Bargains

[Bryn]

Latest re the Warner Beethoven box:

12:56 AM
Il pacco è arrivato presso la stazione di consegna finale
Hayes, GB

martedì 3 dicembre
10:20 PM
La spedizione è partita dallo stabilimento Amazon
Weybridge, SURREY GB

Seems likely it will be delivered a day early.

[Bryn]

... talking of 'contemporary' (with Beethoven) - I have recently been listening again to the wonderful series of the piano concertos with Schoonderwoerd -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0009WFR5W

- and following up the spiffing 'contemporary' painting (this one by David, of his brother-in-law) :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portrait_of_Pierre_Seriziat

.

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portrait_de_Pierre_S%C3%A9riziat

I have learnt a new word : écrouellique *. The technical description of the cravat/stock around M Seriziat's neck.

One learns and learns...


* not in Littré, as far as I can see...

.

And there was I thinking that écrouellique was an adjective relating to the disease of Scrofula.

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89crouelles

[vinteuil]

.

... a cravate écrouellique wd certainly be useful for concealing disfiguring scrofulous lesions. Littré provides as the adjectival form of écrouelles : écrouelleux, écrouelleuse.

.

[Bryn]

If it creates too many duplications, it's probably not worth it (the box sleeve is a bit flimsy, and there's minimal booklet notes - nice contemporary paintings used on the cardboard sleeves, though) - it turned out that I only had three of the 80 discs already. For anyone who wants an "instant" Beethoven collection (and who isn't keen on HI instruments, but quite likes the occasional PP on "modern" instruments) it is excellent value. Should make for a very happy Thursday at Bryn's.

Seems the casing is of the same type as the lower-priced re-issue of the Warner Complete Bach set. Not the most practicable of boxing solutions. With the Bach box I considered cutting along the lower front edge of the slip-off card wrapper and using self-adhesive hook and loop fastening strips to convert it into a somewhat flimsy flip-top system.

[gurnemanz]

I think that’s about half what I paid. That does look like a bargain offer. If you’re interested, go for it quickly, as the price may shoot up again.

The large Beethoven box still looks marginal for me - I guess not the highest priority.

I've been checking out this set and have also decided I don't need it, especially having bought the very good value 100CD Brilliant box a while ago. I don't know the Harnoncourt Symphonies but they don't win universal approval - a one star reviewer on the jpc site calls their inclusion a "Zumutung" (outrage, impertinence). There are several CDs of canons, jokes, folk songs etc which can be said to be marginal. They were specially recorded for the Brilliant set, as I presume they were for Warner. An interesting curiosity to have but a second set of them all would be superfluous for me.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I don't know the Harnoncourt Symphonies but they don't win universal approval - a one star reviewer on the jpc site calls their inclusion a "Zumutung" (outrage, impertinence).

Does anybody's recording of the complete Beethoven Symphonies "win universal approval", gurne?

(And describing performances as "impertinence/outrage" is a pretty much a high recommendation in these, of all, works )

[Bryn]

I've been checking out this set and have also decided I don't need it, especially having bought the very good value 100CD Brilliant box a while ago. I don't know the Harnoncourt Symphonies but they don't win universal approval - a one star reviewer on the jpc site calls their inclusion a "Zumutung" (outrage, impertinence). There are several CDs of canons, jokes, folk songs etc which can be said to be marginal. They were specially recorded for the Brilliant set, as I presume they were for Warner. An interesting curiosity to have but a second set of them all would be superfluous for me.

That 100 disc Brilliant Classics box has some very fine issues in it, along with quite a few relative duds. The inclusion of the COE/Harnoncourt set of symphonies in the Warner box is, I would concur, regrettable, though I would not dismiss it out of hand as either a 'Zumutung'. I actually wish the Kurt Sanderling set had been chosen (but that's because I already have most of the other Warner/EMI Beethoven Symphony surveys on CD). Re the COE/Harnoncourt set, I think the The Gramophone review got it about right. I got the COE/Harnoncourt years ago and found it pretty worthwhile, but with a couple of |Toscanini sets, plus another couple of Norrinton's, Immerseel, four Karajans, the glorious Cluyens et al and, most of all, the Krivine . . . , the COE/Harnoncourt rarely gets a look-in, these days.

