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10 Box Set of Beethoven - DG/Poyldor - 1972

Someone just gave me a 10 box set (10 boxes, not 1 box with 10 records) of Beethoven that was produced by Deutsche Grammophon in 1972 for the 200th anniversary of Beethoven's birth. It was produced by Polydor in the US. Each box has 5 or 6 albums in it, along with a large format booklet on works in that box. It also came with a large format book of his life and works. It is in English, but it seems to have been translated from German.

I have not found out much about this set. I can look for information on each individual performance but that is a lot of work. This looks like a majority (if not all) of the DG recordings of Beethoven, re-pressed and re-packaged for the set.

Anyone familiar with this set? Are the pressing really good or just average? Were they done from original masters? Were they re-edited for this edition. etc.

Most of the records have hardly ever been played and some may be unplayed.

Any information would be appreciated, especially if they happen to be rare and valuable. Should I buy my dream home in Maui? Probably not, but any info would be appreciated.

Three of the boxes say Part 1, but I do not have a part 2 to go with them.

The 10 boxes are

I Symphonies and Overture - Part 1
II Symphonies and Overture - Part 2
III The Concertos
IV Piano Sonatas
V Music for the Stage
VI Choral Music
VII String Quartets - Part 1
VIII Music for Piano - Part 1
IX Chamber Music
X Music for Violin and Cello - Part 1
dtc
dtc's avatar
dtc OP
1,047 posts
 
Elee - you are right, I have the big book, not the cross reference one. Thanks for the clarification.

Frogman - since it appears I cannot buy my vacation home on Maui, I will keep the set. I already have some of this music, like the Symphonies by George Szell and Cleveland Orchestra, the piano concertos, and some of the string quartets, so I will have to compare these new ones to the ones I have. My 10 boxes are not the whole collection, but 40 lps will probably get me through Frankenstorm.
frogman
7,493 posts
 
Enjoy them. We spend so much energy discussing differences between tubes/ss, analog/digital, etc. The differences between Szell/Cleveland's and Karajan/Berlin's takes on the symphonies is huge by comparison.
dtc's avatar
dtc OP
1,047 posts
 
Frogman - I have always liked the Szell recordings. I am just working through the Karajan ones, although in the past they have not been my favorites, but now that I have them all, I need to do some listening.

HDtracks has the nine symphonies in 24/96 by Daniel Barenboim and his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra. Any thoughts on them? I am not sure I really want to digitize all my classical and there are times when listening through the computer is just so much more convenient. Thanks for any insight.
frogman
7,493 posts
 
Dtc, I too like the Szell recordings. Personally, I generally find a certain honesty (like it or not) in the recordings of an an orchestra with long-standing traditions performing the music of native composers. The Berlin Phil is an orchestra with a very long history and tradition, and one of the greatest orchestras in the world by any measure. Just as it is rare to find a recording by a European orchestra of the music of an American composer like Gershwin or Copland that holds up as well (musically) as the recordings of the same music by a great American orchestra, it is rare to find a recording that tops a great German orchestra playing the music of Beethoven. I know it is a controversial comment and there are many good Beethoven recordings by non-German orchestras, but those of the Berlin Phil are really tough to beat. The Karajan/Berlin recordings are great in their "understanding" of Beethoven; although the Furtwangler/Berlin are even better, and considered by many to be the pinnacle. I don't know the Baremboin set, but I have heard other recordings by the West-Eastern Divan orchestra, and while a very admirable endeavor from a political standpoint, the orchestra is simply not as polished nor competent as many of the top orchestras.

My comments are strictly about the performances and not the sound quality of the recordings.
dtc's avatar
dtc OP
1,047 posts
 
Thanks Frogman. That is pretty consistent with things I have read from others. Prior to this boxed set, the only Karajan/Beethoven I have had has been on CD and I think the transfers were not very good. So I have kept with the Szell. Everyone seems to agree on the Furtwangler but I have never come across them. I need to find time for some serious listening. Thanks.
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