You're right! I just searched ebay and some sellers are asking over $450, far more than the new 82 CD set. That really is crazy. Well, in that case I would definitely go with the new larger box. On the other hand I did find 2 that actually sold (recently) for less than $100. I remember when the 44CD 20th Century box was released I paid about $120 (approx. $80 USD) brand new!
Not sure if this qualifies as a Mega set..During the height of COVID I purchased a box set with 20+ YoYo Ma CDs. Some classical, some classical/fusion with other genres. A great set and companion while working from home.
Sellers, when they think they can ask for a lot of money because an OOP box has become a rarity, don't update their prices if the situation changes. Boulez 20th Century is a good example, as small Fricsay DG shall be in a few months. The first version of the Emerson SQ box is still at around 250 €, and the recent one with supplementary CDs is available anywhere for half this sum... It's sometimes time to negotiate with sellers...
For what I know, the only yo yo ma mega set is 40 years outside the box. Probably my first mega box...
If you like chamber music, you can still purchase on jpc the complete Schubert quartets played by the esamble Verdi quartet at a special price (14,90 euro 8 cds). These are excellently recorded CDs and also well performed music, definitely a box set worth listening to! https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/schubert-complete-string-quartet/hnum/7860778
Naxos will release a new Rachmaninov set in April: https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/pianist-and-conductor/hnum/11168325
It looks like it is missing the violin sonatas/duos with Kreisler, which Naxos did release. Very strange if it is omitted from this box. Incidentally, I wonder if this box will just be the separate CD releases in jewel cases all enclosed in a thin slipcase, which is what they did for the Caruso set, or if they will go the envelope route. This is a good buy even if it is sort of incomplete. It was a bit of a chore to acquire all the separate releases through the years. Some of the later albums were not well-stocked at several large online retailers, and the prices were not bargains (especially when adding in international shipping to the US). But they're worth every penny. The transfers are superior to everything else out there, and there are some rare alternate takes not otherwise available.
Many thanks for your input. I also noticed that some of the single disks seems to be OOP now. It will definitely be an improvement over the RCA/Sony set. The back sleeve says "(P) 1999-2022 and (C) 2023" - which probably means that there is some material which was not on the prior disks and/or updated remastering.
My take on the Carus Heinrich Schutz conducted by Hans-Christoph Rademann 28 CD box - Herreweghe's fabulous CDs have been my long time go to for all the works he recorded over several others I've heard. The main difference with these Rademann conducted recordings is Herreweghe goes for warmth but not the clearest delineation in counterpoint, though this isn't to say Rademann is lacking in warmth, they're quite heartfelt. The other thing that tends to favor Rademann is they are more "spiritual" in that the singers go for more dynamism and a heavenly reaching quality, Herreweghe sonorities are generally more blended and even. I would not want to be without either, the Carus sets are expensive, but I bought all my Herreweghe CDs cheap in used stores and I just did a Discogs check and most of these are under $10 if not more commonly under $5, an absolute steal. Hearing the Rademann performance of Musikalische Exequien makes me appreciate it even more. This is up there with my all time favorite choral works like Missa Solemnis, B minor Mass, Mahler 8, Faure's Requiem, Ligeti's Requiem, Rachmaninoff's All Night Vigil, and Bruckner's F minor Mass. The stunning recording quality from Carus also helps, on the ESL57 it really is a they are in the room experience. Like most great boxes when I hear new repertoire I suspect this will have me spending more money on Schutz single CDs from smaller HIP labels. This is pretty much all I could ask for and solidifies this box among my all time favorite box sets. The famous So fahr ich hin zu Jesu Christ
That's a good point about negotiating, I should start doing that as I don't see these resulting in actual sales - as least on ebay for example, where you can view recent sales. A friend of mine recently wanted to purchase the 26-CD C.P.E. Bach Keyboard Works (by Markovina). That set alone actually costs more than the entire 55-CD C.P.E. Bach Edition that includes all of those 26 CDs! Also, I noticed that both the newer updated C.P.E. box is almost the same price as the older version it replaced (depends where you look). Odd.
In Australia the newer updated blue CPE Bach box is generally $10-$20 cheaper than the older maroon box.
Let’s see what happens when that Munch RCA box is reissued (hope springs eternal!). Those 2k pricetags should go the way of the dinosaur overnight.
There are spring sales right now across the European Amazons. I have spotted some decent deals at Amazon.de: Dimitri Mitropoulos - The Complete RCA and Columbia Album Collection for €150. Philippe Entremont - The Complete Piano Solo Recordings on Columbia Masterworks for €46. Giuseppe Verdi - Great Recordings for €34. Eugene Ormandy - The Columbia Legacy for €157. Zubin Mehta - The Complete Columbia Album Collection for €117. Sviatoslav Richter Live at Carnegie Hall for €25. Peter Serkin: The Complete RCA Album Collection for €49. Jaime Laredo - The Complete RCA and Columbia Album Collection for €33. The Art of Midori for €20. Glenn Gould - The Goldberg Variations: The Complete Unreleased 1981 Studio Sessions for €79. Isaac Stern: Complete Columbia Analogue Recordings for €116.
a lot of these become non-starters due to shipping costs to US. For example, the Mehta box is $46. Amazon seems to have gone crazy with shipping costs. And, if they are no longer subtracting VAT, these are not deals.
Picked up the Ashkenazy Piano/Chamber “artist’s choice” box for next to nothing. I’ve underrated him as a pianist forever, and I’m excited to listen through these recordings.
This arrived from Amazon jp recently, still in its original factory box, shipped inside a heavy paper mailer reinforced with cardboard, wholly intact. Great deal. Thanks for the post!
M + L cancelled Abbado box order without any explication. I wrote a seller feedback. Fingers crossed with Coseon at Amazon.fr.
