Opinions sought on the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra's complete deutsche grammophon box set

[Seán]

Hello CMGers,

I know I haven't posted for some time, my apologies for that. Unfortunately my integrated amplifier has had a catastrophic failure in the left channel and as a result I have not been able to use my music system since the end of October 2021. I have my amplifier in for repair and it is taking an inordinate amount of time to fix it. I may have to buy a replacement but I have waited this long I think I will wait a little longer before giving up on it. I am having to use a CD walkman and headphones at present which is not very satisfactory.

Well that was a long winded introduction to my actual question which is: do you have the Orpheus box set? If so would you recommend it? I only have one CD with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra so I am not is n a position to make a value judgement of them.


Repertoire
CD 1 Bartók: Divertimento · Janáček: Mládí
CD 2 Beethoven: The Creatures of Prometheus
CD 3 Prokofiev · Britten · Bizet: Symphonies
CD 4 Vivaldi · Boccherini: Cello Concertos – Maisky
CD 5 Copland: Appalachian Spring · Short Symphony
CD 6 Dvořák: Serenades
CD 7 Elgar · Vaughan Williams
CD 8 Ravel · Satie · Fauré
CD 9 Grieg: Holberg Suite · Tchaikovsky: String Serenade
CD 10-12 Handel: Concerti grossi · Water & Fireworks Music
CD 13-19 Haydn: Symphonies 22, 44, 45, 48, 49, 53, 60, 63, 73, 77–81, 91, 102 · Armida Overture
CD 20 Ives
CD 21 Summer Evening: Kodály · Suk
CD 22 Mendelssohn: Concertos – Kremer · Argerich
CD 23 Mendelssohn: Symphony 4 *new release · Piano Concertos – Lisiecki
CD 24 Mendelssohn: String Symphonies 8–10
CD 25 Mozart: Clarinet & Horn Concertos – Neidich · Jolley
CD 26 Mozart: Horn, Oboe & Bassoon Concertos
CD 27 Mozart: Flute Concertos – Palma · Allen
CD 28 Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik · Divertimentos
CD 29 Mozart: Nannerl Septet · Serenata Notturna
CD 30 Mozart: Gran Partita
CD 31 Mozart: Wind Serenades
CD 32 Mozart: Sinfonie concertanti
CD 33 Mozart: Symphonies 29, 33, 40
CD 34 Mozart: A Little Light Music
CD 35 Respighi
CD 36 Rodrigo · Villa-Lobos: Guitar Concertos – Söllscher
CD 37 Rossini: Overtures
CD 38 Saint-Saens: Cello Works – Maisky
CD 39 Schoenberg: Verklärte Nacht · Chamber Symphonies
CD 40 Classical Hits
CD 41 Schumann: Cello Works – Maisky · Argerich
CD 42 R. Strauss: Divertimento · Der Bürger als Edelmann
CD 43 R. Strauss: Wind Sonatinas
CD 44 Stravinsky: Pulcinella · Dumbarton Oaks · Miniatures
CD 45 Stravinsky: Shadow Dances
CD 46 Stravinsky: Orpheus · Danses concertantes
CD 47 Tchaikovsky: Rococo Variations – Maisky
CD 48 Vivaldi: The Four Seasons · Kreisler – Shaham
CD 49 Vivaldi: 6 Flute Concertos – Gallois
CD 50 Weber: Clarinet Concertos · Rossini – Neidich
CD 51 Wagner · Wolf · Puccini · Berlioz · Sibelius · Dvořák
CD 52 Baroque Encores
CD 53 Romances – Shaham
CD 54 Points of Departure
CD 55 Wayfaring Stranger – Scholl

[Lance]

Well, Seán, we've really missed you around here. So much going on in the world right now, it can cause depression that music great music can help alleviate those feelings.

About the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra: I have collected their recordings basically because of the collaborative artists appearing with them. I also have some Sony Classical CDs with Orpheus. I did not acquire the DGG boxed set because so much of that repertoire is available with outstanding recordings elsewhere. That said, I find them to be an excellent ensemble in just about anything I have heard. Then there's the old story: you can't have everything, and the older I get, the more I realize that!

[maestrob]

Like you, Sean, I have only a few CDs by the Orpheus Chamber Ensemble. As a conductor, I'm uncomfortable with their very concept of a conductorless ensemble, but the discs I have are all quite good.

Not much else to say here.

I sympathize with you on the breakdown of your amplifier, and the supply-chain problems with getting it fixed. When I was 30 during the previous century, I blew out one of my Bozak speakers and thus had to replace the drivers in both of them, a process that was quite expensive involving much hand labor. Having to live with only a cassette Walkman at the time drove me up a wall, but I learned to appreciate a fine pair of audiophile headphones as a result and to this day I like to listen to CDs both through top quality planar headphones and with my speakers before I form an opinion.