Should you purchase the Teldec Complete Bach Edition?

[William Sommerwerck]

Arkiv is offering the Teldec Complete Bach Edition at an attractive price --
$250. (Naturally, Arkiv doesn't give an expiration date for the sale.) I am
sorely tempted to purchase it. After some consideration, I've decided not
to.

For me, there are three issues.

>> The cantatas. I already have three sets (including the
Harnoncourt/Leonhardt), and am working on a fourth.

>> The organ works. I have several sets (or partial sets), none of which I
like. They generally seem unduly "reverential".

>> The keyboard and orchestral works. I already have satisfying
performances, often from two or more performers.

In short, this set doesn't seem to be a good value for me, despite the low,
low, fire-sale price. (I checked, and no one else has it at anywhere near
$250.)

Obviously, this is my parochial perspective. There are doubtless other
points of view. I'm not trying to start an argument.

--
"We already know the answers -- we just haven't asked the right
questions." -- Edwin Land

[mandryka]

On Mar 29, 9:51 am, "William Sommerwerck" <grizzledgee...@comcast.net>
wrote:

For sure you should hear the French Suites by Curtis. I also like Glen
Wilson's WTC. You can get these quite cheaply as separate CDs now I
think.

[mandryka]

On Mar 29, 9:51 am, "William Sommerwerck" <grizzledgee...@comcast.net>
wrote:

> >> The organ works. I have several sets (or partial sets), none of which I
>
> like. They generally seem unduly "reverential".

Yes. One very good non reverential organ CD is Felix Friedrich's
selection of preludes, played on the really noble sounding organ of
Schlosskirke Altenberg. This one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000028BTJ/ref=oh_o01_s00_i00_details.

I just mention it because I've enjoyed playing it recently.

[Gerard]

William Sommerwerck <grizzle...@comcast.net> typed:

>
> Obviously, this is my parochial perspective. There are doubtless other
> points of view. I'm not trying to start an argument.

But what do you try to start?

[wagnerfan]

I'm in the same position you are - I have the Cantatas already and
many many perforrnaces of the other major works including the
wonderful Chapuis Organ set ; also the complete Rilling Box - so I'll
pass on this, thats too much money for whats left. Wagner Fan

[wkasimer]

On Mar 29, 4:51 am, "William Sommerwerck" <grizzledgee...@comcast.net>
wrote:

> In short, this set doesn't seem to be a good value for me, despite the low,
> low, fire-sale price. (I checked, and no one else has it at anywhere near
> $250.)

I'm in virtually the same position that you are - I have the
Harnoncourt/Leonhardt cantatas, as well as their large-scale choral
works, several recordings of the organ works and other keyboard works,
the concerti and other orchestral music. And I came to the same
conclusion that you did - that there's really not much point to buying
the complete set. There may be some odds and ends that I'll want to
buy separately, though.

Bill

[Mark S]

I own this complete set in its Bach 2000 version. That set wasted a
ton of space by making each of the 12 boxes that house different
genres the same size. So while the boxes holding the cantatas are
quite full, those holding the orchestral works have lots of empty
space to them. The original set did come with a spiffy hardcover book.

I am assuming that Teldec hasn't changed the selected recordings for
this set. The Chapuis organ recordings were replaced with recordings
by Ton Koopman in the first set. The St Matt is Harnoncourt's second
version, IIRC. I'm moving to a larger house tomorrow, so my CDs are
packed and I can't give you chapter and verse on what was in that set.
I also owned many Harnoncourt recordings when the Bach 2000 was
issued. I sold off most of the recordings I had. I owned the complete
cantatas on LP, and I gave those to a friend who is a singer, scores
and all.

$250 is such a cheap price that I'd jump at it if I didn't already own
the set...which I got as a promo from Teldec when I was working at MHS
(we offered the Bach 2000 set as finished goods). BTW - Teldec
licensed Harnoncourt's recording of the Bach Cello Suites from MHS to
include in the Bach 2000 edition. Yep, that recording is owned by MHS.

[Randy Lane]

> include in the Bach 2000 edition. Yep, that recording is owned by MHS.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Like many, I already own the cantatas (in the release that houses them
in 10 6-CD chubby jewel cases within a heavy-duta outer container and
a decent book with some of the original documentation).
I also already have the Koopman Organ works.
I don't own the exact same versions of any of the large choral works
though, nore any of the rest of the set.

I bought this edition for the recordings of the large-scale choral
works, the keyboard works, and the chamber music. I'll keep the other
cantata set probably, at least for now, and sell the Koopman organ
works box. Was it worth the buy? Probably. I believe I could, at a
later time, sell the other set of the cantatas for a nice sum,
especially once this set and the latest box with the cantatas are out
of print.

[Oscar]

On Mar 29, 2:02 am, mandryka wrote:
>
> For sure you should hear the French Suites by Curtis.

I have this on Teldec LP boxed set. Excellent. Curtis played a
renovated instrument by Christian Zell from 1728.

[Randy Lane]

One odd inclusion - a DVD of the Great Composers one-hour (BBC I
believe) presentation on J.S. Bach, mostly featuring J.E. Gardiner and
hardly any of the Teldec artists.