I am so new to classical music and have such little listening experience I am apprehensive about chiming in here but here goes. Those Beethoven piano sonatas are some of my earliest discoveries in this classical music journey and among my favorite works of what I have heard so far. I first heard the Brendel 1970's ish recordings and was totally blown away. I just love them. I have since listened to the Kempff (50's mono and 60's stereo) versions and enjoy those as well. The approaches are so different IMHO that it is great to have both interpretations.
I do not think so. It is clearly a financial question. Publishing a box with original cover art is much more time-consuming and costs more money. Sometimes I have the feeling that the DGG wants to move away from traditional CD sales and move towards digital offers. SONY and WARNER behave in an exemplary manner when producing such boxes.
I am not sure if producing original covert art is that much more time-consuming. It is just scanning a few covers and that's it. And it is just plain stupid on the part of DG, because nowadays, in the era of streaming, people may buy CDs just because of their nice presentation. Both DG and Decca seem to do it at random: e.g. Argerich has original covers, Brendel does not, Abbado BPO has, Abbado VPO hasn't. No logic.
Perhaps the location of the producers and/or designers determines the cover design. For example, I have never seen a UMG collection designed by Universal Italy use original jackets. And Abbado is, after all, of Italian descent. So maybe UMG Italy is charged with the design on all of the boxes except the Berlin box.
OMG! I have been looking forward to the release of this super box, I just bought the recent K. Richter box and the almost extinct Vol. 2 of Jochum. A great violinist, I have known him since I was 7 years old and at 19 years old I continue to listen to him, I hope Decca does not ruin this treasure by not putting on the original Philips covers. [QUOTE = "Randy Lane, publicación: 25972472, miembro: 109061"] Nueva imagen de la caja de Grumiaux hoy en Amazon.de https://www.amazon.de/dp/B08PJP599K [/CITAR]
Yup, welcome to the world of classical music! I’m sure I’m not the only one on this forum who has more than a dozen recordings of the Beethoven sonatas, which are so rich in interpretive possibilities. I could go on, but I’ll stop now and recommend that some day you listen to the Schnabel cycle.
Otto Klemperer conducts the Concertgebouw Orchestra: Legendary Amsterdam Concerts 1947-196124 SACDs * Otto Klemperer and the Concertgebouw Orchestra - a magnificant live co-operation, which had their procreative phase in the fifties of the last century. * 24 SACD Hybrid in 16 Volumes - all tapes newly restored and mastered according to the original sound from their time * The edition is dedicated to Lotte Klemperer (daughter OK) - see below "The collection of rare taped performances and the unique documentation and photo material she shared with us from her private Archive, as well as her unfailing support and personal involvement, were invaluable for the creation our Klemperer live series on archiphon“ * Tapes derived from the famous collection of Archiphon, who keeps the most live recordings Klemperes in their archive. * The edition is compiled according to (the existing tapes of) concertprograms, which OK has conducted - some are therefore the first complete release ever. * Brandnew texts, written by Dick Bruggeman - Klemperer expert and author of the „Long Journey“ / „Last Concert“ Arthaus Musik release and "Otto Klemperer conducts Beethoven Symphonies 1-9 - 1970 cycle“ - Otto Klemperer Film Foundation release * Quote from Lotte : My father was not really a studio conductor. For him there was no such thing as a definitive interpretation. Somehow this belated record fame is a mistake. Artistically, for me all live performances – with all their blemishes, audience noises and technical shortcomings – are a hundred times more interesting and valuable. For they keep alive what I believe is the real OK. Lotte Klemperer 1985 & 1989 Release Date: 9th Apr 2021 Label: Musicas Otto Klemperer conducts the Concertgebouw Orchestra: Legendary Amsterdam Concerts 1947-1961
Have to start saving for the April deluge (Ormandy and this, and likely Grumiaux that month too). Previn/Warner just got the ax, and likely Abbado LSO also.
Klemperer's studio recordings have never done anything for me, but I remain open minded, particularly since his daughter says these live performances "are a hundred times more interesting and valuable."
Go with the technology first. Try Gilels or Richard Goode. You may find historical recordings are an acquired taste.
When someone posted the link to Brendel earlier in the thread at one of the Amazon sites it showed as 250 Euro. I didn't buy the Kempff because I own so much it already. Those shellac recordings are more than just a curiosity, that was Kempff at his technical peak, the sound quality may not be good but the performances are exceptional. Interpretively he didn't change his approach much through the various cycles so the earliest ones he made in his 30s sound fully realized. I bought all the APR volumes (except the Beethoven Piano Concerto one) and they added up at least a quarter of the cost of the box.
