Classical "Mega" CD Box Sets

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by dajokr, Jan 28, 2012.

  1. password196

    password196 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tuscaloosa
    [​IMG]
    I always liked this one.
    [​IMG]
    Great sounding brass.
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2017
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  2. Lije Baley

    Lije Baley Forum Resident

    The "Red Fedora" Haydn Symphonies performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra are, of course, not included with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra mega-box.

    I've always enjoyed Solti's performances and am slowly working my way through the 108-CD box, a disc here and a disc there. It's really well done, and with the Fritz Reiner box, is the extent of my "conductor specific" boxes. The performances here led me to purchase Solti's "Ring of the Nibelung" mini-box, which is a very well reviewed set. (With the Vienna Philharmonic and also not in the Chicago box.)
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2017
  3. ssstand

    ssstand Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cheverly, MD
    I have not yet purchased the Solti Decca Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) set, but I will. He is a major, major conductor and the CSO was one of the best symphonies in the world while he was at the helm. The Decca recordings are for the most part very highly regarded, with some of them being essential.

    This is my opinion, of course. But for my money, recordings made between ~1960 and ~1990 were about as good as they get, there are many wonderful conductors and orchestras who were recording during that time, and the record companies put serious resources into making the recordings as strong as possible. Sometime between 1954 and 1956 the major record companies developed the ability to record in stereo. By that time, a slew of terrific conductors were in place both in Europe and the US--in no particular order, Bernstein, Reiner, Munch, Szell, Walter, Klemperer, Ormandy, Karajan, Beecham, Bohm, Haitink, Boult, Boulez, and others developed long-standing relationships with certain orchestras. Playing standards improved considerably over pre-WWII levels, and the record companies competed vigorously with each other to record as much of the standard repertoire as possible.

    Solti was right there in the middle of this, and was heavily promoted by Decca. I believe he still holds the record for most Grammy awards (not that that means a whole lot), and the CSO was highly regarded as one of the best orchestras in the USA. Obviously not all of the 108 CDs will be of equal quality, and his terrific opera recordings are not included in this box, but if you look at the contents and it looks of interest to you, I would snap it up. It's as good as they get.
     
  4. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    Nice post, but I don't think I'll be getting the Solti/CSO set; as I explained in another thread a while ago many of Solti's recordings are just not my cup of tea, though his early Mahler 1, 2 and 9 with the London Symphony Orchestra are fine.
     
  5. Åke Bergvall

    Åke Bergvall Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mariestad, Sweden
    Actually, the ones Solti recorded with the CSO are, i.e. Wagner's Dutchman and Meistersinger, Beethoven's Fidelio, Verdi's Otello, and Schönberg's Moses and Aron.
     
  6. floydfan

    floydfan Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
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  7. Åke Bergvall

    Åke Bergvall Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mariestad, Sweden
    It's not a bad place to start since it includes most of Karajan's EMI and DG recordings up to and including 1960 + a number of famous early opera recordings not incleded in either of their boxes. One misses EMI/Warner's recent masterings in their Complete Official Remastered edition, but the sound quality is not bad overall, provided one can live with early mono recordings (although it also includes later stereo ones as well).
     
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2018
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  8. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    I avoid labels like Document. Their sets may be a bargain, but they usually sound not as good as official sets (i.e. sets released by the owners of the recordings) that are taken from original sources like mastertapes etc. and the packaging is mostly minimal.
     
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  9. crispi

    crispi Vinyl Archaeologist

    Location:
    Berlin
    Indeed. Document: terrible label. Same as Membran. I remember having gotten some jazz sets from them many years ago, without knowing much about how labels like that work, and even then being appalled by the bad quality.
     
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  10. Åke Bergvall

    Åke Bergvall Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mariestad, Sweden
    While I agree with your general assessment, this particular box is not half bad, especially if you are interested in the numerous operas, which are not included in the Warner box. Having said that, I bought the Warner box when the price was low enough, and have kept only the opera recordings from the Document box.
     
  11. Pickering33

    Pickering33 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    Currently working my way through the Solti box. Has anyone else noticed the mistake on the cover of the Bartok disc containing the Miraculous Mandarin or in this case “ndarin”
     
  12. crispi

    crispi Vinyl Archaeologist

    Location:
    Berlin
    That’s why it’s miraculous. It can survive without those letters.
     
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  13. Papageno

    Papageno Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    I caved in and bought the box during the holidays.
    If you hear anything about a replacement program, please let me know.
    [​IMG]
     
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  14. Carlos Bejeeber

    Carlos Bejeeber Forum Resident

    [​IMG]

    *Sigh.* I've been really enjoying the Horowitz Complete Original Jacket Collection, disc by disc for several months -- but now I've discovered that one of the discs is flawed! It's full of skips and it won't play on any of the 4 players I've tried.

