Classical "Mega" CD Box Sets

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

  1. Jim B.

    Jim B. Senior Member

    Location:
    UK
    ALWAYS check the EU Amazon sites for these type of things as usually they are the cheapest.
     
  2. avalanche

    avalanche Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I've been looking for a complete Mahler set - can anyone recommend a version? There's several out there.
     
  3. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    If you visit the classical music corner thread(s) you will see a lot of love for Mahler and respectful disagreement over the best cycle. Overall, Bernstein on Sony may be the consensus choice. Make sure you do get the most recently remastered set.

    http://www.amazon.com/Mahler-The-Co...=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1331301296&sr=1-3
     
    Simon A likes this.
  4. Jim B.

    Jim B. Senior Member

    Location:
    UK
    There is actually a new Mahler Bernstein set out this month from Sony listed on Amazon.
     
  5. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Not only that the one in my post is the 2002 set - the one not to get!
     
  6. jhw59

    jhw59 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Rehoboth Beach DE.
    +1 on the Bernstein set. my cost was about a $1 per cd!
     
  7. GregM

    GregM The expanding man

    Location:
    Bay Area, CA
    I recommend the Tilson Thomas SFO Mahler set. The Bernstein may be more classic, but these are excellent interpretations very well recorded. You get your choice of enjoying them in multichannel or two-channel SACD or CD. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...6DO&ref_=sr_1_1&s=music&qid=1331318529&sr=1-1

    Of course the Bernstein is much cheaper. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...9BP&ref_=sr_1_1&s=music&qid=1331318679&sr=1-1
     
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  8. delmonaco

    delmonaco Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sofia, Bulgaria
  9. Some really love Bernstein's Mahler renditions, others not so much. He has his onw take on the music (maybe more dynamic/bombastic, for lack of better words).

    I personally find other conductors more satisfying for Mahler. Usually, it would be best to create your own Mahler collection with different conductors, but for one cycle with mostly very good renditions, I can recommen the Riccardo Chailly cycle. There is a CD box set available at quite a fair price.

    Or you could get one of the box sets which were released for his 150th anniversary which contain all (most) of his music. These compile different conductors.

    I think the EMI set is not bad:

    http://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Comple...ZNWY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331411044&sr=8-1

    There is also a DG set but it is out of print now (more or less):
    http://www.amazon.com/Gustav-Mahler...=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1331411092&sr=1-3
     
  10. Scooterpiety

    Scooterpiety Ars Gratia Artis

    Location:
    Oregon
    Not much of a Mahler fan, but I got this Walter/Columbia set. These are definitive recordings and everyone should have them, 7 discs for 25 bucks.
     

    Attached Files:

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  11. tone ded freb

    tone ded freb Senior Member

    Location:
    Arizona Snowbowl
    Is the new version of Bernstein's Mahler remastered or just a reissue of the 2001 edition?
     
  12. rbbert

    rbbert Forum Resident

    Location:
    Reno, NV, USA
    Good question. The more recently remastered version using equipment similar to that originally used in the '60's sounds much better than the original CBS/Sony CD's, and has been pretty pricey before now.
     
  13. deus62

    deus62 Mega everything.

    Location:
    Germany
    FYI: Yo-Yo Ma's "30 Years Outside the Box" boxed set has been discounted just about everywhere to around €150 (down from formerly €400 and more).

    I ordered mine from German jpc.de the other day and the whole shebang came down to €1,66 per CD (not counting the box and hardcover book).
    I got #484/7500.

    Splendid box.

    I posted about it quickly on one one of my smaller websites today with a few quick'n' dirty "unboxing" photos:

    http://volkher-remembers.com/629/all-good-things/
     
  14. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    [​IMG]

    This one has long been a favorite of mine.
     
  15. dajokr

    dajokr Classical "Mega" Box Set Collector Thread Starter

    Location:
    Virginia Beach, VA
    Have to add a few to my original post:

    Elgar -Collector's Edition (EMI)
    Glenn Gould Complete Bach Edition
    Murray Perahia - The First 40 Years
    Mozart 111
    Karajan 1960s
    Philips Original Jacket Collection
    Wagner - The Complete Operas (DG)
    The Decca Sound
    Magnificat - 500 Years of Choral Masterpieces
    20th Century Masterpieces (EMI)
     
  16. goldwax

    goldwax Rega | Cambridge | Denafrips | Luxman | Dynaudio

    Location:
    US of A
    Well, it started when I bought the Mercury Living Presence set for an obscenely low price on Amazon. Then I preordered the Philips Original Jackets Collection, which arrived yesterday. At around the same time, I got EMI's 20th Century Masterpieces 16- CD set. I'd missed out on the original 111 DG set at a decent price despite turning the Internet (and a few record shops) upside down and shaking it, so I turned my attention to the Decca Sound and RCA Living Stereo boxes instead. Just ordered the former from Amazon.co.uk for $132 shipped, the cheapest price I could find anywhere. It seems that the latter has just been reissued (or at least repressed) so I'm holding off on that one till after the holidays.

    Tons of great music, but so far I've only managed to get to 15 of the Mercury discs and 1 of the EMIs. That leaves 160 after the Decca set arrives next week or so. Or 220 CDs after I order the RCA set in a few weeks.

    I've also bought around 5 or so other classical CDs and perhaps 50 classical LPs in the past few weeks. It's nice to have an instant collection like this, especially at such low per-disc prices, but it's also hugely overwhelming. Still, it's the only way to lock in the savings. It boggles the mind how much certain used Classical CDs (box sets or individual discs) can go for. Puts most rock, soul, and jazz fans to shame!
     
