Solti - Chicago - The Complete Recordings

If you want to keep your hands on your cash, don't watch the video on the item page! I thought I could resist temptation, but failed - happily! This is now one of my most prized possessions, and I'm not even a Solti-ite! The set oozes class and its contents are remarkable in showing just what a long and distinguished career Sir Georg had. In the recording studio Solti was positively bursting with dynamism, energy and enthusiasm and each one of the recordings in this box will demonstrate the fact - admirably. I was no fan of Sir Georg's Beethoven and Brahms, but this morning I listened to the recordings of the Ninth, dismissing all preconceptions about Solti's recordings being full of bombast and hard-driven, and just enjoyed staggeringly powerful performances which forced me to reassess my opinion. I've known most of the Mahler and Bruckner recordings for over thirty years and always enjoy listening to them as they are conveyed with great forcefulness and energy and the excellent sound quality - courtesy of Decca's recording engineers - never fails to impress.I have lots of these recordings in previous incarnations, but there are many recordings in the box that are new to me, such as Solti's Bach St Mathew Passion and Mass in B Minor... I wonder what he'll make of those? Detractors will say that they are old-fashioned, big band performances and not in the true spirit of Bach? Of course, Solti is on terra-familiaris when it comes to Bartok, and his recordings are second to none, and the last three Tchaikovsky symphonies - 4, 5 and 6 - receive full-blooded performances from Solti who drives hard, pushing things along in inimitable fashion - but, that's Solti's way! And the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is the other shining star in this box-set! The CSO was a true thoroughbred under Solti's baton, with remarkable dynamic clout, power and precision - the brass is legendary for good reason - just take a listen to the Bruckner recordings! And the Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique recording will cause a sonic shockwave that'll have you fearing for your home's structural well-being! Was Solti a literalist given to hard-driven performances lacking in spiritual depth? I do know that Sir Georg enjoyed making music, and I enjoy the music that Sir Georg made. And with the passage of time, one must accept that such glorious music-making is to be treasured and it's churlish to criticize when this box offers so much musical pleasure. What I'll do is enjoy every recording in this mammoth box which is a sight to behold, and quite a weight to hold - 108 CDs! Presentation is excellent, with original artwork and a very impressive hardback book and facsimile scores which Solti used during recording sessions. A superb release, and a box-set to rival the Karajan DG big boxes! Recommended without reservation.

