Review: The Big Böhm Box Rebooted (Orchestral Music for DG)

All of the music (or as much as makes no difference) was previously issued across three 20+ CD boxes from DG dedicated to, respectively, symphony cycles, the "late recordings," and (get this) the "great recordings (1953-72)." So what do you need this for? Well, first, if you didn't get those earlier boxes, and second, if you really like Karl Böhm, a fine but occasionally dour conductor who probably did his best work in the opera house. His Beethoven and, especially, his Mozart is worth hearing, as well a bits of his Brahms, Richard Strauss, and (surprisingly) his Haydn. If you have some or all of that already, you won't need this, and that's the bottom line.

[OuterGalaxyLounge]

A video posted at 5 am EST. Dave is the man who never sleeps.

[davesharmanguitarist]

Only discovered David’s channel literally a couple of days ago and wow, a major UK fan now! His recommendations for Beethoven, Bruckner, Mahler symphonic cycles have actually reinvigorated my love of that music. Just added Igor Levit to my playlist, thank you David for sharing your invaluable knowledge, experience and passion, your advice is going to have a major impact on my musical trajectory for years to come.

[BryanHalo]

I'm addicted to your advice on classical recordings, but I dread seeing my Amazon charges and I'm running out of room to hide my big boxes from my partner. But on this one you saved me money and space. Thank you.

[markstenroos]

I was happy to see this box set and ordered it immediately from jpc at a great price. DG has done a great service for those of us who didn’t buy the older sets when they were released, oh, 8 years ago (and which cost a premium these days). Tossing in the BluRay of the Mozart Symphonies is a welcome bonus, IMHO.

That said, it’s a bit sad to see Böhm getting the B-list artist treatment from DG. No new remastering anywhere, and there are more than a few recordings that could have used it. No lamination to the CD sleeves and no liner notes on the back of said sleeves, a nice touch that DG used in their Decade boxes for the ultimate A-lister, Karajan. A modest CD booklet and no translation option provided for the German-only interview CDs.

Still, a welcome reissue for THIS collector. I have passed on the earlier vocal box as I already own most of those recordings in prior CD issues that included libretti. It’s surprising what comes off well here (Böhm’s Haydn) and what is disappointing (his Wagner). I like Böhm’s orchestral R Strauss more than Dave, including his ASZ, whose opening “sunrise” was included as a substitute recording on MGM’s original soundtrack LP of “2001 - A Space Odyssey” in lieu of Karajan’s Decca recording that was actually used in the movie. So far I have enjoyed hopping around this set, sampling its wares. Well worth the $ spent.

[richardwilliams]

I wait in Australia at exactly 7pm for David s excellent reviews. David is THE BEST !!!!

[marciosr]

I'm probably alone here, but Karl Böhm's Brahms 1st is glorious. One of my favorite recordings in music. It made me fall in love with that symphony, plus get almost every recording I could find. Still tops. Maybe I'm wrong and it is just a personal preference, like falling in love with someone no one would...😬

[jasonquinlan]

New subscriber here. If I've learned only one thing from your wonderfully informed videos it's that I've been mispronouncing a lot of these conductor's names for years. Thanks for setting me straight!

[wozzeckbartok]

I never knew opera could be exciting until I heard Bohm's Wozzeck and Lulu on DG. They blew me away. Still my favorite recordings.

[barryguerrero]

Not being a big Mozart person, relatively speaking, I completely agree with your assessment of the "Gran Partita". It's wonderful. I also agree with your point regarding Bohm the opera conductor, vs. Bohm the orchestral works conductor. That said, you pointed out many of my Bohm favorites: Beethoven 6 and 9; Brahms 1 and 3 (same with Klemperer); Schubert 5, 6 and 9; Tchaik. 4 (a piece I normally don't like), etc. I also like his 'stiff; and 'unsexy' "Zarathustra" - that works for me; and I have weird soft spot for his Dvorak 9. I LOVE that Bruckner 8, as well the 'live' Palexa one. You might not agree with this, David, but I feel that the Bohm/Fischer-Dieskau "Kindertotenlieder" is one of THE great, classic Mahler recordings. Less said about Reger, the better. I'll gladly 'beat him up' for you. If Bohm would have dedicated the time and energy, I would love to know what he could have done with Mahler 6 and 9 - maybe even the 8th (with a great cast). But alas, it's probably best that that never happened. "Gurre-lieder" would have been right up his alley.

[chadweirick]

I think the overflow room needs its own trademark percussion instrument perhaps a finger cymbal?:)

[Emrla]

“Surprisingly decent”. Just the phrase I needed for my next set of employee reviews. Thanks!