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  17. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Enjoy, Goldwax! :wave:
     
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  18. goldwax

    goldwax Rega | Cambridge | Denafrips | Luxman | Dynaudio

    Location:
    US of A
    Updated to note that I just ordered the RCA Living Stereo from Amazon.co.uk for $105 shipped, cheaper than I could find it anywhere else.

    Quite.

    Anyway, I have a huge amount of listening to do the next few months, and this will (hopefully) bring to a close my limited-edition-classical-box-buying frenzy. I will, however, reserve the right to buy one-offs, either single discs or smaller multi-disc sets in the interim.

    Today, for example, the following caught my eye and I picked them up cheap:

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    I also picked up vinyl versions of:

    Mahler - Symphony No. 10 and Das Lied Von Der Erde - Ormandy - Columbia
    Mahler - Symphony No. 3 - Haitink - Philip
     
  19. goldwax

    goldwax Rega | Cambridge | Denafrips | Luxman | Dynaudio

    Location:
    US of A
    Just ordered the Vivarte and Mercury Living Presence Vol. 2 boxes. Got the Mozart 111 set some time back, but am still working through the Decca box (with the Living Stereo, and Philips boxes still on deck), so I haven't gotten to it. I'm starting to understand what the term "an embarrassment of riches" means.
     
  20. buzzlulu

    buzzlulu Forum Resident

    Location:
    pR,NY,USA
    Not familiar with the Vivarte Box set. Can anyone comment further on the quality of the recordings and performances?

    Gregg
     
  21. PH416156

    PH416156 Alea Iacta Est

    Location:
    Europe
    Not an expert my any means, but I've been enjoying this fine set lately and everybody reviewing it on Amazon recommends it. Eg; this one

    Out of the classical box sets now available, this may be the cheapest; there are copies on Amazon UK marketplace selling for about £53 excluding shipping.

    These last few days, I've been especially enjoying the celestial performances by Paul Van Nevel/Huelgas Ensemble. This is a sample from one of the discs included in the box
     
  22. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    I bought a 15 disc box of their music alone. Love it.
     
  23. Turnaround

    Turnaround Senior Member

    Location:
    -
    Saw a bunch of classical mega-box sets on Amazon that look good.

    Bruno Walter: the Edition (Sony, 39 CDs)
    http://amzn.com/B00BNZN27E

    "new, specially priced LP-sized box set, features recordings from the maestro's later years. Included in the 39-CD set are the complete symphonies of Beethoven and Brahms, the later symphonies of Mozart, symphonies of Mahler and Bruckner, rehearsal recordings and much more."

    Vladimir Horowitz Live At Carnegie Hall (Sony, 42 CDs)
    http://amzn.com/B00BT70J6S

    DISC 1 April 25, 1943, Carnegie Hall, (live)
    DISC 2/3 January 17, 1949, Carnegie Hall, (live) includes 11 previously unreleased recorded works
    DISC 4/5 February 21, 1949, Carnegie Hall, (live) previously unreleased except for 1 work
    DISC 6/7 March 20, 1950, Carnegie Hall, (live) includes 13 previously unreleased recorded works
    DISC 8/9 March 5, 1951, Carnegie Hall, (live)
    DISC 10/11 April 23, 1951, Carnegie Hall, (live) - includes 4 previously unreleased recorded works
    DISC 12 January 12, 1953, Carnegie Hall, (live) previously unreleased
    DISC 13/14 February 25, 1953, Carnegie Hall, (live) includes 3 previously unreleased recorded works
    DISC 15/16 May 9, 1965, Carnegie Hall, (live)
    DISC 17/18 April 17, 1966, Carnegie Hall, (live) includes 6 previously unreleased recorded works
    DISC 19/20 November 27, 1966, Carnegie Hall, (live) includes 8 previously unreleased recorded works
    DISC 21/22 December 10, 1966, Carnegie Hall, (live) includes 8 previously unreleased recorded works
    DISC 23/24 November 26, 1967, Carnegie Hall, (live) includes 14 previously unreleased recorded works
    DISC 25 January 2, 1968, Carnegie Hall, (live, invited audience) - previously unreleased
    DISC 26 February 1, 1968, Carnegie Hall, (live, invited audience)
    DISC 27/28 November 24, 1968, Carnegie Hall, (live) - previously unreleased
    DISC 29/30 December 15, 1968, Carnegie Hall, (live) - includes 5 previously unreleased recorded works
    DISC 31/32 November 16, 1975, Carnegie Hall, (live)
    DISC 33/34 November 23, 1975, Carnegie Hall, (live) - previously unreleased except for 1 work
    DISC 35/36 May 18, 1976, Carnegie Hall, (live) DISC 37 January 8, 1978, Carnegie Hall, (live)
    DISC 38 Horowitz' "Private Collection" of Carnegie Hall live recordings 1945-1946 Compilation
    DISC 39 Horowitz' "Private Collection" 1947 Compilation
    DISC 40 Horowit' "Private Collection" 1948 Compilation
    DISC 41 Horowitz' "Private Collection" 1949-1960 Compilation
    Bonus-DVD January 2 and February 1, 1968: Horowitz on Television previously unreleased

    Ashkenazy: 50 Years on Decca (Decca, 50 CDs)
    http://amzn.com/B00AMUONT2

    Fritz Reiner: The Complete RCA Recordings (Sony, 63 CDs)
    http://amzn.com/B00BT70J0Y

    I also see a number of "complete collections" sets from Sony on a variety of artists (Byron Janis, Van Cliburn, Leon Fleisher and more).
     
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  24. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    I have been enjoying the Bruno Walter set (as well as the Claudio Abbado set). Hoping that the Geoge Szell set, released in Korea, finds its way to these shores.
     
    dajokr likes this.
  25. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    That Walter set is awesome!
     

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