What symphony series are you following?

[David Ayers]

OK. Now anyone interested in classical music will have box sets of things like the Beethoven symphonies, consisting of recordings that were completed anything from a few years ago to 60 years. In fact some Beethoven symphony cycles in recent years (e.g. Pletnev) were released intact as box sets without individual CD release. What I'd like to know though is what as yet incomplete series you are following. I'm interested really in the hard core repertoire, but I'd also be interested to hear about other things - say the Bach cantatas (Gardiner, Suzuki) or maybe more obscure things - as long as it's not yet a box set and still in progress or maybe just recently (this year) completed. And I'd be interested to hear why, too.

For myself, I'm a staunch follower of the Gergiev Mahler (LSO) and have started and will no doubt finish the Gergiev Shostakovich (Marinsky, though I sincerely wish it were the LSO). I've dabbled in Jarvi's Beethoven and Zinman's Mahler, and I'm considering getting into Simone Young's and Paavo Jarvi's Bruckner, and Vasily Petrenko's and Mark Wigglesworth's Shostakovich.

Any views on these or anything else you are currently following?

[Ron S]

Not symphonies or orchestral, but I've been acquiring Ronald Brautigam's ongoing series of Beethoven piano sonatas on fortepiano (BIS Hybrid SACD) as they've come out. Seven volumes released so far, and the eighth should come out some time this year to complete the sonatas. Based on the title of the series ("Complete Works for Solo Piano"), I assume that they'll follow up with other volumes of Beethoven solo piano music once the sonatas are complete.

[David Ayers]

Thanks Ron. It seems no-one else is following anything!

[Hoppy T. Frog]

I've been getting the Hungaroton new Bartok series conducted by Zoltan Kocsis when I can find them.

[Larry Kart]

One symphony series I got in a single impetuous swoop is the symphonies of William Alwyn, cond. by Richard Hickox:

http://www.amazon.com/Alwyn-Complete-Symphonies-Sinfonietta-Strings/dp/B000000AYH

The idiom is more conservative than I usually fancy in 20th Century composers (Alwyn was a prolific composer of film music), but the works have much conviction and inventiveness, and the performances and recordings are top notch.

Another very different series of orchestral works I've been tracking are those of the Italian composer Salvatore Sciarrino (b. 1947). I particularly recommend the three-disc Kairos set that includes Allegria della Notte, Recitative Oscura, Il suono di tacere, and Shadow of Sound (Sciarrino's music typically hovers on the border between sound and silence).

[J.A.W.]

  On 5/5/2010 at 11:06 PM, Ron S said:

Not symphonies or orchestral, but I've been acquiring Ronald Brautigam's ongoing series of Beethoven piano sonatas on fortepiano (BIS Hybrid SACD) as they've come out. Seven volumes released so far, and the eighth should come out some time this year to complete the sonatas. Based on the title of the series ("Complete Works for Solo Piano"), I assume that they'll follow up with other volumes of Beethoven solo piano music once the sonatas are complete.

Vol.8 has just been released by BIS - in Europe, at least.

[gnhrtg]

  On 7/2/2010 at 11:38 AM, J.A.W. said:

  On 5/5/2010 at 11:06 PM, Ron S said:

Not symphonies or orchestral, but I've been acquiring Ronald Brautigam's ongoing series of Beethoven piano sonatas on fortepiano (BIS Hybrid SACD) as they've come out. Seven volumes released so far, and the eighth should come out some time this year to complete the sonatas. Based on the title of the series ("Complete Works for Solo Piano"), I assume that they'll follow up with other volumes of Beethoven solo piano music once the sonatas are complete.

Vol.8 has just been released by BIS - in Europe, at least.

And even earlier here in Singapore. Well worth while, like the rest of this series so far.

[Bluerein]

I'm following all the releases of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (on any label but mostly on their own RCO Live imprint). This besides the Gergiev LSO and Zinman Zürich Mahler's, the Schwarz Schuman's on Naxos and all the Romantic Piano Concerto's (as well as the Romantic Cello and Violin Concerto's) series on Hyperion. Furthermore I follow my favorite (living) conductors: Neeme Järvi & Mariss Jansons in all their endeavors.

[David Ayers]

There is a short, sharp Hyperion sale at MDT. Quite a few of the Romantic Piano series are included (not my cup of tea though I have a few) plus things like York Bowen, the acclaimed Byrd, titles by Laurence Power.

I don't love this label but some here might be interested.

http://www.mdt.co.uk