New Complete Edition

[Michael]

The "Brilliant" 85 CD set of Beethoven's complete works has been re-issued at this incredible price:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004HGQXB8/..._rulWnb1YY4XNT

I don't know if it's an error or not, because the price in the U.K. is £126 !
I can thoroughly recommend this set even there though are some changes from the version I bought a few years ago.
Bear in mind that this is Amazon USA so shipping must be taken into account for buyers over here. I still cannot understand the price difference,though.




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[Sorrano]

Thanks for the heads up on this. I just pre-ordered this. The pricing could be an error, but it is guaranteed, so I shouldn't get dinged with any surprises. Shipping is a whopping 2.98, so what a great deal! Thanks!

[Michael]

Well done! The only change in this new edition is that the symphonies are conducted by Blomstedt instead of Kurt Masur, and the piano sonatas have Brendel instead of Gulda.
Everybody (especially across the pond) hurry up before Amazon change their mind!

Somebody tell Chris!

[Roehre]

Thanks for the heads up on this. I just pre-ordered this. The pricing could be an error, but it is guaranteed, so I shouldn't get dinged with any surprises. Shipping is a whopping 2.98, so what a great deal! Thanks!

For locations within the UK or the EU, please be aware that there will be a (20%) VAT-charge + a mail-handling charge (+ possibly an customs-handling charge) on top of the trans-atlantic postage.

[Michael]

Yes - as I said, it's a fantastic bargain for anyone in the USA. However, even with all those charges over here, it still shouldn't come anywhere near the UK asking price of £126.

[Sorrano]

Well done! The only change in this new edition is that the symphonies are conducted by Blomstedt instead of Kurt Masur, and the piano sonatas have Brendel instead of Gulda.
Everybody (especially across the pond) hurry up before Amazon change their mind!

Somebody tell Chris!

Listed as artists on this collection are:
"Beethoven (Artist), Grumiaux (Artist), Haitink (Artist), Vpo (Artist), Schiff (Artist) | Format: Audio CD"

Not sure where you got Blomstedt and Brendel, however I can be hopeful that Brendel is, indeed, featured. I had his complete Beethoven piano music on LP, but no longer have that set.

[Roehre]

Listed as artists on this collection are:
"Beethoven (Artist), Grumiaux (Artist), Haitink (Artist), Vpo (Artist), Schiff (Artist) | Format: Audio CD"

Not sure where you got Blomstedt and Brendel, however I can be hopeful that Brendel is, indeed, featured. I had his complete Beethoven piano music on LP, but no longer have that set.

The Brendel recordings here are the 1960s Vox-turnabout recordings of which Brilliant has obtained copyrights, not the Philips 1970s piano sonatas.

[Michael]

Listed as artists on this collection are:
"Beethoven (Artist), Grumiaux (Artist), Haitink (Artist), Vpo (Artist), Schiff (Artist) | Format: Audio CD"

Not sure where you got Blomstedt and Brendel, however I can be hopeful that Brendel is, indeed, featured. I had his complete Beethoven piano music on LP, but no longer have that set.

I can't find exactly where I found the info - there are a few places advertising this item - but I understand that the Kurt Masur symphony set has been replaced by Blomstedt and the sonatas are by Brendel. Roehre is correct - I suspect that the Brendel would be his earliest cycle for Vox.
I have this Vox/Turnabout set and it is very good but the sound quality is not up to the later Philips recordings. However, they may well have been remastered since I bought them.

As I said, I have the previous version of this complete edition and it is a mixture of older and newer recordings. Unless you are a Hi-Fi fanatic, they are very good, clean recordings with quite a smattering of brand new ones.

This set is not to be confused with another 85 disc set which is circulating still. This is quite inferior and is by Amado and comes in a bright, blue box.
There must be an old thread somewhere on this forum where I drew attention to it. Practically all of the recordings are from obscure European sources and it has some errors (opening notes of works missing from the recording). It was absurdly cheap at the time so a few of us bought it as it does contain some useful items. I still see it advertised on some internet shops for over a hundred euro!

I paid a hundred euro, about four years ago, for the Brilliant set (this older version actually contained a further 15 discs of famous historical performances) and I thought it was excellent value. This new one is a giveaway.
Anybody who's interested, look for the new yellow box with "Brilliant" on it. But beware the dreaded BLUE BOX!!!!!!

