5 comments about Schubert: 8 Symphonies.

1. All of Schubert's eight symphonies, except for No. 8 "The Unfinished" and No. 9 "The Great C Major" (there is no No. 7 -- don't ask!), are usually considered lesser fare in his body of work and are often performed with a lighter touch. Conductor Böhm and the Berliners do make the major key symphonies jaunty, but also add some rhythmic punch along with deliberate foursquare tempi and a keen sense of musical architecture to give them the heft they need to sound substantial. The performances of No. 5 and No. 6 are the antithesis of the sprightly and rightly famous '50s-era recordings by Sir Thomas Beecham and are perhaps not as exemplary, but I've always found them so musically immaculate that I have no problem listening to them on a whim.
   
   The recordings in this economical boxset are from 1963, '66, and '73. For the most part, they sound fine with plenty of bass and dynamic presence. Only occasionally does one hear some harshness on tuttis and fortissimos; certainly nothing to take away from the amicable, yet patrician performances.



2. There is no way for me to make my review short and sweet, so instead I will point out EVERYTHING I can about these CD's, and then you can decide if this product is right for you. I have always been a big fan of Mozart and Beethoven, and only recently have learned to appreciate the genius of Schubert. I have listened to over four versions of the 4th, 8th, and 9th symphonies, and I would put these versions somewhere in the middle of the pack. In my opinion they are better that The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields's version (Which is TOO FAST) but not as good as Claudio Abbado and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Abbado's versions are BEAUTIFUL recordings, but that set costs over $150. Let's face it, you get what you pay for. (FYI -I have never heard Muti's versions). Now, as far as the actual fidelity/ sound quality of the recordings, they are just a notch below the rest. I did notice this when I played several versions back-to-back with this one. (Once again- you get what you pay for). If you are a casual listener of classical music, or you are looking for an economical way to get exposure to all of Schubert's symphonies, then this is probably the right set for you. (How can you beat the price ??) If you are a real die- hard classical listener, I want to point out one other thing: These versions do not repeat the exposition in the first movements. They play it once and then go right to the development section. For those of you who don't know what I am talking about- ignore this- never mind, and think about the other things that I said. I hope that I have been helpful. I will finish by saying that I'm amazed by the genius of Schubert and his music, and I encourage anyone who loves classical music to listen to these symphonies (esp 4,8, and 9) regardless of which version you buy.



3. Karl Bohm's recordings of the Schubert Symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic were made in 1963 (Symphonies 8 and 9), 1966 (Symphonies 5 and 6), and 1972 (Symphonies 1,2,3, and 4) and still stand up well today.
   Bohm has a superb command of each symphony's architecture, and DG's recorded sound in all one could ask for: much better than Karajan's 1980s Berlin recordings for DG.
   
   I believe Bohm's Schubert recordings are better than the more recent DG's of Abbado/Chamber Orchestra of Europe, which strike me as rather light and chamber like by comparison. Since I like big orchestra Schubert, I prefer Bohm.
   
   Karl Bohm lived 1894-1981, and began making recordings with the Dresden State Orchestra in 1934. I highly recommend Bohm's Schubert cycle, and also his Mozart Symphonies (DG, also with the Berlin Philharmonic) and Beethoven Symphonies (DG, 1970-72, in three different Doubles releases, with the Vienna Philharmonic), essential to any collection of great music.



4. You'd be hard pressed to find a better performance of all Schubert's 8 Symphonies than the ones in this very well designed and packaged box set by Karl Bohm and the Berlin Philharmonic. The only knock on this collection is that the sound quality, although listed at ADD standard isn't the best. This can be attributed to the analog master and the age of the recordings but I have heard worse like disc 2 of the similar Mendelssohn package. Still, this is overall a worthwhile package to get for all Schubert fans. Recommended.



5. I agree with one of the reviewers here: sometimes Bohm's tempi are a bit slow, especially in the first movement of the 'Unfinished'. The sound of the strings is overall excellent but heavy for Schubert. Otherwise, the performances display a great vitality and impecable phrasing. Great value!

5 comments about Beethoven: The Nine Symphonies.

1. This recording is probably the best deal you'll find of the Beethoven Nine Symphonies, and to boot, they are all done remarkably well. I personally love each one individually, and I think the tempi in all of them are the best. Most notable tempi are 3, 4, 5, and 8.
   
   The first and second are quite chraming, and have the perfect Beethoven flavor in them. The third has an excellent speed, and is exciting! I have never heard a better recording of the 4th, and it is now one of my favorite symphonies. The 5th is bold, and quick. I enjoyed the added repeat in the 3rd movement---it makes the movement feel more complete (did anyone else catch this?). Six is perfect. Seven is big and bombastical, like it should be. Eight is cute! The ninth is powerful, though the choir and some of the soloists aren't as good as other recordings I've heard (the men have trouble on their high notes). For a better recording, try the Karajan/Berlin recording (Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 / Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra).
   
   All in all, this is one of the best compliations of the Nine Symphonies I've heard and HIGHLY recommend it! And for only $30? That's not even $3 a symphony!!



2. Simply the best work done on the 9 symphonies that I ever had the luck to come across. I had been searching for the ninth in particular with the best directors, orchestras, and labels, but they all seemed to lack in either interpretation or sound quality. This collection has to be the standard to compare all the other recordings.



3. Some have criticized this set as being "light-weight" Beethoven. I am inclined to disagree. There is a certain lightness to these recordings, but it is more a general feeling of the orchestra being "light on it's feet," as opposed to simply being light-weight. I am reminded of Ali's famous saying "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee." That is exactly what these recordings do, they may have a lighter feeling that normal for these works, but the power does not fail to come through when needed.
   
   As most people have said in their reviews, the tempos used by Zinman and his band are ultra-quick. In most cases, the quick tempos work quite well, and are not a distraction in any way. Of course, there are exceptions. I have heard a few people complain that the second movement of the fifth is taken too quickly. I do not agree, the fifth here is one of the best I have heard, slow movement, included.
   
   However, the sixth and ninth symphonies seem to fare worst in fast tempos. The sixth is notoriously difficult to pull off convincingly, with most conductor's playing it too quickly, Zinman's quick tempos here just re-enforce the idea that this symphony should be played more slowly. However, it is worth noting that Zinman's rendition is no worse than other quick versions such as Karajan's.
   
   The Ninth, my favorite, comes off slightly worse. The first movement seems good, as does the second, until the trio begins. Although I like the second movement played quickly, but the speed required to adequately contrast the trio in this rendition is just too much. The third movement, an "Adagio" is the worst though. It is played here as an Andante, and although this really emphasizes the lyrical beauty of the piece, it robs it of it's power which is much more important in this piece. The finale is too is quick, but for the most part it does work here. The tenor solo after the march is certainly too fast though.
   
