The Complete Symphony Set - 226 Symphonies
Sat, Mar 6 2010 10:08
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The Complete Symphony Set - 226 Symphonies - 100 Discs
Here is the review from ArchivMusic.com:
Brilliant Classics has given us some of the most astounding values in classical music recordings over the last few years, but they have surely outdone themselves with this latest issue.
The 100 CDs in this set contain 226 complete symphonies. With a few notable exceptions, virtually the entire symphonic canon of the Classical and Romantic period are included. There is no Bruckner or Sibelius, and it would have been nice to have the rest of the Dvorák and Tchaikovsky cycles, but why dwell on what is missing? What is included is extraordinary.
This set includes the complete symphonies of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Mahler, and Nielsen -- and even the great 20th-century symphonist, Shostakovich, has a spectacular complete cycle included as well. The mature symphonies of Tchaikovsky and Dvorák are here, and there is even room for some surprises, like the complete Rimsky-Korsakov and Borodin symphonies.
Most importantly, it’s not just about the quantity. The quality of some of these cycles is as good as it gets. By any standard, Herbert Blomstedt’s Beethoven cycle in Dresden is one of the great ones. The complete Haydn symphonies with Adam Fischer and the Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra is worth the price of the entire set all by itself. In fact, for anyone looking for a complete set of the Haydn symphonies, this is hands-down the way to go. The Brahms and Mozart cycles recorded by Brilliant have both been critically acclaimed, the ever-reliable Neville Marriner and his Academy are here for Schumann, Roy Goodman and Hanover play Schubert . . . what’s not to like? The aforementioned Shostakovich is one of the best all-around cycles available, yet it’s currently difficult to come by outside of this box.
In short, this is a set that is sure to please anyone. There is no other way to get so much essential repertoire for so little. Many of the performances could suffice as a “reference” set for a collection, and those that don’t, like the mixed group of Mahler symphonies, include some notable alternate takes like a live BIS recording of the Eighth with Neemi Järvi and Jascha Horenstein’s third from Unicorn.
In short, this is one of the best investments in classical recordings you’ll ever make. Snap it up while you have the chance!
Comments
RCA Living Stereo
Mon, Mar 1 2010 07:52
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MP3 / Box Sets - Mozart Piano Concertos
Wed, Feb 24 2010 05:19
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Murray Perahia recorded the Mozart Piano Concertos in the 1970s and 80s and the set has been remastered by Sony. The 12 disc set is a fairly good deal on CD but is a great bargain on MP3. These performances with the English Concert are highly recommended.
DG 111 Box Set
Thu, Dec 3 2009 07:31
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I do not usually recommend the large classical box sets because they are expensive and not always a good buy. However the new 111 Box by Deutsche Grammophon is a fantastic buy. The set is a 55-CD Box of full albums from DG's first 111 years. The set is a wonderful buy at less than $3 per disc. Yes, a bit expensive, but this is an excellent way to get a lot of great recordings for a bargain price. DG has set up a special site at dg-11.com with all of the information on the albums, and Amazon has a nice page where you can see and listen to samples from the MP3 version. Do check out the dg-111.com site, where you can listen to a full album from the collection every week. If a 55 disc set is too daunting, there is a 6 disc set with one track from each of the albums in the 111 set, plus other tracks for a great price too.
