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| ![Works of Igor Stravinsky [22cd]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41ffzhvDpuL._SL500_.jpg)
| Artist: Igor Stravinsky
Label: Sony Classical
Category: Music
List Price: £29.99
Buy New: £17.99
You Save: £12.00 (40%)
New (13) Used (1) from £16.20
Rating:  9 reviews
Sales Rank: 570
Format: Box Set
Media: Audio CD
Running Time: 76
Discs: 22
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 5.4 x 5 x 2.3
MPN: 710311
UPC: 886971031126
EAN: 0886971031126
ASIN: B000PTYUQG
Release Date: July 2, 2007
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 6-9 of 9 | | « PREV | | |
Deserves about 7 stars!! What a bargain!!! October 19, 2007
33 out of 34 found this review helpful
This is unbelievable. OK, the recordings have been around for years and presumably have paid their way, but it is still generous of Sony to offer a set of this musical and historical importance, excellence and sheer size for SO little money. I know the better-known Stravinsky - the earlier ballet scores, the symphonies, some of the chamber pieces, 'The Rake's Progress', 'Oedipus Rex' pretty well, but one of the great joys of this set is coming upon little-known, sometimes quite small pieces, which are so delightful. And was there ever a composer with such a range, writing for all kinds and combinations of voices and instruments and in so many styles (I had never heard the early 'Symphony', which is like a turn-of-the-century Russian sub-Tchaikovsky piece, and great fun ; or there are beautiful little songs to quirky texts, wonderful inventive variations on a Bach chorale, and many, many other things)? There are brief but very telling, even charming rehearsal sequences, an interview and some historical performances, all interesting. We hear Szigeti, Benny Goodman, Charles Rosen, Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber, Roger Sessions, Evelyn Lear, Phillipe Entremont, Alexander Young and Stravinsky himself at the piano. Stravinsky was a marvellous conductor of his own works, and these interpretations are full of life, rhythmically precise, usually very expertly played and very well recorded. There is, for example, woodwind detail in 'Firebird' that I have never heard before, but it is not unnaturally highlit - it just sounds 'right'. Sony have not pushed out the boat on presentation - the 22 CDs are in simple card sleeves (though with lovely archive photos of Stravinsky), the booklet is minimal but OK and the CDs come in an adequate box, but really, who cares? This is a fantastic set which does full justice to a fascinating, towering composer, and at a price anyone can afford. Hooray!!
An absolute no-brainer October 16, 2007
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
22CDs of top-class recordings of the 20th century's greatest composer for 1 a disc. You are guaranteed to discover gems you never knew, such as Charles Rosen playing the piano sonata, in among the famous and towering achievements like the Rite and the Firebird. You'll kick yourself if you don't get it, not least as postage is free!
An essential purchase July 30, 2007
85 out of 89 found this review helpful
At last, these recordings, which were previously released as "Stravinsky - The Recorded Legacy" on Sony Classical (SX22K46290), have been reissued at a budget price. The previous incarnation (which is still available) came in a plastic presentation case with all CDs in single, double and triple jewel cases, also a very detailed booklet with all song & opera texts, synopses and translations and various background essays. That set cost between 89 and 120 depending on where you got it from. The present set dispenses with much of that in order to save at least 60.
So what you get in this release are the CDs in cardboard sleeves housed in a cardboard box, the advantage of this being that it takes up the bare minimum of space on the shelf. You also get a very minute booklet with only the details of the soloists, orchestras and recording dates and a short essay (in a few European languages). (So no song texts etc here, which is a bit annoying.) The positive side is that all the recordings are exactly the same as in the previous release, which is obviously the most important part and it's a great way of getting a lot of fantastic music for very little money (not to mention historically important versions of Stravinsky's music, conducted and/or overseen by the man himself). For me this was ideal as I wasn't really that interested in much of the vocal music so didn't really want to shell out for the more expensive set.
There's really no excuse for not buying this at this price, unless you feel you have to have all the extra packaging and paperwork which comes with the more expensive version (or you are broke, but even then you ought to try to get this).
Superlative Music Making - Stravinsky For All Seasons July 6, 2007
79 out of 82 found this review helpful
This must be the greatest bargin set ever released. For this price you would expect 'average' versions of Stravinsky's major works. What you get [not made clear on the box] are 22 CD's made up of all the stereo recordings made for Columbia by the composer himself; a few works directed by Robert Craft with Stravinsky in the studio; and a handful of vintage recordings of works not remade in stereo by the composer. These interpretations are of immense historical importance but, also, very fine performances in their own right. The sound is first class; the remastering also.
There is so much here to enjoy that it is difficult to single out individual works. A few of my personal favourites are 'The Firebird', 'The Rite of Spring', 'Apollo' [my desert island recording of a lovely work from Stravinsky's neo-classical period], 'The Ebony Concerto' with Benny Goodman, and 'Les Noces' with both Samuel Barber and Aaron Copland among the pianists! However, I'm sure this list will change considering just what treasure trove is included.
An essential collection at a stupid price. Buy it before Sony BMG realise their mistake.
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