Karajan Symphony Edition on Blu-ray audio: Bruckner + Tchaikovsky

[John Fowler]

The Bruckner and Tchaikovsky volumes of the Karajan Symphony Edition are being reissued in CD/Blu-Ray boxes.
Currently listed on Amazon Germany:
ASIN B07NTXC6T9 (Bruckner)
ASIN B07Q5CQBHY (Tchaikovsky)

Announcement from Tower Records Japan:
"Celebrating 30 years after the death of Herbert von Karajan in Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and of 2 large Tsuikurusu, Symphonies of Tchaikovsky and Bruckner will be released.
Both have BD audio that contains all songs.
Karajan and Bruckner-Ziculs (cycles?) of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, recorded from January 1975 to January 1981, are historical indicators of Bruckner recordings.
The deep sensitivity of Karajan to the undercurrents of music stands out, and these recordings are also the best performers of Karajan, perhaps the most deeply interpreted performance of Bruckner ever before.
24bit / 96kHz remastering from the original sound source.
A set of 9 CDs and BD audio.
The specifications of BD audio are Stereo 192 kHz / 24 Bit DTS HD Master Audio
Universal Music / IMS"

I am skeptical about Tower Records claim that the CDs are "24bit / 96kHz remasterings from the original sound source".
The Bruckner couplings on CD are identical to the 1990 remasterings from the original Karajan Symphony Edition:
CDs 1, 2 = Symphonies 1 & 5
CD 3 = Symphony 3
CDs 4, 5 = Symphonies 2 & 8
CDs 6-9 = Symphonies 4,6,7,9

CD remastering has advanced a great deal since 1990.
For instance, Symphony 5 is 80:34 and would easily fit onto a single CD today.
Symphonies 1-7 should occupy one disc each.
Symphony 9 + Symphony 8 first movement would easily fit on CD 8 (78:06 total),
leaving Symphony 8 movements 2-4 for CD 9.
So logical.
But noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

At least on the single Blu-ray, everything is arranged in chronological order.
Should be the best sound ever for these recordings.

ASIN B07NTXC6T9 (Bruckner)
I pre-ordered the 9 CDs + 1 Blu-ray box from Amazon Germany.
Price with shipping was 41.43 Euros.
$46.54 at today's exchange rate: a remarkable bargain.
Shipping date: June 28.

ASIN B07Q5CQBHY (Tchaikovsky)
is also a bargain, though not so remarkable a bargain as the Bruckner.
4 CDs + 1 Blu-ray Audio for 24 Euros shipping included ($27) on Amazon Germany.

The CD couplings are also identical to the thirty year-old Karajan Symphony Edition:
Symphonies 1 & 2 on CD 1.
Symphony 3 is coupled with Marche Slave & Capriccio Italien on CD 2.
Symphonies 4-6 on CDs 3 + 4:
Symphony 5 is still split between CDs 3 + 4.

[wade...@hotmail.com]

the blurays should be issued like the Beethoven cycle as a Bluray only disc separately. This gimmick CD & Bluray package is just that, a gimmick to increase the price.