Georg Solti/Chicago Box

[maestrob]

Georg Solti made some magnificent recordings when he was leading the Chicago Symphony (Brahms, some Mahler and some Bruckner) as well as some duds (Beethoven IX, Mahler II) IMHO. This 100+ CD set gives you a chance to delve into this legacy without a lot of expense, while forming your own opinions. Finally, we get a chance to hear Solti's legacy as a whole instead of piecemeal. He was a great musician who left us with a staggering number of recordings of all kinds of repertoire, from Schoenberg to Mendelssohn and beyond. Trained in post WWII Vienna, Solti brought that great tradition to his music-making, often with lofty results. Too bad the Vienna and London Symphony recordings could not have been included, but that would have duplicated some repertoire (especially Mahler). At $2/disc, this set is a bargain.

[John F]

Well, this is only a piece of Solti's legacy on records, excluding as it does nearly all of his opera recordings which were made with the Vienna Philharmonic and other European orchestras. For me, Solti was at his best in opera; I bought very few of his orchestral recordings as they came out, and won't be buying more now.

[jserraglio]

Well, this is only a piece of Solti's legacy on records, excluding as it does nearly all of his opera recordings which were made with the Vienna Philharmonic and other European orchestras. For me, Solti was at his best in opera; I bought very few of his orchestral recordings as they came out, and won't be buying more now.

I admire Solti across the board in most all the operas he recorded (my first was RCAs Boheme the day it was released on floppy dynaflex), but have to own up to having less than enthusiastically purchased his orchestral recs too, just to hear the fabled CSO in stunning Decca sound.

Solti may have done better in orchestral works when captured live. The Solti volumes in the CSO's own commercial issue "The CSO - From the Archives" reveal broader sympathies than I had expected (Handel, Barber, Nielsen, Panufnik). My opinion of Solti went up a lot after hearing these.

[barney]

I have the big boxes Universal put out of the various composers by Solti, plus dozens of smaller sets or single LPs/CDs. No more for me, even though there will be treasures I miss out on.

[Lance]

I've got well over 100 of Solti's CDs not to mention LPs. As much as I love these mega-sets, I think I will pass on this one even though the price is certainly appealing. I have most everything he did even as a pianist, which was of much more interest to me ... and of course, many operas and orchestral pieces. The CSO is one of my favourite orchestras, especially under the baton of Fritz Reiner.

[maestrob]

Not much enthusiasm for Georg Solti so far, I see, yet I find much of his work impressive! The problem for me with this box is that his recordings were so heavily promoted when they were issued that I have all of the originals in my collection, and like many here, see no reason to duplicate in order to have a "complete" library. Solti's opera recordings were exemplary, yet they were not made in Chicago. As well, his Vienna Schumann Symphonies (which I rate highly) would not be included. Like Ormandy, Solti had good days and weak ones, leaving us with an uneven legacy. When he was good, he was absolutely great (Brahms Symphonies/Chicago), and many other examples.

So, it's still a great bargain for those who want to know more about this great conductor of the XXth Century.

[Heck148]

The problem for me with this box is that his recordings were so heavily promoted when they were issued that I have all of the originals in my collection, and like many here, see no reason to duplicate in order to have a "complete" library.

Same here...I have most all of them already.

So, it's still a great bargain for those who want to know more about this great conductor of the XXth Century.

yes, indeed, it's a great collection...It's possible that the new collection may have better sound than the originals - this was certainly true of some other CSO sets - the Martinon, Gould, and Barenboim/Bruckner complete sets all sound better on the more recent collection sets than on the individual discs..of course, there are different labels involved - RCA, DG, Decca

[barney]

Not much enthusiasm for Georg Solti so far, I see, yet I find much of his work impressive! The problem for me with this box is that his recordings were so heavily promoted when they were issued that I have all of the originals in my collection, and like many here, see no reason to duplicate in order to have a "complete" library. Solti's opera recordings were exemplary, yet they were not made in Chicago. As well, his Vienna Schumann Symphonies (which I rate highly) would not be included. Like Ormandy, Solti had good days and weak ones, leaving us with an uneven legacy. When he was good, he was absolutely great (Brahms Symphonies/Chicago), and many other examples.

So, it's still a great bargain for those who want to know more about this great conductor of the XXth Century.

If there's not much enthusiasm it's only because most of us have Solti in vast quantities. I have great enthusiasm for what I already have, especially the opera sets.

[Heck148]

The CSO is one of my favourite orchestras, especially under the baton of Fritz Reiner.

I agree, as do many professional musicians.
Reiner/CSO represents, for many, the epitome, the pinnacle, of conductor/orchestra combination of musical excellence.
I would quote Ray Still, long-time principal oboist of the Chicago Sym [a great player, definitely among the all-time best:

"Incidentally, it is strange to me that the critics in this country
are still unable to evaluate the greatness of Fritz Reiner.
How do they account for the permanence in the catalog of
almost all of the Reiner records made in the short ten years
or less that he was here? I see so many lists of conductors
and he is seldom mentioned. Just listen to the breadth of his
repertoire on CD and in each category he has few peers!
People like Maazel, Muti, Mehta, Slatkin, Masur, Von
Dohnanyi, Ormandy, and a host of others should not be
mentioned in the same world."

Ray Still (40 years first Oboe, Chicago Symphony)
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.

[Heck148]

2ble post

[Heck148]

sorry, 2ble post.