Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set] [BOX SET]

Hermann Prey (Performer), Miklos Perenyi (Performer), Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer), Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer), Johannes Brahms (Composer), Frederic Chopin (Composer), Antonin Dvorak (Composer), Edvard Grieg (Composer), George Frederick Handel (Composer), Franz Joseph Haydn (Composer), Franz Liszt (Composer), Felix Mendelssohn (Composer), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer), Sergey Rachmaninov (Composer), Maurice Ravel (Composer), Franz Schubert (Composer), Robert Schumann (Composer), Johann II Strauss (Composer), Richard Strauss (Composer), Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (Composer)

Product Details

• Performer: Hermann Prey, Miklos Perenyi
• Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Frederic Chopin, Antonin Dvorak, et al.
• Audio CD (August 24, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 20
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Delta
• ASIN: B00000K1C9
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #85,220 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #7 in	Music > Classical > Featured Performers, A-Z > ( H ) > Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra
  #10 in	Music > Opera & Vocal > Vocal Non-Opera > Airs
  #28 in	Music > Classical > Featured Performers, A-Z > ( S ) > Salzburg Chamber Orchestra

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
An extraordinary 20-CD collection of great works by Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Ravel, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, J. Strauss, R. Strauss, Schumann, Wagner, Dvorak, Grieg and Liszt. It also features worldrenowned artists such as Sir Neville Marriner, Martha Argerich, Ivo Pogorelich, Hermann Prey, Reiner Goldberg, Sylvia Sass, Jochen Kowalski, Peter Schreler and many more. This exquisite, copper metallic, deluxe boxed set is the perfect gift for the classical music neophyte.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good choice for beginners, July 3, 2003

By	Dave Norman (Waseca, MN United States) - See all my reviews

This is an excellent choice for the beginner wanting to familiarize himself or herself with a selection of composers. The set features 20 composers. Each composer has one CD of his most popular compositions. To buy a box set like this and complain that it's not very complete because it doesn't have a CD by Bartok is like buying a single book entitled The History of the World and complaining it isn't complete because it doesn't cover Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Although many people will think there are other composers that should be featured in this set there is no arguing against the fact that these are some of the greatest composers of the last millennium. If this set was misnamed it is because it is geared toward familiarizing you with the greatest composers and not necessarily the greatest compositions. This set does a good job of familiarizing you with each composer. I don't think you can familiarize yourself with someone's work with any less than one CD. And at this price you can't go wrong.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect introduction to the classical masters!, October 19, 2005

By	J. Fitzgerald (Henderson, NV - USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I haven't always enjoyed classical music. But lately my wife and I have been growing more and more fond of it. We started out with the Phillips "Set Your Life to Music" series; Mozart for your Mind, Beethoven for Bedtime, etc. But we wanted to get more exposure to some of the masters that we weren't as familiar with. Schubert, Brahms, Handel, etc.

I came across this box set in my search, and for less than $3 per disc I thought I couldn't go wrong. And I didn't. This set is truly fantastic. I was a little more worried about the sound quality than I was about the musical selection since I was not too familiar with most of these composers. But, in truth, I had nothing to worry about. The sound quality is excellent on every disc. Most of these are either remastered or are recent recordings. And as far as I can tell, the selection of works is also excellent. There are some pieces here that I am very familiar with (and always wondered who composed them, which now I know), as well as some that I have never heard before and have thoroughly enjoyed being exposed to.

So, as I said, at less than $3 per disc, you really can't go wrong. But at even 5 times that amount I would still be extremely satisfied with this selection.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very helpful collection, March 23, 2007

By	anonymoose (LA) - See all my reviews

I define this set as an excellent way to find out who you like, and who you don't, among 20 of the important composers. It opens the door to purchasing more complete pieces by composers you do like, and can save a lot of time and money in the process.
To criticize the set for not containing more composers, or more than just snippets of those who are in the set, is missing the point: it is a helpful introduction to finding your way in the huge maze of classical music. It succeeds admirably in this.
Sound quality is uniformly very good on an audiophile system.
Highly recommended.