His B-minor mass on Harmonia Mundi is one of my favorite albums (period) of all time. Like Taplow, this would probably be the one album I couldn’t live without. For incredible warmth, listen to his Campra and Faure requiems.
Dilemma: I bought the Monteux RCA box when it came out, in 2014. As we know, the d'Indy recordings on three discs (1, 2 and 5) have the wrong pitch, and a repress of the box with the correct pitch on those discs was released a while ago. I mailed Sony three times (the last time to Ms Kindlmann) asking if they would replace the discs in the earlier box, but I never got a reply. I'm not sure what to do now, get the re-release with the corrected discs or leave it as is. Anyone (@Daedalus?) have any ideas or suggestions?
I have reached out as well without response. I am not sure whether I keep pushing-but I am not about to buy a 2nd set.
I understand, and it certainly isn't my main priority either. The set is great, but I'm not really prepared to pay for another copy. I was disappointed that even Ms Kindlmann never responded, she always replied very quickly on other occasions.
I addressed Lutz a few posts after the one you quoted, I have only heard a handful of volumes so I can't write anything about it. What are your favorite Secular Cantatas? I prefer Suzuki in them but these aren't works I listen to as often as the Sacred Cantatas. You are right the Rilling Secular Cantatas are very good. I didn't include these since they're not on physical media - Bach Netherlands Society cantata performances on Youtube are more often than not excellent as well. I have been pretty thrilled with everything I have heard from him from baroque era and earlier as well as the Brahms Requiem. I don't care for a lot of other classical and romantic era repertoire from him. But that is just my personal taste, for these eras I tend to gravitate towards larger forces like for Faure's Requiem (one of my other all time favorite choral works) I have never heard anyone come remotely close to Giulini on DG. If you forced me to pick only one Herreweghe recording it would be this one. It is the album that made me fall in love with Heinrich Schutz and the Carus Schutz mega box (my review) is in my top 5 favorite classical box sets. Herreweghe's performance of Musikalische Exequien is divine. @Åke Bergvall linked both of his Bach Cantata boxes, for me both are desert island must haves but if you're not a Bach nut then I generally find the performances on Harmonia Mundi slightly better than the Phi.
Fantastic that it turned up And that it wasn't another Christian metal disaster I'm with you on the vinyls thing; but unfortunately I'm on the losing side on most matters of taste this century.
I didn't have the invoice anymore, but I attached photos of my set to two of the mails I sent, including the one I sent to Ms Kindlmann. Please let me know if/when you hear back from her.
There are a couple of other ways to get the pitch-corrected versions of the recordings. Sony did not remaster these recordings for the box set. Find RCA Gold Seal 09026-61888-2 (barcode 090266188826) as I did. I had to create the Discogs entry for it, so I don’t think there is much awareness of the difference between the two versions. You would have to find one that has a tray image (or a seller who’s willing to look at their copy, which rules out Zuber and places with “bulk” in their name) that has the correct timings printed on it. Search download services. The iTunes Store has it across two albums, Pierre Monteux: The Early Recordings 1941 and Pierre Monteux: The Early Recordings 1945. They are lossy, of course, but they are also transfers from 78s, so you’re not getting high fidelity either way.
Owners of the Monteux RCA box reissue AND owners of the original Monteux RCA box but with corrected versions of the d'Indy recordings: in the booklet, on page 44, what is the timing given for track 1? I’m wondering if they corrected the booklet for either reissue. If the timing for Fervaal is 5:03, that’s wrong; it should be 4:44 or 4:45.
Thanks, I appreciate it I found several copies, but before I buy one I want to wait and see if @Daedalus gets an answer from Sony.
The Three Ages and Death (ca 1540/1543), Hans Baldung Grien, oil on canvas, Museum of Prado, Madrid. The Three Ages of Man and Death - Wikipedia
I wonder if somebody can help me with another Sony issue? I purchased the Rampal box set and it's missing two disks of Japanese folk melodies. Does anybody know whether Sony provides these disks or do I have to purchase them separately (since they may no longer have the licence for these albums)?
This was discussed upstream, and if I recall correctly it was licensing issue, i.e. the two discs aren't missing but simply not included. At least that is true for my box. If so Sony won't be able to provide them.
Re Ormandy As you know, I've bought the Ormandy mono box. I recall a discussion here that some disc was wrong or incorrect (?) and you guys wrote to Sony for replacement. I cannot find the appropriate post. What was it? Or was the problem in Ormandy stereo box (which I intend to buy as well)?
Mono Box: CD 103 Stero Box (1): CD 2 & 23 Contact ines.kindlmann @ sonymusic.com or sonyclassical.service @ sonymusic.com Good luck!
The last track on CD 103 is not complete, the last few seconds are missing. The problem with some missing seconds occurs on disc 23, track 2 of the stereo box too. Disc 2 of the stereo box contains the wrong recording (1967 instead of 1957). I hope it helps. Maybe Sony has fixed the error and your box is not affected.
Sony did in fact fix the error on later copies of the Ormandy Columbia Mono box (I ordered the box in November 2022 from Amazon.es when they had it at a ridiculous sale price, and it arrived with the corrected disc). Since I think you ordered your box quite recently, you are probably fine. Just listen to the end of Ravel's Tzigane. If the final chord is not cut off, you're good.