    Has anyone else with this box had a similar problem?
    And/or, any thoughts about getting a replacement for the flawed disc? It feels like it would be kind of like shouting into the wind . . . but I'd love to know ppl's experiences, positive or negative.

    (Luckily, the damaged disc is available separately. But even if so, it's still a major bummer in the summer that this box isn't complete and unflawed . . . And it really makes me worry about other flawed discs, lurking as-yet-unplayed in my other mega boxes . . . :doh:)

    Thanks all,
    Carlos
     
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  15. dajokr

    dajokr Classical "Mega" Box Set Collector Thread Starter

    Location:
    Virginia Beach, VA
    Which disc?
     
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  16. Michael H

    Michael H Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    Does your box have the same printing errors?
     
  17. Papageno

    Papageno Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    Yes the same printing errors!

    :wantsome:DECCA
     
    Michael H likes this.
  18. Papageno

    Papageno Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    It's a little bit cheap of Decca not to include a disc with the librettos for the operas.
    The Maria Callas box from Warner includes every libretto on a disc.

    I found a couple of the librettos here Libretti - Libretti Decca Classics
     
  19. Carlos Bejeeber

    Carlos Bejeeber Forum Resident

    Hi dajokr, It's disc 56B, so, the second disc from "Horowitz Rediscovered" (Carnegie Hall recital from November 16, 1975). Cheers, Carlos
     
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  20. dajokr

    dajokr Classical "Mega" Box Set Collector Thread Starter

    Location:
    Virginia Beach, VA
    No issues with that disc for me.

    I've actually had very few instances of bad discs in these classical sets, though I still have hundreds (thousands?) I have yet to get through. Its funny, but I actually started ripping the VH set years ago, but stopped a few short of the end, so hadn't gotten to the Horowitz Rediscovered disc yet.

    If anyone else has had issues with discs in Mega sets, please post here so we can all check.
     
  21. Mowgli

    Mowgli Runs with scissors

    Location:
    Taxachusetts
    disc 5 Scott Ross Scarlatti box - anyone else?
     
  22. hvbias

    hvbias Midrange magic

    Location:
    Northeast
    I like this box set quite a bit as well, I got into Horowitz through those budget blue border CDs and listened to this entire box at least a couple of times. I just ripped and played my disc and there were no issues. Is there any glue residue on your disc? I've seen that on some of these mega box discs where the jackets are folded over and glued, some light cleaning with very dilute isopropyl alcohol does the trick.

    Here are my AccurateRip results if you wanted to try ripping your CD and comparing:

    dBpoweramp Release 16.2 Digital Audio Extraction Log from Sunday, January 7, 2018 19:09

    Drive & Settings
    ----------------

    Ripping with drive 'D: [HL-DT-ST - DVDRAM GUE0N ]', Drive offset: 102, Overread Lead-in/out: No
    AccurateRip: Active, Using C2: No, Cache: 1024 KB, FUA Cache Invalidate: No
    Pass 1 Drive Speed: Max, Pass 2 Drive Speed: Max
    Ultra:: Vary Drive Speed: No, Min Passes: 2, Max Passes: 4, Finish After Clean Passes: 2
    Bad Sector Re-rip:: Drive Speed: Max, Maximum Re-reads: 34

    Encoder: FLAC -compression-level-5 -verify

    Extraction Log
    --------------

    Track 1: Ripped LBA 0 to 1707 (0:22) in 0:05. Filename: C:\drnMD\Vladimir Horowitz\Horowitz reDiscovered; Carnegie Hall Recital (November, 1975), Disc 2\01 - Applause._
    AccurateRip: Accurate (confidence 55) [Pass 1]
    CRC32: 2F7DDAF3 AccurateRip CRC: FD466F2E (CRCv2) [DiscID: 011-00119632-009f2860-9f0aad0b-1]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 55 [CRCv2 fd466f2e]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 20 [CRCv1 6c23ff2]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 11 [CRCv2 e1191f5f], Using Pressing Offset +73
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 12 [CRCv1 e85ed456], Using Pressing Offset +73

    Track 2: Ripped LBA 1707 to 16527 (3:17) in 0:22. Filename: C:\drnMD\Vladimir Horowitz\Horowitz reDiscovered; Carnegie Hall Recital (November, 1975), Disc 2\02 - Prelude for piano No. 16 in G major, Op. 32-5._
    AccurateRip: Accurate (confidence 56) [Pass 1]
    CRC32: 0E26EE9E AccurateRip CRC: EA27A58B (CRCv2) [DiscID: 011-00119632-009f2860-9f0aad0b-2]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 56 [CRCv2 ea27a58b]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 22 [CRCv1 fe81c4df]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 12 [CRCv2 db4f7d18], Using Pressing Offset +73
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 13 [CRCv1 fd8efc24], Using Pressing Offset +73