The peak of Sir Georg Solti's conducting art, with gorgeous tone and exquisite binding, is highly recommended.CD 1: Mahler- Symphony No. 5,Des Knaben Wunderhorn -4 Lieder-Recording Ttime:1970CD 2: Mahler- Symphony No. 6-1970CD 3: Mahler- Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen-1970CD 4: Mahler- Symphony No. 7-1971CD 5: Mahler- Symphony No. 8-1971CD 6: Beethoven- Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2-1972CD 7: Beethoven- Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 4-1972,1971CD 8: Beethoven- Piano Concerto No. 5-1971CD 9: Beethoven- Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2-1974CD 10: Beethoven- Symphony No. 3-1973&1974, Egmont Overture-1974, Overture "Leonore No.3"-1972CD 11: Beethoven- Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5-1974,1973CD 12: Beethoven- Symphony No. 6-1974, Overture "Leonore No.3"-1972CD 13: Beethoven- Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8--1974,1973CD 14: Beethoven- Symphony No. 9-1972CD 15: Sir Georg Solti In Conversation With William Mann-1975CD 16: Berlioz- Symphonie fantastique, Overture "Les francs-juges" -1972, Bach- Orchestral Suite No. 3,etc.-1974,1986CD 17: Mahler- Das Lied von der Erde-1972CD 18: Elgar- Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 "Enigma"-1974, Overture Cockaigne(London Philharmonic Orchestra)-1976CD 19: Stravinsky- Le Sacre du Printemps-1974CD 20: Brahms- Variations on a Theme by Haydn-1977/ Schoenberg- Variations-1975CD 21: Richard Strauss- Also sprach Zarathustra-1975, Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche-1975, Don Juan-1972CD 22: Tchaikovsky- Symphony No. 5-1975/ Weber- Oberon, J. 306-Overture-1973CD 23: Debussy- Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, La mer/ Ravel- Boléro-1976CD 24: Tchaikovsky- Symphony No. 6-1976CD 25-26: Wagner- Der Fliegende Holländer-1976CD 27: Beethoven- Mass In D Major, Op.123 - "Missa Solemnis"-1977CD 28: Wagner- Overture & Prelude-1972-1977CD 29: Brahms- Symphony No. 3, Academic Festival Overture-1978CD 30: Brahms- Symphony No. 4-1978CD 31: Brahms- Ein deutsches Requiem-1978CD 32: Verdi- Quattro pezzi sacri-1977&1978CD 33-34: Beethoven- Fidelio-1979CD 35: Brahms- Symphony No. 1-1979CD 36: Brahms- Symphony No. 2, Tragic Overture-1979CD 37: Bruckner- Symphony No.6-1979CD 38: Bruckner- Symphony No.5-1980CD 39: Mahler- Symphony No.2-1980CD 40: Mussorgsky- Pictures at an Exhibition/ Ravel-Le Tombeau de Couperin-1980CD 41: Tredici- Final Alice-1979&1980CD 42: Bartók- Concerto For Orchestra, Dance Suite--1981CD 43-44: Berlioz- La Damnation de Faust-1981CD 45: Bruckner- Symphony No.4-1981CD 46-47: Haydn - Die Schöpfung-1981CD 48-49: Mahler-Symphony No.3-1982CD 50: Mahler-Symphony No.9-1982CD 51: Mozart- Symphonies Nos. 38 & 39-1982CD 52: Prokofiev- Symphony No. 1, Romeo and Juliet-1982CD 53: Berg- Violin Concerto "To the Memory of an Angel"/ Bartók- Violin Concerto No.1-1983CD 54: Dvorák- Symphony No. 9-1983CD 55: Mahler-Symphony No.1-1983CD 56: Mahler-Symphony No.4-1983CD 57-58: Handel- Messiah-1984CD 59-60: Schoenberg- Moses und Aron-1984CD 61: Tchaikovsky- Symphony No. 4-1984CD 62: Bruckner- Symphony No.9-1985CD 63: Tchaikovsky- Piano Concerto No. 1/ Dohnányi- Variations on a Nursery Song-1985CD 64: Mendelssohn- Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4-1985CD 65: Beethoven- Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5-1987,1986CD 66: Beethoven- Symphony No. 9-1986CD 67: Bruckner- Symphony No.7-1986CD 68: Liszt- A Faust Symphony-1986CD 69: Tchaikovsky- 1812 Overture, Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture, Nutcracker Suite-1986CD 70-72: Bach- St. Matthew Passion-1987CD 73: Beethoven- Symphony No. 6, Overture "Leonore No.3"-1988CD 74: