Philips Complete Mozart Edition

[ch1525]

Ok, so over the past couple years or so, I have been in the proccess of collecting the 45 volumes of the Complete Mozart Edition released by Philips around 1991-1992.

To this point, I've got 38 out of 45. The problem I ran into is that some the last 6 were so rare, that I couldn't get them for any less than hundreds of dollars (i.e. the Missae/Requiem set will go for over 200 on eBay).

I began to despair that I would never finish and actually own the "complete" Mozart edition.

As many of you might know, Philips re-released the set in the late 90s in a single box. I knew that it would take less space as they used cardboard sleeves instead of the jewel cases from the earlier set.

I noticed that someone was selling this later release on eBay so I snatched it up for a little over 1,000 dollars. I figured I would make that back by selling the 38 sets that I do have of the earlier CME.

I just got the 180 CD set in the mail today. I opened it up and went straight to the Masses/Requiem box. I popped the Requiem in and listened to it. The recordings are all the same as the earlier set and I find the quality to be excellent.

However, I was very upset to see how much the liner notes differed from the first edition. One of the best things about the original release was the extremely detailed liner notes. They contained pictures, detailed analyses of the works/recordings and when applicable, full libretti.

The new edition has none of this in the liner notes. It is horrible. Now I don't want to let go of the original edition. I'm quite perturbed. I don't know why Philips would do such a terrible thing.

[Ralph]

They save money-it's that simple.

[Lance]

Ok, so over the past couple years or so, I have been in the proccess of collecting the 45 volumes of the Complete Mozart Edition released by Philips around 1991-1992.

To this point, I've got 38 out of 45. The problem I ran into is that some the last 6 were so rare, that I couldn't get them for any less than hundreds of dollars (i.e. the Missae/Requiem set will go for over 200 on eBay).

I began to despair that I would never finish and actually own the "complete" Mozart edition.

As many of you might know, Philips re-released the set in the late 90s in a single box. I knew that it would take less space as they used cardboard sleeves instead of the jewel cases from the earlier set.

I noticed that someone was selling this later release on eBay so I snatched it up for a little over 1,000 dollars. I figured I would make that back by selling the 38 sets that I do have of the earlier CME.

I just got the 180 CD set in the mail today. I opened it up and went straight to the Masses/Requiem box. I popped the Requiem in and listened to it. The recordings are all the same as the earlier set and I find the quality to be excellent.

However, I was very upset to see how much the liner notes differed from the first edition. One of the best things about the original release was the extremely detailed liner notes. They contained pictures, detailed analyses of the works/recordings and when applicable, full libretti.

The new edition has none of this in the liner notes. It is horrible. Now I don't want to let go of the original edition. I'm quite perturbed. I don't know why Philips would do such a terrible thing.

I reposted your entire note here (as a quote) so that I could respond to the various elements of it while viewing it.

You are absolutely right. The Universal Group, parent of British Decca, Philips and Deutsche Gramophone have been issuing countless "boxed" sets with many CDs, but few notes on the works themselves, offering, instead, perhaps more in-depth biographies of the performers (Ricci, Streich, Szell, Stokowski, van Beinum, Geza Anda, Askenase, Curzon, etc.). These are eminently "affordable" in comparison to the original LPs or even individual CDs. So, it's a trade-off. I would rather have the digitallly remastered CDs and buy books that give the information on each piece (it may even take several books to accomplish the task). By the way, Sony/BMG is basically issuing some of their boxed sets without the original documentation of the initial single CD issues (the Mozart Sonata De Larrocha set, for example).

In your case, with the Complete Mozart Edition, you already have many of the original volumes - and I have discovered that if one holds out long enough, you will eventually find the missing volumes (and at reasonable prices). It may take even a year or two, maybe longer. But KEEP your integrated edition and KEEP your originals. Some people, who care less about the detailed notes and want only the space-saving CME, will end up dumping their originals, which is your gain.

