EMI BPO commemorative set

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Alex

BERLINER PHILHARMONIKER: COMMEMORATIVE BOX Arthur Nikisch, Wilhelm Furtwangler, Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado, Sir Simon Rattle

The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra is arguably the greatest ensemble of its kind in the world, steeped in a rich 120-year cultural history. This 6CD set is a testament to that history, featuring works conducted by the orchestra's chief conductors during their time as music director of the orchestra.

As well as the historical and previously released material, this box contains a bonus disc featuring newly recorded material conducted by Simon Rattle. Packaged in a clam-shell box with individual pochettes, this box represents unbeatable value.

CD 1

Arthur Nikisch (Music Director: 1895-1922)

Beethoven: Symphony No.5

Wilhelm Furtwangler (Music Director: 1922-1945 & 1952-1954)

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.6 ‘Pathétique'

CD 2

Wilhelm Furtwangler

Brahms: Symphony No.3

Herbert von Karajan (Music Director: 1954-1989)

Mendelssohn: The Hebrides Overture

Mozart: Symphony No.29

CD 3

Herbert von Karajan

Wagner: Lohengrin (Prelude) / Tristan und Isolde (Prelude)

Sibelius: Symphony No.2

CD 4

Claudio Abbado (Music Director: 1989-2002)

Hindemith: Kammermusik Nr. 1 & Nr. 5

Mozart: Klarinettenkonzert

Verdi: Requiem - Dies irae – Tuba mirum - Sanctus

CD 5

Simon Rattle (Music Director from 2002)

Mahler : Symphony No.10

CD 6

Simon Rattle

Bernstein: Candide Overture

Satie/Debussy: Gymnopedie No.1

Brahms: Hungarian Dance No.3 in F

Dvorak: Slavonic Dances, Op.46 No.1 in C & No.3 in A flat

Ravel: Ma Mere l'Oye – Finale

Mussorgsky/Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition – The Great Gate of Kiev

Elgar: Pomp & Circumstance March No.4

EMI 6cds 5756122

Too bad there isn't one from DGG using live radio broadcasts, as was done for the VPO's 150th anniversary.

From my angle, a well-priced set of recordings I already have and and other recordings I don't want. I wonder who the market is for this?

Haven't heard the Abbado...any good?

Some rather odd choices in there - Karajan Mozart 29? And surely, given the small number of discs involved, they could have found something better for displaying Abbado's talents than Mozart's clarinet concerto (where I'm sure he's fine but...). I suppose someone will enjoy comparing EMI's transfer of Nikisch's Beethoven 5 with DG's....

For a set ostensibly devoted to the Music Directors of the BPO, Sergiu Celibidache is conspicuously absent. (He even made some studio recordings for EMI with the orchestra during his tenure.)

Mark Obert-Thorn

The Estate of Celi too tough to deal with?

And Celi conducted the BPO in at least one film, which made its way into 'Botschafter der Musik.' But what, then, of Leo Borchard?

One BPO/Celibidache recording was included in EMI's centenary tribute to the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (set RLS-768, five LPs), Prokofieff's 'Classical Symphony' rec. 1948.

Other conductors included in that LP set include Arthur Nikisch (LvB 5th), Fritz Lehmann, Leo Blech, Karl Böhm, Hermann Abendroth, Hans Knappertsbusch, Bruno Walter, Wilhelm Furtwängler, and Herbert von Karajan.

A competing BPO centenary boxed set from DG (DG 2740 259, five LPs) included the same LvB 5th from Nikisch plus two shorter titles by that conductor, and recordings by Blech, Walter, and Knappertsbusch, plus other titles conducted by Erich Kleiber, Oscar Fried, Hans Pfitzner, and Richard Strauss.

The two sets taken together make a fine collection of BPO memorabilia.

Unless they show new remasterings, that's exactly the point, a repackaging of existing tapes, sort of 'the ESSENTIAL BPO.'

I'd rather buy a comnplete Nikisch Edition (such as there is) which was talked about once. Who said they were going to do it?