I've heard the 4th and the 7th, so far. The bass drum is huge in the 7th. You'll often hear me express a preference for the LP version of certain recordings, but I will say the CD version wins hands down, so far. And the 7th sounds better than the previous CD incarnation as I recall it. I can only stay up so late, but I may have to hear a bit of his 3rd and 9th.
coda from last night...
I listened to parts of the 3rd, 5th, and 9th, but it's been a matter of minutes vs. actual movements. Despite certain improvements, don't except the remarkable improvements that Sony delivered in their latest Bernstein remastering. After hearing Bernstein's cycle, I was ready for the same remastering producers to go back and tackle all of my favorite Bernstein and Ormandy gems from the Columbia catalog, hoping the results would be comparable. Here, I've walked away with the thought, "Well, I guess they did the best they could." Things are still a little strident, ironic considering it was recorded LATER than Bernstein's.
It's not very specific, but I like what I've heard interpretively. I only wish there would have been as much cowbell at the end of the 7th as bells.
One other quibble: I really wish there was better cover art. Some of the LP's had some great art and I don't find Levine very photogenic.
Topic: good price for 10-cd Levine Mahler box (Read 10848 times)