    Track 3: Ripped LBA 16527 to 41085 (5:27) in 0:26. Filename: C:\drnMD\Vladimir Horowitz\Horowitz reDiscovered; Carnegie Hall Recital (November, 1975), Disc 2\03 - Etudes-Tableaux, for piano, Op. 39; Étude-tableau in E-flat Minor._
    AccurateRip: Accurate (confidence 56) [Pass 1]
    CRC32: 398CE112 AccurateRip CRC: BB50331A (CRCv2) [DiscID: 011-00119632-009f2860-9f0aad0b-3]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 56 [CRCv2 bb50331a]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 22 [CRCv1 211d6f0a]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 12 [CRCv2 9f8d553c], Using Pressing Offset +73
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 13 [CRCv1 eeb30845], Using Pressing Offset +73

    Track 4: Ripped LBA 41085 to 54865 (3:03) in 0:13. Filename: C:\drnMD\Vladimir Horowitz\Horowitz reDiscovered; Carnegie Hall Recital (November, 1975), Disc 2\04 - Valse oubliée, for piano No. 1, S. 215-1 (LW A311-1)._
    AccurateRip: Accurate (confidence 56) [Pass 1]
    CRC32: CAC0EF4A AccurateRip CRC: 35D8A88D (CRCv2) [DiscID: 011-00119632-009f2860-9f0aad0b-4]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 56 [CRCv2 35d8a88d]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 22 [CRCv1 8aa1413e]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 12 [CRCv2 62681e06], Using Pressing Offset +73
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 13 [CRCv1 c8e20b72], Using Pressing Offset +73

    Track 5: Ripped LBA 54865 to 73785 (4:12) in 0:17. Filename: C:\drnMD\Vladimir Horowitz\Horowitz reDiscovered; Carnegie Hall Recital (November, 1975), Disc 2\05 - Années de pèlerinage, 1st Year ('Suisse'), suite for piano, S. 160 (LW A159); Au Bord d'une source._
    AccurateRip: Accurate (confidence 56) [Pass 1]
    CRC32: 61109CB9 AccurateRip CRC: E65624B4 (CRCv2) [DiscID: 011-00119632-009f2860-9f0aad0b-5]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 56 [CRCv2 e65624b4]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 22 [CRCv1 4291d08d]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 12 [CRCv2 3167adcc], Using Pressing Offset +73
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 13 [CRCv1 96a5736c], Using Pressing Offset +73

    Track 6: Ripped LBA 73785 to 101835 (6:14) in 0:23. Filename: C:\drnMD\Vladimir Horowitz\Horowitz reDiscovered; Carnegie Hall Recital (November, 1975), Disc 2\06 - Waltz for piano No. 3 in A minor, Op. 34-2, CT. 209._
    AccurateRip: Accurate (confidence 56) [Pass 1]
    CRC32: 90CF840A AccurateRip CRC: 6093B4C5 (CRCv2) [DiscID: 011-00119632-009f2860-9f0aad0b-6]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 56 [CRCv2 6093b4c5]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 22 [CRCv1 32061aca]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 12 [CRCv2 d3aad7a], Using Pressing Offset +73
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 13 [CRCv1 d8620a3b], Using Pressing Offset +73

    Track 7: Ripped LBA 101835 to 141205 (8:44) in 0:30. Filename: C:\drnMD\Vladimir Horowitz\Horowitz reDiscovered; Carnegie Hall Recital (November, 1975), Disc 2\07 - Scherzo for piano No. 1 in B minor, Op. 20, CT. 197._
    AccurateRip: Accurate (confidence 56) [Pass 1]
    CRC32: 6ECF448D AccurateRip CRC: 7E73CBC3 (CRCv2) [DiscID: 011-00119632-009f2860-9f0aad0b-7]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 56 [CRCv2 7e73cbc3]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 22 [CRCv1 996ff8d3]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 12 [CRCv2 bacd4e1e], Using Pressing Offset +73
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 13 [CRCv1 d15789c5], Using Pressing Offset +73

