Big Box Sets

[Bryn]

Does that work with the subscription model, or only if you buy the downloads? At those prices (over £12 for CD quality downloads - over £14 for a "higher" level) the box set might look like a bargain. Also, does it really make sense to have so-called Hi-Res transcriptions of what in many cases are really quite old mono recordings? Can anyone tell the difference between those and CD quality - or is CD quality deliberately made to sound inferior?

The subscription model - if it works - could be a reasonable way to access the set - but I doubt that individual downloads would be a good way to access a substantial part of the box.

I have just imported the one with Bartok's 3rd Piano Concerto and Miaskovsky's 21st Symphony, so yes, it works for streaming/importing at 96/24.

[Joseph K]

It's arrived - hurray!

[teamsaint]

It's arrived - hurray!

Cool.
Superfluous to say “ enjoy” I guess.
I picked up the big Previn Warner box recently, which is keeping me out of mischief.

[AuntDaisy]

Cool.
Superfluous to say “ enjoy” I guess.
I picked up the big Previn Warner box recently, which is keeping me out of mischief.

teamsaint & Joseph K... So, the big question is what order do you listen to them?
Numerically, randomly, favourites first, rarities first, novelties first, chronologically...
And how long will 88 & 96 CDs take?

[Joseph K]

teamsaint & Joseph K... So, the big question is what order do you listen to them?
Numerically, randomly, favourites first, rarities first, novelties first, chronologically...
And how long will 88 & 96 CDs take?

I've dipped my toe in first with Ravel - but today I'll start listening numerically. How long will it take? Well, I'll try to listen to one a day, but will probably end up missing the odd day, so about three months? There are actually 84 CDs in this set plus 4 blu-rays that I have no means of playing, yet...

[AuntDaisy]

I've dipped my toe in first with Ravel - but today I'll start listening numerically. How long will it take? Well, I'll try to listen to one a day, but will probably end up missing the odd day, so about three months? There are actually 84 CDs in this set plus 4 blu-rays that I have no means of playing, yet...

Silly me - I thought "BD" meant bonus disk

[Bryn]

I've dipped my toe in first with Ravel - but today I'll start listening numerically. How long will it take? Well, I'll try to listen to one a day, but will probably end up missing the odd day, so about three months? There are actually 84 CDs in this set plus 4 blu-rays that I have no means of playing, yet...

I am too lazy to go searching via Presto Classical, et al. What, pray, is on the 4 BDs?

Oh, hang on, I see it's The Ring, which I already have on standard DVDs.

[jayne lee wilson]

Not sure if this qualifies for a big box, though its the biggest I've bought for some time....(well, should arrive today...)...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09MYWW63N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you don't face too much duplication and you desire the physical product (I only bought one, streamed the others) it is a great bargain...

Simply one of the most exciting Haydn projects ever....with highly imaginative photo-essays in each luxuriously produced volume...

(My thanks to crb11 for mentioning this on the Haydn 2032 thread...)...

****
Quick edit... just arrived, you don't get the original hardback presentation or photo and other essays, this is repackaged as 10 Boxed CDs in envelopes, with original cover art, complete tracklisting, dates and venues but a (good) summary essay. 39 playing now - sound appears thankfully undiminished over streaming/download.......

For around £36 (about 1/4 of the cost if you bought the separate releases), and my current penchant for the refinements of CD>DSD replay, very happy with this....hopefully catch up with each boxed release as we go, assuming I'm still around in 2032....(cardiac appt finally through for March...).

But I can see this set becoming as frequent a visitor to my SACD/CD player as the Thomas Fey wonders.

[Joseph K]

That looks very tempting, Jayne! But my mum is as I type moaning at me because yet another parcel has just dropped through the door! Judging from the German text on this, it contains the bargain Scriabin piano works box.

In any case I already have the Maerzendorfer Haydn symphonies, three-quarters of which have yet to be listened to. I have to say no at some point. Don't want to get rid of all that cleaning job money saved up...

[Rolmill]

Not sure if this qualifies for a big box, though its the biggest I've bought for some time....(well, should arrive today...)...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09MYWW63N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you don't face too much duplication and you desire the physical product (I only bought one, streamed the others) it is a great bargain...

Simply one of the most exciting Haydn projects ever....with highly imaginative photo-essays in each luxuriously produced volume...

(My thanks to crb11 for mentioning this on the Haydn 2032 thread...)...

I just bought this, based on crb11's mention and not having heard any of the performances previously, but seen recommendations on this forum. Only arrived yesterday, so have just played the first disc - loved it: exciting, vibrant, colourful but very natural sounding, not self-indulgent. Very much looking forward to going through the remainder of the box - as you say, it's a terrific bargain.

[jayne lee wilson]

I just bought this, based on crb11's mention and not having heard any of the performances previously, but seen recommendations on this forum. Only arrived yesterday, so have just played the first disc - loved it: exciting, vibrant, colourful but very natural sounding, not self-indulgent. Very much looking forward to going through the remainder of the box - as you say, it's a terrific bargain.

La Passione playing now....it really is right up there, isn't it? Marvellously done. The mark of any recording is - how does it sound on each revisit? Knowing this one from streaming, in this case - better and better....

[jayne lee wilson]

That looks very tempting, Jayne! But my mum is as I type moaning at me because yet another parcel has just dropped through the door! Judging from the German text on this, it contains the bargain Scriabin piano works box.

In any case I already have the Maerzendorfer Haydn symphonies, three-quarters of which have yet to be listened to. I have to say no at some point. Don't want to get rid of all that cleaning job money saved up...

Still if you ever have the cash and the time (if you're still alive in 2032...) - the Antonini would be the perfect, highly contrasted foil....."something old, something new...."

But all true classics become timeless....I think its why we mortal humans are so drawn....

[mathias broucek]

Antonini's Beethoven (Sony) is worth tracking down also!

[HighlandDougie]

Antonini's Beethoven (Sony) is worth tracking down also!

Very much so. If one likes his Haydn (and, as Jayne and crb11 have said, that Alpha 10 CD box is a delight, not least for the intelligent planning of works by Haydn's contemporaries - and not-so contemporaries - Bartók, for instance), the Beethoven cycle is equally enjoyable. The complete set used to be quite cheap - I see that Amazon has a 'used' copy from the reliable Momox for about £20.

[teamsaint]

teamsaint & Joseph K... So, the big question is what order do you listen to them?
Numerically, randomly, favourites first, rarities first, novelties first, chronologically...
And how long will 88 & 96 CDs take?

Well obviously you start at # 1 and work through them in strict box order, until you find one you don’t fancy/ aren’t in the mood for/ already know well, and then you start to pick out the tastiest looking discs.
I thought everybody knew that

Its called following the science…….