Historical Russian Archives Edition on Brillant Classics

[Petrushka]

Presto Classical are currently offering 30% off this edition http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/bri...rchive+Edition and I am contemplating a purchase or three. I'm particularly taken with the Svetlanov, Gauk, Barshai and Oistrakh concertos boxes. The contents look most enticing.

Has anyone got these and if so would you recommend them?

Can anyone also say if the Rozhdestvensky/Shostakovich 3 CD set has the symphonies played by the USSR Min of Culture Orch? I have the full set on the Olympia label and don't want any needless duplication if I can help it.

[EdgeleyRob]

Presto Classical are currently offering 30% off this edition http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/bri...rchive+Edition and I am contemplating a purchase or three. I'm particularly taken with the Svetlanov, Gauk, Barshai and Oistrakh concertos boxes. The contents look most enticing.

Has anyone got these and if so would you recommend them?

Can anyone also say if the Rozhdestvensky/Shostakovich 3 CD set has the symphonies played by the USSR Min of Culture Orch? I have the full set on the Olympia label and don't want any needless duplication if I can help it.

Some interesting stuff there Pet,thanks.

[gurnemanz]

If going for the Oistrakh Trio, I would certainly recommend considering the 10CD set on page three of the listing.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Can anyone also say if the Rozhdestvensky/Shostakovich 3 CD set has the symphonies played by the USSR Min of Culture Orch? I have the full set on the Olympia label and don't want any needless duplication if I can help it.

According to the blurb:

Based on live recordings that were made between 1968 and 1982, this compilation contains arresting performances from both the USSR State Radio and TV Symphony Orchestra and the USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra.

... which suggests that it's the same orchestra but different performances from the Olympia set which, IIRC, were studio recordings from the 1980s.

[richardfinegold]

According to the blurb:

Based on live recordings that were made between 1968 and 1982, this compilation contains arresting performances from both the USSR State Radio and TV Symphony Orchestra and the USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra.

... which suggests that it's the same orchestra but different performances from the Olympia set which, IIRC, were studio recordings from the 1980s.

I tried a couple of web sites to see if there was any timing info for movements, which you could then check against the recordings that you own, but no timings were listed.

[hafod]

I tried a couple of web sites to see if there was any timing info for movements, which you could then check against the recordings that you own, but no timings were listed.

The 3cd set is a partial reissue of the following set which I have and would strongly recommend. (JPC is the only seller I can find with a full contents listing).

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Gennadi-Roshdestvensky-Historic-Russian-Archives/hnum/1220904

The JPC price is eyewatering - perhaps a reaction to the €9.99 special offer price they had last year when I bought it - but the tax-dodger's marketplace has it new for £12.98 :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B002VZ2MQM/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new

Timings from the 10cd box are:
Sym 7: 26.03; 9.36; 16.23; 16.26. Recording date is 8.01.68 with the State TV Orchestra.
Sym 9: 5.05; 7.03; 2.51; 4.07; 6.40. Recording date 21.12.82 with the Culture orchestra.
Sym10: 22.09; 4.09; 12.12; 12.11. Recording date 10.04.82 with the Culture Orchestra.

[Parry1912]

Welcome back, hafod! You've been missed!

[mikealdren]

I have the three Oistrakh 10 disc boxes (and Kogan and Kremer as well). The recordings are obviously very variable but the Oistrakh performances are terrific. Some of the live Kremer and Kogan performances are less good but in the main they are well worth having and there is some very unusual repertoire.

Bear in mind that not only are these often old recordings, many of them are also live. A lot of the Oistrakh are well known recordings but not all, there are comprehensive reviews on Musicweb that try to get to the bottom of the various sources, well worth a read.

At these prices, you can hardly go wrong, I can't remember what I paid but I bought them from Germany and got a very good deal at the time.

Mike