   The rest of the symphonies (1,2,3,4,5,7,8) all come accross very well though, with numbers 1, 2, and 4 perhaps being my favorite versions. The third might be my favorite, but for the famous slow funeral march being taken too quickly. Its speed is nowhere near as bad as in the ninth, but enough to prevent it from being a favorite.
   
   The movement's where this cycle really shines is in the scherzos and finales. This is especially true of the third, fifth and seventh symphonies. I especially love that Zinman decided to take the repeat in the fifth's Scherzo. The Cello/Bass section solos in that piece send tingles down my spine and it is great to hear it twice.
   
   Despite its shortcomings, this is still a four star set. There are certain parts that are not good, but the good parts are great. This is certainly a good place to start exploring Beethoven's symphonies, or a good way to expand your understanding of them.
   
   **Also check out Zinman's renditions of the Beethoven Concerti. The quick tempos seem to work universally well in the concerti as opposed to the symphonies. It also seems that having another "equal" collaborator in the soloist may have eliminated some of Zinman's excesses in tempo.



4. In our skeptical age, Beethoven's nine symphonies have been subjected to a degree of cavil and criticism in an attempt to shake the hold they have exercised over many generations of lovers of music. But, regardless of these attempts, in their grandeur, passion, variety, and depths of feeling, Beethoven's symphonies remain at the heart of music. Beethoven's symphonies are unique in the manner in which they reach out to the listener to produce involvement in the drama created by the score. Although only one symphony, the "Pastorale" has an explicitly programmatic content, it is difficult to hear these works without feeling Beethoven's effort to communicate to the listener feelings of the highest inspiration. The moods of the symphonies range widely from the humor of nos. 4 and 8, through the lyricism of the slow movement of no. 2, the "heroism" of nos. 3 and 5, and the grand hymn of no. 9. The symphonies cover the course of Beethoven's entire compositional career. The First Symphony, which is much indebted to Haydn and Mozart, is the product of Beethoven's young manhood in Vienna while the Ninth, completed in 1824, is separated from its nearest predecessors by 12 years. Symphonies 2 -- 8, in all their variety, are the product of an extraordinary productive decade of composition (1803 -- 1813).
   
   On the whole the Beethoven symphonies are highly tonal and their melodies and strong repeated rhythms make them accessible even to relatively unsophisticated listeners. Beethoven is truly a composer with universal appeal. The symphonies have been a source of inspiration to me throughout my life. They are essential listening for those just coming to classical music.
   
   Beethoven's the symphonies have been well-served on recordings, both for individual works and for compilations of the entire cycle. I have been rehearing and rethinking the Beethoven symphonies in this highly-acclaimed set recorded by the American conductor David Zinman (b. 1938) and the Tonhalle Orchester Zurich in the late 1990s. Zinman uses the new Barenreiter edition of the scores prepared by Jonathan Del Mar which makes numerous changes in orchestration from the earlier edition commonly used in performances.
   
   Zinman offers period performances of Beethoven using modern instruments. Those listeners familiar with other recordings of the symphonies will notice at the outset the fast tempos. Zinman tends to avoid rubato (subtle shifts of tempo) and other romantic gestures, and the strings have a clean, simple sound. With the quick tempos, there is a lightness and a lyricism to Zinman's readings that is immediate and endearing. The tempos do not lead to a driving performance of these scores but rather to readings with a graceful, lilting quality. The orchestra has a transparent sound, and the winds come through prominently and beautifully. The impact of the Barenreiter edition varies from work to work, but I found it most pronounced in the "Eroica" symphony, with the violin solo in the finale, and in the Fourth symphony.
   
   In this set, I enjoyed most the performances where Zinman brought new insight to these works; and I found these insights strongest in symphonies 3,4, and 7. The Symphony no. 3 "Eroica" is perhaps the greatest of the symphonies. In his tempos, vigor, and lightness, in the passages for winds and brass, and in the surprising violin solo in the finale, Zinman offers a splendid account. The Fourth Symphony, which remains the least heard of the nine, also receives an outstanding reading, especially in the lovely slow movement. In the Seventh Symphony, Zinman is superb in bringing out the rhythms and the many kinds of moving dance-like movement in the score. The second movement, allegretto, is taken at a faster than usual pace, but it captures the mixture of tragedy and joy that is inherent in this remarkable music. I also thought Zinman's reading of the Second symphony, a work on the cusp of his early and middle styles highly impressive. The weaker moments of the compilation include portions of the Ninth Symphony, especially the second movement, where I thought the tempo was too driven, and perhaps moments in the "Pastorale" symphony, which could have used more rhythmic variety in the finale. But Zinman still offers impressive readings of these works. Altogether, this is an outstanding set that will introduce the new listener to this music and that will have a great deal to offer those who have long loved the Beethoven symphonies.
   
   Zinman's performances are on the budget-priced Arte Nova label. The symphonies are available in a 5-CD compilation or in five individually packaged single CDs.
   
   Robin Friedman



5. With 46 reviews already posted one can be brief. New editions of the symphonies plus the skill of Zinman and his orchestra result in the best Beethoven symphonies I have heard. Joyful, heroic, crystal clear.... Beethoven was a great orchestrator, and its great to hear the woodwinds, in particular, with such clarity.
   Five stars easy.

5 comments about Prokofiev: 7 Symphonies; Lieutenant Kijé.

1. Where's the intensity? Where are the ironic twists, the contrasts, the sharpness and acerbicness that are hallmarks of Prokofiev's compositional style? Where is the epic buildup that is the 5th, the War and Peace of Russian symphonies? Seiji Ozawa leads--slogs--the Berlin Philharmonic through some of the smoothest, velvetiest Prokofiev ever recorded. There isn't a hair-raising moment on this disc. But it's not-a-hair-out-of-place perfect. I'd rather have some ratty excitement myself.
   
   Whether it's a charmless "Classical"--lifeless and slow--or an un-otherworldly 3rd or weak and unmuscular 5th or a 7th that lacks all irony and cheerful cynicism, Seiji just misses the boat here. You have to give him credit: at least he misses it consistently. Al the symphonies sound alike, and they all sound like Ozawa when he conducts. He prefers balance and harmony, and that can be good. But Prokofiev deliberately wrote dissonant, even grating sections for expressive purposes, and they are just missing here as even mysterious moments like the slow movement of the 5th are whittled down to plush, lifeless run-throughs. None of the solo passages for winds--and Prokofiev was brilliant at writing very spirited solo passages for winds--have any character here. This is Prokofiev that's nearly Muzak--an amazing feat, really.
   
   While he didn't have the magnificent orchestra that is the Berlin Philharmonic to work with, Gennady Rozhdestvensky and the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra runs rings around Seiji in terms of expression and passion. Other fine recordings are Ormandy in a fine "Classical" (Sony) and 5th (RCA, but good luck finding it except in Japan). Tennstedt for a fine 5th and 7th, Ormandy for a fine 6th (hard to find that too), and Leinsdorf in 2, 3, 5, and 6. As for this set, take a pass, no matter how cheap.



