus - Ballet in 3 Scenes

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

That's a fine and representative selection of what must be a nearly impossible task - to cut down Sir Colin's vast Philips catalogue to just 15 discs.

[verismissimo]

That's a fine and representative selection of what must be a nearly impossible task - to cut down Sir Colin's vast Philips catalogue to just 15 discs.

Too much duplication for me, I fear.

[Dave2002]

Too much duplication for me, I fear.

I pretty much agree, though I suppose you could buy it and then try selling any spares on.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sir-Colin-Davis-Philips-Years/dp/B00CE6P26K/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1368262799&sr=1-1&keywords=Colin+Davis

I'd probably only want it for the Mozart CD with Symphony 25.

Incidentally, there is this Icon box which also has Mozart - http://www.amazon.co.uk/ICON-Sir-Col.../dp/B008I1572E
I'm curious as to whether all the pieces on this set come from EMI sources. I think perhaps some Icons took material from other labels, as perhaps also did some of those Great Conductors CDs.

[amateur51]

A nice idea but as is so often with these big boxes, you have to wonder about who is the target audience.

Will they supplement this box with perhaps an all-Tippett box? Please?

[verismissimo]

... Will they supplement this box with perhaps an all-Tippett box? Please?

Sadly Tippett's still in his post-departure dip, am.

[cloughie]

I pretty much agree, though I suppose you could buy it and then try selling any spares on.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sir-Colin-Davis-Philips-Years/dp/B00CE6P26K/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1368262799&sr=1-1&keywords=Colin+Davis

I'd probably only want it for the Mozart CD with Symphony 25.

Incidentally, there is this Icon box which also has Mozart - http://www.amazon.co.uk/ICON-Sir-Col.../dp/B008I1572E
I'm curious as to whether all the pieces on this set come from EMI sources. I think perhaps some Icons took material from other labels, as perhaps also did some of those Great Conductors CDs.

All Icon content from EMI but some were made for World Record Club in the 60s which was subsequently owned by EMI. I would like to see some of the early Philips Mozart issued separately - Australian Eloquence? The 15 CD box is an understandable issue if something of a mixed blessing.

[PJPJ]

Incidentally, there is this Icon box which also has Mozart - http://www.amazon.co.uk/ICON-Sir-Col.../dp/B008I1572E
I'm curious as to whether all the pieces on this set come from EMI sources. I think perhaps some Icons took material from other labels, as perhaps also did some of those Great Conductors CDs.

All come from EMI sources, either EMI recordings at the time of making, or from labels subsequently acquired by EMI, WRC and Nixa being two of those. Thank goodness - so many Boult and Barbi recordings were rescued from potential oblivion. Will EMI Classical's new owners keep so much of the back catalogue in circulation?

As mentioned in another thread, the Great Conductors series (and Philips' Great Pianists series) had rare collaboration between labels involving licencing for release rather than transfer of out of copyright material from LP. The Decca Britten centenary release also has some other labels' material under licence.

Most will be aware that the Davis release "The Philips Years" has to be on the Decca label as Universal no longer has the rights to use the Philips label, though it can quote the name in the Decca title.

[Petrushka]

This is very tempting. I have discs 4, 5 & 8 already and part of 3, 15 & 12 so the amount of duplication just about makes this a worthwhile buy.

[visualnickmos]

Too much duplication for me, I fear.

Me too.

But for anyone new to Colin Davis and wishing to "explore" this is a wonderful starting point.

[BBMmk2]

Yes and I might juist be tempted!

[Dave2002]

Perhaps the problem for some might be that the set is too small. This means that most of the CDs are already likely to be on collectors' shelves. 50 or more CDs at a price (say) from £60 to £150 might be more attractive and would likely reduce the overlap issue. However, I don't know how profitable big sets are, such as the Karajan EMI sets, the VPO symphony set, the Abbado set etc. Presumably the recording companies are trying to make a profit, or at the very least break even. I can't really imagine what the market looks like from the business side of a classical music company. What are the demographics of classical music purchasers? Probably mostly people over 40, some with a lot of disposable income, but a majority unwilling to pay more than £5 per CD except for something very special. Alternatively rather than think in terms of cost/CD, how much will each punter want to/be able to spend per year?

£50 = 5 x specials at £10 each
£100 10 specials, or 5 specials plus 20 cheapies
£200 ??
£500 ??
£1000 ??

Price per unit is important, but also volume of sales may have a big impact for the companies.