New Complete Edition

[Roehre]

With all its faults, the Blue Box did make an effort to include nearly all the obscure stuff - including small piano pieces that don't even have a cataogue number.

and is AFAIK the only one containing Beethoven's Erlkönig WoO 131

[Michael]

Actually, Michael, your beloved 'Blue Box' does contain both the original Op.18 mvt 1 (Hess 32), and the Vestas Feuer fragment. But it glaringly lacks Op.61a (piano version of the Violin Concerto), and has only a wind arrangement of Opus 4 as well as a computer-aided four-hand piano fugue, Op.134 - I don't know why the pianist couldn't have played both parts, but separately?

You're right, PDG, the two works are there. In fact, the "Vestas Fuer" fragment is the same recording as in the DGG edition. I found the booklet that came with the "Blue Box" a bit confusing so I made my own list and obviously I have left out a few.
With all its faults, the Blue Box did make an effort to include nearly all the obscure stuff - including small piano pieces that don't even have a cataogue number.

[PDG]

There is no such thing as a "complete" edition. I have three of them and they all have strange omissions. The lavish (and expensive) 1997 DGG set leaves out anything that even smells doubtful but it does contain some items that other editions don't: namely the "Amenda" version of Opus 18 No. 1 and the fragment of Beethoven's first attempt at an opera, "Vestas Fueur" (I haven't checked spelling).

Actually, Michael, your beloved 'Blue Box' does contain both the original Op.18 mvt 1 (Hess 32), and the Vestas Feuer fragment. But it glaringly lacks Op.61a (piano version of the Violin Concerto), and has only a wind arrangement of Opus 4 as well as a computer-aided four-hand piano fugue, Op.134 - I don't know why the pianist couldn't have played both parts, but separately?

[Sorrano]

Currently, from the z-shops, there are 17 available (new) that start at $72,98. There is one used one at $207.43. Hmmmm! If I recall, initially after the low price disappeared, it was repriced at $129, which makes me think someone forgot to add the 1. That was an expensive goof!

[Michael]

Great! Enjoy it.
(I'll send you the number of my offshore account and you can wire whatever amount you see fit.)


(If you check the original link at the top of this page, you will see that it is now selling at 112 dollars - so somebody did goof! )



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[Sorrano]

Here is an update on that Complete Edition. The set was sent yesterday at the price advertised. Thanks, again, Michael, for a great heads up! I owe you big time on that one!

[Sorrano]

See if Amazon has withdrawn funds from your bank account. If yes, then the sale is completed! : 7 )

As it is a pre-order there wouldn't be any funds deducted until the item was actually shipped. So far there haven't been any cancellations, so that's a good thing.

[Cocchini]

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!

See if Amazon has withdrawn funds from your bank account. If yes, then the sale is completed! : 7 )

[Chris]

There are many, many Hess, Biamonti, and uncatalogued pieces missing from all of the sets as well. Some of them have never even been recorded. Of course, nothing of much significance. But still, there are some gems that can be missed when you start disqualifying pieces like that. For example, I really like WoO 2b, and I think its absence is significant, despite its short length. Perhaps they did not include it because it has been discovered to be part of Leonore...but they didn't know that when Blomstedt made his recording, and so it is not on there.

[Michael]

There is no such thing as a "complete" edition. I have three of them and they all have strange omissions. The lavish (and expensive) 1997 DGG set leaves out anything that even smells doubtful but it does contain some items that other editions don't: namely the "Amenda" version of Opus 18 No. 1 and the fragment of Beethoven's first attempt at an opera, "Vestas Fueur" (I haven't checked spelling). It however does not contain Opus 4, the arrangement for string quintet of the Octet Op. 103. I can't understand why because the quintet version radically expands on the Octet material - it's practically a re-composition.

The present Brilliant set contains both versions of this last but leaves out the other two items mentioned above. It also omits a very short march (WoO2b) and a couple of items from WoO 96 (Incidental music to "Leonore Prohaska - nothing to do with Fidelio). It does include the three clarinet and bassoon duos which the DGG turned up its nose at. That's all I can remember at the moment.

The Brilliant is quite a respectable "complete" edition, all in all. The "Leonore" recording is, I think, superior to John Eliot Gardiner's DGG version which does not use any dialogue, opting for a strange narrative reading. And the partsongs (WoO 99/Hess 208) are performed much better in the Brilliant set.

Oh, and none of them contain Beethoven's own piano arrangement of the "Prometheus" ballet, which I acquired only last week!


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[Sorrano]

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.

That's been on my mind, as well, but with that kind of price it's a pretty good deal with what you do get!

[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.

[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!

[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]

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!

.

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!