Bach: Complete Edition (1

I am not a musicologist - and so my comments are certainly not definitive. I enjoy this set of Bach's music - and find the quality mainly very high standard.I found Zuzana Ruzickova a bit wooden - her playing did not make the works she played stand out.I was very disappointed by the Goldberg Variations - Gustave Leonhardt plays them extremely fast. Fortunately I have a lot of the keyboard works performed by other musicians, so I will keep them to maintain a different perspective.I do have a couple of issues about the set - which a prospective buyer needs to consider.1. There is no information on the performers - that has to be looked up online. Fortunately the date of recording is included.2. There is no information about the actual recording - although there is a lot of information about the organs and harpsichords used. I missed what used to be called sleeve notes. But, more significantly, there are no librettos. I am aware that including them would significantly increase the documentation - but surely a simple URL could be set up for these, and the sleeve notes included with the original recordings. I am forced to use the libretti from the Bach Edition from Brilliant Classics.3. Again, a documentation point - there is no overall view of the production - it would be useful to understand the aims and scope of the production. There are several works that are missing from the set - for example it does not include the Mark or Luke passions. That should be at least mentioned in the overall documentation of the set - to my mind it is not a full set - so the title "The Complete Bach Edition". is misleading,4. There is no listing of work to CD number. With such a large number of works and CD's an index is surely invaluable, and is sadly lacking. Such a listing could include cross referencing of the Sacred Cantatas to the specific Sundays or Feast Day they were written to commemorate.5. Although the standard of performance is very high, there are some recordings of the orchestral works that have a distinct lack of clarity.So on purchasing this set you need to be aware that the documentation leaves a lot to be desired and that performances. although generally of high standard, can be wooden or disappointing.

I have been given this collection as a (carefully 'steered') gift. At any price it would be a musical goldmine: at Amazon's price, it is astounding value. This review has to be based on what I have had time to listen to so far, but I have no reason to believe that the rest will not be as rewarding, and I am so thrilled that I cannot restrain myself from passing my pleasure on. I am quite picky about my recordings, and these seem to be right up there with those I already have of some of Bach's music. Highlights of my listening so far include a particularly joyous performance, with superb soloists, of the Weihnachtsoratorium, which will be part of my personal celebrations of Christmas in the years to come. I particularly look forward to getting further into the cantata performances: of those I have heard already, I agree with another reviewer that they have a lack of 'pomposity' (not quite the right word) in which respect they compare well with more prestigious recordings.Like another reviewer, I have already become a fan of Ruth Holton (soprano) in Bach's cantatas. We have become too used to fruity, rounded female voices for solo singing (presumably the way they are trained for most of the music they will be called upon to sing). We need to remember that Bach used (perforce) boys - trebles - for 'soprano' parts (the boys' voices in the Holland Boys' Choir are most welcome in this respect), and Ms Holton's voice must sound very like (the best of) the treble soloists in the choir of St Thomas's Leipzig in Bach's time. I love it.I have one gripe about this collection (but am not therefore going to take a star off). The blurb does not guarantee period instruments throughout, but this is achieved - bar three CDs! Surely they could have found P I performances for these as well? This may not matter to many people, but it does to me. Fortunately the discs in question (orchestral suites, and concertos including THE double violin and THE oboe and violin) use a frequently-used-by-other-labels grouping of the works in question which makes it easy for me to 'replace' them, albeit at relatively huge cost compared with the AMAZING value of this edition as a whole.

Excellent.

Excellent versions of everything I've listened to. Hundred of hours of pleasure.

Yes, this cost almost £100 but believe me it was worth not just every penny but many, many more. Superb service meant order Friday, delivery Monday. And now 157 CDs and 3 DVDs. It's heavy but only in physical terms! Otherwise I now possess the surest guide to Heaven on earth. The genius, the wonder of Bach. I urge you to invest.

Not "complete"!! BBC's " Bach before 7" plays BWV numbers that are not here.

Long time dreaming to have this great collection. It Exceeds my expectations.. strongly recommends

It's a bargain, but I found that I am not a lover of cantatas or a lover of the harpsichord so I enjoy only about a third of the CDs in this huge box. Maybe I will learn to enjoy them in the future : )