Beethoven- Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8-1988CD 75: Tchaikovsky- Symphony No.5-1987, Swan Lake Suite-1988CD 76: Bartók- Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta-1989, Divertimento for Strings-1990, The Miraculous Mandarin-1990CD 77: Beethoven- Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2-1989&1990CD 78: Beethoven- Symphony No. 3, Egmont Overture-1989CD 79: Shostakovich- Symphony No.8-1989-liveCD 80: Verdi: Choruses-1989CD 81-82: Bach- Mass in B Minor-1990-liveCD 83: Bruckner- Symphony No.8-1990-liveCD 84: Mahler-Symphony No.5-1990-liveCD 85: Shostakovich- Symphony No.10-1990-liveCD 86: Bruckner- Symphony No.2-1991CD 87: Debussy- Nocturnes-1990, La mer-1991, Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune-1990-liveCD 88-89: Verdi- Otello-1991-liveCD 90: Berlioz- Symphonie fantastique/ Liszt- Les Préludes-1992-liveCD 91: Bruckner- Symphony No.3-1992CD 92-93: Haydn- Die Jahreszeiten-1992-liveCD 94-95: Haydn- Die Schöpfung-1993-liveCD 96: Liszt- Hungarian Rhapsody No.2,etc./ Bartók- Hungarian Sketches,etc./ Kodály- Háry János Suite/ Weiner- Prinz Csongor und die Kobolde (Introduction & Scherzo)-1993-liveCD 97: Stravinsky- Petrouchka, Jeu de cartes-1993-liveCD 98: Bruckner- Symphony No.0-1995-liveCD 99: Bruckner- Symphony No.1-1995CD 100: Shostakovich- Symphony No.13-1995-liveCD 101-104: Wagner- Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg-1995-liveCD 105: Mussorgsky- Khovanshchina, Songs And Dances Of Death/ Shostakovich- Symphony No.15-1997CD 106: Stravinsky- Symphony in 3 Movements, Symphony in C-1993, Symphony Of Psalms-1997CD 107: Tippett- Symphony No.4-1979, Byzantium-1981, Suite for the Birthday of Prince Charles-1991-liveCD 108: Verdi- Messa da Requiem-1997Total time:6530min+Supplement :Composer's work ExploreBach:Orchestral Suite No. 3,etc.-1974,1986-CD 16Mass in B Minor-1990-live-CD 81-82St. Matthew Passion-1987 -CD 70-72Bartók:Concerto For Orchestra-1981-CD 42Dance Suite-1981-CD 42Divertimento for Strings-1990- CD 76Hungarian Sketches,etc-1993-live- CD 96Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta-1989- CD 76The Miraculous Mandarin-1990- CD 76Violin Concerto No.1-1983-CD 53Beethoven:Symphony No. 1 -1974-CD 9Symphony No. 1-1989-CD 77Symphony No. 2-1974- CD 9Symphony No. 2-1990-CD 77Symphony No. 3-1973&1974-CD 10Symphony No. 3-1989-CD 78Symphony No. 4 -1974-CD 11Symphony No. 4 -1987-CD 65Symphony No. 5-1973- CD 11Symphony No. 5-1986-CD 65Symphony No. 6-1974- CD 12Symphony No. 6-1988- CD 73Symphony No. 7-1974- CD 13Symphony No. 7-1988-CD 74Symphony No. 8-1973- CD 13Symphony No.8-1988-CD 74Symphony No. 9-1972- CD 14Symphony No. 9-1986- CD 66Piano Concerto No. 1-1972- CD 6Piano Concerto No. 2-1972- CD 6Piano Concerto No. 3-1972- CD 7Piano Concerto No. 4-1971- CD 7Piano Concerto No. 5-1971- CD 8Egmont Overture-1974-CD 10Egmont Overture-1989-CD 78Overture "Leonore No.3"-1972-CD 10Overture "Leonore No.3"-1972- CD 12Overture "Leonore No.3"-1988- CD 73Fidelio-1979 -CD 33-34Mass In D Major, Op.123 - "Missa Solemnis"-1977 -CD 27Berg:Violin Concerto "To the Memory of an Angel"-1983-CD 53Berlioz:Symphonie fantastique-1972-CD 16Symphonie fantastique-1992-live- CD 90Overture "Les francs-juges" -1972-CD 16La Damnation de Faust-1981-CD 43-44Brahms:Symphony No. 1-1979 -CD 35Symphony No. 2-1979 -CD 36Symphony No. 3-1978 -CD 29Symphony No. 4-1978 -CD 30Academic Festival Overture-1978 -CD 29Tragic Overture-1979 -CD 36Variations on a Theme by Haydn-1977 -CD 20Ein deutsches Requiem-1978- CD 31Bruckner:Symphony No.0-1995-live-CD 98Symphony No.1-1995-CD 99Symphony No.2-1991- CD 86Symphony No.3-1992-CD 91Symphony No.4-1981-CD 45Symphony No.5-1980- CD 38Symphony No.6-1979 -CD 37Symphony No.7-1986-CD 67Symphony No.8-1990-live-CD 