2. Karajan's recording of Prokofiev's 1st and 5th symphonies has long been one of my favorite discs so I decided to take the plunge and get the complete set. Unfortunately Karajan never recorded them all so I got the Ozawa who does a pretty good job although his 5th is nowhere near as good as Karajan's but then again whose is?
   As for the other symphonies I enjoyed them all except the 2nd. The 3rd symphony which is based on music derived from Prokofiev's opera The Fiery Angel (which was never staged during his lifetime) is much better than the opera itself which I thought to be a little static. The 4th symphony was derived from Prokofiev's ballet The Prodigal Son. It's nice but I thought it inferior to the ballet which is one of my all-time favorites. The 6th symphony seems to have a lot of admirers and it's good but I don't see what all the hoopla is about. The real undiscovered gem on these discs is Prokofiev's 7th. I was expecting it to be dull since it was composed towards the end of Prokofiev's life when the Soviet government was forcing it's composers to work in a more conservative style but Prokofiev rose above all that and created a real work of art. It's a shame it's not better known.



3. I hope Seiji Ozawa is happy that there's one place in the world, [...] where his Prokofiev symphony cycle fills people with joy. Most critics were quite disappointed in his approach, which veers erratically between the genteel, the bland, and the explosive. You can hear all three styles in the opening movement of Sym. #1, which jolts from one mode to the next. Ozawa seems at a loss to find eihter the wit or the classical elegance of this beloved student work.
   
   The companion symphony on CD 1 is Sym. #6, which typifies the strength of the whole set--outstanding playing from the Berlin Phil.--as well as Ozawa's besetting weakness: he can't find a consistent style for the work. As a result, he tends to fall back on generalized music-making. You can't tell which sections are meant to be elegaic, mysterious, witty, satiric, or romantic.
   
   Ozawa does well when the music is lyrical, brisk, or lightweight. He softens the brutality of the machine-driven idiom of Sym. #2 and #3, which spares our nerves; I am grateful for that, and for the Berliners' fearless execution. The Third emerges as a sonic blockbuster with great impact--I was genuinely thrilled by Ozawa's reading.
   
   
   By general consensus the masterpiece among Prokofiev's symphonies is the Fifth, which has had some great performances over the years, including Karajan's famous 1968 account with the Berliners. Ozawa's agreeable, suave conducting isn't in the same league, but his performance is better recorded, and for sheer impact it can stand with the best. If only he could have found more bite and elan in the music.
   
   In sum, I can see why critics were decidedly mixed about this set and why the new one from Gergiev is likely to eclipse Ozawa totally.



4. This really is an untterly fantastic box set. I am just learning Prokofiev's symphonic cycle with these, and I would certainly enjoy hearing something better than this!
   
   The sound is exquisite, the orchestra is utterly tops, the music (other than the 1st and 5th of course) is a bit inaccessible for the neophyte (although I did love my mother's old LP of the 4th as a kid) but is glistening here so brightly it's undeniable.
   
   Recommended.



5. Ozawa conducts Prokofiev complete symphonies in Berlin. You can't get any better than that! In true Ozawa fashion, you can hear just about every line, every staff, every note. He is such a perfectionist that if you haven't seen him conduct live, you don't know what orchestral perfectionisim is. Get the scores and follow along and you will see what I mean.

5 comments about Tristan Und Isolde.

1. I've heard many of the Tristans which reviewers have referred to, most notably Reiner's 1936 recording with Flagstad and Melchior, Furtwangler's 1952, and for modern comparison, Pappano's with Domingo, and while I'm always receptive to new interpretations, at the moment (well since 1966) this recording trumps all. How can there be anything more moving than Ludwig's call to the lovers for caution as day approaches "Habet Acht, Habet Acht !" or Windgassen's besieged lover, or for the ultimate erotic and tense (almost obscenely so) leibestod, Nilsson is superb. I agree with one of the reviewers that she can lack subtlety, and Flagstad offers more insight in Act 2, but you can't have it all, and I'll take drama and tension for my Tristan any day.



2. My personal favorite for many, many years, has been Goodall's lush and gorgeous recording, with Linda Esther Gray as the single most beautiful Isolde ever to be committed to tape, analogue or digital. I resisted Bohm's recording simply because it was so popular and the shorter, quicker running time turned me away. How can you rush through Wagner's extraordinary scoring??
   
   Well - I was wrong. I finally grabbed this warm and rich remastered set, and listened to it in one sitting, and was knocked sideways. Nothing is lost in the intense playing like I thought it would be, all the nuances, Wagner's downright experimental scoring, everything can be heard, and without a tiny hint of audience noise. Each disc is a complete Act and each one feels like a complete drama.
   
   The voices are rip roaring great and they cut through the music as if the drama were really happening. I think Goodall's will always have a #1 place in my heart, mostly because Esther Gray's Liebestod is the most moving and beautiful on record, but this Tristan, with a cast that just cannot be surpassed, will always be there for me when I need to clear the air.
   
   It is with this recording that one finally understands how dangerous, how new, Wagner's "music of the future" really was.



3. For all you Wagner haters out there; please listen to these five excerpts of this recording and you will be convinced otherwise:
   1. Christa Ludwig's Brangane: Act II - "Einsam Wachend in der Nacht..."
   2. Birgit Nillson's & Wolfgang Wingassen's Isolde & Tristan: Act II - "O sink hernieder..."
   3. Wolfgang Windgassen's Tristan: Act III - " Dunkt dich dass, Ich weiss es anders..."
   4. Eberhardt Wachters Kurwenal: Act III - "O wonne, nein, ..."
   5. Birgit Nilsson's Isolde: Act III - "Mild und leise..."
   Thanks



4. It is very hard to try to write a recommendation for a perfect recording of Tristan und Isolde, since each set has its own set of pros and cons. However, of all the Tristans I have listened to, Karl Böhm's recording made at 1966 in Bayreuth seems to be the one that I come back to the most. There was a time when I could not appreciate Böhm's conducting because I felt that he rushed through the lucid and erotic qualities of the score. When I listen to this now, with fresher ears and having listened to the majority of Tristan recordings on the market, I find that his conducting gives Tristan an electricity that cannot be found in other recordings. There is a passion and energy that you can find in Böhm's conducting that you cannot hear in Karajan's or Solti's interpretations, and this set definitely tops Berstein's and Kleiber's recording in many respects. The orchestra plays beautifully under his direction, just as they did in the Ring for Böhm exactly a year later. I would say that the conductor's reading of the score is full of energy, passion, eroticism, forward propulsion and movement, and pathos. The conductor's somewhat Mozartian/ classical treatment of the Romantic and chord-saturated score gives it a lift and an elegance without sacrificing the Wagnerian ethos that make it so special. I would say that this is the most masterfully conducted Tristan, and adding to that the special Bayreuth sound and you have one of the most orchestrally captivating experiences you'll ever hear.
   
