I'll read up on more of the pro/anti Karajan writings to be had on the interweb in the next few days, but for now I'll just remark that the first price I have seen for the 356xDisc Karajan box is Euro 799,99. Any hot deal "price alert" postings to be had in this thread for this monster box will be read with interest.
This box set is volume 2. It may be out elsewhere but according to Amazon it is released in the UK next week: https://www.amazon.co.uk/BBC-Legend...F8&qid=1505901308&sr=8-3&keywords=bbc+legends
For those looking for a slightly better price and/or who don't feel like feeding the Bezos beast, Barnes & Noble has it at the same price and there's a 15% off discount code, "AUTUMN" that works for it as well. $81.48 with basic shipping is what I got for it.
Indeed! @Michael H (above) makes an excellent point... And before reading all the "pro/anti Karajan writings to be had on the interweb"--a lot of which is rubbish--I would advise that you first listen to Karajan's recordings with an open mind for the music he made. Look for his recordings from the 1960's, of which used copies can be found quite inexpensively. If you have a favorite Beethoven or Brahms symphony, start there. The proof is in the performance and how it moves you. Such a preview would also help you decide if you want to spring for the monster box.
I think Lebrecht is entitled to his opinion. I, however, don't share it. I enjoy Karajan, and find his interpretations of certain composers to be as good as any, but almost all of his perspectives to be interesting. Other than perhaps Bernstein, Solti, Szell, and Bohm, there aren't any conductors, living or dead, who I could give a stronger overall recommendation to--and for opera, I usually find him head and shoulders above the rest. I won't be purchasing the DG big box, but that's because I have the individual Karajan 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and opera boxes they put out in the past several years. My recommendation to the uninitiated would be to listen to some of Karajan's recordings on YouTube and see if he's your cup of tea--there are plenty of fish in the sea at the moment.
Everybody knows that Lebrecht is a certified iconoclast, I never took him seriously, although his writing can be entertaining, like a nice novel that does not reflect much the reality of things.
@Michael H (above) makes an excellent point... And before reading all the "pro/anti Karajan writings to be had on the interweb"--a lot of which is rubbish--I would advise that you first listen to Karajan's recordings with an open mind for the music he made. Look for his recordings from the 1960's, of which used copies can be found quite inexpensively. If you have a favorite Beethoven or Brahms symphony, start there. The proof is in the performance and how it moves you. Such a preview would also help you decide if you want to spring for the monster box.[/QUOTE] While classical music has had its superstars (Bernstein, Heifetz, Horowitz), there's sometimes an antipathy toward artists who become truly famous, are recognized by the mainstream, etc. You see it these days with Gustavo Dudamel, Yuja Wang, and others. Karajan was such a larger than life artist it's hard to be objective about his work. His growing focus on recorded sound later in his career did lead to variable results later in his career, but his 1950s-1970s discography is filled with great performances.
While classical music has had its superstars (Bernstein, Heifetz, Horowitz), there's sometimes an antipathy toward artists who become truly famous, are recognized by the mainstream, etc. You see it these days with Gustavo Dudamel, Yuja Wang, and others. Karajan was such a larger than life artist it's hard to be objective about his work. His growing focus on recorded sound later in his career did lead to variable results later in his career, but his 1950s-1970s discography is filled with great performances.[/QUOTE] It seems that this antipathy is greater than sometimes; it seems that the more popularity, exposure or celebrity status a person receives, negative opinions are directly proportional to this popularity. Yo Yo Ma i would add to this list; he nearly (or possibly did) sell out the Hollywood Bowl and it's nearly 20,000 seats a couple of weeks ago and played the Bach Cello Suites, but I doubt that he would garner many recommendations as a must buy on disc. I've seen someone on this forum call Dudamel, the Dude. And in the same spirit as that was said, let me say, Nice. Then again I'm from LA and the LA Phil tends to book a lot concerts by Dudamel and Yuja Wang. The horror.
It seems that this antipathy is greater than sometimes; it seems that the more popularity, exposure or celebrity status a person receives, negative opinions are directly proportional to this popularity. Yo Yo Ma i would add to this list; he nearly (or possibly did) sell out the Hollywood Bowl and it's nearly 20,000 seats a couple of weeks ago and played the Bach Cello Suites, but I doubt that he would garner many recommendations as a must buy on disc. I've seen someone on this forum call Dudamel, the Dude. And in the same spirit as that was said, let me say, Nice. Then again I'm from LA and the LA Phil tends to book a lot concerts by Dudamel and Yuja Wang. The horror.[/QUOTE] I have the big Yo-Yo Ma box and there's a lot of good music in it and very little I don't like. There are also quite a few recordings of works/composers that are not recorded a lot. He recorded a lot of non-standard repertoire. Most of those are worth buying IMO. My favorites are the 20th century albums.
Daniel Barenboim, The Solo Recordings on DG, this 39 CD box came out last month, I don't think it was mentioned in the thread yet. Home - Deutsche Grammophon
Hoping others are going to alert. I'm so busy with kids and work, that I rely on this board to hear of these deals. And to all that post them, I am very grateful. Thank you!
Sorry I didn't get the word out in time. As it is, I just got in under the wire with my own order. And yes, to answer an earlier question, it looks like B&N is discounting classical right now.
Anyone pick up classical boxes in the B&N sale? I didn't see much to entice me as far as box sets, B&N's MSRP prices are quite a bit higher than street/discounted at other websites so the 40% plus 15% wasn't much of a deal for most of the things I was interested in. I grabbed the Menuhin Century/Luxury since I had it on my want list for a while (notes by Monsaingeon being the tipping factor who made exceptional documentaries (and book for Richter) on Richter and Menuhin) as well as the Lili Kraus box, thanks to @George P.
Speaking of Monsaingeon, I highly recommend his documentary DVD on Sviatoslav Richter called "The Enigma." https://www.amazon.com/Richter-LIns...033829&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=richter+enigma
Karajan is great of course, but you don't have to marry him. I wouldn't kick Haitink and the Concertgebouw out of bed if he was coming over. Some people have hated Karajan--I recall John Eliot Gardiner said he was "almost evil" in one version of the Great Conductors video (it was edited out of the version broadcast on TV). Sometimes there's a legendary performance you don't want to miss. Barbirolli's Mahler 5th, for example. Karajan is ravishing in Bruckner, Wagner, and 20th century music, but he is very bad in Mozart. I'm not too bullish on Mozart. Sometimes a conductor has a special claim on a composer, Colin Davis on Berlioz, or Mackerras on Janacek. Anyway, I just feel 356 discs of Karajan would be an albatross on any collection, and I still want to have fun, not homework.
I got the Takacs Quartet Beethoven cycle (w/DVD and BD-Audio) and the Hartmann Symphonies SACD box. I didn't find the box prices hugely compelling otherwise. Some SACD labels like Pentatone were nicely cut below what you usually see them for, though.
That Beethoven set represents amazing value for money considering you're getting the standard redbook and hi-res all in one glorious set! Also, I haven't checked this portion out myself, but I believe there's also video content...
There is. A separate DVD with three quartets - 1. Haydn: String Quartet in C major, op.33 no.3 (The Bird) 2. Schubert: String Quartet in D minor, D810 (Death and the Maiden) 3. Beethoven: String Quartet in F major, op.59 no.1 (Razumovsky) No clue why they didn't just put the video content on the BD.