[chokhong]

I just discovered David's channel by chance, and I was absolutely captivated by his comments, warmly appreciative and also astutely critical, of Karl Bohm's complete orchestral recordings. I agree absolutely with (almost) all of David's comments (the one exception being that I like his later Vienna Philharmonic recordings of the late Mozart symphonies). There is, by the way, an NHK video of Bohm conducting the Vienna Phil in Tokyo in an excruciatingly slow Beethoven 7th. It was apparently Bohm's last orchestral concert that he ever conducted, and the audience went wild, maybe because there was a sense that he did not have long to go. I have to confess ... I heard Bohm conduct many times in the 1970s in London where I live, in Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, and even a couple of times in Paris ... both in concert and in the opera house. For me, he has always been one of the greats, though not without failings, he was after all human. Thank you David for bringing back all these memories. And I agree, I won't be getting this mammoth box, as I have most of the recordings already.

[robert]

I bought this box in spite of Mr Hurwitz's advice. I had almost nothing with Böhm so there are no duplicates in my collection with this box. I wanted Böhm's Mozart and Schubert symphonies and I thought that this box contains everything so why not? (Local CD store gave me quite good discount.)
I didn't listen to everything yet. In my opinion Böhm is similar to Szell in some (technical) ways. Orchestral transparency is not always on the same level but Böhm also liked the transparency in my opinion. He obviously slower than Szell but orchestral precision is almost on the same level.
I think this is one of the slowest Beethoven cycle on the market. I didn't like his Eroica. Good orchestral playing but way too slow. I miss the power from the 5th also. I liked his 7th because woodwind playing and transparency is excellent. And even tempos are quite good. Very good Pastoral and 9th too but in the 9th the sound quality is very mediorce unfortunately.
I liked his Brahms cycle apart from the 3rd which is dull because of the slow tempo.
10 years ago when Mozart become my favorite composer, I didn't like "modern performance practice" performances. Maybe I start to became older but now I like they much more. When I compare Böhm to other conductors (Levine, Pinnock, Harnoncourt, etc.), the tempos are obciously slower. But I agree with Mr. Hurwitz: orchestral playing is beautiful. When I don't compare this to others, the tempos are competely satisfying. Orchestral playing is crisp, extremely precise, maybe one of the best. Even transparency is quite good. I started a "journey to Jupiter": I will listen to all of my complete (or almost complete) cycles: Böhm, Pinnock, Harnoncourt and Levine (I bought it some days ago).
I liked Böhm's Haydn and Bruckner too.

[johnfowler]

Unexpected complaints:
-- The Brahms Symphonies and the first two volumes of Mozart are needlessly packaged in 3-CD cardboard jackets. It is impossible to remove the center CD without tearing the jacket.
They should have been packaged as single CDs.
Don't they ever learn?
-- DG used to post English translations of the spoken word biographical CDs on their website, but now have discontinued this practice (and they took down the old translations).
-- P.S. For those interested in such things, the transfers are identical to those in the three earlier boxes.
Nothing has been newly remastered. Still sounds good to me.

[jeffreylevy]

The three smaller boxes do not have Bohm's concerto recordings. In particular the Mozart and Beethoven concertos. There is yet another small box devoted to Bohm's Mozart concerto and serenades and
Does DGG regard concertos as orchestral? I guess it depends on whether there is yet another the Missa is in the earlier "orchestral" boxes and in the new opera

[renaudgautier]

Thanks again for all the wonderful information you provide. In this, particularly for reminding us what an excellent opera conductor Böhm was. Question (and pardon, please, if I've just missed the answer) - Have you posted about any of the 'big' Liszt boxes, or about either of the Debussy anthologies?
I've looked, but can't seem to find them. I welcome all the individual items, but would love to read your take on those larger collections.

[alasdairthomas]

Thanks for this, Dave. A very helpful overview. Isn’t that Dresden Schubert 9 awesome?! I picked it out almost at random as one of the first I’d listened to from the set and - wow! Blown away. One might think Böhm + Schubert 9 = stodgy proto-Bruckner, but one would be wrong.

I think you do the set down a little in your summing-up. I think it would certainly appeal to those who are familiar with Böhm’s well known recordings and who want to dig a little deeper. Why do I think this? Because it basically describes me!

[johnfowler]

Bohm always struck me as a more placid version of Klemperer.
Without all the baggage.
But I miss the madness of Klemperer.

[richardsauer]

There are 4 DG Bohm boxes: The Symphony Edition, The Great Recordings, The Late Recordings, and Karl Bohm : A Life in Music (an Italian DG production) I have the first and last. Now we have the Everything Box. Early next year DG will release a big Boulez box, and Decca will release an 88 disc Ansermet like to see Dave go through the Brendel Edition -two Beethoven sonata cycles, and 3 Beethoven piano concerto cycles etc....with detailed commentary on all of it. But seriously folks, has there been a video on The Sorcerer's Apprentice? I ask because I've talked to several musicians and they say that it is a really difficult piece to play.

[edwinbelete]

Such a pity that the overflow room does doesn't have a barn attached to it. I've become accustomed to daily horse sounds. 🐎 Oh well, I'll just have to wait for Dave to return to Brooklyn.