   However, the one factor that places this Tristan above all other recordings is the amazing cast assembled in this massive project. Birgit Nilsson, in my opinion, is the greatest Isolde...period. Her first act Isolde is a powerhouse of rage with the jealousy, love, revenge, sadness, resignation and all other of Isolde's character aspects that make her such a complex heroine. Her second act Isolde is meltingly tender, and she is able to scale down her voice to make the love duet sound like silk. Her third act Liebestod is an apotheosis of years of learning this role, and only Nilsson can sing it with the rapture and beauty that it deserves. I was wrong to find her too steely. Not many voices like hers come in our lifetime, and how lucky we are that she came during a time when voices can be captured in their greatest performances.
   
   Below this towering standard is the Tristan of Wolfgang Windgassen. Although he does not have the beautiful timbre of Placido Domingo, the haunting voice of Vickers, or the reticent ease of Lauritz Melchior's voice, he offers drama and intensity that would never be matched by any tenor before or after him. His phrasing is exemplary, and his intelligence makes his Tristan one of the most compelling accounts on record. In fact, after Vickers, he is perhaps the most intense Tristan ever to have sung the part, albeit the fact that his voice is taken to its limits in the third act delirium. I don't know how I would live without his Tristan, as Birgit herself said that "Wolfie" saved her many a time when she got lost in the extremely exposed and difficult lead roles.
   
   The supporting cast is perhaps the best on records. Christa Ludwig is the most beautiful and theatrical Brangäne, and Eberhard Wächter is a youthful, yet testosterone induced Kurwenal. You must hear Ludwig's calls from the tower...I think that alone is the price of this landmark recording. Their respective interaction with the leads is a must-hear--especially Ludwig's interactions with Nilsson in Act I. Martti Talvela sings the part of King Marke with a nobility and the kind of gravitas I've only heard again in Rene Pape, and he should be referred to as a reference for this short, yet pivotal role. The smaller parts in this opera are taken by Peter Schreier, Gerd Nienstedt, and Claude Heater--all of whom are great Bayreuth artists.
   
   Of course, you must still hear other recordings of Tristan. I could recommend Karajan's 1952 Bayreuth account, or Kleiber's 1976 La Scala, or Pappano's studio recording with Domingo. You should also try Reiner's set with Flagstad and Melchior, but for the complete Tristan experience, this set is the one that you should return to if you want to hear a true Wagnerian epic taking place in your living room. Bravi tutti!



5. OK fellows I don`t know Furtwangler celebrated recording. But having listened to this it is difficult not to accept this is THE ULTIMATE TRISTAN. Why? Look at the conducting. Like a storm. Not a weak moment. Truly propulsive. Look at how balanced is the orchestra. In the Liebestodt at the end Isolda`s high notes are matched with the glorious brass section instead of the usual "soup" sound of our usual orchestra. See how resonant brass are and then try the same passage with the same singer under Solti: it's like replacing chocolate for soup. For me Bayreuth sound is the real "period" sound for Wagner. And with the intensity we have here. So it must be very difficult to listen to slower recordings like Furtwangler, specially when the approach I just have described sounds to me so definitive. Sound is excellent.
   About the cast: Brangane very vibratoed but good, also is Wachter. I don't like Marke's voice (the singer uses a voice that sounds "broken" sometimes, an awfull effect). Windgassen may not have a strong voice but sounds so human ... great. Then there is the other only reason to buy and keep this recording appart from Bohm: Nilsson. In what planet was she born? For she is really superhuman. Listen to her seductive voice and well, Callas was such a great artist, but in my humble opinion, standing next to Nilsson, in vocal matters Callas is SO WEAK ... If an extraterrestrial listened only to 1 single recording of human voice (speaking of this) would think Nilsson was the best singer in history. It would be very difficult to change its mind.

5 comments about Dvorák: The String Quartets.

1. I must admit up front that when it comes to classic music, I prefer chamber music (any era or style). If you like chamber music, buy this set. If you are are curious about chamber music and Dvorak's work, buy a budget single CD of any Dvorak string quartets. When you've fallen in love with Dvorak's work --- and you will --- then buy this set.
   
   These are simply some of the finest string quartets ever written. Lyrical and inventive, they will make you understand why Brahms and Dvorak were such good friends and admired each other's work so much. There are other recordings out there of various quartets, particularly the late ones. But the value in having a complete set is that you get to hear the composer's development, and you get to hear infrequently played yet brilliant works. A good example is the Quartet No. 5, which is intense --- as full of bite as, say, "Death and the Maiden," yet as richly melodic as anything Dvorak ever wrote. The recording is clean and warm, the playing precise yet soulful. The set is now selling for about $12 more than I paid for it, but it's still a bargain. You will never regret having bought it.



2. One of the best composers for chamber music together with Joseph Haydyn, I think. Thank you.



3. Compaired to the Vlach on Naxos, this exelent recording left me a little cold. Where is all the emotion that these quartet's should have.



4. Wow! Great quartets played with real gusto and dynamism by the Prager String Quartet. The sound is incredibly crisp and clear. The performances are impeccable. You won't be disappointed!



5. I have heard multiple recordings of these quartets, including the Chiligirian quartet, and selections by the Amadeus quartet, Hagen quartet, Melos quartet, Vlach quartet and Cleveland quartet. However, these renditions are (in my opinion) the most adherent to the Czech folk roots. I'm sure it helps that the ensemble is in fact Czech-for that reason they seem to have an edge over some of the other notable groups which have made recordings. Everyone has obviously heard the American quartet, but just as fine are quartets 10,11, 13 and 14 (as well as 7-9). I am less entranced by the early works, but they are not without their merit as well.
   Overall, the sound seems a bit better in this re-release than in the previous version available on CD. Not much better, but better. And at this price, it is an absolute steal. Highly recommended for lovers of chamber music, or Dvorak in general.

5 comments about Bach: Concertos.

1. There are nineteen concertos in this collection, twelve of which are for one or more harpsichords. The remaining seven are concertos for various other instruments including violin, oboe, etc. A potential buyer should be aware that many of Bach's harpsichord concertos are re-arranged versions of these other concertos - and in some cases both versions are in this collection. For example, the three violin concertos (including the "double" concerto) are presented in both their original and harpsichord arrangements. Two oboe concertos, whose original versions have been lost, are reconstructed from harpsichord concertos that Bach arranged from those originals. Both the reconstructed oboe and harpsichord versions are in this set. So the listener should not be surprised to hear the same tunes repeated on different CDs in this collection. (It's because of this repetition that I rated the collection four stars instead of five.) One concerto for harpsichord and recorders is even a re-arranged version of Brandenburg #4 - although the Brandenburg concertos themselves are not present.
   