On the discussion on Schnabel I'm sure the entire cycle is on Youtube. Below is Pastoral Sonata, Schnabel made one of my favorite performances of it. @crispi and I had a nice discussion on the mastering of these and we both concluded (separate times, so no bias) that the Pearl transfers are the best sounding ones. They have much more clarity and realistic piano timbre in the midrange/treble compared to the Naxos and aren't muffled like the Naxos Historical transfers. I used to prefer the Naxos when I had worse speakers.
What are some of your most desired sets that you missed out on when they were in print and affordable. Mine are as follows: Fritz Reiner RCA box John Williams (guitar) Complete Columbia Albums box Julian Bream Complete Album Collection box Claudio Arrau Complete Philips Recordings box The Decca Sound Mono Years box (still some on Amazon but expensive)
There is a Japanese set under the name EMI Shinseido that at one point I thought was best (if only slightly). But I don’t have much recollection of my thinking at the time. I also recall a set by Dante that many liked. Here’s what I thought then (2011), but I don’t know if I’d have the same view now. “I recently compared one minute clips from each of the following: (1) Dante (2) EMI (3) EMI Shinseido (4) Naxos (5) Nuovo Era (6) Pearl All were very close to my ears - I have a better ear for pre-war blues - but I thought the Pearl was excessively noisy in relation to the increase (if any) in the underlying quality of the music. I thought the best were Naxos and EMI Shinseido. The other three had better noise reduction, but a concomitant decrease in sound quality.” I later opined: “I listened to more Naxos, EMI and EMI Shinsedio. I'm not sure which version of EMI I listened to, but the noise reduction and loss of sound quality was too much IMO. Also, I'm no longer sure the noisier Naxos actually has better underlying sound than the Shinseido. (I just can't tell because of the surface noise.) Shinseido still has some surface noise, but I think on balance it's the one I prefer.”
I jumped on the Reiner/RCA and Arrau/Philips sets when they came out, but I missed out on the Toscanini/RCA box, mainly because I wasn't sure about the sound quality (the infamous Studio 8H) and didn't care for the operas (still don't). Guitar and record label boxes are not my thing. By the way, the (Dutch) label's name is Philips, not Phillips, which was an American label founded by Sam Phillips, who discovered Elvis Presley. Studio 8H - Wikipedia
for me: Karajan, either the decade boxes or the complete one Arrau Monteux RCA Heifetz Mercury Living Presence boxes
I only started buying boxes recently (I have many regrets). Some of my misses: Carlo Maria Giulini (Complete DG recordings) Eugen Jochum (DG Recordings box 1) Szell Big Sony Box Fritz Reiner RCA Box Arthur Rubinstein RCA Box Giuseppe Sinopoli (DG recordings box put out by Universal-Italy) Living Stereo Box 1 Living Stereo Box 2
Thanks for flagging this! It could be fascinating. My main concern would be the sound quality - I've heard a few of his mid-1950s radio broadcasts with the Concertgebouw and the sound was not great; certainly not good enough to warrant mastering on SACD. Possibly Archiphone was able to access better masters? I'm also puzzled how there could possibly be enough running time to fill up 24 SACDs! Klemperer's appearances with the Concertgebouw weren't THAT extensive.
The DG Universal-Italy Sinopoli box (The Art of Sinopoli) is still available. I picked up a new copy on Ebay (possibly rarewaves?) last August for $38 with free shipping. It occasionally shows up in the usual locations for $40-50 (Amazon US currently has it for $62).
To my ears there are massive differences between the Pearl and Naxos. The Pearl transfers sound like raw 78s I have heard on archive.org and some other classical 78 rpm blogs, except with speed stability corrections. The Naxos are overly processed in comparison which harms the piano tone, there are parts of the Naxos where it sounds like there is a comforter between the speakers and listener. I have not heard any others. My basis for reference are what I heard on those raw 78s and how a piano sounds in real life. I asked Seth Winner about the Pearl and he said no EQ was used on the piano frequencies, only the mildest EQ to lower some surface noise. I'm trying to "hear past" the surface noise and judge them based off the most realistic piano sound. The Pearl actually reveal that these are surprisingly very good recordings, just mostly limited in dynamic range compared to modern recordings. Otherwise tonal color is very good, just not reference level like you'd get on modern recordings. There is one extremely expensive process they have been using on old delta blues recordings, these remove a large amount of surface noise but keep the full vibrancy of the music intact. I posted in that delta blues thread that I wished this process would be used on Schnabel's Beethoven cycle as this cycle is worthy of the best possible preservation for all to hear.
