Leonard Bernstein - The Symphony Edition

The bottom line: this set of all the symphonies recorded by Leonard Bernstein from his days on the old Columbia/CBS label is a wonderful bargain if you don't already have a lot of early Bernstein. If you already have the lion's share of these recordings, the set may not be worthwhile. Which is a shame, because it really is gorgeous. I admit the size is awkward -- it was a strange choice to design the box to fit in a stack of LP records rather than CDs. But the level of care and detail is welcome, and a far cry from EMI's recent spate of no-frills but comprehensive collections of music by such figures as Herbert von Karajan ( orchestral or operatic ), Maria Callas , or Yehudi Menuhin . Those sets generally have flimsy boxes (except the Menuhin), cookie-cutter CD sleeves and bare-bones liner notes. This Sony set, in contrast, is a terribly sturdy showpiece. It has individually designed sleeves for each CD that are replete with great photos from lots of different Bernstein periods, as well as a booklet with more beautiful photos -- even if the book is a bit light on content. The production philosophies between this and the EMI sets are miles apart. My only real gripe is that the box contains four different plastic compartments to hold the CD sleeves, and in each compartment I found it a real pain to lift the bottom CD up and out of the box. But the music is the key -- and this set is a great bargain on that score, especially at the current price of under 100 dollars. Most significant is the complete early Mahler cycle, which until recently ran for about $60 just by itself (one of the main reasons I still didn't have it, cheapskate that I am). Add to that complete cycles of Beethoven, Sibelius, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Schumann and Bernstein himself, and that's a ton of value. Then there are, beyond the complete cycles, still a very large number of other symphonies, including hefty doses of Haydn, Shostakovich, Mendelssohn and Nielsen, plus several symphonies I have never heard by other composers. I am really looking forward to sinking my ears into some gems that are off the beaten track of standard concert repertory. I do think that framing the set around symphonies was a bit facile and arbitrary, and I am a little nervous that I'll end up buying these again in 2018 as part of some comprehensive collection celebrating Bernstein's 100th birthday. Sony still has plenty of music in its Bernstein catalog besides this collection of everything that had the word "symphony" in the title. As other reviewers have commented, this collection does not contain new remasterings, so it's probably not for those who are already sitting on fine Bernstein Columbia collections. (Although if I had most of these individual CDs, I'd seriously consider selling them on Amazon Marketplace or elsewhere, and getting this box in their place. Might even make a profit on the deal overall, and would certainly gain a lot of shelf space.) For people like me, with only a handful of these recordings on hand, it's a great deal and a welcome addition. Not to be missed.

Since acquiring my Symphony Edition box a few weeks ago, I have listened to over half of the 60 CDs. The packaging of the 60 CDs within an LP-style box is peculiar and somewhat clumsy for accessing a specific CD in the box, but the overall excellence of the recordings far offsets this annoyance. Among the performances which I have listened to more than once, out of sheer enjoyment, include the four Brahms symphonies (better readings than I had remembered), the Haydn "Paris" symphonies, Prokofiev's symphonies 1 and 5, Mahler's Symphony No. 1...I could go on and on, but I have really spent a lot of quality time listening to these disks. Nothing I've listened to has come across as dull, routine or boring, although there are some individual pieces where I still prefer other recorded interpretations. I owned a few of these recordings in previous Bernstein Century, Royal Edition or Great Performances CD incarnations. Listening closely on headphones, I found the Mahler Symphonies 4 and 7 seem to have a somewhat fresher, more immediate sound than the Bernstein Century issues. Curiously, the Nielsen Symphonies 3 & 5 had somewhat different tonal balances than on the Royal Edition - hard to describe, primarily a somewhat smaller soundstage. The Shostakovich Symphony 5 here sounds more acoustically balanced than the somewhat shrill, treble-focused CBS Great Performances version. I'd be very interested at how other buyers of this set have assessed the audio mastering compared with prior CD or LP issues. At this very affordable price point, the overall audio quality has exceeded my expectations and the musical performances have been a great source of joy and insight. Although I am awarding five stars because this set is truly impressive overall, I was annoyed that one of my disks (Beethoven's Symphony No. 9) exhibited a manufacturing defect - the music skips badly during the final movement. Has Sony's CD manufacturing quality control been compromised?

