HPFAN 1 Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 I'm looking for a classical box set with variuos composers. Stravinsky, Beethoven, Bach etc. I'm trying to introduce myself into the world of classical. Maybe some of you have box sets that you would highly recommend. I looked on amazon an i got many result but i don't know which one is bland or worthwhile. Maybe you guys can point me in the right direction. thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,211 Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 Being no great fan of compilations, particularly not in case of classical music where compilations usually mean cutting out tiny bits of a larger work, I recommend getting a couple of "normal" CDs instead....you can still get close to compilations by for example picking up a CD with various Wagner or Beethoven ouvertures. Older recordings (70s) should be cheap, and you get excellent high-profile recordings with great sound (classical recordings have been better preserved than film scores, fortunately). Deutsche Grammophon, EMI and Sony for example all have milestone recordings from that era on cheap albums.Marian - who among others recommends the Jochum Carmina Burana on Deutsche Grammophon Originals. Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves (Kamen) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlock 11 Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 I'd recommend the box set of the soundtracks of 'Amadeus'. Although it is almost exclusivly Mozart, it is a fantastic set, full of great pieces well known and otherwise. I also found a very rare 6 CD box set of Dvorak, called simply 'Antonin Dvorak' on Ebay. If you can find it- it is well worth the price ($65). As for ones with several composers, I've yet to find an intelligently put together serious collection of classical music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSM 126 Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 HPfan, did you hear of those Eloquence CDs? They are compilations of some of the most well-known and some of the best (which is not always the same) pieces by classical composers, cheap ($9 or so) and the best recordings you can get! Most CDs are remastered re-issues of Deutsche Grammophon, Philips, Decca and EMI recordings and are defenitely the best way to collect excellent perfomances (worlds most famous orchestras and soloists) of classical music in a cheap way!MSM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HPFAN 1 Posted July 31, 2003 Author Share Posted July 31, 2003 I've taken into consideration all of your suggestions. And i am thinking of purchasing these two. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=musichttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=musicMorlock is this what you're talking about? http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector J. Guzman 1 Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 I like those "Mad About (composer)" from DG and RCA´s "Greatest Hits"... excellent music, popular for the regular folk unfamiliar with classical music, and great orchestras and conductors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker 5 Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 I have about half of RCA's wonderful "Basic 100" series. I don't think they ever finished that series and now its sadly out of print. Check your local Barnes and Noble. I know the one near me has those discs in their own little section. They're inexpensive and always give you the full piece.Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlock 11 Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 Those two box sets seem like great choices! I think I'll get the 10 CD one for myself as well! And that was the Amadeus thing I was talking about. Along with the less known stuff, it also holds my absolute favorite version of the Requiem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSM 126 Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 I've taken into consideration all of your suggestions. And i am thinking of purchasing these two. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=musichttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=musicWhat type of classical music exactly are looking for? The first cd you mentioned is mostly chambermusic, the second mostly symphonic works.As far as I can judge from the information at the sites none of them are performed by well-known orchestras and soloists, so the performances nor the recordings won't be top-notch. Judging from the reactions on the site the first cd will be ok, although the second seems to suffer from what I mentioned.I personally attach much value to excellent recordings (I mean good interpretation and performance as well as sound quality - which is also why I like the Boston Pops CDs) as I think you get a lot more satisfaction from them. When you are relatively new to classical music I would certainly not risk your disapproval due to bad recordings (this is my opinion at least). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ren 75 Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 i'd get Carmina Burana and Mozarts Requiem. Amadeus is good too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,211 Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 And that was the Amadeus thing I was talking about. Along with the less known stuff, it also holds my absolute favorite version of the Requiem.But certainly not the complete Requiem?And a general hint: Avoid cheap recordings - where cheap doesn't mean they don't cost much. Just don't buy any of those no-name discs (unless you know they're good), there are plenty of great (sometimes the best) recordings available for the same prices as crappy recordings by sub-par conductors and orchestras.Marian - who'd recommend Holst's The Planets as well, but the Dutoit recording (regarded as the best by many people) is full-price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlock 11 Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 Not the complete Requiem, but something about Lacrimosa from the movie just gets to me like no other recording I've heard. BTW The last time I watched Amadeus (I watch it about once a month) I tried something, which led to a really and out of it came something that really took me by surprise. I had the movie on, about to close it, when I opened winamp, and saw by chance that the Requiem, the same movie version was on the play list. So just for the heck of I Played the movie at the exact second when you see he's dead, and simultaniously played the track on winamp. The two Lacrimosa'a played simultaniously, but what came out was this warped version of it, sort of slow, and really creepy- and it worked perfectly with Mozart's death. Try it- it's almost scarey how playing a piece over itself yields such unsettling, yet effective results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,211 Posted August 1, 2003 Share Posted August 1, 2003 It's been a while since I've seen the movie.....years in fact. Anyway, was the music in the movie specifically recorded for the movie, or did they take existing recordings - in other words, is there a complete recording of that very Requiem?Marian - really happy with his Karajan CD though. Salome (Richard Strauss) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlock 11 Posted August 1, 2003 Share Posted August 1, 2003 All of the music in the movie was recorded especialy for the movie, by the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and conducted by Neville Marriner. Marriner was sort of the composer for it, just without the original music part. He arranged the music (in co-operation with the editors) so that they would work as a score, as well as source music. I was never sure of how long the complete Requiem was, so I don't know how much of it they did. Although I understand that what they recorded was not the complete requiem. They recorded Dies Irae, Rex Tremendae Majestatis, Confutatis and Lacrymosa, which together clock in at 11:07. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,211 Posted August 1, 2003 Share Posted August 1, 2003 The Karajan runs for 52 minutes, and all of it deserves to be heard. That's the generally performed version which was completed and adapted by some Mozart pupil though. There's at least one recording of what is said to be Mozart's original version (incomplete I suppose), but I haven't heard it.I do expect though that Marriner recorded the whole thing at least once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSM 126 Posted August 1, 2003 Share Posted August 1, 2003 Quite alot of fun to play by the way, the Requiem.MSM - who just performed it a month ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ren 75 Posted August 1, 2003 Share Posted August 1, 2003 I think the Requiem is brilliant. I have a copy of it. Although I have to confess, I love up to the Lacrymosa, then the rest doesn't get played as much. I also absolutely adore Allegri's Miserere, if you like a capella astounding choirs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PBL 0 Posted August 1, 2003 Share Posted August 1, 2003 I highly recommend Bruno Walter's version of the Mozart Requiem. Much more interessant that Karajan's version. Also the baroque version of Herrewege is quite brillant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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