Mozart complete works $99 at Sams Club..comments? (1 Viewer)

[Cees Alons]

Mike,

Think of it this way (I said about the same to Parker, about the Bach-set):

(1) Normally you buy only 4 or 5 CDs for that price.
(2) You will own all his works, none of them below a certain (high) quality standard.
(3) If you fancy one particular other recording of one of Mozart's works, or if you particularly dislike one on the set, you will still be able to buy the other version (and you probably would have done that anyway).
(4) You will own some work you'd probably never bought - and discover it for yourself.
(5) Even if you won't fancy, say, 20% of the set's recordings it's still a bargain (sensational almost).

I still haven't listened to all CDs in the set, but the tracks I did listen to, make me believe there's no really bad one in this case (p.i.).

I'm still very happy to own the set (and the Bach set I bought before). To me it was a no-brainer. Waiting for a Van Beethoven set (along with Parker).


Cees

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

I haven't been around the music forum for a week or two....

I would say go with this set if you are interested. The reason it's on sale is that it is a Mozart 250th Birthday set...and says so on the box. That ties it to the year 2006....so this is past its expiration date as it were. After all these sets are sold off for $99, I'm sure they will repackage it leaving off the 2006 drop dead date.....and charge about $600.

My college roommate worked hard and is now a professor of music at the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire. I sent him a set as a present (I owe him a lot as I was a somewhat difficult roommate). He basically raved about the few selections he had time to review.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

There's a Beethoven edition in the "Masterworks" series of 40-CD sets from some Russian company.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Cees: I appreciate your answer from a couple of posts ago. But, I think I just found my justification on the Mozart set.

My daughter is getting married in June and I have been commissioned by my wife (the wedding planner) to deal with background music for the reception which is taking on the theme of an "English tea".

What better to have playing during the food portion of the reception than some Mozart string quartets, etc? (Other than, maybe, some Bach? )

The question now is: does my local BJs still have any of the sets?!?!

**EDIT: Out of curiosity, how is the set packaged? I've seen the big box...but what's inside? Slim CD cases? Cardboard sleeves?

 

[Aaron Silverman]

"But honey, I thought we scheduled a 170-hour reception!"



(PS Congratulations!)

 

[Mike Frezon]

Shhhhhhh! You'll blow my cover!

Thanks, Aaron.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I found that the 170-disc Mozart set is being re-released as a series of multi-channel SACDs!


I'm not certain, but they don't appear to be hybrids.

The website is www.brilliantclassics.com

 

[JonZ]

Im gonna have to pick this up.

For those of you in the NY, Connecticut area, Yale often has concerts(sometimes for free, went to a free Bach show last week) and all Mozart one if coming up in Feb that I think is being conducted by Sir Neville Marriner

Ive never seen a bad concert there and some have been amazing.

 

[Philip Hamm]

Piano sonattas perhaps?

 

[Cees Alons]

Congratulations, Mike. And may her first... oh forget this!


Cees

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Why wouldn't you want her first oh to remember this?

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Mike,

The CDs are in individual paper envelopes....how else could you package 170 CDs in a box only 12" long? Each envelope has recording information printed on it. The envelopes are color-coded for the kind of work: yellow for the symphonies, light orange for concerti, darker orange for divertimenti, etc. The box hinges open along the top and the inside has printed on it an index to the entire 170 CD set so you can find things relatively quickly.

Be careful what you play. You don't want to play the Marriage of Figaro (Figaro is having regrets some period of time after getting married) or Cosi fan Tutti (Italian for "They all do it" e.g. commit adultery).

 

[Mike Frezon]

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I like the way it's often translated as "Women Are Like That."

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Well I was in my Sams Club today and they have taken these boxed sets off the shelf. I'm pretty sure I was the only one to buy them there - and I bought two of them!

 

[Mike Frezon]

What makes you think others didn't buy what was left?

I am suffering a severe case of non-buyer's remorse. I went back to BJs today and there were none. Their inventory showed one set left...but it was nowhere to be found. I even went to an area Sam's Club with the thought of purchasing a membership there if I could find one. Their customer service person said they never had any.

Amazon tonight is showing the sets @ $119.97. Heck, it also shows the Bach set for $111.97! The Mozart set is only$11.73 more via amazon than if I made the purchase at my local BJs (adding local sales tax).

Does anyone know if it's available on-line anywhere @ a less expensive price?

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Hey, we're talking about the Wallyworld club store in redneck Nampa, Idaho. Home of the Snake River Stampede rodeo!

Actually someone had performed a major re-sort of all of the CDs and DVDs, so I think the manager culled poor selling items.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Uh oh. That sounds like some major "profiling" to me!

 

[Mike Frezon]

Found a nice deal on the Mozart set. It is on its way. For less than BJs or Amazon!

No more "non-buyer's" remorse!

 

[MarkRose]

Care to share where you found this deal? Would love to pick this and the Bach set up.