This is a wonderful package of the work of Bernstein. Yes, as some reviews have pointed out, the sound for many of the discs is not an improvement over the previous generation of remasters (either the Royal Edition or, when available, in the Bernstein Century discs)--but the fact that you can get everything here under one roof in one shot makes this set just simply fantastic. And there are actually some discs that DO have improvements--as far as I can tell the Mahler cycle is NOT the one that was in the box set from the earlier 2000s, it sounds instead like DSD sourced material, making them most likely sourced from the later box set. However, even though the sound quality may not be an improvement over previous series discs, the sound is still excellent--this is a testament to the fact that Sony did things well in those previous series--well enough its really not all that noticeable these are somewhat older remasters at this point in time. If you are like me and only had a select smattering of Lenny's work on the CDs from earlier series, you will not regret at all getting this box if you want to expand your library and get things you don't already have. I have many of his albums on LPs I've been able to get in great condition at Goodwills and Half Price Books in the clearance section, but now, it is also great to have them digitially on CD. This, and now the new Concertos Edition box will make wonderful additions to your library that you will not regret buying.

This review was originally published when the “Bernstein Symphony Edition” was new. A few years later it was out-of-print and very expensive, But in September 2018 the Symphony Edition was reissued by Sony at a new low price (at least on Amazon UK, Amazon France, and Amazon Germany). A lot has changed since 2010, so I thought this would be a good time to revise my original review. THREE BOX COLLECTION (photos 1-3) Sony has finally completed the reissue of every recording that Leonard Bernstein made for Columbia (and RCA). Newly designed jackets with black & white photos on the front, and track listings on the back. Packaged in three over-sized boxes: 2010: Vol.1 Bernstein Symphony Edition (60 CDs) reviewed on this page 2014: Vol.2 Leonard Bernstein Edition - Concertos & Orchestral Works (80 CDs) 2018: Vol.3 Leonard Bernstein Edition - The Vocal Works (58 CDs) [but 20% of this box is devoted to non-vocal works] One drawback: The majority of the remasterings are not state-of-the-art, most dating back to the 1990s. With the exception of the Mahler Symphonies, the first two boxes rely on old remasterings from the Bernstein Century Edition (and even the Royal Edition). Vol.3 “Vocal Works” is an improvement: 45% of the remasterings are up-to-date (borrowed from recent Sony boxes). Complication - Sony is competing with itself: SIX BOX COLLECTION (photos 4-9). Three single-composer boxes and three multi-composer boxes (with some duplication). Absolutely up-to date 24-bit remasterings. All but one are "original jacket" format with original LP artwork and program notes: 2009: Mahler: The Complete Symphonies (12 CDs) (these remasterings were used in the Symphony Edition) 2015: Bernstein Sibelius - Remastered (7 CDs) 2017: Leonard Bernstein - The Composer (25 CDs: 11 conducted by Bernstein) 2017: New York Philharmonic 175th Anniversary (65 CDs: 25 conducted by Bernstein, not original jackets) 2018: Leonard Bernstein Remastered (100 CDs) 2018: Leonard Bernstein - The Pianist (11 CDs) One drawback: --- The “six box collection” is not complete, containing maybe 70% of Bernstein's recordings (there may be additional boxes). BERNSTEIN SYMPHONY EDITION: This box includes one recording of every symphony that Leonard Bernstein recorded for Columbia Records - with the New York Philharmonic unless otherwise indicated (see photo 10). During his Columbia contract, six symphonies were recorded twice: BEETHOVEN Symphony 7: --- 1958 is in Vol.3 Vocal Works --- 1964 is in the Symphony Edition BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique: --- 1963 is in the Symphony Edition (Bernstein hated the 1963 recording) --- 1968 is in Vol.3 Vocal Works TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony 4: --- 1958 is in Vol.3 Vocal Works --- 1975 is in the Symphony Edition MAHLER Symphony 2: --- 1963 is in the Symphony Edition --- 1973 (London Symphony) is in Vol.3 Vocal Works [Bernstein also recorded isolated movements from Mahler's 2nd, 5th and 8th Symphonies which are in Vol.3 Vocal Works] PROKOFIEV Symphony 5: --- 1966 is in the Symphony Edition --- 1979 (Israel Philharmonic) is in Vol.3 Vocal Works SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony 5: --- 1959 is in the Symphony Edition --- 1979 is in Vol.3 Vocal Works Bernstein recorded musical analyses to accompany the LPs of Beethoven Symphonies 3 & 5, Berlioz’ Symphonie fantastique, and Ives Symphony 2. The Berlioz and Ives analyses are included in the Symphony Edition. The Beethoven analyses are missing. For a link to them, see Comment Two (sort by Oldest). Two additional works which are sometimes referred to as “symphonies” are not in the Symphony Edition: -- Mahler’s ‘Das Lied von der Erde’ is in Vol.3 “Vocal Works”. -- Charles Ives’ ‘Holidays Symphony’ (a collection of four symphonic poems) is in Vol.2 ‘Concertos & Orchestral Works’. The remasterings Sony used for the Symphony Edition are from the Bernstein Century edition with these exceptions: -- If an individual work was not issued on the Bernstein Century edition, the remastering from the older Royal Edition was used. There is very little difference between these two remasterings (one exception: Dvorak's 9th Symphony has more visceral impact in the Bernstein Century edition used here). -- The disc with Beethoven's 1st and 3rd Symphonies is from the Royal Edition. The giveaway is that the second movement of the 1st symphony is 7:41 on the Royal Edition (used here), but only 5:52 on Bernstein Century. The exposition repeat is observed in the Royal Edition. So far as I can tell, it is a product of the tape editor's skill, not the actual performance. -- Mahler's complete Symphonies are not the Bernstein Century remasterings, rather they are the superior 24-bit remasterings issued in 2009 (see paragraph three). I own the original 2010 release. Amazon is using the same ASIN number for both it and the 2018 reissue, which implies that the packaging is identical. The original came in an LP-size box with a 30 page booklet. No word yet on whether or not any updated remasterings have been included (at this price, probably not). One final word. I was a teenager in the 1960s with no classical music background. These were the performances I learned this music from (my local library had a deal with Columbia Records). I loved them then and I love them now.

