[SoundsGood]

Anybody here own this 4-CD set? I got it for Christmas and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. The Bruckner 9 is wonderful, Brahms 4 is as well. I haven't really gotten a close listen to the other works yet.

I'm wondering if anyone else owns this and also hears quite a bit of distortion and minor drop outs in the Brahms 4 and Mahler 1 recordings? It's actually quite distracting in the Brahms 4 with headphones on. The Mahler wasn't so bad, but noticeable. The Bruckner didn't have these problems that I noticed. Perhaps this is just faulty recording by EMI in the 70s?

Nevertheless, a fully recommendable set.

 

[mbhaub]

Those recordings were never known for their high quality. The sound was muffled and congested. The performances are beyond reproach, but alas, the tapes probably have deteriorated badly. DG got a much better sound quality with their Guilini/Chicago recordings. The Mahler 9th is still one of the greats. EMI certainly could make some great recordings back then (still do), but it never happened in Chicago.

 

[Kevin Sinnott]

I've got Giulini's Bruckner on a 1980s Cd. It sounds great, better to me (more natural) than the later DG I also own. I've got some Beethoven by him on another disc. I can't say I've listened to them strictly for sound quality but so far, I'm not distracted like I am with some others.

I agree, he's a great conductor. I have friends who play classically here in Chicago who speak with Giulini with love and respect - very differently than of some other conductors.