[Barbirollians]

That 100 disc Brilliant Classics box has some very fine issues in it, along with quite a few relative duds. The inclusion of the COE/Harnoncourt set of symphonies in the Warner box is, I would concur, regrettable, though I would not dismiss it out of hand as either a 'Zumutung'. I actually wish the Kurt Sanderling set had been chosen (but that's because I already have most of the other Warner/EMI Beethoven Symphony surveys on CD). Re the COE/Harnoncourt set, I think the The Gramophone review got it about right. I got the COE/Harnoncourt years ago and found it pretty worthwhile, but with a couple of |Toscanini sets, plus another couple of Norrinton's, Immerseel, four Karajans, the glorious Cluyens et al and, most of all, the Krivine . . . , the COE/Harnoncourt rarely gets a look-in, these days.

It is simple it should have been the Cluytens or the Karajan /Philharmonia - or even the Klemperer - all streets ahead of the Harnoncourt.

[Bryn]

It is simple it should have been the Cluytens or the Karajan /Philharmonia - or even the Klemperer - all streets ahead of the Harnoncourt.

Maybe, but like the Harnoncourt, I already have them. The Sanderling I only have on LP. I was thinking more of my particular situation.

[Parry1912]

The Harnoncourt was Gramophone’s Recording of the Year in 1992.

[Barbirollians]

The Harnoncourt was Gramophone’s Recording of the Year in 1992.

Rob Cowan loved them as a recall Richard Osborne was much less keen - I think he said something like the more he played them the less impressive they were.

[Dave2002]

I've been checking out this set and have also decided I don't need it, especially having bought the very good value 100CD Brilliant box a while ago. I don't know the Harnoncourt Symphonies but they don't win universal approval - a one star reviewer on the jpc site calls their inclusion a "Zumutung" (outrage, impertinence). There are several CDs of canons, jokes, folk songs etc which can be said to be marginal. They were specially recorded for the Brilliant set, as I presume they were for Warner. An interesting curiosity to have but a second set of them all would be superfluous for me.

I remember some reviewers really liking the Harnoncourt set when it came out, and I always kinda fancied it. I have a few sets of Beethoven symphonies already, and a fair number of individual discs. Mention has been made of Klemperer - some of his performances are (maybe) good - but some sounded stodgy even twenty or more years ago. I think his performances varied, and very possibly some of the earlier ones - maybe mono only - and some live recordings from concerts - are much better than the later stereo sets. Definitely worth hearing some of the earlier performances I think, and not necessarily the ones issued on "major" lablels.

If it hadn't been for the duplication of the Kovacevich piano works - which I already have in another box - I might have been more tempted by this set. I suspect it's a pretty good set for anyone who doesn't have many CDs or LPs of these works already.

Anyone who isn't put off already by the reviewers and other comments can buy the Harnoncourt symphony set for around £22 - for example - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-C...SIN=B000095IUM (5 CDs) or get Harnoncourt in another 14 CD set with symphonies and concertos for around £26 - https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...ourt-beethoven from Presto. I might actually do that one myself. Note that it (which - one CD or the whole set?) was a BAL winnner in 2015 and was a Gramophone recording of the year in 1992

[mathias broucek]

Maybe, but like the Harnoncourt, I already have them. The Sanderling I only have on LP. I was thinking more of my particular situation.

The Sanderling is a terrific set although not world-beating, I'd suggest. It's hard to find in the UK but I found a second-hand copy for £5(!) in Tokyo this year

I'd suggest Jochum/LSO as the best Warner-owned set in reasonably modern sound.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

For a (much!) more enthusiastic Gramophone review of the harnoncourt set, there is this from Stephen Johnson, which looks like it appeared when the set first appeared:

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/beethoven-complete-symphonies-7

For all the virtues of the alternative suggestions from the Warner back catalogues, it would seem a little odd for a box of the "Complete Beethoven" to include a set of the Symphonies neglecting so many of the composer's repeat markings, and using the "improved" orchestrations of later performers.

[mathias broucek]

E classical bargain of the day is the Litton / Bergen Firebird (full ballet)

Interpretation, playing and (especially) sound are all stunning. Don’t hesitate!