New Complete Edition

[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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[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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[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]

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I found the info - there are a few places advertising this item - but I understand that the Kurt Masur symphony set has been replaced by Blomstedt and the sonatas are by Brendel.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!!!!!!

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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]

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!

[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]

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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