[Sorrano]

I notice that Haitink is listed on this edition; do you know what he is doing on it? I will look forward to the Brendel, as well. Losing the LP set I had of him hurt!

[Michael]

Here is some info off the Amazon UK site where the set is now costing over 130 pounds sterling(although you can get it for less than half that if you look down the page):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-lis...&condition=new


CD Description
The only complete Beethoven Edition in the market. Contains some important alterations as compared to the former Edition: Symphonies are played by the superb Staatskapelle Dresden/Herbert Blomstedt and Piano Sonatas by Alfred Brendel. Big names: Arthur Grumiaux/Clara Haskil, Friedrich Gulda, Guarneri Quartet, Concertgebouw Orchestra/Haitink, Wiener Philharmoniker, Heinrich Schiff and many more. Free CD-Rom contains bookletnotes, sung texts and biography in English, Italian and Spanish. Award winning set: Diapason dOr in France.


Actually, it's not the only "complete" edition on the market. The BLUE BOX is still out there.

Just checked my own set, and I find that the Violin Concerto is conducted by Bernard Haitink. Soloist is Henryk Szeryng and the orchestra is the Royal Concertgebouw. The other concertos are not conducted by Haitink.


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[Michael]

Sorrano, if you check my link to Amazon USA above, you will find that the absurd price has disappeared! In fact, no price is being shown at the moment.
I hope your order got through! It did say something about a price guarantee.
Just make sure you're not caught for a price hike!


I can't edit my first post, so I wonder could Peter or Chris add something about the change? Even though the low price is no longer shown, somebody might buy it without checking whatever the new price is.
It was obviously an error - but it was there! Sorrano can back me up!


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[Sorrano]

Sorrano, if you check my link to Amazon USA above, you will find that the absurd price has disappeared! In fact, no price is being shown at the moment.
I hope your order got through! It did say something about a price guarantee.
Just make sure you're not caught for a price hike!


I can't edit my first post, so I wonder could Peter or Chris add something about the change? Even though the low price is no longer shown, somebody might buy it without checking whatever the new price is.
It was obviously an error - but it was there! Sorrano can back me up!

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I absolutely can back you up on that. I did make the order while the price was at $29 and have it in email. There is a price guarantee on that, so we'll see what happens. The price guarantee is in the email, so unless they withdraw the order completely I should get this at the price. The snippet below is from my email.

Delivery estimate: June 3, 2011 - June 7, 2011
1 "Complete Beethoven Edition"
Beethoven; Audio CD; $29.46

Thanks, again, Michael, for finding this. Apparently someone really screwed up at Amazon, but hopefully, they will go through with the order. Otherwise, they have a big problem with their guarantee!

[Michael]

Okay. Here is some further info I have gleaned about the new set. If you look at my new link to Amazon.uk a few posts back, you will see that some reputable internet sellers are offering it for around sixty pounds sterling if anybody over here is interested.


Symphonies: Blomstedt/Dresden
PC: Gulda/Stein
VC/R: Szerying/Hatink
Fidelio: Dohnanyi (Krause, Protschka, Schnaut, Rydl, Ziesak)
Leonore: Blomstedt (Adam, Moser, Riddersbusch, Donath, Buchner, Lorenz)
Septet/Sextet: ASMF Chamber Ensemble
SQuintets: Zurich
SQuartets: Guarneri/Sharon
VSonatas: Grumiaux/Haskil
CSonatas: Schiff/Fellner
PSonatas & Variations: Brendel
Songs: Schreier
Masses: CDavis/LSO
Winds/Brass: Otteto Italiano
STrios: Zurich
MiscOrchestral: Misc (Zinman, Skrowaczewski, Herbig, Semkow, Schonzeler)


Let me know if it arrives at the right price.
(Maybe it just sold out because it did generate a bit of a buzz.)


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[Sorrano]

Thanks for the update on the content! There hasn't been any emails from Amazon reneging on the sale, so hopefully that will go through (I'll let you know, but it should be about a month as that is when the release will be). I do like what I see listed! If this was going at 60 pounds, then I am guessing someone forgot/mistyped to add a 1 in front of the 29, so that it should have been $129.

Thanks again for the find! That made my day!

[Chris]

It's kind of weird, but whenever I see a new complete edition, the thing I am most interested in is figuring out what pieces AREN'T in there. Usually it's a lot.