Originally posted by Dave2002
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Just arrived this morning hot-foot from Italy: RVW 'Collector's Edition' 30 CDs. I will have some duplications, of course, but I'm greatly looking forward to hearing for the first time for me, his choral and vocal works...... and probably some other works I may not be aware of. Not bad for less than £8 incl. p&p!
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Originally posted by Dave2002 View PostRadu Lupu solo box set at a reasonable price from am market place sellers - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-lis...ords=Radu+Lupu
Also at am.it most probably at a lower price (in Euros), but you'd have to work out whether the postage would make it more expensive http://www.amazon.it/Radu-Lupu-Compl...ords=Radu+Lupu
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Chalk up another RVW set from Italy. I first heard Vernon Handley's recording of the Fifth and Flos Campi on a cassette tape at a time when I needed aural succour. It was just the ticket. Now I have a treasure chest to explore. Thank you to Hafod for nosing out such a wonderful bargain - and to the Italian suppliers for being as good as their word.
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Originally posted by hafod View Post'Portrait' box: (the one currently under consideration)
Shop classical & jazz new releases on CD, DVD, Blu-Ray, vinyl, and more, featuring today's top labels & artists!
'Masterworks' box: (the earlier one cited by Bryn)
Shop classical & jazz new releases on CD, DVD, Blu-Ray, vinyl, and more, featuring today's top labels & artists!
I leave a detailed comparison to others on the basis that life is too short and I don't want either box anyway.
The Portrait box has Sawallisch in the symphonies, with the New Philharmonia.
The string quartets are played by the Leipzig Gewandhaus Quartet in Portrait, and by the Sharon Quartet in the Green box.
I think the versions of Elias and Paulus are different. I've not had time or the inclination to compare them.
The Green box has cello sonatas - which are good - my copy has escaped hopefully only temporarily.
Portrait has Antigone which I'd not heard of.
The Blue box appears to have the string symphonies played by the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra - which is I think a full body of strings (i.e not cut down significantly), conducted by Masur. Actually I think I have those already in another separate collection - they're very good - very crisp playing. (now more expensive - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Sym...ing+symphonies)
The Portrait box and the Green box have the String Symphonies played by the Amsterdam Sinfonietta conducted by Lev Markiz - a somewhat "softer" approach - which may be more appropriate, but the Gewandhaus performances are very impressive indeed.
Naxos also had a box of Mendelssohn works, including the String Symphonies played by the Northern Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Nicholas Ward - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mendelssohn-...mphonies+naxos
That Naxos White box seems to be still available - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mendelssohn-...mphonies+naxos though is probably no longer competitively priced against other versions.
I agree about life being too short to make a very detailed comparison. At the (earlier) low price the Portrait box has things to commend it, and there's quite a lot of choral and other music which is not heard often. Some buyers may never play those CDs!
It was a bargain.
The price has now risen very substantially, so no longer a significant bargain. I suspect that Brilliant will do yet more repackaging to produce a similar, but not identical, box in the future. Anyone who got the Portrait box cheaply should find something to enjoy within it. However, anyone who only wants the usual numbered symphonies might look for the Sawallisch performances elsewhere (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mendelssohn-...ohn+Sawallisch ),
or look to Abbado's set - for example - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mendelssohn-.../dp/B00005ONMP
Incidentally one thing I did not know was the (approximate) order of composition of Mendelssohn's numbered symphonies. The Scottish was the last to be completely composed, and the order is
1 (1824 - Mendelssohn 15 years old)
5 (1829-30)
4 (1833 - performed, but not published during Mendelssohn's life time)
2 (1840)
3 (1829-44 - premiered in 1844)
The early string symphonies were written between 1821-23 - Mendelssohn was 12-14 then.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_M...ohn#Symphonies
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Originally posted by visualnickmos View PostTalking things Mendelssohn bargains, I acquired this some years ago (at about a quarter of this price, alas) and it is superb. Christoph Eschenbach's playing where appropriate, is sublime. A great set, worth hunting out a cheaper offer; there may well be a few about.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mendelssohn-...sohn+brilliant[FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]
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Whilst checking out some of the other Mendelssohn offers I came across this Beethoven string quartet set for less than a tenner http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-Co...B929XE2M2G1BQV I have those recordings already, and despite my previous reservations about some of the AB's playing which I need to check again, this is surely a good deal for anyone who doesn't have it already, or any Beethoven quartets. Perhaps Hafod will reemerge and tell us it's even cheaper ordered from Planet Zog or Ruritania [thanks for all your previous suggestions, BTW] but I would call this one a bargain.
The snag is that due to the change in Amazon's delivery policy you have to buy £20 or more of "stuff" to get free delivery. Some will delight in that, others will find it a pain.
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Originally posted by Dave2002 View PostThe snag is that due to the change in Amazon's delivery policy you have to buy £20 or more of "stuff" to get free delivery. Some will delight in that, others will find it a pain.[FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]
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