   Despite the repetition of material, the performances themselves are superb. I typically find the work of the English Concert to be top notch and this set is no exception. My favorites are the violin concertos BWV 1042 and BWV 1043, which are so well presented I consider them the best versions of these works I have yet heard. In some recordings by other orchestras, the violinists play with too much vibrato. A single note can quiver so much it sounds like it hovers between two notes. But here Simon Standage restrains the vibrato and lets his notes sing out with a delightful precision, as do the other players.
   
   There are more concertos for harpsichord here than concertos for other instruments. I actually prefer the latter over the former. To me the harpsichord is a somewhat weak instrument for concertos. Although its sound is charming and evokes the feeling of the old world orchestra, it can sometimes seem overpowered by the accompanying instruments. But this is not to criticize the playing of Trevor Pinnock or the others. They produce the authentic sound they are looking for with grace and precision. Perhaps the feeling I get of the harpsichord being weak comes from comparing the harpsichord versions of the violin concertos with the violin originals, which are so magnificent.
   
   When all is said and done, I am happy I purchased this music. Listening to it is like being transported back to the early 18th century, when these pieces were fresh and new. I'm sure Bach would be pleased if he could hear what a wonderful job the English Concert did with his work.



2. I purchased these recordings nearly 20 years ago, when Deutsche Gramophone was still selling them as five individual discs, and at over $20 per disc. With the re-release of the set of all five discs in a single, price-reduced "Collectors Edition" box set, the price has fallen by more than half, making this one of the outstanding values for high-quality Bach recordings on today's market.
   
   But what about the performances? Here's the best way I can sum it up. Having listened to these disks for some two decades, in the car, on the main home stereo system, on portable equipment, on the boom box, and etc., etc., it is, I imagine, inevitable that one ends up memorizing nearly every note. And with that familiarity comes the ability to detect flaws in the performance, missteps, missed beats, the occasional off-tone instrument. Here's the rub: it is difficult to locate any significant flaw in the performances. These performances are about as perfect as one can get, but having said that, there is more. The sound reproduction of this recording remains near or at the top of any Bach recordings with which I've become familiar, and remains in my own thinking the de facto standard by which other performances should be measured.
   
   Sound too good to be true? Pick up a set and see for yourself. And then relish the thought that you paid $40 for a set worth far more.



3. ...and cheap to boot. This, paired with the Brandenburg Concertos/Overtures compilation from Arkiv (also featuring Pinnock and the English Concert), gives any new Bach fan a fairly complete account of Bach's instrumental orchestral output. This particular package includes all of Bach's keyboard concertos (played exceptionally well by Pinnock), all of his violin concertos, and also his Triple Concerto (Harpsicord, Flute and Violin), several works for Oboe and Oboe D'Amour, and several double concertos (2 violins, and oboe and violin). Highlights are the D Minor Harpsicord concerto BWV 1052, the C Major concerto for 2 Harpsicords BWV 1061, the Oboe D'Amour concerto BWV 1055, the double concerto BWV 1060, and the violin concertos.
   This set sounds fantastic and is a great value to boot. Strongly recommended for those who loved Bach's Bradenburg concertos and Overtures and are looking for something new to sink their teeth into.



4. This is undoubtedly the best Back box set I have heard. These Concerto's for Harsichord, Violin, Flute and Oboe are among the finest in classical music. Although the Harpsichord volume level could have been a bit higher overall the recordings are very good. I am very pleased with this CD set with so much music at a very good price. This is truly a collectors gem.



5. Pinnock is good performer...I drop one start because BWV 1052-58
   Might sound better when it's played piano.

5 comments about Lohengrin.

1. This recording of Lohengrin deserves not only 5 stars but 10. It is the best performance of this opera ever recorded. The playing of the VPO under Kempe is superb specially the strings. The chorus is also first rate. But it is the cast of singers that makes the difference. Both Gottlob Frick as the King and Otto Wiener as the Herald are superb. Jess Thomas is not one of my favorite singers, but here he has perhaps his best performance, now incisive, now romantic and passionate. In my opinion, he is much better than Placido Domingo for Solti, for he can control his huge voice much better according to the demands of each scene, whereas Domingo sounds a little bit gritty in his first performance of the character. He would sing Lohengrin much more satisfactorily some years later for Abbado in the Vienna Opera. Grummer was the perfect choice for Elsa; she conveys the frailty of the character as no other singer. But it is the couple of villains that steal the show. Fischer Dieskau and Christa Ludwig are among the greatest singers of the 20th century and here both are at their best. They simply set the standards for their roles, and whenever one listens to any performance of Lohengrin, it is inevitable that the singing and acting of the singers who play Ortrud and Telramund are judged taking the ones of Ludwig and Fischer Dieskau as the parameter. Sound quality is excellent, but, of course, it cannot match Solti's album, recorded in 1985. But this performance is worth every cent you pay for the CDs.



2. Wagner was already into serious genius territory when he wrote this opera--which is practically as long, complex, maddening and fascinating as anything else he wrote. The recording and rendering of this lengthy maze of text and music is a testament to the genius of the producer, conductor, record company, engineers, musicians and singers, who are uniformly good to great. The texture of the sound is especially pleasing here--an analog warmth and silkiness comes across without the tape hiss and lack of definition and clarity that were troublesome with LP records. I've listened to it several times and am more impressed with each listening. One small complaint--Jess Thomas never really did much for me. He seems overshadowed by such towering singers as Gottlob Frick, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Christa Ludwig. Even the distinguished critic who wrote the liner notes for this set failed to include Thomas in his list of brilliant singers who were recruited for the cast--a telling omission. Oh well, heldentenors were not then, nor are they now hanging out on every street corner. This behemoth works anyway and provides, as they say, hours of entertainment for those long dark winter days....and nights.



3. ...Perfectionists, beware. Just a bit after 16 minutes into the second act, between Ortrud's words "er war in deiner Macht!" and Telramund's response "Entsetzlich!" the present "Great Recordings of the Century" issue of this recording suffers from a truly appalling editing error. About a half second of music just seems to have gone missing. It's not a subtle mistake. Anybody who's not sleeping through this incomparable scene will easily hear it. And it's painful.
   
   Still the best version ever, of course.



4. This is a disc that displays its credentials as a 'Great Recording of the Century' in every bar. Getting on for nearly half a century old now, it still stands firm as by far the most recommendable version of the opera.
   