After the famous fanfare, the finale of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony begins with a dialogue scored for cello and basses. This NY Philharmonic recording is outstanding, as one can hear the bows biting into strings, that's how good the dynamics are in the Manhattan Center during this 1964 recording. The drive of the Fifth, the humor of the Eight, the magnificent Ninth, it's all there. The Bernstein Third with wife Felicia Montealegre as the Speaker, recorded in 1964, all four Brahms symphonies: my favorite movement is the finale of the Third, though the great horn solo in the finale of the First is a very close second. Bernstein's tempos are brisk, full of the energy of youth, reaching for that harmony just beyond reach. While the sound is not quite up to the digital standards of today, it is still very, very good. And there are a box full of symphonies to explore, understand and enjoy. You might even want to stand up and conduct a movement or two yourself: the Bruckner Ninth, Copland Third, Dvorak Seventh, Frank D Minor, Haydn Paris and London Symphonies, Ives Second, the Liszt Faust Symphony, the complete Mahler cycle, Mendelssohn, late Mozart, Franz Schubert, William Schuman, Robert Schumann, Igor Stravinsky, Dmitri Shostakovich, Jean Sibelius, the complete Tchaikovsky cycle, it is a breathless collection. And a bonus - all the photographs on the CD jackets and the glorious large format booklet. If you're a Bernstein fan, this is a must have. ENJOY....

