I own a lot of box sets from Brilliant Classics: Brahms Complete, Chopin Complete Works, Beethoven Complete Edition, and Haydn Edition. At one time, I believe I owned the Bach Edition: Complete Works box, but I sold it to buy another Bach complete set that didn’t use period instruments. (I can only take just so much harpsichord.)
I was so enamored with Brilliant Classics that, at one time, I measured all other Classical music labels and recorded performances by those found in my Brilliant Classics boxes.
It’s probably not so much that Brilliant Classics is the best record label in the world for Classical music as it is the value they offer is unprecedented. Their box sets typically add up to about 90 cents to $1.50 per CD, yet the quality is remarkable. It’s not schlock. It’s a nobleman’s music at a pauper’s price. (And, hey, Brilliant Classics, feel free to use that as a tagline.)
A number of years ago (April 15, 2014 – July 9, 2014 to be exact), I listened to everything Beethoven composed (1095 Days With the Masters and Me, Year One).
I remember (it was Day 196) being especially taken by Beethoven’s symphonies. The conductor was Herbert Blomstedt (1927- ). The orchestra was Staatskapelle Dresden.
So I bought just those nine symphonies in a Brilliant Classics box set (at $9.23, it was a mere $1.02 per symphony – how could I resist?) so that I could listen to them in the car, or anywhere I happened to be near a CD player.
When it came time for this Beethoven project, I wanted to include my Brilliant Classics box set to see how it stacks up against all others.
And now – starting with Day 4 and then on Day 22 – I’m finding out.
Beethoven wrote his symphonies in four parts (except for the Sixth, which is in five). The time breakdown of this particular one (Symphony No. 3 in E flat Major), from this particular conductor (Blomstedt, at age 57) and this particular orchestra (Staatskapelle Dresden), at this particular time in history (1979) on this particular record label (Brilliant Classics) is as follows:
I. Allegro con brio………………………………………………………………………15:02
II. Marcia funebre: Adagio assai……………………………………………….16:47
III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace – Trio…………………………………………………5:49
IV. Finale: Allegro molto – Poco andante – Presto…………………..11:49
Total running time: 48:47
My Rating:
Recording quality: 4 (Brilliant Classics does exceptional work finding the best recordings)
Overall musicianship: 4
CD liner notes: 0 (no liner notes in this budget-priced box set – boo! hiss! – but an extensive set of notes can be downloaded from the Brilliant Classics site covering their complete Beethoven box set; however, although extensive, the notes are not exhaustive; no information at all is provided about the conductors, the players, the orchestras, etc.)
How does this make me feel: 4
I still like Brilliant Classics, and I still like Maestro Blomstedt.
The opening two chords of Movement I are splendid. They set the tone for the rest of the performance. Movement III is also quite nice, all peppy and quirky.
However, I can now see (or is it hear?) that this isn’t the top of the heap. I’ve heard other performances of Beethoven’s Third that I enjoy more.
Still, this isn’t crap. This is well recorded, well played, well conducted music that – especially for the price – is worth buying, listening to, and recommending to others.
For me, it’s not “Meh!” but it’s not “Huzzah!” either.
For the price, it can’t be beat.