    Track 8: Ripped LBA 141205 to 158037 (3:44) in 0:11. Filename: C:\drnMD\Vladimir Horowitz\Horowitz reDiscovered; Carnegie Hall Recital (November, 1975), Disc 2\08 - Children's Corner, suite for piano (or orchestra), L. 113; Serenade to a Doll._
    AccurateRip: Accurate (confidence 56) [Pass 1]
    CRC32: 76AD38DB AccurateRip CRC: ABCC71EE (CRCv2) [DiscID: 011-00119632-009f2860-9f0aad0b-8]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 56 [CRCv2 abcc71ee]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 21 [CRCv1 c0074e79]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 12 [CRCv2 fad4e58], Using Pressing Offset +73
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 13 [CRCv1 e94eeae], Using Pressing Offset +73

    Track 9: Ripped LBA 158037 to 172297 (3:10) in 0:09. Filename: C:\drnMD\Vladimir Horowitz\Horowitz reDiscovered; Carnegie Hall Recital (November, 1975), Disc 2\09 - Kinderszenen No. 7 ('Träumerei'), for piano, Op. 15-7._
    AccurateRip: Accurate (confidence 56) [Pass 1]
    CRC32: 5D88DD16 AccurateRip CRC: 107ED71D (CRCv2) [DiscID: 011-00119632-009f2860-9f0aad0b-9]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 56 [CRCv2 107ed71d]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 22 [CRCv1 b34e3126]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 12 [CRCv2 e8cd495d], Using Pressing Offset +73
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 13 [CRCv1 8dec4b1c], Using Pressing Offset +73

    Track 10: Ripped LBA 172297 to 186227 (3:05) in 0:09. Filename: C:\drnMD\Vladimir Horowitz\Horowitz reDiscovered; Carnegie Hall Recital (November, 1975), Disc 2\10 - Étincelles, for piano, Op. 36-6; Étincelles._
    AccurateRip: Accurate (confidence 56) [Pass 1]
    CRC32: D63E33F0 AccurateRip CRC: CF71209F (CRCv2) [DiscID: 011-00119632-009f2860-9f0aad0b-10]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 56 [CRCv2 cf71209f]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 22 [CRCv1 2446e01f]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 12 [CRCv2 9b91fd68], Using Pressing Offset +73
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 12 [CRCv1 e5158e23], Using Pressing Offset +73

    Track 11: Ripped LBA 186227 to 204992 (4:10) in 0:12. Filename: C:\drnMD\Vladimir Horowitz\Horowitz reDiscovered; Carnegie Hall Recital (November, 1975), Disc 2\11 - Etudes-Tableaux, for piano, Op. 39; Étude-tableau in D, Op. 39-9._
    AccurateRip: Accurate (confidence 56) [Pass 1]
    CRC32: 1F108F00 AccurateRip CRC: CE5F4AAF (CRCv2) [DiscID: 011-00119632-009f2860-9f0aad0b-11]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 56 [CRCv2 ce5f4aaf]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 21 [CRCv1 b9d41287]
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 12 [CRCv2 94b7ddbf], Using Pressing Offset +73
    AccurateRip Verified Confidence 12 [CRCv1 984bf0db], Using Pressing Offset +73

    --------------

    11 Tracks Ripped Accurately
     
  23. Lije Baley

    Lije Baley Forum Resident

    Weeks after this post, I'd like to thank jimmydean. For a couple of years I've been watching for this box to be offered at a reasonable price. Long OOP, it's usually priced in the $300-$400 range. When this post was added to the thread, the link was to an offer for a used box, shipped from a Germany, for about $85 delivered. I purchased the box and waited. It arrived yesterday with all the discs appearing to be in good condition. Thanks again.
     
    Last edited: Jan 8, 2018
    bluemooze, Runicen and Mowgli like this.
  24. Octave

    Octave Shake Appeal

    FWIW, I believe the same Cantus Colln recording of the Monteverdi Vespers can be found in the smaller and cheaper (still in-print) CANTUS COLLN EDITION set:
    https://www.amazon.com/Cantus-C-Lln...8&qid=1515641325&sr=1-2&keywords=cantus+colln

    I second the appreciation of Garrido's VESPERS, by the way; I think there are at least two product pages for it at Amazon, and it does seem to be out of print and now somewhat expensive, but it's included in a newish box from the Accent label, collecting much of Garrido's other Monteverdi (the operas, COMBATTIMENTO, and some madrigals, but not his great SELVA MORALE):
    https://www.amazon.com/Operas-Monte...qid=1515641420&sr=1-9&keywords=monteverdi+box
    I am no Monteverdi expert but all of Garrido's recordings seem really fine to excellent. I have not yet ponied up for the Venexiana/Cavina opera recordings on Glossa, but if they are at the standard of most of their madrigals recordings, I am overdue to try them. The Garrido will remain fine anyway!
     
    MarkAJ likes this.
  25. ggjjr

    ggjjr Forum Resident

    Location:
    Grosse Pointe
    Runicen likes this.

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