83Symphony No.9-1985-CD 62Debussy:La mer-1991-CD 87Nocturnes-1990-CD 87Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, La mer- CD 23Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune-1990-live-CD 87Dohnányi:Variations on a Nursery Song-1985-CD 63Dvorák:Symphony No. 9-1983-CD 54Elgar:Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 "Enigma"-1974- CD 18Overture Cockaigne(London Philharmonic Orchestra)-1976- CD 18Handel:Messiah-1984-CD 57-58Haydn:Die Jahreszeiten-1992-live-CD 92-93Die Schöpfung-1981-CD 46-47Die Schöpfung-1993-live-CD 94-95Kodály:Háry János Suite-1993-live- CD 96Liszt:-A Faust Symphony-1986 -CD 68Hungarian Rhapsody No.2,etc. -1993-live- CD 96Les Préludes-1992-live- CD 90Mahler:Symphony No.1-1983-CD 55Symphony No.2-1980 -CD 39Symphony No.3-1982 -CD 48-49Symphony No.4-1983 -CD 56Symphony No. 5-1970- CD 1Symphony No.5-1990-live-CD 84Symphony No. 6-1970 -CD 2Symphony No. 7-1971- CD 4Symphony No. 8-1971- CD 5Symphony No.9-1982- CD 50Symphony No. 9-1986-CD 66Das Lied von der Erde-1972- CD 17Des Knaben Wunderhorn 4 Lieder-1970- CD 1Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen-1970 -CD 3Mendelssohn:Symphony No. 3-1985-CD 64Symphony No. 4-1985-CD 64Mozart:Symphony No. 38-1982-CD 51Symphony No. 39-1982-CD 51Mussorgsky:Khovanshchina, Songs And Dances Of Death-1997-CD 105Pictures at an Exhibition-1980 -CD 40Prokofiev:Symphony No. 1-1982-CD 52Romeo and Juliet-1982-CD 52Ravel:Boléro-1976- CD 23Le Tombeau de Couperin-1980 -CD 40Schoenberg:Variations-1975-CD 20Moses und Aron-1984 -CD 59-60Shostakovich:Symphony No.8-1989-live-CD 79Symphony No.10-1990-live-CD 85Symphony No.13-1995-live-CD 100Symphony No.15-1997-CD 105Richard Strauss:Also sprach Zarathustra-1975- CD 21Don Juan-1972- CD 21Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche-1975- CD 21Stravinsky:Jeu de cartes-1993-live-CD 97Le Sacre du Printemps-1974 -CD 19Petrouchka-1993-live-CD 97Symphony in 3 Movements-1993-CD 106Symphony in C-1993-CD 106Symphony Of Psalms-1997-CD 106Tippett:Symphony No.4-1979-CD 107Byzantium-1981-CD 107Suite for the Birthday of Prince Charles-1991-live-CD 107Tredici:Final Alice-1979&1980-CD 41Tchaikovsky:Symphony No. 4-1984- CD 61Symphony No. 5-1975- CD 22Symphony No.5-1987-CD 75Symphony No. 6-1976 -CD 24Piano Concerto No. 1-1985-CD 631812 Overture-1986-CD 69Nutcracker Suite-1986-CD 69Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture-1986-CD 69Swan Lake Suite-1988-CD 75Verdi:Otello-1991-live-CD 88-89Choruses-1989-CD 80Quattro pezzi sacri-1977&1978-CD 32Messa da Requiem-1997-CD 108Wagner:Der Fliegende Holländer-1976- CD 25-26Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg-1995-live-CD 101-104Overture & Prelude-1972-1977 -CD 28Weber:Oberon, J. 306-Overture-1973- CD 22Weiner:Prinz Csongor und die Kobolde (Introduction & Scherzo)-1993-live- CD 96Sir Georg Solti In Conversation With William Mann-1975 -CD 15

A lots of music here! Solti and the Chicago SO were well matched, hard driving which sometimes works, sometimes doesn't - I wouldn't want these to be the only versions of the classic symphonies I had available, but I'd still want to have them, sometimes one feels Soltiish! Great value, good times for those of us who still do CDs...

This is the most wonderful collection of mostly romantic classical music played by a Rolls Royce orchestra driven by that magical maestro Georg Solti. The recordings are rich and warm and don't show their age - Decca at its best.I love it 😍❤️❤️❤️❤️

A box set not only includes good music material but also represents Sir. George Solti’s Chicago era. Glad to have it with good design and package.

Great bargain, huge set and wonderfully packaged by Amazon.

Thoroughly enjoyable set with great music well played