New Complete Edition

[Sorrano]

It's kind of weird, but whenever I see a new complete edition, the thing I am most interested in is figuring out what pieces AREN'T in there. Usually it's a lot.

That's been on my mind, as well, but with that kind of price it's a pretty good deal with what you do get!

[Michael]

There is no such thing as a "complete" edition. I have three of them and they all have strange omissions. The lavish (and expensive) 1997 DGG set leaves out anything that even smells doubtful but it does contain some items that other editions don't: namely the "Amenda" version of Opus 18 No. 1 and the fragment of Beethoven's first attempt at an opera, "Vestas Fueur" (I haven't checked spelling). It however does not contain Opus 4, the arrangement for string quintet of the Octet Op. 103. I can't understand why because the quintet version radically expands on the Octet material - it's practically a re-composition.

The present Brilliant set contains both versions of this last but leaves out the other two items mentioned above. It also omits a very short march (WoO2b) and a couple of items from WoO 96 (Incidental music to "Leonore Prohaska - nothing to do with Fidelio). It does include the three clarinet and bassoon duos which the DGG turned up its nose at. That's all I can remember at the moment.

The Brilliant is quite a respectable "complete" edition, all in all. The "Leonore" recording is, I think, superior to John Eliot Gardiner's DGG version which does not use any dialogue, opting for a strange narrative reading. And the partsongs (WoO 99/Hess 208) are performed much better in the Brilliant set.

Oh, and none of them contain Beethoven's own piano arrangement of the "Prometheus" ballet, which I acquired only last week!


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[Chris]

There are many, many Hess, Biamonti, and uncatalogued pieces missing from all of the sets as well. Some of them have never even been recorded. Of course, nothing of much significance. But still, there are some gems that can be missed when you start disqualifying pieces like that. For example, I really like WoO 2b, and I think its absence is significant, despite its short length. Perhaps they did not include it because it has been discovered to be part of Leonore...but they didn't know that when Blomstedt made his recording, and so it is not on there.

[Cocchini]

I absolutely can back you up on that. I did make the order while the price was at $29 and have it in email. There is a price guarantee on that, so we'll see what happens. The price guarantee is in the email, so unless they withdraw the order completely I should get this at the price. The snippet below is from my email.

Delivery estimate: June 3, 2011 - June 7, 2011
1 "Complete Beethoven Edition"
Beethoven; Audio CD; $29.46

Thanks, again, Michael, for finding this. Apparently someone really screwed up at Amazon, but hopefully, they will go through with the order. Otherwise, they have a big problem with their guarantee!

See if Amazon has withdrawn funds from your bank account. If yes, then the sale is completed! : 7 )

[Sorrano]

See if Amazon has withdrawn funds from your bank account. If yes, then the sale is completed! : 7 )

As it is a pre-order there wouldn't be any funds deducted until the item was actually shipped. So far there haven't been any cancellations, so that's a good thing.

[Sorrano]

Here is an update on that Complete Edition. The set was sent yesterday at the price advertised. Thanks, again, Michael, for a great heads up! I owe you big time on that one!

[Michael]

Great! Enjoy it.
(I'll send you the number of my offshore account and you can wire whatever amount you see fit.)


(If you check the original link at the top of this page, you will see that it is now selling at 112 dollars - so somebody did goof! )



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[Sorrano]

Currently, from the z-shops, there are 17 available (new) that start at $72,98. There is one used one at $207.43. Hmmmm! If I recall, initially after the low price disappeared, it was repriced at $129, which makes me think someone forgot to add the 1. That was an expensive goof!

[PDG]

There is no such thing as a "complete" edition. I have three of them and they all have strange omissions. The lavish (and expensive) 1997 DGG set leaves out anything that even smells doubtful but it does contain some items that other editions don't: namely the "Amenda" version of Opus 18 No. 1 and the fragment of Beethoven's first attempt at an opera, "Vestas Fueur" (I haven't checked spelling).

Actually, Michael, your beloved 'Blue Box' does contain both the original Op.18 mvt 1 (Hess 32), and the Vestas Feuer fragment. But it glaringly lacks Op.61a (piano version of the Violin Concerto), and has only a wind arrangement of Opus 4 as well as a computer-aided four-hand piano fugue, Op.134 - I don't know why the pianist couldn't have played both parts, but separately?

[Michael]

Actually, Michael, your beloved 'Blue Box' does contain both the original Op.18 mvt 1 (Hess 32), and the Vestas Feuer fragment. But it glaringly lacks Op.61a (piano version of the Violin Concerto), and has only a wind arrangement of Opus 4 as well as a computer-aided four-hand piano fugue, Op.134 - I don't know why the pianist couldn't have played both parts, but separately?

You're right, PDG, the two works are there. In fact, the "Vestas Fuer" fragment is the same recording as in the DGG edition. I found the booklet that came with the "Blue Box" a bit confusing so I made my own list and obviously I have left out a few.
With all its faults, the Blue Box did make an effort to include nearly all the obscure stuff - including small piano pieces that don't even have a cataogue number.

[Roehre]

With all its faults, the Blue Box did make an effort to include nearly all the obscure stuff - including small piano pieces that don't even have a cataogue number.

and is AFAIK the only one containing Beethoven's Erlkönig WoO 131

[Chris]

I'd really like for some of these obscure pieces to come out on a single disc so those of us interested in them could buy them that way without purchasing an entire complete edition. I suppose in the near future, when everything moves to digital distribution, this will no longer be an issue, and neither will discs going out of print. That will be great, although the excitement of tracking down a new copy of some long out of print release is worth something too!

[EternaLisa]

http://www.lvbeethoven.com/Oeuvres/ListBiamonti01.html

In attempting to keep within the lines of this discussion and not create a new thread on the subject, does anyone know if the above list has been superseded or updated?

Not trying to be lazy myself (I just don't have the energy/time I'd love to devote to researching stuff like this-but at the same time I know that there are others who do and can), so, mind if I pick your brains?

thanks!

E

[Chris]

There have been new pieces discovered since the publication of the Biamonti catalog, but they have not been incorporated into a newly published version. So at the moment, there is no published catalog containing all the works of Beethoven.

[EternaLisa]

So at the moment, there is no published catalog containing all the works of Beethoven.

Thanks for your swift reply
Am wondering who may be all over it to follow up (if anyone) ?

I raise the question because I want it confirmed who is the all-time busiest composer (though we do have our suspicions based on already existing evidence, don't we....)

E