$1,000 is a huge investment (even I don't have that one, but I do have RCA's Artur Rubinstein Edition!), and the Mozart is a pretty special set. So my advice is don't feel the least bit guilty about having them nor your original thought of having them and unloading your separate volumes. Time will tell what you should do about this. Instead, simply enjoy this great edition and, particularly, the heaven-sent music that is found on each of those discs! Then too, you may have a penchant for having the original edition with original notes, in tact, etc. (Sounds like something I would do.)

Please do, however, keep us informed on the final outcome. Hey, we've all been in this boat. Think about the poor guy on eBay who bid (I think) $400-$450+ for the Michael Rabin multi-CD box set on EMI) and then after a couple of weeks, EMI reissued the same set at around $60, probably because of the new biography on Mr. Rabin; since the digital masters were already made, EMI would just reissue them again at considerably lower cost than even the first time around.

I hope this makes you feel at least a little bit better.

[ch1525]

Lance,

Your post was MOST helpful and reassuring. It is a sticky situation I have gotten myself into here to be sure.

I will take your advice I think and keep both sets for the time being while being on the lookout for my missing volumes. Hopefully I will eventually be able to get back what I paid for the integrated edition.

What concerns me though is that with the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth coming up in 2006 there will be some new releases (possibly SACD?!) of a complete Mozart set. Might this make my collection worthless?!

P.S. I am jealous of your Rubinstein collection.

[Lance]

Lance,

Your post was MOST helpful and reassuring. It is a sticky situation I have gotten myself into here to be sure.

I will take your advice I think and keep both sets for the time being while being on the lookout for my missing volumes. Hopefully I will eventually be able to get back what I paid for the integrated edition.

What concerns me though is that with the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth coming up in 2006 there will be some new releases (possibly SACD?!) of a complete Mozart set. Might this make my collection worthless?!

P.S. I am jealous of your Rubinstein collection.

Well thanks ch1525 ... I was kind or "re-living" what you are going through now, so my heart went out to you. And it doesn't matter, SACD or not, you will continue to LOVE listening to these great CDs. As for my Rubinstein collection ... most all the volumes are still being made available with the exception of one that came as a bonus when one bought the big-box set. Rubinstein is an idol of mine; I've had the pleasure of meeting and talking with him and even have a photograph of the two of us that I cherish very much. I guess I'm kind of a sentimental fool of sorts ... can't help it. Your collection will NEVER be worthless, especially to you. All that music you hold will always retain its value.

As for the 250th birthday celebration of Mozart, no doubt everybody is going to jump on the bandwagon, digging into the vaults for the great old historical recordings [hip-hip-hooooray!], and coming out with new recordings as well. It should be a feast for everybody. Wish I could be around for his 500th birthday, too. No doubt they will be playing music with superior fidelity on objects the size of a needle! I'm sure there will also be issued a lot of inferior stuff as well. So pick and choose carefully!

By the way, we CMGers hope you in the New Orleans area are finally coming out the mess there. What a great pity for this great city to have undergone such a catastrophy. Are things improving day by day?

[Corlyss_D]

I noticed that someone was selling this later release on eBay so I snatched it up for a little over 1,000 dollars. I figured I would make that back by selling the 38 sets that I do have of the earlier CME.

I know how discouraging your experience must be. I don't suppose the seller has an unconditional guarantee of satisfaction.

I suggest selling the complete set on eBay and picking up the 7 outstanding as you can. You can certainly pay for a few of them with your proceeds.

[Corlyss_D]

Might this make my collection worthless?!

Not if you're smart about the pricing. Right now, you're out $1000. You could get some of that back from people like me who routinely buy used if it's less than the price of the new.

[Gary]

Here's a link I have posted before. It is not really a functioning website yet, but there should be good things coming from it, eventually.

http://www.mozartforever.com/

[ch1525]

Lance, I would never say that Mozart's music is worthless!!! I meant worthless in the monetary sense.

Thanks for the advice Corlyss. I don't think I'd try to get a refund from the seller, because there really wasn't any problem with the set as it was advertised or anything. Just the skimpy liner notes.

I think I will list the new set on eBay although I'm wondering if it would be better to list them individually or as a whole. When I got mine as a complete set, it went for about 1040. Then the seller listed another complete set, but this time it went for 950 or so. What if mine goes for 870?!?!