I am very glad I bought this and highly recommend it. All of the recordings are from 1950's and early 60's. The quality and the breadth of this box set make it a wonderful way to start or quickly expand and a top-tier classical music collection. For me, the biggest revelation in the set was the recordings of Hayden symphonies, 19 in all. They are lively, fresh, balanced, and not overly romanticized. I had no idea that Bernstein recorded Hayden so often and so well. It also includes great recordings of all 9 Beethoven Symphonies and 4 of the 6 Symphonies by Nielsen. There is nothing in the set that is particularly modern, which I would have liked more of. The most modern pieces in the collection might be 3 Symphonies by William Schuman, again, wonderful recordings. One correction of a previous review: only Symphony 9 by Bruckner is included, not all of his symphonies. Some of his best recordings of Mahler Symphonies, which I was hoping would be in this box set, were made later with the NYP and the Vienna Philharmonic and are in other box sets from Deutsche Gramophone. My biggest problem with these earlier recordings is with the sound of lead trumpet player in many of the Mahler symphonies, particularly 2 and 5. He has a somewhat warbly, overblown sound that might have been in vogue then, but it is annoying to me now. I don't care for the packaging. I assume they wanted to do something big and different, but it can be difficult to find a specific recording, and sometimes it is hard to remove the CD that is at the very bottom of one of the four compartments. I would have preferred the common block-style container, with all CDs back to back.

Many of the other reviews lay out the programming that is contained in this set and describe its packaging. I just wanted to add that the set sounds magnificent and many of Bernstein's interpretations of these pieces remain unmatched half a century after they were first recorded. I especially enjoy his Ives, Copland, Bartok, and Nielson. The set is worth the price for the Mahler alone, and the booklet included is informative and useful. This is a beautiful set, and for those who do not have a great deal of Bernstein, a marvelous bargain.

love the black and white style, but more, the music!

Bereits die Haptik der Box ist beeindruckend: Ein mit Photos bedruckter Karton im LP-Format, in dem 60 CDs und ein großes Booklet residieren. Die Aufnahmen enthalten praktisch das gesamte Standardrepertoire der Symphonik, eingespielt schwerpunktmäßig in der ersten Hälfte der 60er Jahre des letzten Jahrhunderts. Zusätzlich werden Werke zahlreicher amerikanischer Komponisten angeboten. Durch die Beschränkung auf die Form der Symphonie fehlen natürlich zahlreiche Orchesterwerke, z.B. von Richard Strauss, Ravel oder Debussy. Bei der Repertoire-Abdeckung selbst gibt es wenig auszusetzen. Bei Mozart hätte ich mir noch die Prager gewünscht; Brucker ist nur mit der 9. vertreten. Rachmaninoff fehlt gänzlich. Die Interpretationen sind Bernstein-typisch emotional und unmittelbar. Es entstehen Interpretationen voller Leidenschaft und Hingabe. Bernstein versteht es den Zuhörer zum Beteiligten zu machen und in die Musik hineinzuziehen. Es macht Spass ihm zuzuhören, so wie man einem guten, weisen Erzähler zuhört. CD's mit Aufnahmen aus den 60er Jahren werden in Zeiten der Megabit-Abtastungen häufig mit Skepsis betrachtet. Dies ist hier wenig begründet, denn das Mastering erfolgte hier liebevoll. Man hört natürlich am Bandrauschen und an den ggü. guten Digitalaufnahmen leicht eingeschränkten Klangfarben das Alter der Aufnahme an. Dennoch ist die Breite der akustischen Bühne und die Durchzeichnung beeindruckend. Die Streicher haben Schmelz und Ausdrucksstärke und es fehlt hier gänzlich die Aggessivität, die manchem Remastering innewohnt. Für wen ist die Box nun geeignet? - für alle die eine gut abdeckende Sammlung symphonischer Musik auf einen Schlag erwerben wollen, ohne in der Interpretationsqualität Abstriche machen zu müssen - für alle Liebhaber der Einspielungen Bernsteins