   Certainly the singing cast is uniformly outstanding. The villains of the piece, Ortrud and Telramund, almost take over the show in the hands of Christa Ludwig and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. The opening scene of Act 2, with its dark foreshadowings of Wagner's later style, is compulsive here as the witch-like disciple of the 'old religion' probes and explores every chink and weakness in her husband's psyche while he struggles and frets to cling onto the last vestiges of his 'honour' like a fly caught in her spider's web. Ortrud's invocation of her gods in the solo which follows his departure is absolutely hair-raising. And the way in which she subverts and manipulates Elsa in the scene after that is just as psychologically and vocally fascinating as anything in The Ring. Great singing actors both.
   
   The somewhat goody-goody hero and heroine will always find it hard to live with all that. The Devil always did get the best tunes. But Elisabeth Grummer is a near ideal Elsa. Only Janowitz on the Kubelik set runs her close. The voice is pure and silvery, but her vocal acting makes the character far from the simpleton Elsa can often seem. The Dream and Euch luften are both treasurable. Jess Thomas is not to everyone's taste but he characterises the Grail Knight wonderfully (as he always did in the theatre) and sings with consistently thoughtful and musical sense. The voice perhaps lacks that degree of Italianate bel canto that fits this part better than any other of Wagner's tenor heroes. For that you have to go back to the likes of de Lucia from the tail-end of the 19th Century or the Frenchman Georges Thill between the Wars. Gigli recorded some fascinating bits in his own inimitable style. Melchior was, I always think, a bit stentorian for the part. Among modern singers, only Domingo really essays this approach.
   
   Frick is a rock-solid King Heinrich: Otto Wiener is luxury casting indeed as the Herald. The chorus from the Vienna Opera are magnificent, as is the Vienna Phil. But the greatest accolades should go to Rudolf Kempe, a Wagner conductor who would never tear a passion to tatters like a Solti nor indulge in an over-upholstered bed of sound like a Karajan. Here he has the full measure of Wagner's most 'operatic' opera, delivering perfect pacing, consistently long-breathed phrasing and great punch when it's called for.
   
   These are discs that fully live up to their billing as one of the 'Great Recordings of the Century'.



5. Every once in a while a classic opera set disappoints me. I cannot say that this Lohengrin is anything but fine. Even so, I didn't feel drawn in completely. Jess Thomas strikes me as straining to sound more heroic than his voice actually wants to be--this was a common problem in an era lacking true heldentenors, as witness Windgassen when he sang Tristan or Siegfried--but he looked every inch the part, and the gound was thin for Lohengrins. Kempe is a British favorite among condcutors because he headed the BBC Symphony in the Sixties, and that accounts a lot for the high praise for what he does here. He's scrupulous and restained much of the time; I don't find any genius present here, and Lohengrin benefits from less caution and more let 'er rip. Grummer is touching as a light-voiced Elsa, but there is a fast beat in her voice that took a while ot adjust to.
   
   I sound like I'm niggling, but I've responded emotionally to other Lohengrins, like the Abbado and Solti, with more enthusiasm and visceral excitement. Classics can be superceded.

5 comments about Johann Sebastian Bach: 6 Brandenburg Concertos / 4 Orchestral Suites - The English Concert / Trevor Pinnock.

1. If you like baroque music. If you like (or love) Bach, then seek no further! Trevor Pinnock is your man! It's difficult to believe, I know, but every single recording the man has made (at least, as far as I can see) is superb or excellent or at least very good. So, if these classics are what you're after, this classic recording of Bach's Orchestral Suites and Brandenburgs is the one to have. Excellent sound, packaging, notes, photos. Get it!



2. I first heard this recording when I got it out of the library and found it so incredible that I had to buy it for myself. The sound is warm, not tinny like the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields (the other recording I have, which I've never been terribly fond of), and very expressive. I cannot add any technical comments to the other reviews already written, but I can say that I agree that Trevor Pinnock and Simon Standage are a Baroque musical force to be reckoned with.



3. For me the only lacks in here are just for personal tastes: I find the fifth and sixth concertos a bit boring. On the other hand I've got already six different versions of these Brandenburg and this is which I like the most. The sound is (IMPRESSIVE) crystal clear and is played not only flawless, but with such devotion and passion that I almost fell on my knees the first time I listened to it.
   I also recomend the version of Reinhard Goebel guiding the Música Antiqua Köln: it's awsome with its fabolous recreation of the baroque sounds.
   If you like Bach and if you had the I Musici version of these Concertos, throw them away and get this Pinnock's: you won't regret a bit and you will be skyrocketed to Heaven.



4. These recordings are excellent. Pinnock's Brandenburg concertos remain the standard for period instruments, offering exceptional musicianship and an authentic rendition. The Overtures are also great, although I greatly prefer the readings of Reinhard Goebel and Musica Antiqua Koln to these. Still, as a low-priced compilation of Bach's most popular orchestral works, this is an excellent set, and you could do much worse. Those who are new to classical music will find this set to be a great starting point.
   In spite of the fact that the Brandeburg concertos were recorded using early digital technology, the intimate setting of these small ensembles neutralizes many of the problems of tinny, hollow sound that plagued the digital format in its early years. As for the Orchestral Suites, these were recorded using analog technology and sound fantastic.
   These recordings are integral for those who prefer period instrument performances, and this is one of the great pioneering period instrument ensembles out there. Recommended.



5. In my opinion this set of recordings is very good. I study music and I have no complaints about how they were done. If you are looking for a very sufficient set of recordings for these works, this is definatly the set.

5 comments about Beethoven: The Complete Piano Sonatas & Concertos.

1. It would be absurd to recommend recommending one Beethoven cycle to the exclusion of all others, yet it is Arrau's cycle to which I repeatedly return, despite some flaws mentioned by other reviewers.
   
   They are flaws which can be forgiven. Scherzi which would be brimming with mirth & vitality in the hands of others may come up short, but it is more than compensated for by the revelations to be found as Arrau explores every aspect of Beethoven at his most profound. There always seems to be something new to be discovered. Flabby? It is hard to imagine how someone could come to this conclusion.
   
   Even the sound quality for recordings dating back into the 1960's has been remastered so as to be acceptable to all but the most spoiled of listeners, who apparently are satisfied only with the most seamless homogenized studio sound. Those who can't get past the slightly imperfect sound quality are focusing on the wrong details.
   
   If the greatness of the performance were not enough, the price should be enough to convince any serious music lover to add these to a CD collection. One cannot overstate how rewarding this collection will be to anyone who does not yet know the artistry of Arrau.



2. One man's viewpoint: Arrau amazes me as he sets the notes down with such clean deliberation! Total command. No matter how fast Beethoven is charging along. And as Arrau gets every note, we find the real Beethoven genius shining through - after all, as raw material, this is some of the finest piano music anywhere. Of course, this playing delivers passion and heart-and-soul communication too. And a sense of commitment and strength.
   I suggest this set - with about nine stars! Mastery in art. *** For a lighter, more joyful touch - and great tone - ALSO get hold of O'Conor's set of the 32. I suggest this set - with about nine stars!