Thanks for your concern about New Orleans, Lance. It is really terrible down here. Luckily I live in a suburb that was spared except for some minor flooding and some pretty bad wind damage. However, I can't say the same for my dorm room at Tulane. Tulane got hit pretty badly and even cancelled the entire Fall semester.

I really don't know how this city will recover. Many parts of the city are just uninhabitable right now. Complete neighborhoods will have to be bulldozed. Who knows if we will get the funding to build the levees to the point where they should have been built in the first place (that is, to withstand a Category 5). I just don't see the city coming back until people know for sure that they will be adequately protected from a future storm and feel safe enough to come back and rebuild. I know a lot of people who just picked up their things and moved to other areas and don't plan on coming back.

In terms of music, believe it or not, there are still some good classical concerts to be heard from local artists. However, our orchestra, the Louisiana Philharmonic, is spread accross the country. I'm pretty disappointed about that. They were supposed to perform Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in May.

[Lance]

[snipped here and there ...] Lance, I would never say that Mozart's music is worthless!!! I meant worthless in the monetary sense.

Thanks for your concern about New Orleans, Lance. It is really terrible down here. Luckily I live in a suburb that was spared except for some minor flooding and some pretty bad wind damage. However, I can't say the same for my dorm room at Tulane. Tulane got hit pretty badly and even cancelled the entire Fall semester.

I really don't know how this city will recover. Many parts of the city are just uninhabitable right now. Complete neighborhoods will have to be bulldozed. Who knows if we will get the funding to build the levees to the point where they should have been built in the first place (that is, to withstand a Category 5). I just don't see the city coming back until people know for sure that they will be adequately protected from a future storm and feel safe enough to come back and rebuild. I know a lot of people who just picked up their things and moved to other areas and don't plan on coming back.

Yes, I didn't mean the music would be worthless. Sorry you didn't understand my meaning there. Perhaps I should have been more clear. But even the CDs wouldn't be worthless to you. You'll always enjoy them.

Incidentally, I just put a post up on the "Grand Duo" of Carl Loewe, and mentioned that the recording, on the Klavier label, was recorded in November 1997 at Dixon Hall at Tulane University in New Orleans. The recording quality is excellent, and they have a good Steinway concert grand (or two) there. Was this hall damaged by Katrina as well? If so, it is a great shame, in fact the whole bloody mess of Katrina is a shame. But I'm happy that you weren't personally experiencing any of the tragedy.

[Ralph]

I spoke to several Louisiana Philharmonic musicians two weeks ago when they joined with the New York Philharmonic for a fundraising concert. They were as upbeat and optimistic as might be possible under the circumstances but it will be a long road back. Given everything that has happened in N.O. and the enormous cost of rebuilding with the open question of the extent and nature of repopulation classical music concerts can't be a priority.

[Lance]

I spoke to several Louisiana Philharmonic musicians two weeks ago when they joined with the New York Philharmonic for a fundraising concert. They were as upbeat and optimistic as might be possible under the circumstances but it will be a long road back. Given everything that has happened in N.O. and the enormous cost of rebuilding with the open question of the extent and nature of repopulation classical music concerts can't be a priority.

I cannot imagine this kind of up-rooting. I envision concert grand pianos under water (making the pianos now worthless) ... music lost ... well, these are just minor things when compared to homes, lives and so much else that has been lost probably forever. Trying to rebuild lives in a region that could be subject to this again seems senseless. One of our great cities, with so much history, may never be like it was again. A pity.

[Corlyss_D]

the open question of the extent and nature of repopulation classical music concerts can't be a priority.

Oh, they shouldn't worry. It's only the poor that won't be coming back and they don't go to concerts anyway!

[ch1525]

Unofortunately Dixon Hall did take some damage as most buildings on our campus flooded. I don't know how the Steinways fared though since they are higher up on the stage.

Hopefully Dixon Hall didn't take too much damage though as it is one of my favorite buildings on campus. I have seen so many great concerts there (Emerson String Quaret, Beaux Arts Trio, St. Lawrence String Quartet, etc).