Peu de choses à ajouter aux excellents commentaires qui précèdent. Ce trésor discographique remet les pendules à l'heure : Leonard Bernstein était un interprète très inspiré du grand répertoire symphonique, que son génie de musicien-compositeur éclairait de l'intérieur. Son orchestre du New york Philarmonic - une des meilleures phalanges au monde - était sous sa baguette d'une cohésion sans faille; la mise en place d'une parfaite rigueur, et la rythmique stupéfiante de précision. On songe souvent à Markevitch ou à Toscanini, avec l'apport inappréciable d'une lecture interprétative au meilleur sens du terme (sens infaillible de la narration, des structures et des proportions) sans pourtant que son ego d'artiste ne vienne s'interposer entre l'oeuvre et nous àmha. On devine le travail harassant de mise au point et de travail sur des partitions parfois archi-connues (Beethoven, Berlioz, Tchaïkovski) et dont ces interprétations légendaires ont contribué à faire reconnaître le génie (Haydn, Nielsen, Sibelius). Texte de présentation intéressant et érudit qui rappelle que Bernstein était également un penseur de premier plan, très sous-estimé. On attend avec impatience le coffret DVD de ses Young People's Concert pour compléter cette somme. Un legs inestimable offert aux mélomanes, à un tarif très modique (le coffret comporte 60 CD...) mais d'un volume imposant (une boîte carrée de 30cm de côté sur 4 ou 8 de large), "inclassable" comme Bernstein. La personnalité fascinante de Bernstein a suscité beaucoup de commentaires, à commencer par la légende "officielle" pieusement entretenue. Les curieux liront avec intérêt la biographie scandaleuses mais très éclairante que la musicologue américaine Joan Peyser a consacré naguère à Bernstein, difficile à trouver.

商品そのものは中古にもかかわらず、非常にきれいでとても良い物でした。正直クラシックにそれほど詳しい訳ではありませんが、代表的な交響曲が網羅されており、大満足です。

Sono talmente entusiasta che non ho parole per commentare la bellezza assoluta di questo "cofanone", bellissimo anche per estetica, di 60 dischi del Bernstein alla guida dei New York Philarmonic. E' interessantissimo cogliere le fondamentali differenze con il Bernstein maturo che incise memorabili dischi con i Wiener. Non l'ho ancora sentito tutto (mi è arrivato solo la scorsa settimana) ma quello che ho ascoltato merita ampiamente il massimo giudizio, anzi proporrei in certi casi di consentire al musicomane entusiasta di aggiungere un paio di stelle in più.... E che dire del prezzo. 68 Euro per 60 cd di supremo interesse culturale! Penso che nessuna persona che abbia un pò di cervello pensante (ci sono anche cervelli che non so che cosa ci stiano a fare nella testa dei loro titolari, ma forse dipende da questi ultimi) non debba perdere nemmeno un minuto a riflettere se conprare o no. E' una raccolta tra le più interessanti dehli ultimi decenni e per di più a un prezzo che equivale a due pizze e due birre!!!!! Comprate questo "cofanetto" e aprirete la porta della felicità. Guido nardone. P.S. Ovviamente non tutto è al massimo livello. Come si sarà capito da quanto ho scritto all'inizio del mio commento, alcune opere (per esempio Beethoven e Brahms) non sono all'altezza di quelle che diresse negli ultimi anni e che rimangono, secondo me, ai vertici di una immaginaria graduatoria di merito (senza nulla togliere agli altri grandi). E poi una considerazione a cui tengo molto, anche se non c'entra con la raccolta di cui stamo parlando : avete ascoltato il "Tristano" diretto da Lennie?. E' fantastico! E' passione pura, è musica che esprime falicità e strazio in una misura che non è stata raggiunta nemmeno dai più titolati direttori wagneriani. E la sua "Patetica"? la profondità della sua lettura, soprattutto nell'intenso adagio finale, non ha confronti. Grazie per avermi dato quest'opportunità. In un momento di depressione generale in cui non è facile sentirsi entusiasti, Bernstein mi ha evitato di ....varcare la soglia dello studio di uno psichiatra

This is one of the top box set on the market today. This is the achievement of a musical hero of our time. The immense Leonard Bernstein in all is greatest interpretations of the past and modern composers. His Sibelius, Shostakovich. Nielsen, William Shumann are total references. His Mahler is the most involved and convincing you could ear, also a reference. The sound remastering is incredible, bravo to Sony!!