Leonard Bernstein - Complete Recordings On Deutsche Grammophon & Decca 1

This has been listed on Amazon for over a month and no one has taken the bait, so I thought I'd go ahead and state the obvious.$500 is a lot of money.121 CDs + 1 Blu-Ray Audio disc + 36 video DVDsIf you don't already own these Bernstein recordings, and have a lot of money, $500 is a very good deal.An incredible bargain.But if you are like me and already own most of this on earlier DG releases, it is pretty foreboding.I don't think any of the music is actually new to silver disc.Parting with the money would be easier if it meant an upgrade to new and superior remasterings,but apparently ONLY the Beethoven Symphonies have been newly remastered.DG's advertising justifiably brags about the effort they put into remastering Beethoven, but is mum about the other composers.The remaining 126 CDs and 36 DVDs are the same twenty-year old remasterings that we have grown accustomed to (actually pretty good sound, but not up to the standard of Blu-Ray Audio).The newly remastered Beethoven is available separately for $45: Beethoven: 9 Symphonies (5 CDs + one Blu-Ray Audio disc: photo 1)Six months ago, DG gave the deluxe treatment to Bernstein's recording of Fidelio: Beethoven: Fidelio Op.72 [2 CD/Blu-ray][Deluxe Edition] (2CDs + one Blu-Ray Audio disc: photo 2)Unfortunately, that Blu-Ray Audio disc is not part of the new box.The least DG could have done for their new box is to upgrade the 36 DVDs to Blu-Ray video, but that opportunity was missed.Still an attractive collection.This is actually the second time that Deutsche Grammophon has issued the "Complete Recordings of Leonard Bernstein".Ten years ago, they issued two mega-boxes (without all but one of the DVDs).Aside from the Beethoven Symphonies, the remasterings are identical to those in the new box:-- Composers A-L: The Leonard Bernstein Collection - Volume One [59 CD/DVD Combo][Limited Edition] (photo 3)-- Composers M-Z: The Leonard Bernstein Collection - Volume Two [64 CD Box Set] (photo 4)DG also owns Bernstein's first recording as a conductor:His ballet "Fancy Free", recorded in 1945 with New York's Ballet Theater Orchestra.Also the original Broadway cast recording of "On the Town" recorded in 1944 "under the supervision of" (but not conducted by) Leonard Bernstein.These were originally recorded by American Decca (no relation to UK Decca).In 1953, American Decca recorded Bernstein in his first recordings of the basic repertoire (Beethoven, Brahms, Dvorak, Schumann and Tchaikovsky), which came with "musical analyses" by the conductor. Recorded with the "New York Stadium Symphony" (actually the New York Philharmonic).Mono recordings in both the old and new DG boxes.Leonard Bernstein's recordings for Deutsche Grammophon (+ Decca & Philips) were made between 1966 and 1990.His earlier recordings, owned by Sony (CBS & RCA), were made between 1947-77.There is a lot of overlap, though DG recorded a sizeable number of works new to Bernstein's repertoire (see list at the end of this review).Despite repeated calls by me (hah!), Sony has yet to issue the "Complete Recordings of Leonard Bernstein".Deutsche Grammophon is far more conscientious in making this material available.Sony has actually done a commendable job of remastering nearly half of the Bernstein recordings they own (including the complete symphonies of Mahler & Sibelius, and Bernstein's own music).But when it comes to making these available on CD, they have done a sloppy, haphazard job, with too much duplication between boxes.For more whining by me, see my review of Sony's 100 CD box: Leonard Bernstein Remastered (photo 5)Review titled: "MESSY, POORLY PLANNED TRIBUTE but still five stars"I usually prefer Early Bernstein to Late Bernstein (but I'm prejudiced: his 'Young People's Concerts' on 1960's television introduced me to classical music).I just wish Sony would get it’s act together.COMPOSITIONS BERNSTEIN ONLY RECORDED FOR DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHONWorks that he only recorded late in life for DG:BEETHOVEN: Creatures of Prometheus Overture + ballet music excerpts / String Quartets Op.131,135 / Fidelio - complete operaBERNSTEIN: Concerto for Orchestra (Jubilee Games) / Divertimento / Songfest / Halil / Slava! / A Musical Toast / Three Meditations from Mass for Cello / Candide / West Side Story / A Quiet PlaceBIZET: Carmen - complete operaBLOCH: SchelomoBRAHMS: Violin & Cello ConcertoCOPLAND: Quiet City / Clarinet ConcertoDVORAK: Slavonic Dance Op.46, No.8 / Cello ConcertoELGAR: Enigma Variations / Pomp & Circumstance March No.2 / Crown of India: March of the Mogul EmperorsGERSHWIN: Prelude No.1 (piano)HAYDN: Symphony 92 / Sinfonia ConcertanteHINDEMITH: Mathis der Mahler SymphonyIVES: Hallowe'en / Hymn for Strings / Gong on the Hook & Ladder / Tone Roads No.1MAHLER: Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen (orchestral version) / Rückert-Lieder (all five)MOZART: Symphonies 25,29,35,38 / Clarinet Concerto, /Mass in C Minor / Requiem / Ave verum corpus / Exsultate jubilatePUCCINI: La Boheme - complete operaROREM: Violin ConcertoSAINT-SAENS: Le Rouet d'OmphaleSCHUMAN: American Festival OvertureSCHUMANN: Piano ConcertoR.STRAUSS: Salome Final Scene / Five LiederSTRAVINSKY: Symphony in C / Symphony in Three Movements / Scenes de ballet / Les Nocesdel TREDICI: TattooWAGNER: Tristan & Isolde - complete operaFor a complete list of the contents, see Comment One ("sort by oldest")