Ralph, I heard about that concert and wish I could have been there. How was it?

[Corlyss_D]

Ralph, I heard about that concert and wish I could have been there. How was it?

He wrote a nice review of it.

http://classicalmusicguide.com/phpBB2/v ... php?t=9207

[ch1525]

Well, I have been thinking about my situation for a while now. I was thinking that maybe I would keep the complete set with the less detailed liner notes and maybe get a book or two that would contain all of the info in the liner notes.

Does anyone know of a book or two that would contain such a wealth of information on Mozart's complete works?

[Lance]

Well, I have been thinking about my situation for a while now. I was thinking that maybe I would keep the complete set with the less detailed liner notes and maybe get a book or two that would contain all of the info in the liner notes.

Does anyone know of a book or two that would contain such a wealth of information on Mozart's complete works?

It's probably a good way for you to go so you can recover some of your expenses for the complete set. You will probably need to get several books to cover the enormous output of W.A.M., so here's a few suggestions to get you started. You may need to check out some pre-owned book shops along the way:

• Compleat Mozart: A Guide to the Musical Works of W. A. M., by Neal Zaslaw and William
  Cowdery
• The Mozart Companion by H. C. Robbins Landon
• The Mozart Compendium by H. C. Robbins Landon
• Mozart and his Music by John Burke
• Mozart and His Piano Concertos by Cuthbert Girdlestone

Please let me know what you acquire or if there are other "complete" books that maybe we all should know about. I'm also sure others here will have some suggestions.

[ch1525]

I just ordered "The Compleat Mozart" off of Amazon. Seems like it will be pretty good.

I just realized that the liner notes in my new complete set are so skimpy that they don't even include the libretti for the operas. I wonder if any books would contain all of them?

I've begun to list my volumes on Amazon. I've only listed 3 so far, as it is very painful.

[Lance]

I just ordered "The Compleat Mozart" off of Amazon. Seems like it will be pretty good.

I just realized that the liner notes in my new complete set are so skimpy that they don't even include the libretti for the operas. I wonder if any books would contain all of them?

I've begun to list my volumes on Amazon. I've only listed 3 so far, as it is very painful.

Spike Hughes wrote a book: "Famous Mozart Operas," which might be a good place to start. Robert Moberly wrote another, "Three Mozart Operas," the operas being Figaro, Giovanni, Flute, but this book contains considerable discussion rather than libretti.

Let me know if you get any "takers" through Amazon for your original Mozart Edition. Good luck with it. I appreciate the "pain" you are experiencing in dispensing with the originals.

[bgpinball]

I was also trying to buy these Philips Complete Mozart Edition volumes. Some of the prices were so insane ( examples: EBay June 12, 2005, volume 15 "Violin Sonatas" for $227.50; EBay June 6, 2005, volume 23 "Arias, Vocal Ensembles, Canons" for $249.99 ), that I purchased the Brilliant Classics Complete Mozart Edition instead. Now I see on the Decca Philips site ( www.decca.com ) that there is a plan to re-release the 180 CD Philips edition. Hopefully the prices of individual volumes will be reasonable enough that we might consider filling the gaps in our collections.

[ch1525]

Bgpinball, I'm trying to find that on their site but I can't find it anywhere. I always have hated the layout of their website!

If you can find it again, can you give me an exact link. I'm wondering if they are rereleasing the old set or the newer one which I just bought.

You're right, though, about those ridiculous prices on eBay. Maybe I should try selling my collection on there instead of on Amazon Marketplace.

[bgpinball]

The reissue is mentioned on the page

http://www.decca.com/newsletters/october2005/

No details are given as of this time; this is an announcement of an intended forthcoming release. The announcement refers to the page http://www.mozartforever.com/, but this page seems to still be under construction. I cannot even be certain if the reissue is going to be in the 45 volume or the 17 volume format. I suspect the 17 volume format, as Amazon is offering a "Complete Mozart Edition Volume 5 Con Vn/Wnd" for shipment upon release in January 2006.

I would be glad to have a description of how the cardboard sleeve set is advertised, so as to avoid it.