Thread: Recommend me a top notch box set please

Hi there,

I have 50 euro / c. 40 pounds I want to use on a box set and I am very curious as to what box set you think is essential or you particularly love in this price range. Just to limit the choice I am only thinking orchestral music post Beethoven.

thanks !

One that comes to mind is a DVD box set called "Classical Destinations" that is priced at USD 34 and another that comes to mind is Richard Wagner's complete Der Ring Des Nibelungen on CDs by Georg Solti and the Wiener Philharmoniker on Decca that should be within your budget.

I looked and The Ring is 100 euro on itunes I'd rather not do the whole ebay thing so anyone else suggesting forget about great low deals - Wagner isn't a bad idea since I have none. I wouldn't know where to start with Wagner though.

Why don't you pick a composer that you like, and choose a set of his/her works, or do research into who influenced him, and explore their works?

Shostakovich's Symphonies by Jansons. The quality/price ratio on that one is insanely big, a must have if you're not (or vaguely) familiar with Dmitri Dmitrievich's symphonies.

Beethoven's Symphonies by Norrington, controversial, fast and uncompromising interpretation. For a fresh look on Ludwig's symphonies - this is the best set to choose.

Dvorak's symphonies, Kertesz or Kubelik

Schubert's symphonies, Bohm

These are great suggestions. Unfortunately the shostakovich is not available on itunes. How annoying.
I have Beethoven Norrington and love it. Any more ideas anyone?

What's the point in getting a box set in iTunes? Get a real one! I just bought the Suk small box set (4 CDs) and even the packaging gives me pleasure

Originally Posted by jaibyrne

not available on itunes. How annoying.

Uhhhh... spending money on lossy audio with drm? Who in the world would buy from itunes when you can get lossless for free?

Originally Posted by nickgray

Shostakovich's Symphonies by Jansons. The quality/price ratio on that one is insanely big, a must have if you're not (or vaguely) familiar with Dmitri Dmitrievich's symphonies.

Is Shostakovich really a good choice to somebody who is still getting into classical music? I LOVE Shostakovich, but he's certainly an acquired taste, don't you think?

By the way, I wouldn't have suggested the Jansons set, I had received a defective pressing of it, as did many other people. I believe it was the 6th disc that was defective.

Originally Posted by Mirror Image

Is Shostakovich really a good choice to somebody who is still getting into classical music? I LOVE Shostakovich, but he's certainly an acquired taste, don't you think?

It depends, I guess. I got into classical (meaning seriously, not vivaldi-four-seasons like) when I heard Wagner's Ring by Bohm. Not exactly a good first choice I don't really think there are good first choices - classical music is huge, composers usually write quite a lot of stuff, and finding in this mess a piece that will "get" you into classical can be most troublesome.

I am not getting into classical at all. I have about 300 CDs already but of course there are gaps in my collection and I came here to see what came to people's minds for great box sets.

As for downloading without paying, nickgray - that's fine if you can get exactly what you want but it aint so simple. The choices out there are limited in my experience and also it takes ages to download torrents on my laptop. I am committed to spending money also itunes plus is drm free.
I get what your saying about packaging, bass clef but right now I am goin down the itunes road, screw waiting for deliveries from amazon (bear in mind I live in the middle of nowhere too). i don't really collect discs anymore - I am all on computer now.

Keep the suggestions coming

Originally Posted by jaibyrne

I am not getting into classical at all. I have about 300 CDs already but of course there are gaps in my collection and I came here to see what came to people's minds for great box sets.

So you're really well versed in classical music? Who are some of your favorite composers and don't say Bach, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, or Beethoven.

My favorite composers are Sibelius, Mahler and Ravel, Debussy, Prokofiev - as you can see, more the first 50 years of the Twentieth Century which I am particularly in to.

Originally Posted by jaibyrne

My favorite composers are Sibelius, Mahler and Ravel, Debussy, Prokofiev - as you can see, more the first 50 years of the Twentieth Century which I am particularly in to.

Good choices! In that case I have several box sets to recommend you:

Looks great! the Poulenc is there and I have no Poulenc apart from a few songs sung by Crespin. I only have 2 RVW symphonies - he is underrated, I think. Thanks for the feedback, Mirror Image.

J