3. I've been listening to Beethoven's sonatas for fifty years and have heard all of them by some, and some of them by all the available recorded performers. Overall, Claudio Arrau is my favorite interpreter of the sonatas. To me he has an inner affinity with Beethoven that is uncanny. Beethoven was a man of great character. And that greatness, detached from his person in the form of musical ideas, enters the listener through intermediaries such as Arrau. When it is done right, it works a sort of righteous therapy, and makes the listener a better person for the hearing.
   
   Arrau describes Beethoven's greatness in his essay "Thoughts on Beethoven" in the 33 1/3 Philips LP edition. "Beethoven has always stood for the spirit of man victorious. His message of endless stuggle concluding in the victory of renewal and spiritual rebirth...his life was an existential fight for survival...In the sense that he mastered both his life and his art to reach the ultimate heights of creation and transfiguration, he will last as long as man's spirit to prevail lasts on this earth." Part of the greatness of Beethoven's character came from his ability to be intimately close and at the same time at an infinite distance above his listener. Arrau possesses this same character, and his qualities as a man and artist are why he is able to so aptly render the greatness of Beethoven.
   
   A book titled "Conversations with Arrau" was written by Joseph Horowitz to celebrate the artists's 80th birthday in 1982. I've only read the extracts published with the Philips edition, but there is enough information to get a feel for Arrau's character. He guarded the purity of his environment. He shunned parties and avoided small talk. He never drank or smoked, never learned to drive a car, boil an egg, or even operate a phonograph. His only hobby was gardening. Horowitz describes him as the embodiment of the nineteenth-century model of the artist as solitary, suffering hero. He was small (5'6") and frail, but in 1982 at age 80 he was still playing more that 70 concerts a season.
   
   Rather than launch a discussion of his individual works (this has been done admirably by many of the reviewers) I will remark on just a few. I never properly appreciated the Fourth and the Seventh Sonatas until I heard Arrau's reading of these works. His Fourth takes 31 minutes, 30 seconds. Annie Fischer, another great interpreter of Beethoven, plays it in 27 minutes, 30 seconds. And Ms. Fischer does not play at a hurried tempo.
   
   Yes, Arrau plays the sonatas at a slower tempo than any other interpreter. He also achieves a mystical quality in his interpretations that is unmatched. The second movement of the Seventh comes in at 10 min, 30 seconds. It is the greatest 10 1/2 minutes of piano music ever conceived. When interpreted by Arrau it becomes a microcosm of Beethoven's life and work. The second movement of the Appassionata is a sacred hymn.
   
   Arrau's five piano concertos are splendid. I've heard no other renditions of the concertos with slow movements that equal Arrau's. No one plays the middle movements with his expressiveness and sense of the numinous. And his rendition of the "Eroica Variations" is on a par with the top few recordings of this piece.
   
   If you have any interest in Beethoven, at whatever level, this bargain is outstanding.



4. If you love Beethoven, Arrau's interpretation will certainly be a joyful addition to your classical music collection. For me, his is the definitive Beethoven.
   
   Though some will likely disagree, I have listened to many other great pianists' recordings of Beethoven sonatas, and they are great (don't get me wrong). Yet Arrau is unique in his ability to bring to light subtleties in the melodies that no one else can, and these often turn out to be the most enlightening and resonant of passages. His Op. 111 is indeed unparalleled, and his recording of the 2nd movement is one of my favorite pieces in the world. On top of that, his rendition of the Moonlight Sonata, his Waldstein, his Concertos, every recording on this boxed set is a testament to the depth Arrau worked diligently and consciously to achieve; depth that transcends technical showmanship and for the intuitive listener can certainly elicit fleeting glimpses of divine ecstasy.
   
   At any price, it's a steal - beauty of this magnitude is all too rare.



5. This is a masterpiece. Don't listen to the one negative review, as this guy is tone deaf. This compilation of Beethoven's music is a treasure to behold. A bargain at twice the price, this is well worth the money. Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!

5 comments about Brahms: Works for Solo Piano.

1. While there may be recordings of individual works in this set that equal these by Katchen (by the likes of Richter, Michelangeli, Gilels and Arrau), you would be hard pressed to find any that clearly surpass them. In other words, Katchen plays Brahms like Rubinstein played Chopin - that is, better than everyone else. That, of course, doesn't mean these should be the only versions of these works you need, but it is the perfect place to start. Katchen does take the sonatas at a slightly faster tempo than Richter, but each line is still clearly articulated. Most box sets have their peaks and valleys, but this one is fairly even throughout. Also highly recommendable for Brahms fans are Katchen's violin sonatas with Josef Suk and piano trios with Suk and Janos Starker.



2. A British musician once said to me "American musicians don't understand European music." I was so stunned that I could only think to reply, "But what about Murray Perahia?" To which she responded, "Murray Perahia? He's British." I then explained that while Perahia may live in London, he was raised in New York City, where he attended the Mannes School of Music. She seemed sceptical. Of course, after we parted I subsequently thought of scores of American musicians who have performed "European" music with great understanding, but unfortunately, I never saw her again.
   
   All this to say that I have always wished I mentioned Julius Katchen that day. Although I don't suppose that she would have known about the remarkable recordings Katchen made with the great Czech violinist, Josef Suk, of the Brahms violin sonatas, or the equally fine recordings he made of the Brahms piano trios, with Suk and cellist Janos Starker. Nor would she have known about this set of the complete Brahms solo piano music, which is overall the best set that I have ever heard. Listening again to Katchen's utterly beautiful playing of the late Brahms Intermezzi Op.117, I am reminded of just how outrageous her comment really was. Katchen was a pianist of real intellect, who possessed a deep emotional understanding of this very "European" music, and he was from Long Branch, New Jersey. In fact, I can think of only a handful of pianists that I would put in his same class for the playing of Brahm's solo piano music: they would include Radu Lupu, Dmitri Bashkirov, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli--whose "Four Ballades" surpass everyone, even Gilels--and historically speaking, Walter Gieseking and Wilhelm Backhaus. (Emil Gilels, Sviatoslav Richter, and Annie Fischer were all exceptional in Brahms solo piano works, but they didn't record much of it.) I also have a very special fondness for a double CD set of late Brahms piano music played by the Russian pianist Dmitri Aleexev on the EMI label. (Of the more recent crop of pianists, I have enjoyed Nicholas Angelich's recordings on the Virgin label, Ivo Janssen, Helene Grimaud, and I am very much hoping that Nelson Freire will get around to recording some of the solo works, after his brilliant recent recording of the piano concertos.) But as complete sets go, this Katchen set is definitely the one to get, and is essential for any lover of the music of Brahms.
   
   The sound is mostly analoque, and is generally very good. My only complaint is that it is a little recessed--although be warned that I have an earlier Decca Ovation release, and not this later release--so, mine may be a little different. There were times when I felt forced to turn the volume up in an effort to hear the quieter, more ruminative passages, which Katchen plays so tenderly--then, when he launched into the more thunderous passages it was a little jarring, and I had to jump up to turn the volume back down. Part of this is simply due to the wide range of emotions inherent in these compositions, and will be a problem no matter which recording one is listening to. But it is also partly due to the difficulty of transfering a very decent analogue piano recording from the LP days into a digital CD format. I am fortunate enough to have a Decca LP boxed set of these recordings from the early 1980s, and I don't remember ever having this sound problem. That set also included the violin sonatas with Suk, which likewise sounded more natural and life-like than on the various CD incarnations that I have purchased over the years.



3. There may be the individual recording made by others - Gilels, Rubinstein, Arrau - of a particular piece which might be preferred but as a collection of the Brahms piano works, this set has to take the prize.
   
   The quality of original recording is high and the digital transfer seemingly well done. One has to listen very attentively to detect which of the four Ballades were recorded monaurally; a strange anachronism in the 'sixties. Also, the piano is an unusually fine-sounding instrument and I wonder if it might not be the Bösendorfer which resided in Decca's Hampstead studios around the time these recordings were made.
   
   As another reviewer has suggested, the accompanying notes in french and german do provide interestingly different perspectives. But what I find inexcusable is that neither of these, nor the text in english, offers any biographical or other information on the pianist. The title is "Brahms, Works for Solo Piano. Julius Katchen". That's it - Katchen dismissed! Despite there being two blank pages in the accompanying booklet and two more of irrelevant other releases by London, that is the only mention made anywhere of the artist. I find this not only irritating but offensive.
   
   Julius Katchen was an American pianist who moved to post-War Paris at the age of twenty. He was the consummate musician with a broad performing repertoire; a very highly regarded soloist in his time - a time which included Rubinstein, Backhaus, Gilels, Horowitz, Moiseiwitsch and Solomon - and a very empathetic accompanist but whose achievements like those of Witold Malcuzynski are not so well remembered today. This set serves to redress the balance a little and introduce Katchen to a new generation who surely will appreciate what in my view is the best available recording of the fiendishly difficult Paganini variations. His recording of the Brahms Opus 24 Handel variations (which are up there with Bach's Goldbergs for sheer breadth of musical invention) also is one of the best.
   
   I recommend this set very highly.
   
   As an unconnected aside, some fifty years ago and quite by chance, I found myself sitting next to Katchen on an aircraft. I remember he had unusually expressive hands; a useful attribute as the noise level of the DC3 cabin militated against easy conversation! At the time, I was wrestling with the G minor Rhapsody and he was very generous with his advice (and a free ticket to a recital the following evening!). A charming man who died prematurely in 1969.
   
   Buy this set - I can't imagine why you would regret it.



4. I was disappointed by this set and would not recommend it. It's great that all of Brahms' piano works are included here and the boxed set includes some difficult to find works (like those Op. 21 variation sets) as well as the better known and wonderful later piano pieces and the Op. 39 Waltzes.
   
   The problem is that Katchen's performances are flawed and often unpleasant. The worst problem is that he bangs the keys a lot. Fortissimo passages are ideally not supposed to be noisy; they are intended to be loud and forceful without being unpleasant. It's a key distinction that Katchen fails to realize. I also think that Katchen's technique is a bit patchy. He blurs the passagework and there is a lack of both accuracy and delicacy in the fast passages. To take an example, the Op. 76 set is marred by both of these problems: a lack of accuracy and a tendency to bang on the keyboard. I also found many of the passages that didn't suffer from these problems to be interpretationally uninteresting (the slow parts of the Paganini Variations, Bk II are undistinguished, to take an example). Big thumbs down.
   
   I did some direct comparison of sets to the Katchen performances and in every case Katchen was far inferior.
   
   Take the Op. 39 Waltzes: Leon Fleisher's old recording is wonderful and much more sensitive and interesting than Katchen.
   
   I also listened to Radu Lupu's recording of the Opp. 117-119 pieces (THAT is a wonderful recording - if you are looking for a superb recording of Brahms piano music, get that one and save yourself the aggravation of the Katchen set) and it's simply no contest.
   
   I also sampled the terrific Op. 79 Rhapsodies and the Paganini Variations as played by a favorite pianist of mine, the lesser-known French pianist Nicholas Angelich, and Katchen's sloppy and undirected interpretations pales before the versions by a "non-superstar" pianist.
   
   So while I admit I haven't listened to every portion of the Katchen set, I found every reason to avoid it when compared to some alternatives available.



5. It's a good thing I waited to write this until I'd heard these CDs a few times. I would have been guilty of understatement. Katchen's work grows on me in much the same way Brahms' music itself does. It is rich in nuance and insight, and never fails to please.
   
   I'll confess, I bought this set to fill the gaps in my piecemeal collection. What a delightful surprise to find my "stopgap" set more than holds its own against recordings by the likes of Richter, Rubinstein and Gilels. To help the reader overcome any reluctance I offer a few comments on the few "downsides" mentioned by others:
   
   Yes, Katchen does play fast, but not always, and certainly not out of inability to hold the listener's attention through more artful means. Katchen's track times are often slower than Rubinstein's or even Gilels'; but where the spirit moves him, he can go like a rocket. He's generally fastest in the earlier works, where a case can be made for playing them with youthful ardor; Katchen does this to a T. This applies to the first 2 sonatas, the Paganini variations (why would anything associated with Paganini lack splash and dazzle?) and to a much lesser extent, parts of the Handel variations. The main thing is, it works. The very few places where I felt Katchen was rushing the music are heavily outnumbered by places where the added energy seems to "fit" like a glove.
   
   Yes, in an exhaustive set you inevitably endure the "bottom of the barrel." I'm surprised how little of this 6-CD set strikes me as anything less than indispensible. Every track is worth hearing. Katchen has been surpassed here and there, but he doesn't put in a bad performance in the whole batch.
   
   Yes, the recordings are more than 40 years old. They will not satisfy the most jaded audiophile (there's not quite the "presence" of a good recording today). But they are amazingly clean and lifelike for their age (even the 3 tracks that are mono). They sound noticeably better than the popular Rubinstein recordings of equal vintage. At first I thought I heard a touch of bass-heaviness, but now I just think Katchen gives us a strong, clear bass line. Once again, it works. The sound is simply not a problem for a normal listener.
   
   Finally, there's the small stuff. Getting the CDs out of their tight-fitting sleeves without putting your fingerprints on the playing surface is well-nigh impossible, unless you give in and apply a letter opener to solve the problem once and for all. Is that any reason not to get this much wonderful music at such a low price? London has even revived the old practice of offering different program notes in different languages, so that multilingual readers can benefit from more than one set of comments. All around it's a winner!